SeaStar Water Sports

SeaStar Water Sports is situated on the South Beach at First Bay, approximately 10 km south of Aqaba. As Aqaba’s first PADI Instructor Development Centre, it has been a fixture of the local diving community since 1988, providing a professional base for both shore and boat diving.

The centre is positioned just 50 metres from the water's edge, offering immediate access to three house reefs: First Bay, Cazar Reef, and Eel Garden. This location makes it an ideal base for those who prefer the convenience of shore entries alongside more expansive boat-based excursions.

The team is composed of experienced professionals, including a Head of Divers, CMAS instructors, and Divemasters specialised in underwater photography. The staff includes dedicated support for safety, attendance, and assistance with diving operations to ensure a structured environment.

As a 5-Star IDC Centre, the facility is geared towards training the next generation of professionals, offering everything from entry-level courses to Instructor training. The centre is affiliated with PADI, SSI, CMAS, and TDI, and is insured with DAN, with a strong emphasis on air quality monitoring and safety standards.

The centre provides a complete spectrum of training through PADI, SSI, CMAS, and TDI. For beginners, the curriculum includes Discover Scuba Diving, Bubblemaker, and the Open Water Diver course. More advanced divers can progress through Advanced Open Water, Rescue Diver, and Divemaster certifications.

Technical training is a significant component of the centre's offering, with courses such as Tec 40, Tec 45, Tec 50, and Tec Trimix 65. They also provide specialised instruction in Sidemount diving and Tec Side Mounted diver courses, alongside Nitrox and Deep diving specialties.

The MY SEASTAR is a 19-metre dedicated dive boat designed to accommodate up to 20 recreational divers or 10 technical divers. It features a spacious dive deck for easy kit management, a large upper sun deck, and a salon area for relaxing between dives.

Onboard amenities include a freshwater shower, a toilet, and four cabins. During boat trips, which can include two or three dives, lunch, bottled water, and soft drinks are provided. The vessel is fully equipped to support technical diving, with Nitrox and Trimix available on board.

The shore-based facilities are extensive, featuring three large compressors and full Nitrox and Trimix blending facilities. The centre maintains a significant inventory of cylinders, including approximately 200 12-litre tanks and 20 10-litre tanks, available in both DIN and Yoke valves.

For those hiring kit, a full range of recreational equipment is available, alongside mask, snorkel, and fin rentals. The site includes a large swimming pool, changing rooms, toilets, and a secure equipment cage for guest storage. A freshwater rinsing tank and dedicated hangers for drying equipment are also provided on-site.

The reefs are characterised by a diverse array of hard coral (Scleractinia) and soft corals (Alcyonacea), including black corals and various yellow and orange corals. You will frequently encounter large schools of reef fish, including many species of snapper (Lutjanus), butterflyfish (Chaetodon), and angelfish (Pomacanthidae).

Larger pelagics and reef residents include groupers (Epinephelus), parrotfish (Calotomus), and various species of moray eel (Muraenidae). Sea turtles (Cheloniidae), including the hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata), are regularly sighted among the reef structures.

Macro life and smaller inhabitants include various species of shrimp, crabs (Brachyura), and octopuses (Octopus vulgaris). Divers may also spot nudibranchs (Chromodoris willani), seahorses (Hippocampus kuda), and ghost pipefish (Solenostomidae) amongst the more intricate coral formations.

Diving in the area is supported by a variety of reef types, from shallow house reefs to deeper wall dives accessible by boat. The centre operates daily, with scheduled morning and afternoon departures, and a midday option available during the summer months.