Scuba Obsession — Dive school & charter, Australia

Scuba Obsession is a dive school in Perth, Western Australia, run by two instructors rather than a chain. It describes itself as “Perth's friendliest dive centre” and frames what it sells as learning to dive safely while experiencing the best of Perth's marine life. The trading entity is Oceans Two Pty Ltd, ABN 66 669 320 094.

Western Australia's coast is a genuinely good place to learn: Rottnest Island, the wrecks off Perth, and the reefs and seagrass of the metropolitan coastline, with a long warm-water season. The counterweight is that a lot of Perth diving is boat diving, which is why an operator with its own charter boat matters.

The published course list runs: Scuba Friends, Try Scuba, Open Water Diver, Scuba Dive Refresher, Advanced Diver, Rescue Diver, Master Diver, Divemaster, Emergency Response and Care, Nitrox Diver, Wreck Diver, Deep Diver, Solo Diver, Night Scuba Diver, Side Mount Diver, Buoyancy Control, Equipment Specialist and a Skills Workshop.

Worth singling out, because it addresses something most dive schools skip. The Skills Refresher Workshop is aimed at divers returning after time away, nervous or rusty divers, and divers who want to improve buoyancy and control — and the pitch is unusually honest about the problem it solves:

“When was the last time you practised your scuba skills outside of your Open Water course? For many divers, key skills haven't been revisited in years — and that's completely normal.” The workshop slows things down and spends time on the essential skills that make diving easier, safer and more enjoyable, with the goal of rebuilding comfort and confidence. $125 per person, limited spaces.

The centre also publishes pages for a charter boat, gear hire, and general services for the local dive community, plus a news section and an online catalogue area behind a member login.

Chris Jones — Master Scuba Diver Trainer and Staff Instructor. He has said he started diving after failing to catch crayfish from a boat, and has since dived around Perth and internationally. Lisa Jones — Master Scuba Diver Trainer, who has said she was once afraid of fish and could not snorkel before becoming an instructor. The centre is active on Facebook and on Instagram as @scuba_obsession_wa.