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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Helpful Diving Info
What age can children start scuba diving?
When I started with the idea of writing this blog I thought the answer to this question would be relatively a simple one. However, with even a small amount of research the answer is a lot more complicated than I imagined. There are a whole lot of different experts having a vast range of different views on the subject on what age children can start scuba diving.
Most of these concerns are around physical, psychological and maturity preparedness.
What I considered to be the simple answer was 10 years of age. PADI have set the age limit for both their PADI Discover Scuba Diving and their entry level Certification, the PADI Open Wa [...]
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Courses
Creating Scuba Divers Not Just Certifications
This blog is about learning how to scuba dive well and creating good good divers, not just doing what it takes just to get get a scuba diving certifications.
Here we try and explain why it is important to do a professional basic scuba diving that creates scuba divers and not just ticking the boxes for a scuba diving certification.
Scuba diving is an eye opening and amazing activity. It is something that everyone should try at least once in their life. As with all things fun, it does come with inherent risks. Although the number injured or fatalities are very low. Divers need to be aware of rare but possible dangers each [...]
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Marine Life
Spotted Eagle Rays at Racha Noi Island
The stunning Spotted Eagle Rays are becoming a regular at Racha Noi Island.
Right now at Koh Racha Noi, Phuket, Thailand we are regularly seeing whist scuba diving the beautiful White Spotted Eagle Rays.
These are majestic creatures that are not all that common to the area. If found are normally at Racha Noi and Racha Yai Islands which are about 30 km south of Phuket.
Belonging to the same family as the awesome manta rays. Eagle rays grow up to a maximum size of five meters in length and three meters wide. These gentle rays are very curious and usually stick around checking out the divers. Although they are usually seen alon [...]
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Everything Else
What is the Underwater Visibility Like in Phuket?
A question that we often get asked here in Phuket is “What is the underwater visibility like when I am there?”
Good visibility and bad visibility is a subjective thing and people when commenting should be giving an example of what level of visibility they are comparing it too or with.
For example, a diver that regularly dives in lake or quarries and they compare to that, may think the visibility is good. Those that regularly dive in deep waters may think that that the visibility is poor. We regularly have divers from both spectrums and then can arrive back from the same dive trip and one saying the visibility is good and th [...]
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Helpful Diving Info
What are the Similan and Surin Island National Park Fees?
When budgeting for scuba diving liveaboard from Phuket to the Similan Islands or Surin Islands you must take into account the cost of National Park fees. Here we explain what the Similan and Surin Island National Park Fees are?
In 1982 the Similan Islands (including Koh Bon) were deemed to be a nation park and as a result fees were introduced for the care and up keep of the islands.
For the 2015 - 2016 Season the price for entering each national park is THB 500 and THB 200 for each day that you are there. There for is you are on a over night liveaboard then you will pay THB 500 + THB 200 x 2 days making the total THB 900.
The sam [...]
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Courses
Scuba Instructor Andre Engstrom – Svenska – Dansk – Norsk – English
From Helsingborg, Sweden Scuba Instructor Andre Engstrom and left in 2010 as he needed to find a warmer climate to work.
In Sweden Andre worked on a boat between Sweden and Denmark where he served ice cold beers for the passengers. He has allways loved the sea so it was pretty easy to adjust to the life as an instructor.
Andre is unique in the sense that most instructors have fallen in love with scuba diving. Andre actually fell in love with a girl that fell in love with scuba diving and he just tagged along. She has long gone but Andre is still here.
Andre is one of the easiest going dive instructors and exudes the Swedis [...]
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Everything Else
What I look for when Employing a Scuba Diving Instructor
Here are some tips about what I, the boss looks for when I am employing a scuba diving instructor.
Being a PADI Scuba Diving instructor is one of the best jobs in the world. Given that PADI has dive centres in 186 countries around the globe, this could give a dive instructor the opportunity to travel and work. I don’t think there is a dive instructor out there that does not dream of working their way around the world and diving in exotic locations.
However, with over 170,000 PADI Pros already out there and 1,000’s of new divemasters and instructors coming through each year, only the best will be able to fulfill the dream. [...]
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