Divers Serving Divers Since 1998
DirDirect Online is the global extension of our physical dive store, Underwater Explorers, one of the UK’s leading dive shops and showrooms for high-quality recreational, advanced and technical diving equipment.
Whether you’re buying your first set of carefully selected dive gear, upgrading your equipment, travelling the world, exploring UK waters, progressing your skills, already diving at an advanced technical level, or relying on your equipment for demanding underwater projects, we provide the products, knowledge and support to help make every dive safer, simpler and more enjoyable.
With over two decades of experience and a carefully chosen range from the world’s leading diving manufacturers, we’re your local dive store — wherever you dive.
Over the years, we have earned the trust of divers worldwide - from recreational sport divers to advanced, technical, mixed-gas, expedition and professional divers who rely on quality equipment and knowledgable support.
Underwater Explorers:
Your Gateway to Better, Safer Diving
Located in Dorset, England, close to some of the UK’s most popular shore and boat diving sites, Underwater Explorers is our brick-and-mortar dive store serving divers locally, nationally and worldwide through DirDirect.
As a recognised UK dealer, stockist and showroom for many of the industry’s most respected brands, including SANTI, XDeep, Halcyon, Shearwater, Scubapro, Suex, Suunto, Apeks, Ammonite, Suunto, Fourth Element, OrcaTorch, Divesoft and Aqualung, we offer an extensive range of carefully selected diving equipment — from masks, fins and snorkels through to regulators, dive computers, exposure protection, drysuits, wing systems, underwater lighting systems and scooters.
Our philosophy has always been simple: choose equipment that works.
Inspired by the principles of streamlined, reliable and efficient diving configurations, we believe great dive equipment should be comfortable, practical and dependable. Whether used by a recreational diver enjoying warm-water reefs or a technical diver exploring demanding environments, good equipment design makes diving easier and safer.
Our commitment goes beyond simply selling dive gear. Our experienced UK-based team provides honest advice, product knowledge and ongoing support to help you choose the right equipment for the diving you do.
Visit us at Underwater Explorers in Portland or browse DirDirect online to explore our complete range of diving equipment and services. Keep up with developments, offers and our news by following us on Facebook.
And if you’re visiting Portland for diving or watersports, follow our Chesil Cove Updates, discover the incredible local dive sites, or explore the dive boats operating from one of the UK’s busiest diving destinations.
DirDirect is staffed seven days a week, processing online orders and assisting divers worldwide.
Our Portland showroom is open to visitors Friday through Monday, including weekends and UK Bank Holidays.
Friday: 9am–5pm
Saturday: 9am–5pm
Sunday: 9am–5pm
Monday: 10am–5pm
Closed to visitors Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Keeping it Safe, Simple (& Streamlined) - KISS
What is DirDirect and what makes us different?
We provide reliable, robust dive gear for divers at beginner, expedition, and professional levels. We focus primarily on single-tank, twinset, and sidemount wing-and-regulator systems, drysuits and undersuits, diving essentials from clips to reels, SMBs, masks and fins, and a variety of accessories.
Does DirDirect have a physical dive shop?
We're located just around Portland Marina, across from O’Three and minutes from Chesil Cove.
Whether you're a seasoned technical diver and explorer seeking the latest equipment or advancing on your underwater adventure, Underwater Explorers | DirDirect is your trusted partner for a safe, streamlined, and unforgettable diving experience.
What are DirDirect delivery rates, where and how do you ship?
What is the history behind Underwater Explorers and DirDirect?
Influenced by British diver friends and instructors involved in the Woodville Karst Plain Project, the team gradually introduced Hogarthian diving principles into their training and equipment approach.
In 2000, we closed the WSC and expanded by acquiring The Scuba Centre, formerly known as Parry's Dive Centre, in Portland. We continued it as a PADI Five Star Instructor Development Centre, but avoided traditional setups and instead promoted back-mounted wings and a Safe, Simple and Streamlined approach.
This expansion paved the way for Underwater Explorers Ltd., a parallel entity focused on sales of select technical dive equipment and technical diver training up to Advanced Trimix levels - initially through IANTD (International Association of Nitrox and Technical Divers) and then via TDI (Technical Diving International).
Underwater Explorers became the UK's first dedicated DIR-Hogarthian dive centre and training facility, using equipment configurations and standard diving gas choices that have since become popular among most agencies and widely standardised.
With Halcyon Dive Systems deeply involved in the WKPP and producing expedition-level technical diving equipment, we became the UK's first and only Halcyon dealer, while providing cutting-edge equipment from brands including DUI, Dive Rite, and OMS. Within a few years, the Halcyon UK project became an importer and distributor of Halcyon equipment through our sister company, Silent Planet Ltd.
Is DirDirect DIR or GUE?
We were closely involved with Global Underwater Explorers (GUE) being recognised as a training agency in the UK, were formally recognised as its UK training facility, and hosted the country’s first GUE visits, trips and "DIR Fundamentals" courses, later succeeded by GUE Fundamentals.
However, we ourselves taught through IANTD and TDI respectively. As an autonomous centre that respects quality training from all agencies, the core team at Underwater Explorers offered technical diver training at all levels in accordance with those agencies’ curriculum and standards.
We have maintained our independence from any agency, supporting divers of all levels, training backgrounds and diving styles.
Many divers worldwide recognise that our commitment is to provide high-quality diving equipment and sound advice across the board, covering all training and certification agencies and their diving preferences.
Does Underwater Explorers offer diving courses?
This training continued at technical level under IANTD as of around the year 2000 and extended to all levels of technical diving up to Advanced Trimix courses under TDI thereon. During which we also offered GUE courses run through visiting instructors.
However, since we moved to our new and current premises we stopped all training for two reasons: Firstly, our retail operation both in-store and online had grown to a global scale and demanded most of our attention. Secondly we wanted to open our centre to instructors and students from all agencies and didn't want our own training, based on our diving and equipment philosophy, to overshadow our good relations with visiting schools, clubs, their new and experienced divers and students.
Therefore we no longer train divers - but can certainly give advice on active, reliable instructors who actually do the diving to the level they teach.
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