International Association for Handicapped Divers

Congrats to our new International Association for Handicapped Divers (IAHD) Instructors!

If you or a family member has been reluctant to try scuba diving due to mental or physical disabilities we can help introduce you to the weightlessness and freedom of the underwater world.

There are very few disabilities which actually prevent one from diving. However, the type of disability varies from person to person as does the way in which one can cope with that disability. Each course is adapted to the individual to meet their level of abilities focusing on the things that they can do to earn an internationally accepted dive certification.

The “Partner-Level” certification system determines exactly what a diver can and cannot do and this determines the number of divers and their certification levels that are required to escort a disabled diver.

The International Association for Handicapped Divers (IAHD) was formed in 1993 in Sweden by Maurice Parry and is now an independently operated, non-profit subsidiary of the World Organisation of Scuba Diving (WOSD).

IAHD’s main goals are promoting, developing and executing scuba diving courses for the physically and mentally disabled and for instructors who intend to train such people. Additional goals include the organisation of diving holidays for the physically and mentally disabled and the inspection of dive sites and facilities for suitability for physically and mentally disabled divers. IAHD continues to strive to improve facilities at dive locations in order to facilitate access for disabled divers.

The ultimate aim of the IAHD is to enable disabled people to enjoy the same level of quality (dive) training programs, certifications and diving adventures as able-bodied people.