Grey Reef Shark, Toilet Bowl, Cape Manza
Bo2024-04-29Decided I wanted to go diving very short notice, which Stefan was gladly able to accommodate the next day. It was my first time going diving, so a healthy dose of nerves were expected. Thankfully the instructions were very clear and detailed, which made me feel at ease as a total beginner. It was obvious that Stefan is very knowledgeable, he explained everything about the very high quality equipment. Stefan was very professional and put a strong focus on safety, which put me and my partner at rest. The homemade rice cakes were a great energy booster in between dives. Would definitely recommend booking with Live for Diving!
Cruz Redmond2024-04-28Stefan is without a doubt the best dive instructor/guide I’ve ever had. He has an immense passion for diving and for developing his clients into confident, skilled divers that you can really feel in and out of the water. The rice cakes and tea are a simple yet delicious way he brings coach and client closer between dives. You won’t regret booking here.
W K2024-04-27Ich habe unglaublich schöne und beeindruckende Tauchgänge mit dem Guide Stefan erlebt. Stefan ist ein überaus sorgfältiger, professioneller und zuverlässiger Guide, bei dem ich mich bei jedem Tauchgang stets sicher gefühlt habe. Bemerkenswert ist dabei seine (deutsche) Genauigkeit bei der Vorbereitung jedes Tauchganges. Auch die Auswahl der Tauchspots war von ihm großartig gewählt und das Equipment auf dem neusten technischen Stand. Absolut empfehlenswert!
Yana Mihova2024-04-24Learning was Stephen was absolutely wonderful! He really cared about teaching me proper techniques that will last. He took me to great sites and made sure that every one of my certification dives was enjoyable. He also made amazing rice cakes and tea! Would highly recommend taking your courses or going discover diving with him.
Marcus Wan-Ki Joo2024-04-22I thoroughly enjoyed my diving session with Stefan. His instructions were clear and helpful, and I definitely improved my skills. I look forward to diving with him again during my next visit. Stefan was professional and knowledgeable, which made the session both informative and enjoyable. Additionally, I was provided with a wing BCD and up-to-date diving gear, which was greatly appreciated. I would highly recommend Stefan to anyone looking for a skilled and experienced diving instructor.
J L2024-04-18Live For Diving should be your #1 choice and Stefan Damm should be your first choice as a dive instructor or guide for any or all of the following reasons. a) You are planning to visit Okinawa and want to learn to dive or improve your diving skills and knowledge with dive courses. b) You are a an experienced certified diver doing fun diving. c) Either German or English are your preferred languages. d) You plan to stay in the Nago or Onna areas of Okinawa. Although I had logged 399 dives prior to diving with Stefan, I typically dive with aluminum tanks and wear a 7 mm full wet suit for colder water or a 2 mm full wet suit or a skin for warmer waters. I learned about the buoyancy characteristics and typical air filled pressure of steel tanks and got properly weighted for a 5 mm full wet suit and steel tank. Stefan is attentive and thorough explaining the dive plan and boat procedures. Different boats and locations will have different procedures. I love Stefan's focus on and teaching buoyancy control through optimal weighting, diver trim, and controlled breathing volumes. Although I did not take any courses with Stefan, I had the privilege of observing him instruct during the final certification dives for an advanced open water certification. If you are serious about diving the best you can and want to do better than just passing and getting your certification, you will be happy to learn from Stefan. Even the most experienced divers can learn something new like I did.
David Wu2024-04-09Was doing a lot of research on Okinawa diving and decided to go with Stefan for our short diving trip with my wife on my bday, both my wife and I are very glad that we went with Live for diving. Stefan has been very helpful before the trip and during the dive. Answering all our questions and being very patience and supportive. We saw all the things we wanted to see (Birthday Octopus!) and after all we are very happy with the experience, will definitely come back in the future!
Stefan Schmierer2024-04-07Very skillful instructor and amazing dive! Will definitely come back for more!
Luis Munoz2024-03-23Great dives with Stefan! Very attentive to the client! Nothing but smooth sailing! 10/10 Definitely would recommend! 📍 USS Emmons Ship Wreck
Chiara Kempers2024-03-06Ich war zwei mal mit Stefan am Blue Cave tauchen, er ist ein sehr organisierter, sympathischer Tauchlehrer und hatte super Equipment! Habe mich bei allem sehr sicher gefühlt, ich kann das Tauchen mit Stefan auf jeden Fall weiterempfehlen.
Okinawa diving – 5 compelling reasons for that
Diverse Dive Sites: Okinawa boasts a variety of dive sites suitable for divers of every skill level. Whether you’re a beginner looking for a gentle introduction or an experienced diver seeking a challenge, Okinawa offers something for everyone. From shallow dives at Gorilla Chop to more demanding sites like Cape Manza and the USS Emmons shipwreck, divers can explore a range of underwater landscapes and environments.
Year-Round Diving: Okinawa’s favorable climate and warm waters make it an ideal destination for diving year-round. With water temperatures ranging from 20°C to 30°C (68°F to 86°F), divers can enjoy comfortable conditions regardless of the season, allowing for consistent diving opportunities throughout the year.
Unique Underwater Environments: Okinawa’s dive sites feature a diverse array of underwater landscapes, including caves, swim-throughs, overhangs, and also human-made structures. These unique environments provide an exciting backdrop for exploration and discovery, offering divers the chance to encounter fascinating marine life and geological formations.
Rich Marine Life: Okinawa is home to a vibrant and diverse marine ecosystem, teeming with an abundance of tropical fish and creatures. From colorful reef fish like triggerfish and anemone fish to larger species such as barracudas, sea turtles, and various types of sharks, divers can encounter a wealth of marine life during their underwater adventures.
