Diving World

Danie Maritz

He is the co-owner (with his wife Esmé) of the Diving World PADI Dive Cente in Benoni and has been scuba diving since 1976. Dive safety has always been a passion in his life. He is a Qualified EFR instructor. He is also a PADI Master Scuba Dive Instructor. Danie has been doing underwater photography since 1977 and is currently concentrating on Underwater Videography. He has a Ocean Yacht Skippers ticket as well as a DOL skippers ticket for ski and dive boats. He is a DMAC/EDTC grade IIa Diving medicine physician and registered with the Department of Labour (DOL #293) At the Healthy Eye Clinic he is an Eye Specialist (HPCSA #MP 0182311) doing mainly cataract & refractive surgery :- Glasses and contact lenses don't go well with watersports.

Esmé Maritz

She is the co-owner (with her husband Danie) of the Diving World PADI Dive Cente in Benoni and has been scuba diving since 1981. She is a qualified EFR Instructor. She is also a PADI Master Scuba Dive Instructor. Esmé has been doing underwater photography since 1995 and later converted to Digital and is a Digital Photography Specialty Instructor. She has her Ski Boat skipper certificate

Esmé has a BSc (QS) degree. She also has a Turbine Helicopter Pilot license

Karin Maritz

She has been scuba diving since 1995. Karin is a registered PADI Scuba Dive Instructor. She has a BSc degree in Genetics. Karin also has a ski boat skipper certificate.

PADI Discover Scuba Diving

The PADI Discover Scuba Diving program lets you experience the thrill of diving under the supervision of a PADI Professional in pool or pool-like conditions. During your adventure, you'll master some basic concepts and scuba skills and might even head off to experience an open water adventure.

Minimum age: 10

A completed and signed Discover Scuba Diving brochure

What will I do?

When you participate in a Discover Scuba Diving program, you discover excitement and adventure - freedom and serenity. Nothing compares to the "weightless" exhilaration of breathing underwater. Only a diver knows the feeling!

How long will it take?

Get ready to dive today. Whether you watch the short PADI Discover Scuba video, or are briefed with the Discover Scuba Diving Flip Chart, you'll enter the water quickly and ready for your scuba adventure.

What will I need?

• A sense of adventure
• Discover Scuba Diving brochure

Where can I go from here?

As soon as you Discover Scuba Diving, you're on your way to an internationally recognized certification. That's because you may learn skills used in the PADI Open Water Diver course during your Discover Scuba Diving adventure. If you and your instructor elect to practice these skills, they may be credited toward the PADI Scuba Diver or Open Water Diver certifications.

PADI Scuba Diver

Thinking of getting certified for an upcoming vacation, but don't have the time to put into a regular diver course? Now there's a quick and easy program designed especially for you! This is your chance to slap on some fins, strap on a mask and experience an intense adventure in a short amount of time.

Why PADI Scuba Diver?

The PADI Scuba Diver program is a pre-entry level certification that is perfect for vacationers or people who only plan to dive a couple times a year. As a subprogram of the PADI Open Water Diver program, the PADI Scuba Diver rating allows you to get certified quickly and easily by minimizing time constraints. With the PADI Scuba Diver certification you can dive under the direct supervision of a PADI Divemaster, Assistant Instructor, Instructor or higher professional on your next vacation or dive trip.

Virtually anyone who is in good health, reasonably fit, and comfortable in the water can earn a Scuba Diver certification. If you are between 10 and 14 or have a child between these ages, there is a PADI Junior Scuba Diver program available.

Minimum age: 10

What will I do?

Throughout the course, you'll learn fundamentals of scuba diving, including dive equipment and techniques. You earn this rating by completing pool dives, knowledge development sessions and by making two open water (ocean or lake) dives.

How long will it take?

PADI programs are performance based. You proceed as you demonstrate mastery of the course skills. This allows you to work at a pace that is comfortable for you.

What will I need?

