General
Q. When does the dive boat depart?
Our boat “APOLLON” is situated in Kos Harbour very close to the dolphins roundabout. Our boat is open from 09:00 to check in passengers for our excursion. At 10:00 we request clearance from the Harbour Master and will depart at around 10:15. We arrive back to Kos Harbour at around 17:00.
Q. What do I need to bring with me on the excursion?
A jumper for the beginning and the end of season, sunglasses, sunscreen lotion, a towel, a good pair of comfortable non-slip shoes (flip flops not advised). Extra money for snacks and refreshments and the optional extra facilities such as: second dive, cd for your underwater photos, T-shirts, Sweatshirts. If you tend to get motion sickness it is recommended that you take motion sickness pills prior to meeting the boat at the pier.
Q. How long is the journey to the dive site?
The journey to Pserimos Island is just 1 hour.
Q. What else can I do all day?
You can relax on the boat in shaded or unshaded areas. You can snorkel, swim, and sunbathe (all included in the price of try diving).
Q. Is lunch included?
No. But we have a fully stocked bar with a variety of sandwiches and snacks and cold drinks for sale at reasonable prices.
Q. Are you doing transfers from/to hotels?
Unfortunately no. There is the local public bus service you can use and of course taxi.
Q. Can I eat just before a dive?
Yes. Actually it is a good idea to eat light before a dive. It is not recommended to have a full heavy meal before a dive.
Q. Can I drink alcohol before or during the excursion?
No. Alcohol consumption is not recommended before a dive. It is recommended that heavy drinking should be avoided the evening before.
Q. How soon can I fly after a dive?
For the depths and times of the Try diving program you can fly after 12 hours if you participate in just 1 dive and after 18 hours if you participate in 2 dives in a day, according to International diving rules.
Diving
Q. How long does it take to become a certified Scuba diver?
PADI courses are “performance based” which means that you qualify when you demonstrate that you’ve mastered the required skills and knowledge. Some people learn faster than others so how long it takes may vary. The PADI Open Water Diver course for beginners is typically split into five or six sessions with tremendous flexibility. The course can be scheduled over as little as four days. The PADI Scuba Diver course can be scheduled over as little as two days.
Q. I participate in the Discover Scuba Diving program. What can I do next?
Completion of the Discover Scuba Diving program can be counted as partial completion of the Open Water course (3 extra days) or your Scuba Diver course (1 extra day). The skills and experience gained in the PADI Discover Scuba Diving Program may be credited towards these courses.
Q. How deep do I go?
At your first dive the maximum depth is 5 metres in groups of 4 try divers with 2 Instructors and at your second dive your maximum depth is 12 meters with a direct supervision of a PADI instructor.
Q. What is PADI?
PADI: Professional Association of Diving Instructors. PADI is the world’s leading scuba diving training organization. With more than forty years’ experience, over 135,000 PADI
Professionals and more than 6,000 dive centres worldwide, PADI training materials and services let you experience scuba diving from nearly anywhere.
All PADI programs, entry-level through instructor training, fall under strict educational standards to maintain worldwide consistency and quality. PADI takes a proactive approach to, with a full-time department that randomly surveys PADI Divers to monitor PADI programs and to confirm that PADI courses meet PADI’s high standards. This commitment to a strong quality assurance process helps maintain credibility and continually improve customer satisfaction.
Q. How old do you have to be to diving?
According to local law, persons can dive from 10 to 60 years old. A minor from 10 till 18 years old will need written consent from parent or guardian to dive with us.
Q. Is Scuba diving expensive?
Following a Liamis Dive Centre Program is very good value for money. All the programs include an hour boat trip from Kos Harbour to Pserimos dive sites with a big luxurious and modern boat. Because Liamis Dive Centre can supply all the necessary equipment, you don’t need to invest in any gear at all. Also Liamis Dive Centre is following high standards on diving and EN, HSE, and DIN specifications.
Q. Is Scuba diving dangerous?
Statistics show that recreational Scuba diving is about as safe as swimming. Certainly there are potential hazards, which is why you need training, but, like driving a car, as long as you follow the rules and use general common sense, it’s very safe.
Q. What’s in a scuba tank? Oxygen?
Recreational divers breathe air, not oxygen. It is filtered to remove impurities, but otherwise, it’s air like you’re breathing now.
Q. How long does a tank of air last?
This is a common question that, unfortunately doesn’t have a single answer. People breathe at different rates, and you breathe faster when you’re swimming than when you’re resting. Also, the deeper you go, the more you use your air, and, you can get different size tanks. So, the answer is “it depends”, this is why divers have a gauge that tell them how much air they have at all times. As an approximation, a diver sightseeing in calm, warm water at 8 -10 metres deep can expect the average tank to last about an hour.
Q. I have started a diving program but not yet completed it. Can I dive with qualified divers? Can I continue my course in your school?
You cannot dive with qualified divers because you need to have a certification card. You can continue your course in our school if you bring your progress documents and logs from your instructor. In case you have started your course in a diving organization different than PADI then you will cross-over, which means that your final certification will be a PADI certification.
Q. Can I wear my glasses under the mask?
No, but under the water sight is magnified by one third more and we are only interested in seeing objects close to us.
Q. Can I wear my contact lenses under the mask?
Yes soft lenses can be worn, but we advise not to wear hard or medium hard lenses, because there is a possibility to lose them. Sight under water is magnified by one third more.
Q. I am with my boy/girl friend in holidays. I want to dive but he/she doesn’t. What we can do?
You can book the day trip for both of you. You can dive and he/she can come like a spectator or snorkeler on the boat. Check here for the price.
Q. I am with a friend who is on the Try diving program will we be separated?
No, you will be all on the same boat. The only time that you will be separated is while you are diving during your second dive.
Q. Are there any dangerous marine species in your diving areas?
No there are not any dangerous species here in Kos/Pserimos. There isn’t any diving accident recorded in the history of sport diving in Kos/Pserimos with a marine creature involved.
Medical
Q. My ears hurt when I dive to the bottom of a pool. Won’t they hurt when I Scuba dive?
Your ears hurt because pressure pushes in on your eardrum. In your Scuba program, you’ll learn a simple technique to equalize your ears to the surrounding pressure, much like you do when you land with an airplane, and they won’t hurt at all.
Q. I have an ear infection can I dive?
It is recommended not to dive with an ear infection. Drops can be purchased at the pharmacy and it normally clears out after a week.
Q. I have had a perforated eardrum can I dive?
If the ear was perforated within 3 months it is recommended not to dive.
Q. I have Asthma can I dive?
If someone has sever chronicle Asthma and different types of medicine are taken to control it, it is recommended not to dive.
But for some one suffering from common Asthma is able to dive but it is recommended that they bring their medicine with them.
Q. I am deaf can I dive?
Yes no problem, as long as there are no internal problems with equilibration.
Q. I have a pacemaker can I dive?
No, since little research has been done on pacemakers and diving and due to the increase of pressure while under water it is recommended not to dive.
Q. I have a cold and a cough can I dive?
You can cough through the regulator while breathing under water, if the sinuses are not blocked with mucus you can dive. If the sinuses are blocked than you will have a problem equalizing the pressure in your ears, than it is recommended not to dive.
Q. I just had an operation can I dive?
If the incisions have well healed and if the operation was not performed for medical conditions that will disqualify you from diving, then you can dive.
Q. I am pregnant, can I dive?
No. Because physiologists know little about the effects of diving on the fetus, the recommendation is that women avoid diving while pregnant or trying to become pregnant.