News
Diving with… Peter Grannum, West Side Scuba Centre, Barbados
In this ongoing series, we speak to the people who run dive centres, resorts and liveaboards from around the world about their businesses and the diving they have to offer…
Peter Grannum
What is the name of your business?
West Side Scuba Centre
What is your role within the business?
Owner
How long has the business operated for?
Since 1993, so 25 years now.
How long have you dived for, and what qualification are you?
I have been diving sine 1992. I am a PADI Master Scuba Diver Trainer
What is your favorite type of diving?
I love both reef and wreck diving.
If you could tell people one thing about your business (or maybe more!) to make them want to visit you what would it be?
We are located on the most beautiful beach in Barbdos, called Carlisle Bay, next to the oldest wrecks in our waters. The seven wrecks lie in 20 – 55 ft of water (6 – 18m) and are spaced out in a way that can be covered in a hour long dive. We are also very close to all the reefs on the south and west of Barbados and 15 minutes away from the biggest wreck in Barbados called the SS Stavronikita. We are an eco-dive facility with high safety standards; our attention to detail with small and large groups is exceptional. All our staff are medical first aid trained and are there to assist you should the need arise.
Barbados reef and wrecks offer some of the richest variety of fish and corals found in the Caribbean and we have lots of sea turtles. We load from a dock, and not from the beach, as we leave the sand on the beach for the turtles to come up and lay their eggs.
What is your favorite dive in your location and why?
All the reefs and wrecks around Barbados because they are so enchanting and I never know what I will bump into.
What types of diving are available in your location?
We have plenty of reefs, wrecks and piers that attract lots of marine life.
What do you find most rewarding about your current role?
All the people I meet from around the world and how nice they are.
What is your favorite underwater creature?
All of them – it is too hard to choose!
Are there any exciting changes / developments coming up in the near future?
My new location! I am back at the beach! We are at The Boatyard…come and see us.
As a center what is the biggest problem you face at the moment?
When to take a break from diving! As I love to dive with all of my guests…
Is your center involved in any environmental work?
Just underwater clean-ups in Carlisle Bay, as I would love to see the day it will be a marine park with no plastic on the ocean floor.
How do you see the SCUBA / Freediving / snorkeling industry overall? What changes would you make?
I see it as a prime income for Barbados, as we are surrounded by water and we have beautiful reefs and wrecks and some amazing creatures that greet us every day – we never know what we will see. I would love the fishing pots to be removed and the government to ban spear fishing of fish and other creatures on the reef and make it where all fish have to be a certain size before they can be caught – if this does not happen, soon there will be no fish on our reefs.
What would you say to our visitors to promote the diving you have to offer?
We are an Eco Dive Facility and West Side Scuba Centre is playing the part to protect the reefs and wrecks here, making all our divers aware of the environment. We enjoy what we do and make all of our clients happy.
Where can our visitors find out more about your business?
Our website is www.westsidescuba.com.
News
Dive Worldwide Announces Bite-Back as its Charity of the Year
Over the next 12 months, specialist scuba holiday company Dive Worldwide will be supporting Bite-Back Shark & Marine Conservation with donations collected from client bookings to any one of its stunning dive destinations around the world. The independently-owned operator expects to raise £3000 for the UK charity.
Manager at Dive Worldwide, Phil North, said: “We’re especially excited to work with Bite-Back and support its intelligent, creative and results-driven campaigns to end the UK trade in shark products and prompt a change in attitudes to the ocean’s most maligned inhabitant.”
Bite-Back is running campaigns to hold the media to account on the way it reports shark news along with a brand new nationwide education programme. Last year the charity was credited for spearheading a UK ban on the import and export of shark fins.
Campaign director at Bite-Back, Graham Buckingham, said: “We’re enormously grateful to Dive Worldwide for choosing to support Bite-Back. The company’s commitment to conservation helps set it apart from other tour operators and we’re certain its clients admire and respect that policy. For us, the affiliation is huge and helps us look to the future with confidence we can deliver against key conservation programmes.”
To launch the fundraising initiative, Phil North presented Graham Buckingham with a cheque for £1,000.
Visit Dive Worldwide to discover its diverse range of international scuba adventures and visit Bite-Back to learn more about the charity’s campaigns.
MORE INFORMATION
Call Graham Buckingham on 07810 454 266 or email graham@bite-back.com
Gear News
Scubapro Free Octopus Promotion 2024
Free Octopus with every purchase of a SCUBAPRO regulator system
Just in time for the spring season, divers can save money with the FREE OCTOPUS SPRING PROMOTION! Until July 31st SCUBAPRO offers an Octopus for free
with every purchase of a regulator system!
Get a free S270 OCTOPUS with purchase of these combinations:
MK25 EVO or MK19 EVO with A700
MK25 EVO or MK19 EVO with S620Ti
MK25 EVO or MK19 EVO with D420
MK25 EVO Din mit S620Ti-X
Get a free R105 OCTOPUS with purchase of the following combinations:
MK25 EVO or MK19 EVO with G260
MK25 EVO or MK17 EVO with S600
SCUBAPRO offers a 30-year first owner warranty on all regulators, with a revision period of two years or 100 dives. All SCUBAPRO regulators are of course certified according to the new European test standard EN250-2014.
Available at participating SCUBAPRO dealers. Promotion may not be available in all regions. Find an authorized SCUBAPRO Dealer at scubapro.com.
More information available on www.scubapro.com.
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