Starfleet Scuba Training Academy

The mainstay of Starfleet's outstanding reputation has always been its commitment to training excellence at every level. The waters around Bocas are perfect for learning to dive and ideal for candidates wishing to become dive professionals. We take pride in every student who trains with us and our highly qualified team is here to ensure your safety and enjoyment at all times.

Discover Scuba Diving

Discover Scuba Diving in half a day. The Discover Scuba Diving program allows you to experience the under water world using scuba. The program involves some basic theory, shallow water skills practice and an offshore dive from one of our boats.

The Discover Scuba Diving experience runs daily from 8.30am to 1pm and costs $75 for a single dive or $95 for two dives. Minimum age requirement 10 yrs

Scuba Diver course

This course is a partial certification program made up of key sections of the Open Water course. After completing it you will be qualified to dive with a PADI Divemaster to maximum depth of 12m. The course is 1 ½ - 2 days long. It comprises 3 modules of theory, 3 modules of confined water skills plus two open water dives.

The Scuba Diver course runs daily from 9am and costs $185 dollars which includes course materials, all equipment and certification with PADI. Minumum age requirement 10 yrs.

Open Water Course

This course is a full certification program for worldwide independent diving. The course is 3-4 days long and entails 5 modules of theory, 5 modules of confined water skills training, and four open water dives from one of our boats.

The Open Water course is the most internationally recognised scuba qualification in the world. It is run daily from 9am and costs $235 which includes course materials, all equipment and certification with PADI. Minimum age requirement 10 yrs. (Participants aged 10yrs to 15yrs will be awarded the Junior Open Water certification)

Scuba Review

The PADI Scuba Review is designed to help qualified divers back into the water after a period of inactivity. Our Instructors or Divemasters will review key areas of theory, recap and practice essential dive skills before you re enter the open water environment. (The Scuba Review program does not include a dive)

The Scuba Review program is conducted daily from 8.30am and costs $25

Advanced Open water Course

This course is for qualified divers who wish to expand their skills and diving experiences. The course is usually conducted over two days and involves 2 core dives in deep diving and navigation and a further 3 dives chosen from a list of activities.

The Advanced Open Water qualification is run daily from 9am and costs $235 which inlcudes course materials, all equipment and certification with PADI. It is an extremely popular program with recently qualified divers as it offers supervised experience in a variety of new environments. Adventure dives can be chosen from  Multilevel, Peak Performance Buoyancy, Photography, Search and Recovery, Naturalist, Drift and Wreck.

Rescue Diver Course

This course will help you to refine and further develop your accident prevention and management skills. The program will teach you how to manage an emergency situation from the shore, boat or in the water. This course is both rewarding and challenging, is taken over a 3 day period and involves extensive First Aid and dive theory plus 12 practical rescue scenarios.

The Rescue Diver course is run on request and costs $250 which includes course materials all equiment and certification with PADI. Rescue Diver training will prepare you to prevent and anticipate problems and, if necessary, manage dive emergencies. During the five open water sessions, you'll cover:

• Self-rescue and diver stress
• emergency oxygen delivery systems
• diving first aid
• swimming and non-swimming rescue techniques
• emergency management and equipment
• panicked diver response
• underwater problems
• missing diver procedures
• surfacing the unconscious diver
• in-water rescue breathing protocols
• egress (exits)
• first aid procedures for pressure related accidents
• dive accident scenarios

It is a requirement for all students starting the Rescue Diver Course to have successfully completed an internationally recognised First Aid course within the past 2 years. Students without this requirement can take the Emergency First Response course which is an additional $65 when run together with the Rescue Diver program. This course takes 1 day.

Specialty Courses

Our Instructors are and the most qualified in Panama and can teach a range of 13 specialty programs for those divers wishing to focus their scuba skills in specific disciplines. These programs involve between 2 and 4 dives and are designed to improve knowledge and practical skills in the chosen areas.

Specialty programs are conducted on request. Achieving PADI Specialty ratings can take anywhere from as little as one day to a full weekend - but this is all hands-on, so you'll be diving right from the start.

Master Scuba Diver

This is the highest non-professional rating that can be achieved. To be awarded the candidate will need to be qualified to Rescue Diver level and have also completed at least 5 Specialty ratings.

This certification denotes that you've reached the highest recreational diver level in the PADI System of diver education. PADI Master Scuba Diver indicates you have a significant amount of training and experience in a variety of dive environments.

What do I need to start?

• PADI Open Water Diver certification (or qualifying certification from another organization)
• PADI Advanced Open Water Diver certification (or qualifying certification from another organization)
• PADI Rescue Diver certification (or qualifying certification from another organization)
• 50 logged dives
• Five PADI Specialty course certifications
• Minimum age: 15 years old (12 for Junior Master Scuba Diver)

Divemaster

The PADI Divemaster course is the first professional level in the PADI system. The course is made up of 3 areas - knowledge development, water skills & stamina and practical application. During the course you will develop new leadership skills and professional level knowledge and abilities.

The course is challenging and demanding but by earning this certification you will distinguished as both an accomplished diver and leader. The course can be completed in 10 days although most candidates prefer to do an apprenticeship within the dive Academy. Starfleet specialises in putting together a training package to suit individual requirements which can include food and accomodation. The apprenticeship gives you first hand experience of the role of a divemaster within a controlled environment.

The Divemaster program is conducted on request and costs $630 for the 10-day straight course - candidates are required to purchase their course materials in addition to the course fees. A more popular alternative to the 10 day program is to participate in an internship over a number of weeks. With this option candidates will gain real world skills working with divers and students and learning how a busy dive school operates. Working closely with our PADI Instructors, you'll expand your dive knowledge and hone your skills as you become a dive professional. PADI Divemaster training develops your leadership abilities by training you to supervise dive activities and assist instructors with student divers.

What can PADI Divemasters do?

• Work at local dive centers, on live-aboard dive boats, yachts and at exotic resort locations
• Assist PADI Instructors with students
• Lead PADI Scuba Divers on guided dive tours
• Teach and certify PADI Skin Divers
• Teach PADI Discover Snorkeling programs
• Conduct PADI Scuba Review programs for certified divers
• Lead certified divers on Discover Local Diving experiences
• Teach Emergency First Response programs after successful completion of an Emergency First Response Instructor course.

What do I need to start?

• PADI Advanced Open Water Diver or qualifying certification from another training organization
• PADI Rescue Diver certification or qualifying certification from another training organization .
• Medical clearance signed by a physician
• 20 logged dives
• 18 years old

What will I do?

• Learn dive leadership through classroom and independent study sessions
• Complete water skills and stamina exercises in confined and open water
• Training exercises to test organizational and problem solving abilities
• An internship or series of practical training exercises