Karamürsel Su Sporları ve Dalış Spor Kulübü (KARSAD)

Karamürsel Su Sporları ve Dalış Spor Kulübü (KARSAD) is an established diving club, marine sports association, and certified education center situated directly on the Marmara Sea shoreline in the Kayacık neighborhood of Karamürsel, Kocaeli. Founded to share a deep passion for the sea under the motto of sharing the endless serenity of the blue, the organization focuses on cultivating true divers who demonstrate environmental respect, maritime culture, and high safety awareness. All maritime and pedagogical operations are conducted in complete alignment with the official equipment specifications and safety directives established by the Turkish Underwater Sports Federation (TSSF).

The organization is directed by Board President Salih Zeki Şirinoğlu, an experienced CMAS 2-Star Instructor, with Reyhan Şirinoğlu managing daily operational coordination and financial procedures. In addition to recreational diver education, the club collaborates closely with local civic bodies such as the Karamürsel Municipality, serving as an athletic hub that hosts diver Mazlum Kibar during his demanding Guinness World Record endurance trials in cold open saltwater. From foundational youth courses to advanced navigation and technical diving, KARSAD provides structured aquatic training grounded in community values and regional marine preservation.

Visitors travelling to the coastal property encounter a complete waterside compound that unites classroom study, private pier boarding, and shore diving directly into the local Gulf waters. This setup provides an accessible training gateway for both residents of Kocaeli and visitors arriving from surrounding Marmara provinces.

What to See and Do

At KARSAD, visitors and trainees engage in structured underwater education spanning entry-level discovery to specialized technical proficiencies. The club delivers internationally recognized certification programs compliant with TSSF standards, offering qualification pathways through CMAS, NASDS, and PADI systems. Foundational learning is structured into progressive tiers: the entry-level CMAS 1-Star Training requires two days and two open-water dives, teaching fundamental scuba mechanics. Trainees can advance to the CMAS 2-Star qualification across two days and four dives, or the leadership-level CMAS 3-Star program spanning three days and six dives. Younger participants are accommodated through the specialized CMAS Junior Diver program, conducted over four days with four instructional dives.

Beyond general certifications, the club operates targeted single-day specialty courses tailored to specific underwater conditions and skills. Representative modules include CMAS Deep Diving (one day, one dive), CMAS Night Diving (one day, one dive), and CMAS Wreck Diving (one day, two dives), alongside technical disciplines such as Peak Performance Buoyancy, Navigation, Nitrox, and Environmental Awareness and Marine Conservation. Field training takes place at the club's designated underwater training area and along the submerged features of the local İnönü Wreck.

Ecological stewardship is integrated directly into the club's itinerary through its regular Marine Cleanup Events. Organized specifically for certified two-star and three-star divers, these volunteer coastal cleanups culminate in a complimentary dive known as the Free Wreck Dive, rewarding active environmental protection with access to the sunken vessel. In addition to scuba training, KARSAD is active across diverse TSSF sports branches, supporting competitive training in underwater hockey, monopalet finswimming, and spearfishing target shooting. The facility also served as the official logistical staging ground for athlete Mazlum Kibar, who executed endurance preparation dives exceeding 13 hours from the club's pier toward setting Guinness World Records of 30 hours 30 minutes and 36 hours in cold open seawater.

The Visit and Who It Suits

The on-shore atmosphere at KARSAD is unpretentious, secure, and closely attuned to nature, blending the functional routine of an active maritime operations center with a laid-back coastal retreat. Positioned directly on the waterfront, the property provides continuous panoramic vistas over the Marmara Sea. Because the training syllabus spans from introductory beginner courses and specialized youth sessions to technical wreck expeditions, the club easily accommodates an eclectic mix of people: solo novices taking their inaugural breaths underwater, seasoned club veterans refreshing specialty certifications, and families spending a day by the coastline. Safety protocols overseen by certified staff ensure that beginners feel secure while entering the water, while the open-air coastal setting keeps the general vibe relaxed, welcoming, and fun.

Non-diving visitors and resting divers congregate at the club's on-site cafe, which serves as a communal gathering point throughout the day. Here, guests can order hot Turkish tea, traditional Bosnian pastry (Boşnak böreği), and morning breakfast spreads. During colder maritime conditions or early spring outings, a wood-burning stove provides heat inside the common room, creating a warm social environment where divers share logs and debrief their dives. For added convenience and family engagement, the facility maintains a live streaming system that allows spectators to follow activities from the grounds.

