Days Out NI
Diving & snorkelling Strangford

DV Diving

NI's longest-running dive school — learn to dive, or get guided on Strangford Lough's wrecks.

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Book aheadBook ahead directly with the centre; not…
Check pricesVaries by course or trip
StrangfordDiving & snorkelling
Get directionsOfficial website
Dive centreType
Check pricesCost
Beginners OKExperience
Seals & dogfishYou may see
Check locallyParking

DV Diving — NI's longest-running dive school — learn to dive, or get guided on Strangford Lough's wrecks.

  • What you can do: Try-dives, beginner-to-instructor courses, guided boat dives and trips, technical and commercial training, kit hire, air and nitrox.
  • Experience needed: Beginner-friendly via try-dive or course; guided wreck and drift dives are for qualified, experienced divers.
  • Conditions: Cold water year-round; open-water dives tide-dependent; Strangford Narrows hold some of the fastest drift dives in Europe; serious currents.
  • Kit: Hire available; air fills and nitrox on site.
  • Booking & access: Book ahead directly with the centre; not a free self-access site.
  • Cost: Varies by course and trip — check current prices.
Plan your visit

From first try-dive to technical and commercial

Beginners can book an introductory scuba session to see whether diving is for them, then move into a full entry-level course toward an open-water qualification. Qualified divers get more: guided boat dives and trips out on the centre's RIB to the wrecks and drift sites of Strangford Lough. As a PADI 5 Star centre that also delivers BSAC, TDI technical and HSE commercial training, the centre covers everyone from a nervous first-timer to a working professional. The Narrows hold some of the fastest drift dives in Europe, so the deeper wreck and current dives are for experienced, qualified divers only. On any dive or snorkel you may spot seals, dogfish, wrasse and plenty of kelp and reef life, but marine life is never a sure thing.

PADI 5-star Beginner try-dives Guided boat dives Wreck & drift diving Kit hire & air fills Cold water, tide-dependent
Good to know before you go:

Conditions here change with the weather and the tide, and visibility changes with them — clear and calm one day, murky and rough the next. Check a forecast and a tide table before you set off. Try-dives, courses and trips run on set days and tides, so book ahead rather than turning up.

Before you set off

What to bring

  • 📱A bookingCentres and clubs run try-dives and trips on set days and tides — arrange it before you travel.
  • ☕Warm layers and a hot drinkThe water is cold all year. Dry clothes and something hot afterwards make the whole day.
  • 🏖️A towelAnd somewhere to put wet kit for the drive home.
  • 🤿An honest look at your experienceMatch the site to the training you actually have. Plenty of people start with a try-dive instead.
Good to know

Everything before you go

Type
Commercial dive centre (PADI 5 Star / BSAC / TDI / HSE)
What you can do
Try-dives, beginner-to-instructor courses, guided boat dives and trips, technical and commercial training, kit hire, air and nitrox
Experience needed
Beginner-friendly via try-dive or course; guided wreck and drift dives are for qualified, experienced divers
Conditions
Cold water year-round; open-water dives tide-dependent; Strangford Narrows hold some of the fastest drift dives in Europe; serious currents
Booking / access
Book ahead directly with the centre; not a free self-access site
Kit
Hire available; air fills and nitrox on site
Cost
Varies by course and trip — check current prices
What you may see
Possibly seals, dogfish, wrasse and kelp/reef life — never guaranteed
Parking
Not confirmed — check with the centre; some trips leave from Portaferry marina
Address / location
138 Mount Stewart Road, Newtownards, County Down, BT22 2ES, by Strangford Lough
Questions

Before you go

Do I need experience?
Beginner-friendly via try-dive or course; guided wreck and drift dives are for qualified, experienced divers
How much does it cost?
Varies by course and trip — check current prices
Do I need to book?
Book ahead directly with the centre; not a free self-access site
What are the conditions like?
Cold water year-round; open-water dives tide-dependent; Strangford Narrows hold some of the fastest drift dives in Europe; serious currents
What kit do I need?
Hire available; air fills and nitrox on site
Getting there

DV Diving is at 138 Mount Stewart Road, Newtownards, County Down, BT22 2ES, by Strangford Lough. Tap below for directions.

Directions on Google MapsOfficial website See it on our map
Nearby

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The story

About it

DV Diving has run since 1990 and is widely described as Northern Ireland's longest-established dive school. It is a PADI 5 Star IDC dive centre and BSAC facility, an RYA Powerboat training centre, and an HSE-recognised commercial scuba and first-aid assessment centre — among the few in Ireland.

The centre is based on the Ards Peninsula beside Strangford Lough and runs a coded 8m Humber Ocean Pro RIB out of Portaferry marina to reach the Lough's wrecks and drift sites, including some of the fastest drift diving in Europe through the Narrows.