In the summer semester of past academic year, our faculty offered a new course, Introduction to Scuba Diving. The main part of the course takes place on the island of Fratarski otok (Veruda), near the Croatian city of Pula.
The course consists of two parts. The first takes place in a swimming pool in České Budějovice, where students complete a short assessment of their swimming abilities and an first dive. This is also where they are introduced to scuba diving equipment and scuba diving basics for the first time.
The practical training then takes place at the end of June and beginning of July during a week-long stay in Croatia. Transport to Pula is provided by a faculty minibus, and the journey takes just under nine hours. From there, participants continue to the island by boat, which transports both the students and the necessary equipment. Drinking water, showers, toilets, and a small snack bar are available on the island. The instructors also have a dedicated area for organising and teaching the course. For accommodation, students therefore only need a tent and a sleeping mat, or alternatively a hammock.
In Croatia, students complete both the practical and theoretical parts of the course, followed by a final assessment of their theoretical knowledge. Each day includes one dive and approximately an hour and a half of theory. The dive itself lasts around thirty minutes, but including preparation beforehand and equipment maintenance afterwards, the whole process takes approximately two hours.
The practical part of the training consists of four dives focusing on the basics of scuba diving and on handling various situations underwater. Diving always takes place using the so-called buddy system, meaning that divers are paired up at a minimum, and all dives are conducted under the supervision of an instructor. If a student has not yet mastered a particular skill safely, the instructor practises it with them again before moving on to more demanding tasks.
At the end of the week, participants also take a written test. There is no need to worry, however—the instructors are very patient and conduct the course in a way that gives everyone enough time to gain the necessary confidence and experience. After successfully completing the course, students receive an OWD – Open Water Diver certification under the UDI system, which qualifies them for recreational diving to a depth of up to 18 metres without the direct supervision of an instructor. During the same stay, newly certified divers may also take part in additional dives once their knowledge and skills have been verified.
The underwater world around Veruda provides ideal conditions for completing the course. It is common to encounter starfish, sea urchins, or sea cucumbers, while octopuses, cuttlefish, electric rays, and lobsters may also be spotted.
Provided there is sufficient student interest, the Introduction to Scuba Diving course will also be offered in the summer semester of the current academic year.