The physical compound is fully outfitted to support day-long aquatic excursions. Practical dive infrastructure includes a dedicated indoor classroom for theoretical briefings, clean changing rooms, hot showers, an on-site diving equipment shop, and direct boarding access from the club's waterfront pier. Outside the operations perimeter, the seaside environment features paved walking promenades, resting benches, a shaded picnic zone, and an adjacent children's playground, ensuring visiting families and companions have comfortable spaces to relax. Vehicle drivers have access to limited parking immediately adjoining the club entrance.

Location and Visiting Details

Karamürsel Su Sporları ve Dalış Spor Kulübü (KARSAD) is located at Kayacık Mah., İnönü Cd. No:60, 41500 Karamürsel/Kocaeli. The facility sits in a sea-level position directly on the Karamürsel Sahil Kordonu coastal walking promenade overlooking the Marmara Sea. Visitors exploring the immediate maritime corridor will find several established local landmarks within short walking distance, including Altınkemer Beach, the municipal Karamürsel Public Beach, the Karamürsel Ferry Pier, and several shoreline cafes that line the waterfront boulevard. Arriving via public maritime transport through the central ferry terminal offers an easy connection to the coastal path leading directly to the clubhouse.

For the 2026 season, dive sessions and formal training courses operate strictly under pre-registration requirements. Prospective students and certified divers must book their slots and complete participation verifications in advance through the official online portal at karsad.mavikayit.com. This digital system handles attendance scheduling, course verification, and dive logs. For general inquiries, event sign-ups, and notifications regarding marine activities, the club can be contacted directly by telephone or WhatsApp messaging at 0535 020 96 41 (international format +90 535 020 96 41). Written inquiries and organizational correspondence are received via email at [email protected].

All active sea departures, training briefings, and underwater safety drills are led by the club's licensed instructional staff. Under the supervision of head instructor Salih Zeki Şirinoğlu, educational sessions are delivered by CMAS instructors Ender Yılmaz, Mücet Zafer Tığlı, Emre Arslan, Özcan Sonkurt, Arif Mustafa Perçin, Şenol Özler, Mücahit Fırat, Muhammed Yunus Yazgı, Faris Yazıcı, and Onur Göksu. Water sessions are reinforced by a cadre of certified CMAS 3-star assistants, including Tayfun İşcan, Hüseyin Genç, Hüseyin Pehlivan, İsa Bedir, and Tuncay Fitöz. Attendees arriving by car should account for the venue's limited on-site parking when scheduling departure times from the pier.

The Mio Angle: As a Discovery Spot

On Mio, where recommendations center on authentic experiences and distinctive regional discoveries, KARSAD emerges as a rare community-driven maritime outpost along Kocaeli's shoreline. Rather than a standard waterfront cafe or passive sightseeing stop, the club functions as a working hub for active water sports culture. It appeals particularly to travelers seeking to earn recognized international dive certifications without travelling south to Mediterranean resorts, youth divers looking for structured CMAS training, and outdoor enthusiasts who appreciate grassroots conservation initiatives like organized seafloor cleanups. Even for non-diving companions, relaxing alongside the seaside walkway or observing pier maneuvers provides an engaging, salt-air social setting.

From a budgeting perspective, the organization maintains an accessible profile. While KARSAD does not post a fixed public price tariff across its website for courses and individual dives, visitor commentary consistently characterizes the training fees and club services as reasonable and well-balanced. Furthermore, experienced divers holding two-star or three-star qualifications can participate in community-driven marine cleanup events, which grant participants complimentary access to the Free Wreck Dive at the local sunken vessel, aligning budget consciousness with active ecological contribution.

For visual documentation and social storytelling, the venue offers diverse imagery across terrestrial and aquatic settings. Creators and visitors capture content ranging from scuba equipment checks along the private coastal pier against Marmara Sea backdrops to underwater exploration scenes around the designated training grounds and the submerged İnönü Wreck. Back on land, the indoor atmosphere provides charming lifestyle captures: post-dive gatherings beside the crackling wood stove, plates of warm Bosnian pastry (Boşnak böreği), and glasses of freshly brewed tea. Coupled with its athletic legacy as the training base for Mazlum Kibar's multi-hour Guinness World Record saltwater trials, KARSAD delivers genuine substance for travelers documenting Turkey's northern diving heritage.