News
First ever Backscatter Authorized Photo Center opens at Lembeh Resort
Lembeh Resort have announced the official opening of their new Photo Center which continues to house an impressive array of camera equipment, accessories, spares and other essential items both for sale and to rent. In addition to having a full time Photo Pro and Photo Center Assistants, the new Photo Center has also become the first ever Backscatter Authorized Photo Center in the world.
The new Photo Center is home to Lembeh’s onsite Backscatter certified Photo Pro and carries a much wider range of products than ever before. This is great news for anyone who is visiting Lembeh Resort with a view to underwater imaging. Guests can continue to enjoy Lembeh’s existing services and in addition, can now also experiment with more rigs, strobes, lights and other items before making a purchase.
Construction of a new Photo Center at Lembeh Resort has been in the pipeline for some time and Lembeh’s owners and managers are delighted with the new, more spacious, lighter and brighter building.
Jim Decker, CEO of Backscatter, has also been at Lembeh Resort this week for the official opening event. Jim says he is delighted with the new Photo Center which is located in the heart of the resort and combines both teaching, editing and workshop areas under one roof. The Photo Center is stocked with its usual array of camera equipment, housings, lenses, spare parts – and of course, Backscatter add-ons and essential items.
“The photographic opportunities in the Lembeh Strait are amazing, the abundance and diversity of photographic subjects is unparalleled. If you want to take a picture of a hairy frogfish there are multiple opportunities – you will get the shot. It’s always possible to go back for additional shots, retakes and to try different techniques. It’s a truly unique destination and the perfect location for Backscatter to have an authorized Photo Center“. (Jim Decker)
In addition to equipment, Lembeh have a 3D printer in the Photo Center’s workshop area along with a substantial selection of tools for carrying out repairs. The 3D printer enables the manufacture of spare parts and custom-made diopters onsite
The Photo Center at Lembeh Resort and Backscatter have a longstanding relationship, spanning over 10 years.
“Lembeh Resort and Backscatter have been working together for the last 10 years so Lembeh Resort was an obvious choice for us. (Lembeh Resort) is an excellent resort and it has the largest and most developed Photo Center in the Lembeh Strait with an in house Photo Pro, Assistants and Marine Biologists – we are very excited to be taking this relationship to the next level“.
Danny Charlton, co-owner of Critters at Lembeh Resort and Ray Rorimpandey, owner of Lembeh Resort, joined Backscatter’s Jim Decker in cutting the ribbon and declaring the Photo Center officially open.
“We are completely stoked to partner with Backscatter to create the world’s first Backscatter authorized Photo Center. Having the only dedicated Photo Center in Lembeh Strait (& North Sulawesi,) we are now able to better provide a broad spectrum of services & support. This partnership is fantastic for our guests, and will open more doors for our Dive Guides & all staff and it is yet another example of leading the industry with innovative relationships & offerings”.
Backscatter Trained Photo Center Team
Lembeh Resort claim that underwater imaging is in their DNA and it appears to be true as they continue to push the envelope in underwater imaging services available in the Lembeh Strait. Lembeh Resort say their number one aim is to ensure that a broken piece, a forgotten part or a small fault does not keep their divers out of the water. Their team are dedicated to finding practical solutions to keep underwater photographers and videographers shooting and are now even better placed than ever before to ensure that guests have the best imaging opportunities possible.
Lembeh Resort’s Photo Center is staffed by a full time Photo Pro and three Photo Center Assistants who are all experienced underwater photographers that have received training from numerous renowned Photo Pros from around the world. Lembeh Resort’s full time Photo Pro is available to assist with technical questions, gear related enquiries, general advice and offers a range of tailor-made courses to meet individual needs.
For more information or to make a reservation, contact Lembeh Resort at: reservations@LembehResort.com or view their website here.
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.
Blogs
Northern Red Sea Reefs and Wrecks Trip Report, Part 3: The Mighty Thistlegorm
Jake Davies boards Ghazala Explorer for an unforgettable Red Sea diving experience…
Overnight, the wind picked up, making the planned morning dive a bit bumpy on the Zodiacs to the drop point on Thomas Reef. There, we would dive along the reef before descending through the canyon and then passing under the arch before ascending the wall with a gentle drift. The site provided great encounters with more pelagic species, including shoals of large barracuda, tuna, and bigeye trevally.
Once back on the boat, it was time to get everything tied down again as we would head back south. This time, with the wind behind us, heading to Ras Mohammed to dive Jackfish Alley for another great gentle drift wall dive before then heading up the coast towards the Gulf of Suez to moor up at the wreck of the Thistlegorm. This being the highlight wreck dive of the trip and for many onboard, including myself, it was the first time diving this iconic wreck. I had heard so much about the wreck from friends, and globally, this is a must on any diver’s list. Fortunately for us, there was only one other boat at the site, which was a rarity. A great briefing was delivered by Ahmed, who provided a detailed background about the wreck’s history along with all the required safety information as the currents and visibility at the site can be variable.
Kitting up, there was a lot of excitement on deck before entering the water and heading down the shoreline. Descending to the wreck, there was a light northerly current which reduced the visibility, making it feel more like the conditions that can be found off the Welsh coast. At 10m from the bottom, the outline of the wreck appeared as we reached the area of the wreck which had been bombed, as our mooring line was attached to part of the propeller shaft. Arriving on deck, instantly everywhere you looked there were many of the supplies which the ship was carrying, including Bren Carrier tanks and projectiles that instantly stood out.
We headed around the exterior, taking a look at the large propeller and guns mounted on deck before entering the wreck on the port side to take a look in the holds. It was incredible to see all the trucks, Norton 16H, and BSA motorcycles still perfectly stacked within, providing a real snapshot in time.
Overall, we had four dives on the Thistlegorm, where for all of the dives we were the only group in the water, and at times, there were just three of us on the whole wreck, which made it even more special, especially knowing that most days the wreck has hundreds of divers. Along with the history of the wreck, there was plenty of marine life on the wreck and around, from big green turtles to batfish, along with shoals of mackerel being hunted by trevally. Some unforgettable dives.
The final leg of the trip saw us cross back over the Suez Canal to the Gobal Islands where we planned to stay the night and do three dives at the Dolphin House for the potential of sharing the dive with dolphins. The site, which included a channel that was teeming with reef fish, especially large numbers of goatfish that swam in large shoals along the edge of the reef. These were nice relaxing dives to end the week. Unfortunately, the dolphins didn’t show up, which was okay as like all marine life they are difficult to predict and you can’t guarantee what’s going to be seen. With the last dive complete, we headed back to port for the final night where it was time to clean all the kit and pack before the departure flight the next day.
The whole week from start to finish on Ghazala Explorer was amazing; the boat had all the facilities you need for a comfortable week aboard. The crew were always there to help throughout the day and the chefs providing top quality food which was required after every dive. The itinerary providing some of the best diving with a nice mixture of wreck and reef dives. I would recommend the trip to anyone, whether it’s your first Red Sea liveaboard in the Red Sea or you’re revisiting. Hopefully, it’s not too long before I head back to explore more of the Red Sea onboard Ghazala Explorer.
To find out more about the Northern Red Sea reef and wrecks itineraries aboard Ghazala Explorer, or to book, contact Scuba Travel now:
Email: dive@scubatravel.com
Tel: +44 (0)1483 411590
Photos: Jake Davies / Avalon.Red
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