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.
For a week at the end of February I was invited to sample the diving with Orca Dive Club based at the Breakers Diving and Surfing Lodge by courtesy of SOMABAY.
Somabay covers an entire peninsula and is home to several resorts as well as residential compounds. Somabay caters for scuba diving as well as many other sports, including windsurfing, golf, sailing, go-carting, horse riding and many other activities.
All the activities are of a world-class standard and any or all of these can be booked directly from The Breakers.
I took Easyjet from Bristol (UK) to Hurghada. Easyjet are not by any means my favourite airline but the flight was cheap and direct (except for the surprise extra £48 I was charged at the gate for my carry-on bag).
I was met at Hurghada airport by a driver and car and taken to the Breakers 28 miles (45Kilomaters) south along the coast. Once at the hotel I was too late for an evening meal and so a basic meal was delivered to my room. That and a beer from the fridge and I was fast asleep.
Early the next morning after breakfast I arrived for my rep meeting at the Orca Dive Center for 8.00am. I was immediately made to feel welcome, and after brief introductions I got some dive gear from the store, had a chat with my dive guide Mohamed and got ready to try the house reef situated at the end of a very long wooded pier where all diving gear and divers are taken out by buggies.
Once at the end of the pier, a helping hand from staff makes sure your gear is set and then it’s a short walk to the very end where you can either climb down a ladder of simply jump in the water next to the reef. The house reef extends both north and south giving a very easy and safe dive with plenty to see. At this time of the year the water temperature was a constant 22 degrees Centigrade and there was little or no current, so there were no issues in swimming back to the pier.
Quite a few divers were in dry or semi-dry suits, but being from the UK and used to the cold I found a 3mm wetsuit with a 3mm neoprene vest quite comfortable. Even after 50 years of diving I still find that first dive of a trip slightly nerving until I am actually underwater and then all becomes relaxed and I ease into auto diving mode. There was plenty to see with many of the Red Sea favourites along the way.
After the dive and a buggy ride back to the hotel for a very good buffet lunch I was back in the water, once again on the house reef for an afternoon dive.
Check in for part 2 tomorrow when Jeff gets on a day boat and dives a few of the off-shore reefs.
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.
In an interview recorded exclusively for Scubaverse.com, Jeff Goodman interviews Jeremy Higson from Sea to Sky about the itineraries the tour operator offers in Oman.
For more information about diving in Oman, contact Sea to Sky now:
Email: hello@mysetaosky.co.uk
WhatsApp: + 39 379 236 7138
Website: www.myseatosky.co.uk
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