News
NAUI to launch 2019 Technical Diver Training: Skills Update Workshop Series
The National Association of Underwater Instructors (NAUI Worldwide) has officially launched a Skills Update workshop series available to all divers worldwide, offering firsthand experience in skill sets covered in NAUI Technical Diver Training programs.
Initial workshops began in December 2018 in Florida with a small team of Instructor Examiners working with the NAUI Technical Training Division to bring the Skills Update to U.S.- domestic and international partners.
“NAUI’s expansion of international workshops demonstrates the success of its global expansion of training initiatives, especially those related to technical-level training and best practices,” said Tim O’Leary, Director of NAUI Technical Training.
Divers from all agencies are invited to join NAUI for a high-energy Skills Update covering critical skills excerpted from NAUI Technical Training Programs. The Skills Update will be conducted over two days, encompassing land drills and in-water work.
With dive safety a top priority, the workshop’s focus is to provide valuable information and support to the NAUI Technical diving community by standardizing Operating Procedures that are up-to-date with today’s evolving dive industry. The Skills Update consists of five dives centered around foundational skills in decompression diving, extreme exposure, and Diver Propulsion Vehicle (DPV) handling and DPV Technical (DPVT) and Extreme Exposure (DPVEE) operation.
The NAUI Technical Training department is excited about creating a new platform for sharing information with its NAUI instructors while benefiting both curious divers and Technical/Cave divers alike who may want to learn more about NAUI Worldwide. The practice and fine-tuning of these skills on a regular basis are essential aspects of continuing education.
To kick off this new opportunity, the next Skills Update workshops are to be held in Cebu, Philippines, March 2019 and Hong Kong, April 2019. Interested participants or individuals with specific questions about workshop requirements, pre-requisites and registration should contact the NAUI Technical Diving Division at nauitec@naui.org.
These workshops will be offered in various locations worldwide. Divers interested in attending workshops in their areas can contact a NAUI regional representative at www.naui.org/contact to discuss options for scheduling.
Additional Skills Update listings and opportunities will continue to get updated and added on the NAUI Events Page at www.naui.org/Events.
Blogs
TRAVEL BLOG: Jeff Goodman Dives SOMABAY, Part 3
Today we are diving one of the outer reefs from an inflatable. As we reach the bottom, a reef octopus eases its way into the cover of a small crack in the coral while displaying it’s incredible ability to change colour. They are arguably one of the most charismatic of reef dwellers and it is always exciting for me to simply hover and watch. I would have spent longer and waited for it to come and investigate me, but as dive time is limited we wanted to move on and find a turtle.
The waters around Somabay are well protected and hold a rich variety of marine life. The reef edges are thriving colonies of coral and shoaling fish, while nearer the sea bed plenty of wildlife is still to be found.
Then we located the turtles. They are very used to divers and so show little concern when slowly approached. In fact occasionally one will come over to see what you are doing. There is always huge excitement when diving with a turtle. The shear thrill of sharing a moment with another species.
What a fantastic way to finish a wonderful few days diving and I would like to thank SOMABAY, ORCA DIVING and THE BREAKERS for making my stay such a good one.
I had a great time, with diving everyday either on the house reef or on one of the offshore reefs by inflatable or larger day boat. Orca diving provided high quality equipment and facilities while the staff were all very friendly and welcoming. The Breakers was right on the coast with nice rooms, good food and once again friendly staff making the whole trip a real pleasure.
Soma Bay covers an entire peninsula and is home to several resorts as well as residential compounds.
As well as scuba diving, Somabay caters for many other sports and activities, and so is perfect for families as well as individuals and/or groups. And of course there is always time to lay peacefully on the beach under the Egyptian sun.
Book your next Red Sea dive adventure with SOMABAY! For more information, visit www.somabay.com.
Stay at the Breakers Diving & Surfing Lodge when you visit! For more information, visit www.thebreakers-somabay.com.
Find out more about ORCA Dive Clubs at SOMABAY at www.orca-diveclubs.com/en/soma-bay-en.
Blogs
TRAVEL BLOG: Jeff Goodman Dives SOMABAY, Part 2
Day three of my trip to Somabay and we were spending the day on the Lady Christina and diving on the wreck of the Salem Express.
Diving wrecks for me is always one of mixed emotions. The excitement of diving a wreck is more than often tempered by the thought of loss of life when she sank. The Salem Express was a passenger ship and a roll-on/roll-off ferry travelling from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia to Safaga, Egypt. Most passengers were of poor class travelling home from their holidays while around 150 people were returning home from their pilgrimage to Mecca.
The ship struck a reef and sank within 20 minutes. Passengers were trapped below deck and the ship was filled with fear and panic.
The wreck area is strewn with personal belongings from the crew and passengers such as a transistor radio and a flat iron for clothes. A diver at sometime has put them in a prominent place to be seen.
Tragically only one life boat was launched while the others went down with the ship. More than 600 men, women and children lost their lives here.
It’s a stark reminder that the sea can be unforgiving and so when we dive on such wrecks we should do so with humble regard.
Returning to the surface, shoals of fish are gathered under our boat and seem to be welcoming us back into the light.
Back at the Breakers I sat in the dining area with a beer and a very good meal while my thoughts still remained with the day’s dive on the Salem Express.
Check in for part 3 tomorrow for Jeff’s last day of diving with Somabay on the off-shore reefs looking for turtles.
Book your next Red Sea dive adventure with SOMABAY! For more information, visit www.somabay.com.
Stay at the Breakers Diving & Surfing Lodge when you visit! For more information, visit www.thebreakers-somabay.com.
Find out more about ORCA Dive Clubs at SOMABAY at www.orca-diveclubs.com/en/soma-bay-en.
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