Didactic Turtle
Lisbon-based SSI dive school and equipment-service centre, founded 2021, teaching technical diving through Extended Range and servicing 15+ equipment brands.
Last updated September 2026
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About
Didactic Turtle is a small, owner-run dive school and equipment-service business based in Lisbon, founded at the start of 2021 by Manuel Leotte and Eduardo Gomes. Manuel has dived since 1989 and trained as an equipment technician with La Spirotechnique in 1994, working abroad before returning to Portugal in 2009; Eduardo has dived since 2004 and brought an engineering background to the equipment side of the business after spotting gaps in maintenance expertise across the industry. The two met in 2009, when Eduardo gave a workshop on equipment standards.
The business runs on two tracks. As an SSI-affiliated school it teaches across Scuba Diving, Freediving, Mermaid Training, Snorkel Diver, Ecology, Emergency Training and Public Safety Diving programmes, plus Extended Range (XR) technical diving for divers going beyond recreational limits. As a workshop, both founders are certified technicians holding valid service certifications for more than 15 equipment brands, and the centre is also reported to fill cylinders with Nitrox and Trimix through a partner, Xplorasub.
What divers say
The handful of reviews for Didactic Turtle run five stars, though the business is still young (founded in 2021) and the review count is small. Five reviews are enough to show early goodwill, not enough to say what specifically stands out, and no outside forum or review site has added anything beyond that.
Facilities
Pricing
We do our best to show current pricing, but rates may change without notice. Last verified September 2026. Always confirm the latest prices on Didactic Turtle's official website before booking.
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Other Services
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Didactic Turtle based?▾
At Rua Teofilo Carvalho dos Santos 9, Loja E, in Lisbon city. Sources give the postal code as both 1600-773 and 1600-778, so confirm the exact code when booking. It's a workshop and training base, not a harbourside dive shop.
Does Didactic Turtle run guided dive trips?▾
No. Its own materials describe training and equipment servicing only, with no boat or trips product to a named site advertised anywhere.
What can Didactic Turtle service?▾
Both founders are certified equipment technicians, and the centre holds valid service certifications for more than 15 equipment brands. A single, unconfirmed source also names it as De Profundis's official service partner for Atomic Aquatics, Dive Rite, Zeagle and Poseidon regulators and BCDs.
Can I train in technical diving here?▾
Yes. Alongside its recreational SSI courses, Didactic Turtle teaches Extended Range (XR) technical diving, and it's reported to run a Nitrox and Trimix filling station with a partner, Xplorasub, though that detail also rests on a single source.
Is Didactic Turtle an SSI Instructor Training Center?▾
Its listing confirms SSI affiliation across Scuba Diving, Freediving, Extended Range and several other programmes; confirm the exact instructor tier directly if that matters for your course.
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