Helpful Diving Info
Do I Need to Know How To Swim to Scuba Dive?
This is a question that I often get asked, and really it is not as simple as YES or NO. Here is some explanations and reasons why.
If you want to become a certified scuba diver by doing the PADI Open Water Diver Course, the answer is yes. In the PADI Open Water Diver Course it is specified that you have to be able to swim continuously for 200 metres. This can be with any stroke however it does need to be continuous without stopping. There is alternate option and that is you do a 300 metre mask, fin and snorkel swim. Some do find this easier to the 200 swim.
You also have to be able to tread water or float for at least 10 minut [...]
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Courses
What to Expect During Your PADI Advanced Open Water Course?
Here is a step by step description what to expect during your PADI Advanced Open Water Course.
Your PADI Advanced Open Water course will begin with a hotel transfer at between 7:15 and 7:30am from your hotel. You will be then taken to the pier at Ao Chalong where you will be met by you PADI Instructor for the course.
After you have set up your equipment and helped yourself to some freshly cooked breakfast your PADI instructor will then brief you on a range of different things including the boat, the days dive sites, the dive conditions and what you are likely to see on the day.
You will then begin going through your [...]
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Everything Else
What is the water temperature for scuba diving in Phuket Thailand
We often get asked what will be the water temperature when scuba diving in Phuket of Thailand. Phuket is fortunate that our water temperature is very stable and does not fluctuate much and has some of the warmest waters in the world.
Generally the water temperature in and around Phuket is normally a very comfortable 29 degrees Celsius. With a long run of overcast days it may drop to a chilly 28 degrees and if we get an extended run of warm sunny weather it could reach 30 degrees Celsius.
Occasionally we have thermoclines come through that will reduce the temperature to 27 - 28 degrees however they are rare.
If you are doing a s [...]
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Everything Else
Scuba Diving Phuket – Recovery After the Pandemic
The Phuket scuba diving industry took a pretty big hit during the COVID pandemic. Phuket was isolated from the outside world for almost 18 months. During the period there were times when there was no scuba diving in Phuket at all. Even our local beach dives at Kata Beach were banned for an amount of time.
The Phuket scuba diving industry is heavily reliant on international visitors and some businesses are almost 99% dependent on international divers.
It was a very tough time for scuba diving in Phuket. A lot of scuba diving instructors returned to their native countries and employment within the scuba diving was slashed. The pand [...]
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Courses
Becoming a PADI Rescue Diver
“The best moments in our lives are not the passive, receptive, relaxing times… The best moments usually occur if a person’s body or mind is stretched to its limits in a voluntary effort to accomplish something difficult and worthwhile.” ~ Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
One of the best ways to boost your dive confidence and level of experience is to do the PADI Rescue Course.
Have you ever been diving with a group of divers and a PADI Pro, maybe a divemaster or instructor as a guide. Wondered how the guide seems to be so confident and comfortable underwater? The answer may be simpler than you think!
The PADI Rescue cours [...]
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Courses
Do I Need to do a Scuba Diving Refresher?
There are several different ways to refresh your scuba diving skills and knowledge after a period out of the water. Here in Phuket, that could be a pool refresher, Kata beach dive, or diving easy sites like Racha Noi & Racha Yai.
PADI's recommendation in the theory section of the PADI Open Water Course is that you should do a refresher if you have not been diving for six months or longer. This is for a very good reason, it involves your safety. Hopefully after reading this blog you will be able to find the answer to "Do I Need to do a Scuba Diving Refresher?"
Is this applicable to all cases?
The requirement or nee [...]
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Courses
Nitrox – What is it and What are the Benefits?
The air that we breathe on the surface and the air from a scuba tank have the same mixture gases (minus some trace elements of other gases). Air is essentially 21% Oxygen and 79% Nitrogen.
Nitrox is a term used for the mixture of nitrogen and oxygen. Recreational scuba divers use a blend of Nitrox that is usually a mixture of 21- 40% oxygen and 60-79% nitrogen.
A particular mixture of Nitrox is referred to by the percentage of oxygen in the mixture.
The most common blends of nitrox mixtures, Nitrox 32 and Nitrox 36 contain 32% and 36% oxygen respectively.
Air could be considered Nitrox 21 as it contains approximately 21% oxyg [...]
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Helpful Diving Info
Importance of Equalising your Ears
Scuba diving is a relatively safe sport, as long as you follow the rules. However one of the most common injury's we see is ear problems after not improper technique or failure to equalise the ears. It is vital that you stop your decent/going down plus let your guide/instructor/buddy know if you have any equalisation issues whilst diving. Equalising your ears is of importance and you should know how to do it correctly.
When we are scuba diving the term “equalising” means to equalise pressure between the inside of your ears and the underwater environment. Human ears have the natural ability to compensate external pressure from the s [...]
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Other Activities
Underwater Proposal and Trash The Dress
A lot of marriage proposals take place at some fancy restaurant, beach, viewpoint etc. Why not try something a little different & outside the norm? Here is how to do a underwater Proposal and trash the dress.
Have you thought about doing an underwater proposal? Maybe you're looking for some different ideas for wedding photos?
If you are looking at doing something different then an underwater proposal here in the warm waters of Phuket is a perfect idea. Our dive sites at Racha Islands offer nice conditions and an amazing experience for an underwater proposal. Aussie Divers Phuket over the past few years has helped many couples wi [...]
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