News
Olivier Van Overbeek joins Paul Toomer at Diving Matrix
RAID International‘s Director of Diver Training, Paul Toomer, has announced that RAID colleague and Technical Instructor Trainer Olivier Van Overbeek has joined him at Diivng Matrix.
Here is a release about Oli joining the Diving Matrix team directly from the horse’s mouth:
We are proud to announce the arrival of the upgraded Diving Matrix V2.0.
As some of you are aware, Diving Matrix has been offering bespoke advanced diving education for the last however many years. It all goes by too quickly.
You may also be aware that I (Paul) decided, stupidly perhaps, to work for a training agency and then even stupider (!) start my own. Of course this shifted my focus away from offering diver training into a new arena.
It has always struck me as a shame that I have been unable to bring Diving Matrix into my Dive RAID family. I have missed my friends who have spent many a year listening to me teach and being at the end of my abuse when they tried to kill either themselves or indeed me.
The beauty of Dive RAID is that I get to meet incredible divers, instructors and trainers from across the globe. The person I’m about to introduce you to fits into all three of the categories above.
So it is with great pride that I introduce you all to the new face of Diving Matrix, Mr. Olivier van Overbeek, or OVO or Oli. Yes, he’s Dutch! No. he does not have a bicycle, or a long finger to stick in dykes and yes, he speaks English. Oli is a RAID Recreational Instructor Trainer, a Rebreather Instructor and Technical Instructor Trainer. Oli specialises in Sidemount and now Rebreather but also a pretty dab hand at twinset and has been spotted occasionally in a single tank setup as well.
Oli: “Although I actually started diving in The Netherlands, the bulk of my dive training was done in the UK, going through various trainers and agencies. I was initially introduced to Diving Matrix through Ian France, who provided an excellent Mine Diver Course, and it was through Ian I ended up meeting Paul and subsequently RAID about 3 years ago. During my time with RAID I’ve had the privilege to be involved with the re-writing of various technical programs as a Technical Consultant/Author, a process and opportunity that meant working with Paul and other amazing colleagues.
Since I began working with Paul behind the scenes at RAID I started working less on my own projects at Centurion (my dive centre), so when Paul offered a partnership in Matrix, I instantly knew it made sense, not just logistically, but also because of our shared passion for going the extra mile and general approach towards the customer!”
It is with some sadness I say goodbye to Centurion, and with great joy I embrace Matrix.”
Oli has rebuilt the Diving Matrix website completely, making it more user friendly and has basically given our little company a facelift. With me at the forefront, it surely needed one.
Of course I will don my Matrix hoodie from time to time and offer all levels of training as before.
Matrix will begin offering bespoke technical trips globally and will recruit and train it’s own Expedition Teams at various levels. This will be done in conjunction with the RAID ResEx (Research and Exploration) program.
To make this all official, booze will need to be consumed in the traditional Matrix way. We are planning on of our legendary parties in good old London town. Date – Place – Dress code (fancy dress?) – will be announced shortly.
Finally, we need to mention Ian France. There is no moving forwards into a ‘new’ Diving Matrix without recognising the amount of work, talent, and personality Ian France has put into this company over the last 6 years. Besides being an incredibly talented instructor and trainer, Ian has also been a kind and generous friend to both Oli and myself, offering continuous support and assistance.
Ian has been operating under his own banner, Ian France Technical, for some time now and although we wish him every success, he will be sorely missed at Diving Matrix.
He will be at the party, that is for sure.
Thanks for taking the time to read this and we look forward to seeing and diving with you soon.
Find out more about Diving Matrix at www.divingmatrix.co.uk.
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
-
News3 months ago
Hone your underwater photography skills with Alphamarine Photography at Red Sea Diving Safari in March
-
News3 months ago
Capturing Critters in Lembeh Underwater Photography Workshop 2024: Event Roundup
-
Marine Life & Conservation Blogs2 months ago
Creature Feature: Swell Sharks
-
Blogs2 months ago
Murex Resorts: Passport to Paradise!
-
Blogs2 months ago
Diver Discovering Whale Skeletons Beneath Ice Judged World’s Best Underwater Photograph
-
Gear Reviews3 months ago
Gear Review: Oceanic+ Dive Housing for iPhone
-
Marine Life & Conservation2 months ago
Save the Manatee Club launches brand new webcams at Silver Springs State Park, Florida
-
News3 months ago
World’s Best Underwater Photographers Unveil Breathtaking Images at World Shootout 2023