Directory of Recreational Scuba Services Providers in the UAE and Oman

Compiled by Vance Stevens, P.A.D.I. Open Water SCUBA Instructor #64181

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Weather in the UAE: http://weather.yahoo.com/regional/United_Arab_Emirates.html
The Abu Dhabi International Airport Weather Office forecasts with Tide Tables and Sunrise/Sunset is working again in June 2009: http://www.adiamet.gov.ae/forecast.htm.

Abu Dhabi | Dubai | Sharja | Dibba, Fujaira and Khor Fakkan | Musandam and Oman

Abu Dhabi

From outside UAE, precede call with 971-2 or 971-50 for a mobile
Inside UAE precede call with 02 or 050 for a mobile

Abu Dhabi Health and Fitness Center
Kathleen Russell and I were instructors here from 2003 to early 2005
As far as I know the diving activities here have ceased since that time
For inquiries email director@adhfc.com
Location: Saada or 19th Street between Karama and Shakhboot
Websites: ADHFC http://www.adhfc.com

Al Jazeera Diving http://www.aljdc.com/e/index.html
Fred de los Reyes - instructor there (April 2009), mobile 050-581-9473
This was recommended by someone who was looking around for o/w dive courses in Abu Dhabi: "Al Jazeera Diving located in Al Mina (Zayed Port area) next to the fish market, across from the taxi company. tel: 971 2 6731717 (as of October 2008) (thanks Mohammad)

Not to be confused with Al Jazira Sports and Cultural Club (or Al-Jazeera) which has a pool where I conduct pool training in Abu Dhabi. Al Jazira have a website http://jc.ae/web2/index.php?goto=contact with contact information giving Tel : +971 2 4454455, and when I called on a Friday in April 2009 to ask about pool opening times someone answered, and gave me a mobile number to call 050-264-9707, and this person answered and gave me the information I needed in English. It's a nice pool but can get crowded and they have recently gone up on entry price to 75 dirhams per diver (I think swimmers are less) and 50 dirhams for the instructor. Al Jazira appears in Wikipedia <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al-Jazira_Club, geo links at this location: http://tinyurl.com/4bnsqc>.

At the 19th (or Immigration or Saada) St. bridge over Airport Road head back into town on Airport Road but take the first possible right off the feeder before entering Airport Road. The pool is unmistakably in front of you on the left (white bldg with large dark opaque windows), so turn left to park on either side of the street near the pool entrance. The pool is olympic size and well lit and in operation till 9 at night, but check the schedule (or call ahead), it's sometimes used for competitions, and some times are ladies only.

Here is the schedule for summer 2009:
- Sundays, Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays: 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. MIXED swimming
- Fridays
  - open at noon for LADIES only
  - 2:00 to 9:00 p.m. Mixed Swim
- Saturdays
  - open at noon for Mixed swim
  - 2:00 to 5:00 LADIES only
  - 5:00 to 9:00 p.m. Mixed Swim
- Wednesdays
  - 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Mixed Swim
  - 8:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. LADIES only

Al Mahara Diving Center http://www.divemahara.com; S-21702
Kathleen and Allistair Russell's dive center: Mobile +971-50-836 9530, godive@emirates.net.ae
Al Mahara provide introductory scuba training to instructor level training and emergency first response from basic to instructor level, retail sales, and organise local and overseas diving. They support professional freelance PADI Instructors. As an active member of Emirates Diving Association, Kathleen has long organized and promoted marine conservation initiatives such as Clean Up Arabia, Reef Check, artificial reef programs and turtle tagging programs. Updated May 2010

Arabian Divers http://www.fishabudhabi.com/scuba.php
A dive shop in Bateen, fills tanks, conducts training, dive trips from a well-appointed boat; sample price, 300 aed for a local trip with 2 tanks and weights, and 350 to the Ludwig, 28 km from Abu Dhabi, boat ride and tanks (equipment not included) (Sept 2005); Deep sea fishing (tag & release). The owners are reputable divers in Abu Dhabi:

Osman: 050-446-2501
Greg Heinricks, PADI Instructor, diving and boat charters from Intercon Harbor, Abu Dhabi, Fax: 02-665-8742; mobile: 050-614-6931

Blue Dolphin Divers
Instructor Tariq 050-692-7792
Tel : 02 666-9392
Fax : 02 666-6802
Mobile : (not sure if still the) Owner, Zuhair Salem 050 445-1187
Email : Baker Al Jauousi, Financial Controller, aljaousi@hotmail.com
Location: Intercon Hotel, near 3rd Floor Fitness Center swimming pool, dive shop at end of parking lot to right of beach restaurants

From outside UAE, precede call with 971-2 or 971-50 for a mobile
Inside UAE precede call with 02 or 050 for a mobile

Dive outfit	Geco Marine
phone no.	772867
Services	Sales only

From outside UAE, precede call with 971-2 or 971-50 for a mobile
Inside UAE precede call with 02 or 050 for a mobile

