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Olivia Greenway, travel journalist and copywriter

Learning to scuba dive in Funchal, Madeira

January 5, 2011
By olivia

As well as visiting the wine lodge, walking along the levades and taking tea at Reid’s, why not spend half a day learning to scuba dive?

The Divepoint PADI diving school is located at the Pescana Carlton Hotel. Go through the lobby to the lift, take it down and follow the steps to the lower pool, where the dive centre is located.

 

After watching a safety film and information about diving and hearing a pep talk by one of the German instructors, it’s time to get the gear on. Wetsuit, flippers and mask are all carefully selected for you. The classes are small with six to eight participants.

 

Once in the pool, it’s time to have your weights attached and your tank of air. Breathing through your mouth is relatively easy and once you have mastered how to move up and down and keep your head underwater, it’s time to have a bit of fun. I’ve never swum under water before (truth be told I’m not a strong swimmer and don’t like enclosed spaces much) so this was a revelation for me.

 

If the instructors think you are ready for it, it’s off to the sea. You may only do this step if you have learned how to signal underwater, how to get your air tube back if it slips out of your mouth and are confident to be able to manage on your own.

 

There is one instructor for two divers, so it’s very safe. Once safely underwater, the instructor throws out some bread and fish of all different sizes and colours appear from nowhere. It’s now one can appreciate the appeal of scuba diving.

 

Madeira is warm all year round, so is ideal for diving, although the sea can be rough, so occasionally it’s not possible. It costs €50 for about four hours. If you manage the sea adventure, it counts towards your PADI course and you get a certificate, so you can continue with the course at another centre.

 

Contact tel: +351 291 239 579

Useful links
Madeira Divepoint

 

Categories : Europe, Madeira, Travel
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Trips 2018/2019

2019

January: Zanzibar

March: Cape Town & Pretoria

May: Slovenia

October: South Africa (tbc)

November: Kenya (tbc)

 

Trips 2018

March:  New York, including Frick Gallery

May:  Vietnam including Halong Bay

June:  Giverny and Monet’s garden

June:  Majorca

December: Hyderabad and Chandigarh, India

Trips 2017

January: Johannesburg, Pretoria, Swaziland, Mozambique, Zimbabwe
February: Bangalore
April: Lake District
May: Malaga
September: Mexico, Cancun
November: Delhi, Agra, Shimla
December: Berlin, Prague, Budapest, Venice

Trips 2016 (not clickable)

January: Oxford, Tenerife
February: Hampshire
March: Manchester
April: Sicily, Germany
October: Bangalore, New Delhi
November: Bangalore, New Delhi
December: Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

List of trips 2015 (not clickable)

January: European ski resorts; Milan
February: Germany, Austria, Switzerland
March: Istanbul, Jersey, Vienna, Prague, Budapest
April: Road trip Ireland
May: Road trip France, Germany, Benelux and Copenhagen
June: UK luxury hotels
December: Cannes

List of trips 2014 (not clickable)

January Weimar, Vienna
February - Berlin, London
April - Chicago, Toronto, Montreal
May/June - Driving trip, Spain
July – Majorca
July - Paris
August - Southern UK
September – Northern Italy including Venice
October - South of France
October/November - Germany, Austria and Switzerland
December - Cape Town, Durban, driving along Garden Route South Africa, Kenya, Rwanda

List of trips 2013 (not clickable)

  • January - Tenerife
  • March - Istanbul
  • April - Italy luxury hotels - mid and southern Italy including Sicily
  • June - Las Vegas
  • June - Massive west coast road trip - Vancouver, BC
  • June - Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, Napa Valley, Santa Barbara, Los Angeles, Santa Monica, San Diego
  • September - Washington DC, Maryland, Delaware, Virginia
  • September - Carolinas, Georgia, northern Florida (Talahassee area)
  • September - New Orleans, Orlando, Miami; Vancouver
  • October - Puglia, Italy and Milan

List of trips 2012

  • January - Hawaii, USA
  • February - France - Le Touquet, Lens, Lille
  • March - Nelamangala, India
  • July - Milan, Italy
  • August - Buenos Aires, Argentina
  • August - Iguazu Falls, Brazil
  • August - Montevideo, Uruguay
  • September - Delhi, India
  • November - Dubai, UAE

List of trips 2011

  • January - Madeira, Portugal
  • February - Bangalore, India
  • April - British Virgin Islands, Caribbean
  • May - Sicily, Italy
  • May - San Francisco, USA
  • June - Bangalore and New Delhi, India
  • July - Prague, Czech Republic
  • July - Munich, Germany
  • July - Washington DC, USA
  • August - Lake District, UK
  • September - La Grande-Motte, France
  • Annapolis, USA
  • October - Buenos Aires, Argentina
  • December - Helsinki, Finland
  • December - St Petersburg, Russia

List of trips 2010

  • February - India - Kerala & Chennai
  • March - Manchester & the North West
  • March - Austria
  • April - Czech Republic
  • May - Lake District
  • June - Cologne
  • July - India - Bangalore and Delhi
  • August - Eastern Cape & KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
  • September - Grasse, south of France
  • September - Wick, Scotland
  • October - Utah, USA
  • December - Montreal, Canada
  • December - Madeira, Portugal
Olivia Greenway, travel journalist and copywriter
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