• PADI Open Water Crew-Pak
• PADI Open Water Video or DVD
• Log Book

Where can I go from here?

After completing the Scuba Diver program, you'll want to continue your dive education and the PADI Open Water Diver certification to explore more dive opportunities.

PADI Open Water Diver course

Now is the time to dive into the PADI Open Water Diver course, the most popular dive program in the world! This is your ticket to a lifetime of intense adventure with PADI, the dive company that sets the standards in the global diving community.

Why PADI Open Water?

As a certified PADI Open Water Diver, the most widely recognized and respected rating in the world, you have the freedom to dive with a buddy independent of a professional. If you already tried a PADI Discover Scuba Diving experience or are PADI Scuba Diver certified, check with your instructor to see how credit from these courses may apply to the open water program.

What do I need to start?

Virtually anyone who is in good health, reasonably fit, and comfortable in the water can earn a PADI Open Water Diver certification. You must be older than the age of 14 to begin the PADI Open Water Diver program. For those of you who are not above the age of 14 and would like to participate in the PADI Open Water Diver Program, then the PADI Jr Open Water Diver program is available to you. If you are between 10 and 14 or have a child between these ages, there is a PADI Junior Open Water Diver program available.

A PADI Jr Open Water Diver between the ages of 10 and 11 years may only dive with a PADI Professional, a certified parent or certified guardian to a maximum depth of 12 metres/40 feet.

What will I do?

Throughout the course, you'll learn fundamentals of scuba diving, including dive equipment and techniques. You earn this rating by completing five pool dives and knowledge development sessions and by making four open water (ocean or lake) dives.

How long will it take?

PADI programs are performance based. You proceed as you demonstrate mastery of the course skills. This allows you to work at a pace that is comfortable for you.

What will I need?

• PADI Open Water Crew-Pak
• PADI Open Water Video or DVD
• Log Book

Where can I go from here?

Continue the adventure with PADI's Adventures in diving program, you next step in exploring the underwater world.

PADI Advanced Open Water Diver

The Adventures in Diving program offers both the Adventure Diver and Advanced Open Water Diver certifications. If you complete any three adventure dives, you can earn your PADI Adventure Diver certification. If you complete your Deep Adventure Dive, Underwater Navigation Adventure Dive and three Adventure Dives for a total of five, you can earn your Advanced Open Water Diver certification.

Why Advanced Open Water Diver?

After your five dives, you'll be more experienced, feel more comfortable in the water and simply enjoy diving more because you better understand the underwater environment.

What do I need to start?

PADI Open Water Diver certification (or qualifying certification from another organization)

Minimum age: 15 (12 for PADI Junior Advanced Open Water Diver)

What will I do?

This certification includes five Adventure Dives, including the Deep Adventure Dive, the Underwater Navigator Adventure Dive and three of the following:

Altitude Diver

• Boat Diver
• Drift Diver
• Deep Diver
• Dry Suit Diver
• Underwater Photography
• Multilevel Diver
• Night Diver
• Peak Performance Buoyancy
• Search and Recovery Diver
• Underwater Naturalist
• Underwater Videographer
• Underwater Photographer
• Underwater Navigator
• AWARE Fish Identification
• Wreck Diver
• Heli Diving

How long will it take?

Recommended Course Hours: 15

Minimum Open Water Training: five dives over two days

What will I need?

• Adventures in Diving Crew-Pak
• Adventures in Diving Video
• Log Book

Where can I go from here?

PADI Advanced Open Water Divers at least 15 years of age can enroll in PADI Wreck or Deep Diver Specialty courses and continue on to the PADI Rescue Diver or Junior Rescue Diver course. PADI Adventure Dives can also credit towards the corresponding PADI Specialty Diver certifications.

Other courses include

• Emergency first response
• Experiences for kids
• Rescue diver
• Master scuba diver
• Speciality programs
• Go pro
• Dive Master
• Instructor
• Refresher courses
• PADI eLearning