Dive outfit	Gulf Circle, Poseidon, Rolex at Khalifa St., Abu Dhabi
phone no.	275159
Services	Sales only

Dive-inn Diving Center - Zayed Al Mazroui, General Manager
Mohammed, gregarious First Mate: 050-566-55 (can't read rest) 00 or 05, or 18, or 156-6651 squiggle
Shop nos: 02-642-4454 (tel); 02-642-4727 (fax); 050-240-0220 (mobile); dive-inn@hotmail.com
They have a compressor for air fills, a boat, and a classroom (no pool) - The boat can be hired

The Divers Club http://thediversclub.com/ - Tatiana & Brian Ruigrok, , independent instructors, teach and dive anywhere in UAE - 050-434-7902 fun@thediversclub.com have moved to Dibba Al Hisn, Sharja; click hereUpdated October 2010

Empros - Mina Zayed in Abu Dhabi
Information and contact details: http://www.empros-uae.com/
If the website takes a long time to load, try: Majid, uber-instructor: 050-505-0155; Offices 02-673-6600
This is a really nice way to go diving in Abu Dhabi. The boat Empros was a liveaboard brought over from Egypt and in the last months of 2008 was operating with it's attentive and hospitable Egyptian crew. They charge 400 dirhams per person for two dives with tanks and weights only (more if you need to rent equipment) but this includes, get this, your own shared cabin (double) with bunk, shower, and toilet and TOWEL! They have their own dive sites which have a lot of fish e.g. barracuda on them. They provide breakfast and a great meal with shrimp which they serve on the boat ride home. It's very relaxing and well worth the money if you feel like a day out diving in Abu Dhabi, considering all the meals and amenities.

Gulf Marine Sports
Tel : 02 671-0017
Fax : 02 671-0177
Mobile : Firas on 050 446-7956
Email : info@gulfmarinesports.com, or fkabra@hotmail.com,
Location: 10th street opposite Fayrooz Supermarket
From Hamdan St direction Tourist Club (Smoker's Corner) turn left onto 10th St. Skip the first turn into the parking lot behind the buildings and take the second turning right into the layby parking in front of the shops. Firas's shop is in the middle there.
There's a map to the shop here: http://www.gulfmarinesports.com/

Masaood
From outside UAE, precede call with 971-2 or 971-50 for a mobile
Inside UAE precede call with 02 or 050 for a mobile
Masaood Marine web site used to have easy to find information. I used to use this site to find the phone number of the store and the store hours. The site is now impossible to find such useful things on. However, at this writing, the phone number is 02-642-4222 and the store hours are mornings to 2:00 and 4 to 7:30.

Dive store	Mhmd bin Masaood & Sons, Abu Dhabi
phone no.	02-642-4222 (Masaoods is no longer on Hamdan Street. Their new location is in the MBM car showroom on Salam Street (8th) between 9th and 11th on the right as you head out of town past the Harley Davidson showroom and into the second parking.
Services	Sales and air fills No trips, or rentals. For training, see Kathleen, independent instructor who works there and coordinates many aspects of the local diving community.

Ocean Diving Center
opened in September 2006 at the Rotana Beach Hotel - Manager, Issa
P.O. Box 126690 Abu Dhabi, UAE
Tel: -2-644-1696; 697-9313; 643-3000 (ext 7313); Fax 02-644-6361
Mobile: Isa at 050-771-4795; email info@oceandivingcenter.com
On the web at: http://www.oceandivingcenter.com

Issa from Ocean Divers has started a dive retail shop in the Bateen Area (near Arabian Divers) called Delma Marine

Aladdin Diving, Rotana Beach Hotel went abruptly out of business in April 2005 leaving at least a dozen divers in the midst of their training and with no means of compensation. The local diving community contributed instruction, in my case without charge.
Jason was head honcho, Janice was resident course director
Phone in Abu Dhabi: +971-2 from out of country or 02 from inside UAE, or locally just 697-9293
The website http://www.aladdindiving.com has lapsed.

Independent Instructors operating from Abu Dhabi

Peter Burge, Independent instructor: - PADI OWSI # 477563 - BSAC Open Water Instructor (BSAC Branch 1339) Contacts: 050 8118897 or peterbburge@yahoo.com.au. Based in Abu Dhabi. (updated Nov 2006)
Vance Stevens - (me) details below:

Dive outfit	Vance Stevens, Independent PADI OWSI 64181, working on part-time casual basis in Abu Dhabi and Khor Fakkan
mobile 050+	050-614-3987
email	vstevens@emirates.net.ae
Web page	http://www.vancestevens.com/scubadiv.htm

Abu Dhabi | Dubai | Sharja and Ajman | Fujaira and Khor Fakkhan | Musandam and Oman

Dubai

Dubai phone numbers are changing to 7 digits. If you have trouble reaching any of the 6-digit numbers below, try putting a 3 in front of it.