“I’ve always wanted to dive, but the ocean terrifies me…” 🌊
If this thought sounds familiar, you’re not alone. Many people dream of exploring the underwater world but feel anxious — or even panic — when they think about deep water. The fear of water (also known as aquaphobia) is more common than you might imagine, and the good news is: it can be overcome ❤️🩹.
At Deep Ocean Diver, we’ve helped dozens of people who were once terrified of the sea to become confident, happy divers. If you’re wondering how can I dive if I’m scared of water?, keep reading — this article is made for you 🫶
Understanding the root of your fear is a great first step. Fear of water can stem from:
A traumatic event (like being pushed into a pool as a child)
Not knowing how to swim 🏊
Lack of exposure to the sea or large bodies of water
Claustrophobia (yes, even the open ocean can feel “enclosed” for some)
Fear of the unknown (what’s under the surface? 🦑)
Most fears are amplified by a lack of control or information. The solution? Knowledge, practice, and safe environments.
One of the best ways to break through fear is to take small, progressive steps. You don’t need to go on a deep dive your first day. Instead, you can start with a Discover Scuba Diving experience in a safe, calm bay with an instructor by your side 🤝
You’ll begin in shallow waters, wearing full gear but always able to stand up. We explain every step, from breathing techniques to safety signals — all at your pace. It’s not about “being brave”, it’s about building trust — in the equipment, in the instructor, and in yourself 💪
A big difference is made by diving with a team that truly listens. At Deep Ocean Diver, we specialize in personalized diving experiences 🐠
Our certified instructors have guided many students who said “I could never do this!” — and ended up smiling underwater just hours later 🐟
We maintain small groups, calm environments and never pressure anyone. You’re free to go at your rhythm and stop whenever you want. That’s part of our added value.
If you’re interested in going further, you can choose an entry-level diving course like the PADI Scuba Diver, which is designed for beginners who want a short, accessible start 🔰
Or go for the Open Water Diver course — the most popular way to become a certified autonomous diver. This option includes theory, pool practice and open water dives, all paced with your comfort in mind 🧠💦
Check out stories like this guide or our post on can I dive if I can’t swim?. You’ll see many students felt exactly like you: nervous, uncertain, even scared.
But step by step, they trusted the process — and today, they’ve completed their first diving certifications and even joined our guided dives around Tenerife’s top dive spots 🏝️
Here are some expert tips:
Choose a calm location like Radazul, known for its excellent visibility and minimal waves
Practice breathing slowly — the same as in yoga 🧘
Watch diving videos to mentally prepare (see PADI)
Talk to your instructor — tell them what worries you
Focus on small wins: like putting on the mask, entering the water, or staying calm for 5 minutes
Every positive step builds confidence 🧱
If you’re thinking “maybe I could do this…” — you’re ready to begin 🥽
Join us for a Discover Scuba Diving day or check out our Scuba Diver course for a gentle but official start.