Spectacular Coral Reefs: Okinawa’s underwater world is adorned with stunning coral reefs, showcasing a kaleidoscope of colors and shapes. Hard and soft corals populate the reefs, providing habitats for an array of marine species. Sunabe Seawall, in particular, boasts the largest soft coral fields in Okinawa, offering a unique and visually captivating diving experience for enthusiasts of underwater flora.
Why choose LIVE FOR DIVING for your diving education?
To put it simply: because you’ll get more out of it. Let me explain. Firstly, I teach with PADI. All courses adhere to PADI standards. However, I don’t just deliver the standard program. On top of that, you’ll receive extra training to ensure you have as much dive time as possible. At LIVE FOR DIVING, I don’t aim for the minimum. For the teaching courses, an additional training dive is added to maximize your in-water practice time. Simply spending more time underwater will make you a better diver. There’s no chance to fully understand and establish a neutral buoyancy diving concept when rushing through a diving course.
Here, I’m not just ticking off boxes to finish the course quickly with students. So, I go the extra mile to ensure you fully understand the concept of diving and give you the most possible practice time underwater. This provides the time you need to fully understand what proper diving means: basically effortlessly floating neutrally buoyant and being in full control of all your movements underwater. Before doing any skills, the first and most important thing is to properly weight students and let them establish neutral buoyancy. Only when this is done can all required skills be properly trained in a natural diving position.
Unfortunately, here in Okinawa, the outdated concept of kneeling on the floor overweighted while performing skills is still common. This creates bad divers, damages coral reefs, and leaves them unaware of their surroundings. Many people aren’t diving underwater; they’re constantly swimming while breathing compressed gas from their tank. That’s not real diving. So feeling completely weightless underwater, enjoying the magic of neutral buoyancy with the proper weight for achieving this goal – that’s how diving should be.
Therefore, choose LIVE FOR DIVING and BECOME A REAL DIVER.
7 good reasons for LIVE FOR DIVING
- Quality over Quantity – We prioritize quality over quantity in every aspect of our diving education and tours.
- Following all PADI Standards – Rest assured, we strictly adhere to all PADI standards to ensure the highest level of safety and education.
- Additional Dive for All Courses – To enhance your learning experience, an extra dive in all the courses, allowing more practical application of skills. I believe in maximizing in-water practice time to achieve better learning outcomes.
- Small Courses for Personalized Attention – The small class sizes ensure that each student receives the individual attention they deserve. We maintain a preferred ratio of 2 students per instructor, with a maximum ratio of 4:1.
- Tailored Courses and Dive Trips – Courses and dive trips are tailored to your specific needs and preferences, ensuring a customized and fulfilling experience.
- High-Quality Rental Equipment – That includes the Cressi MC9 balanced regulator paired with the Cressi Aquawing, a free-adjustable wing-style BCD, for your comfort and safety.
- Refreshments Provided – During your diving experience, enjoy complimentary tea, soft drinks and homemade rice cake to keep you energized and refreshed throughout the day.
As a certified diver, why should you choose LIVE FOR DIVING in Okinawa?
At LIVE FOR DIVING, you will always be guided by an experienced instructor. I don’t see myself as a simple guide who merely shows you around dive sites. My goal is always to improve divers, ensuring that their core diving skills are on point. These key elements of diving include breathing, buoyancy, trim, and propulsion. You will continue to improve these skills throughout your entire diving life.
Do you often find yourself with the lowest air remaining in your group. Often touching the bottom, stirring up sand with your legs and arms. Perhaps you struggle with using proper frog kicks. Even worse, you don’t know what they are, despite already being ADVANCED certified with any diving agency.
If this sounds familiar to you, then you should definitely choose LIVE FOR DIVING as your Okinawa diving service. Book some dives with me, and an improvement in your diving skills will be almost guaranteed. It all comes down to proper weighting and controlling your breathing. With shore dives, we create our own schedule.
For all experienced divers who have their diving skills in check, stunning dive sites and challenging dives like Manza, Hedo, or the USS Emmons shipwreck await you. Let’s book with LIVE FOR DIVING and explore these magical places together. We are using the finest rental equipment offered (Cressi balanced MC9 regulators with Cressi free adjustable Aquawing BCDs). If you’ve only used jacket-style BCDs with weight belts before, try new types of gear during your Okinawa diving adventure.
Why I created LIVE FOR DIVING
Let me share a bit about myself and why I decided to open my own dive business, so you know who you’ll be diving with. I’m Stefan Damm, a German dive instructor who has settled down in Okinawa with my Japanese wife. I am fluent in German, English, and have a basic level of Japanese proficiency.
Over my 8 years of teaching scuba diving, I have continually expanded my diving knowledge and skills. I am a certified instructor for PADI, SDI, and SSI. I am also trained as a service technician for CRESSI equipment. With expertise spanning three different diving agencies, I can confidently assure you that the agency you choose matters far less than the quality of the instructor.
Throughout my career, I have been employed at various dive shops in different countries. This includes Thailand, the Philippines, Australia, and predominantly Japan. During my 4 years in Japan, I worked at all the most popular dive sites Okinawa has to offer, including Ishigaki, the Kerama Islands, and the main island of Okinawa. While I have been fortunate to have many rewarding opportunities in this field, I have also witnessed some of the challenges and shortcomings of the diving industry.
My passion lies in teaching people the proper way of diving. So they can truly enjoy the magnificent underwater world. Therefore I decided to establish my own dive operation. So I have the freedom to prioritize quality instruction and provide an exceptional diving experience for my clients.