Aquabormes

Aquabormes is a long-standing pillar of the local diving community, having operated out of the Port de la Favière since 1969. The centre is deeply integrated into the local marine environment, serving as an official partner to the Port-Cros National Park. This connection ensures that their excursions respect the delicate ecosystems of the Mediterranean while providing access to some of its most famous sites.

The centre offers a professional, multi-agency approach to diving, holding affiliations with FFESSM, SSI, ANMP, and CMAS. Whether you are looking to complete a formal French FFESSM progression or international SSI or PADI certifications, the structure is well-equipped to handle a high volume of divers across all disciplines.

The team is composed of State-qualified instructors, including Kevin, Damien, Fabio, Patrick, and Thierry, who serves as a tutor for future instructors. This depth of experience ensures that both recreational and technical training is handled with professional precision.

The centre maintains a strong commitment to marine conservation, involving themselves in applied research and environmental protection projects. This expertise is reflected in their training programmes, which include specialised ecology and reef conservation courses.

The centre offers an extensive range of training, from beginner levels like PADI Discover Scuba Diving and SSI Basic Diver to advanced certifications. They are fully equipped to teach the complete FFESSM progression, including Plongeur Niveau 1 through Niveau 4, as well as specialized qualifications like PE40, PE60, PA20, and PA40.

Specialised training is a core part of their curriculum, covering Nitrox (both Base and Confirmed), deep diving, wreck exploration, and night diving. Technical divers can access advanced training such as decompression diving, drysuit use, and rebreather support. They also offer skill-specific courses like buoyancy, orientation, and underwater photography through SSI and PADI frameworks.

The Arsinoé is a 14m aluminium catamaran designed for spacious and stable diving. It can accommodate up to 38 divers and features 60m² of deck space, a solarium, and a dedicated platform for easy water entry. For comfort during longer trips, the boat is equipped with freshwater showers and a large area for relaxing between dives.

The Astéria is a 9m semi-rigid boat, ideal for smaller groups of up to 16 divers or for more rapid, express excursions. It provides a more agile option for reaching specific sites quickly while maintaining the professional standards expected of the centre.

The shore-based facilities cover 200m², providing a modern space for divers to prepare for their outings. This includes dedicated storage areas, drying racks, and changing rooms with lockers and full sanitary facilities, including hot showers.

A modern, bright classroom is available for theory sessions, equipped with computers, Wi-Fi, and an interactive touchscreen for studying dive sites. For gas management, the centre features a rapid inflation station capable of reaching 300 bars, with a booster for all gas mixes including Nitrox. For technical divers, they also provide support for rebreather (CCR) diving, including 15L oxygen cylinders with a Duostar decilitre flow regulator.

The reefs and rocky drop-offs are teeming with life, notably featuring large groups of gorgonians and various sponges. You will encounter a high density of Mediterranean species, including groupers (Epinephelus), amberjack (Seriola), and various species of seabream (Sparidae) such as gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata) and black-headed seabream. Large moray eels (Muraenidae) and conger eels (Congridae) are frequently found sheltering in the cracks of the rockwork.

Macro life is abundant for those who look closely, with many species of nudibranchs, octopuses, and various crustaceans like spiny lobster (Palinuridae) and hermit crabs. Scorpionfish (Scorpaenidae) and various species of anemones provide excellent subjects for macro photography.

In the open water and around the larger structures, you may see barracuda (Sphyraena barracuda), rays, and even the occasional ocean sunfish (Mola mola). The seagrass meadows and sandy patches host a variety of smaller invertebrates and fish like peacock wrasses and damselfish.

Divers should be aware that certain sites, such as Le sec de la Gabinière, are subject to frequent and potentially violent currents, making drift diving the preferred method. At La pointe de la Galère, currents can move from east to west.

The topography varies significantly, from steep walls and canyons to sandy slopes and Posidonia seagrass meadows. While many sites offer excellent visibility, the presence of currents and the depth of the wrecks require careful planning and appropriate certification levels.