Still unsure? You can also contact our team with all your questions — we’ll guide you step-by-step 👋
🧠 Remember: fear is just excitement without breath. And diving is all about breathing. 😉
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EXCELENTE A base de 167 reseñas Tom S11/06/2024Verificada Great Day of Diving We were pleasantly surprised with a second day in Tenerife during our cruise. This gave us the opportunity to experience the diving here. We were picked up at the cruise port and taken to the dive shop. The fitting and equipment were top notch. The dive sites were surprisingly close to the port. During the last dive we were rewarded when David found a seahorse, one of only a handful I've seen. The shipwreck was very nice, with good visibility, and great marine life all around. Sooo many garden eels. We had a great time on a beautiful day with friendly, professional dive staff. I would highly recommend Deep Ocean Diver if you are going to dive in Tenerife. Coastal1831506743713/05/2024Verificada Professional and fun guides We absolutely loved our boat dives with David. The underwater landscapes and marine life in this area is fun to watch. We'd definitely come back! Stephen Crome20/03/2024Verificada Awesome shop! I had an excellent shore dive today. Our guide was very professional and made sure we were safe at all times. He found all kinds of cool things including two octopus. I couldn’t have asked for a better experience. JMs23/02/2024Verificada Perfect for families, great logistics 3 days trip with my 3 kids: fantastic experience. I particularly appreciated the logistics (very well managed including crisp communication from first contact), the expert guide and the whole installation (bus, dive center and nice comfortable boat) Philippe P10/10/2023Verificada Good Experience Friendly staff and nice dives. We were really pleased with our experience. Visibility was great and we saw many octopuses! Jas09/06/2023Verificada Amazing Amazing guys at the dive Center, had a reaaally amazing dive with Simon a day before, and really nice zodiac dives as well, thanks a lot!!! Jassin Andreea K15/07/2022Verificada Amazing Amazing experience! Victor and Laura were really professional, patient and helpful. Highly recommend. JOANNE M11/03/2022Verificada Absolutely top notch! We are a family of 4 (2 adults, 2 kids ages 10 and 12) that travelled to Tenerife in March 2022, and both our kids did their PADI open water course over a 4-day period. My husband and I both have our advanced open water certificates and have dealt with dive shops all around the world, and we can honestly say these guys (and gals!) are top notch!The kids spent most of their time with Victor as their instructor, and he was absolutely fantastic. So much enthusiasm, support, patience, encouragement and a genuine interest in making them succeed and love the sport, while also ensuring they demonstrated all the necessary knowledge and skills. This was such an amazing introduction to diving - I can't thank Victor enough. The kids were so happy and proud to have got their open water certificate but also very sad that they diving days with Victor were coming to an end. It's extremely rare (and special) that someone makes such an impression on them, so you should take that as a HUGE complement! They were extremely complementary of everyone they dealt with at the store (including the boat captain)- thanks to you all!! My kids don't speak Spanish but the instructors are fully bilingual and able to teach them in English. Thanks for such an amazing experience and creating what I expect will be a life-long love of diving! (They are already begging to do their advanced open water as soon as possible). My husband also did his nitrox course with Deep Ocean Diver as well, it also was great. I would highly recommend this place to others and will definitely dive with them again next time we are in Tenerife. Thanks for such a fabulous week! Adrian G29/12/2021Verificada perfect I went to Deep Ocean Diver to get the Open water training and it's been just perfect. The instructors were super professional and skilled, and at the same time so friendly and willing to make the training a fun and valuable moment. I even ended up doing the Advanced certification, and the whole team was so kind to arrange the schedule to fit with my availabilities.You can really feel that you're getting a good training and that it's not rushed, they really take the time for you to understand, practice and enjoy. And you got plenty of good advice from your instructors.five stars! Igor S09/05/2021Verificada Couldn't choose better The main reason I chose to come to Tenerife is because I wanted to get a PADI certification, therefore I looked for the best diving school in the area and organized my whole vacation around it.Well, I couldn't do better.The guys are great. Victor and Arnau were the best instructors I could ever ask for. It's not easy to make a proper training about something that is so serious and technical, and still keep it fun and never boring, but they have been amazingly up to the task. David, although he was never in the water with us, made me feel his presence by throughly planning my next steps on a daily basis, just what one would expect from a leader. 10/10 guys! Also Radazul is a perfect place to pick an accomodation, quiet, nice, not too expensive and pretty strategical to move across Tenerife. All in all, I really couldn't have made a better choice. :)
Centro Comercial, C. Juan Sebastián El Cano, 15, Planta 1 Local 2, Radazul
4.9 568 reviews
ADDRESSCalle El Cano 15. Radazul Bajo.
CC Radazul. Floor 1. Shops 1 and 2
38109 El Rosario, Tenerife, Canary Islands. FREE PARKING FOR CUSTOMERS
CONTACT info@deepoceandiver.es
(+34) 600 84 16 92
DIVE SHOP HOURS Monday to Friday: 9:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.
DIVE CENTER HOURS Tuesday to Sunday: 9:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.
Closed for lunch from 2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
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