Dive Academy Santa Pola

About us

Meet the Dive Academy team.

About us

With more than 12 years’ experience diving in the warm, crystal clear water of the Mediterranean, we guarantee the best service, loads of fun and personalized treatment from our qualified staff.

We are the only PADI IDC 5-star diving centre in Santa Pola. This means our dive centre and instructors meet the high standards of the world’s most popular and widely recognised scuba diving associations, PADI. We ensure that you enjoy whatever you are doing with us in a relaxed, yet professional environment, while having a fantastic time!

What sets us apart from other dive centres is our amazing location in Santa Pola’s harbour. Our dive centre is on the promenade in Santa Pola and out boat is only a few meters away! Furthermore, we are only 10 minutes’ drive from Alicante Airport. You can find more information on Alicante Airport here: alcairport

Your diving centre in Santa Pola (Alicante).

We offer a wide range of activities, like PADI diving course, from absolute beginner up to the highest professional levels, diving trips and snorkelling at Tabarca Island. We welcome hundreds of divers, from complete beginners, advanced divers and regular guests every year. Also, we are extremely lucky to enjoy the FIRST MARINE RESERVE IN SPAIN, Tabarca Island.

Join the Dive Academy family.

More than a Dive Centre

Safety is our main priority and we feel immensely proud to say that we have a 0% accident rate at Dive Academy Santa Pola. This is because our instructors are highly trained in diving safety and we have rigorous standards and accident prevention measures.

We are very conscious of the importance of looking after our Mediterranean Sea and for this reason we carry out sustainable diving. We collect rubbish from the sea on a daily basis and we try our best to raise awareness about respecting the seabed and the ecosystems that live there. Since without them, diving would make no sense. Additionally, we have marine biologists working at Dive Academy Santa Pola, so you can ask them all your questions or concerns about the underwater world

We organize utterly amazing diving holidays every year to spectacular places all around the world. We have so much fun sharing experiences and unforgettable moments with you, while exploring the wonders that we find in different seas and oceans. As we always say, enjoy your life to the fullest, since you only live once.

Don’t miss out and join our big family at Dive Academy.

We are a family-run dive centre, that loves good vibes and the pleasant atmosphere here at Dive Academy Santa Pola.

We are extremely passionate about the sea and we feel incredibly lucky to work in the diving industry, which fascinates us more each day.

Don’t miss out and join our big family at
Dive Academy.

Professionals at your service

Meet the Dive Academy Team!

Christian Llácer
Company Owner

Scuba Diving Spain

Christian

Christian has always had a passion for the sea and he graduated as a marine biologist from the University of Alicante in 2010.

While exploring the Caribbean he discovered the amazing underwater world and he was hooked on scuba diving! After becoming a PADI Instructor he decided to move back to Spain in search of his next big adventure. That’s when fate took over and he met the love of his life, Ellen.

After 10 years of gathering knowledge and experience Christian took the next step of becoming the proud owner of Dive Academy. The dynamic duo have been successfully running the business together ever since.

Certification: PADI IDC Staff Instructor, Emergency First Response Instructor and Boat Captain

Specialities taught: AWARE – Coral Reef Conservation, Boat Diver, Deep Diver, Discover Enriched Air Nitrox, Enriched Air Diver, Emergency Oxygen Provider, Night Diver, Peak Performance Buoyancy, Project AWARE Specialist, Skin Diver and Wreck Diver

George

George is Ellen’s little brother (well not so little!) he stands at nearly 2 meters tall.

Christian took George under his wing at the tender age of 16 and has taught him everything he knows about scuba diving. He began diving 3 years ago and is still amazed with the variety of marine life in the Mediterranean.

As the youngest member of our team he demonstrates a great enthusiasm and love for all water activities.

Certification: PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor

George Lockwood
Diving instructor

PADI Advanced Open Water

David Duran
Diving instructor

David

David came to the world of diving by accident (but a good one), his best friend had signed up for the Open Water and since he was in a hurry to go alone, he asked him to accompany him.

As soon as the course was over, David, on the recommendation of his instructor, bought all the diving equipment and a pack that included from Advanced to Divemaster.

He was diving in different parts of the world, until after a diving trip to Bali (Indonesia) in 2016, he decided to return to Spain to leave his job of 11 years as an administrator and become a PADI Instructor to be able to teach others the wonderful world of diving. diving.

From 2018 to 2022 David has been working in Indonesia, where he has become a Staff Instructor, and has returned to work with the Dive Academy family and his friend Christian whom he met a long time ago, in order to continue growing as his goal is to become in Course Director.

Certification: PADI Staff Instructor, First Aid, CPR and DEA Instructor; and Yacht Captain

Specialities taught: AWARE – Coral Conservation, AWARE – Shark Conservation, AWARE Project Specialist, Digital Underwater Photography, Deep Diving, NITROX – Enriched Air, Emergency Oxygen Supply, Tec Rec Trimix Gas Mixer, Peak Performance Buoyancy, Wreck Diver, Night Diver, Underwater Navigation, Equipment Specialist, Drift Diver, Dive Against Debris and Skin Diver.

Ellen

Ellen’s family decided to exchange the rainy weather of Manchester (UK) for the sunny Spanish lifestyle when she was only 9 years old. Growing up in Spain she got a real taste for a more adventurous lifestyle.

Ellen and Christian met, fell in love and he became her very own dive instructor. Their adventures took them to Thailand for 6 months then on to Mexico.

The wanderers returned home to Spain for Ellen to begin her Administration and  Finance diploma. With this under her belt she is now the driving force behind Dive Academy alongside her best mate Christian.

Certification: Rescue Diver and Graduate in Administration and Finance.

Ellen Lockwood
Administration Manager

Scuba Diving Spain

Snorkel
The centre cat

Scuba Diving Spain

David

Hello I am Snorkel. I was born here in the Marina with my sister Scuba. My sister went to live with some nice people, but I always ran away so they could not take me away from my lovely tree.

They feed me every day and as I trust them, I the Dive Centre as my home. I spend all day lazing in the Spanish sun and sometimes, if I am too lazy and I don´t run away, you can tickle me under my neck. I like that.

I love you ❤️

+12

Years of experience

+500

Dives

+5.000

Happy costumers

+40

Dive Sites

100%

Satisfaction