Dive Training Blogs
Oyster Diving’s PADI Specialty Of The Month: Wreck Diver
Having been a diver for over 15 years I have been lucky enough to experience all sorts of dives including fast drifts, walls, pretty coral reefs, lakes, sharks, night, underwater scooters (DPV) as well as numerous wreck dives.
Of all of these types of dives wrecks have to be up there amongst my favourite. Many countries are sinking wrecks as it has several benefits; they act as artificial reefs which helps to protect and grow the local marine life, and they attract divers which benefits the local economy.
Personally I get more of a buzz out of non-artificially sunk wrecks. They tend to be historical moments frozen in time that the vast majority of the world’s population can never get to explore.
Probably the most famous wreck for scuba divers in the world is the SS Thistlegorm in the Egyptian Red Sea. Sunk by the Germans in World War II, it lies at 30m in the same position on the night it was hit. Inside you can still see the motorbikes in their racks, aeroplane wings, Enfield Rifles and Wellington Boots. Externally lie a couple steam engines, munitions and the guns that failed to protect the ship. Unfortunately in the last 10 years or so, many unsavoury divers have removed many of the artefacts and some irresponsible dive guides have damaged the wreck by tying their dive boats to weak parts of the ship. If you have never dived this wreck, it’s definitely worth a visit but get there soon before it is totally ruined.
The most famous area in the world to dive with wrecks is Truuk Lagoon which is often referred to as the ‘Japanese Pearl Harbour’. Other places closer to home are the Zenobia in Cyprus, a huge 178m ferry that sank in 1980 along with its £200m worth of Cargo that includes 104 lorries. Malta has some exciting wreck diving which includes a Blenheim Bomber from WWII, and Portugal has recently sunk about 5 ships close to each other to form Ocean Revival, a large reef system and playground for divers.
On our own doorstep we have some of the best wreck diving in the world. Dotted around the UK coastline are wrecks from both world wars and some go back many hundreds of years. Scapa Flow in the Orkney Islands is one of the best places in the world to experience wreck diving as it has many British and German warships from both world wars – definitely worth a Google!
While diving with wrecks is fascinating you do need to take extra precautions. If you penetrate them it can be easy to get lost and there are more obstacles to get entangled on, so you need to make sure you are prepared and your skills are more than adequate.
So if you relatively inexperienced and are planning on diving on wrecks then it is recommended that you take a wreck diving certification first such as the PADI Wreck Diver course. The Wreck Diver course teaches you things like:
- Safety considerations for navigating and exploring wrecks.
- Surveying and mapping a wreck.
- Using penetration lines and reels to guide exploration.
- Techniques to avoid kicking up silt or disturbing the wreck and its inhabitants.
The course can be completed in four fun dives over one weekend. The minimum age is 15 and you will need to be an Adventure Diver or equivalent, or a higher qualification before you start.
Not only will it make you a safer diver but it will also help you to protect the wrecks so that they can be enjoyed by other divers for many years to come.
Oyster Diving are offering a 10% discount for anyone who signs up to a Wreck Diving course in May. Simply call 01273 384971 or e-mail info@oysterdiving.com for more information or sign up to your course.
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Photo: Stuart Philpott
Blogs
Four opportunities to go pro in 2024 with Dive Friends Bonaire
Dive Friends teaches the Instructor Development Course (IDC) several times a year to students who are eager to share their passion for diving with the world.
Dive Friends is known for the personal approach throughout the course. Their in-house course director will lead the students through every essential step, mentoring them to achieve their fullest potential as a dive instructor.
Applications for the following IDC start dates are now open:
- 12 April
- 5 July,
- 20 September
- 29 November
Partnership with Casita Palma
If the student opts for the IDC-Deluxe or IDC-Supreme package, their accommodation will be arranged for them at Casita Palma. This small and quiet resort is within walking distance from Dive Friends Bonaire’s main dive shop location and has everything you need to relax after an intense day of IDC training. Breakfast is included, so the student will always be fuelled and ready for their day.
Contact Dive Friends Bonaire’s Course Director Eddy for more information: coursedirector@divefriendsbonaire.com.
Blogs
Scubility: Achieving Success through Adaptability
The Scubility Program in Action
In the last four events, we have enrolled many Scubility divers in the program. We also have a team of trained instructors and assistants; without them, this wouldn’t be possible. The main objective was to make safe and comfortable diving experiences for Scubility students. In fact, in the last Scubility program, which concluded in March 2023, we included a blind diver along with six other Scubility divers. We also had 8 instructors and more than 10 assistant participants to make this possible.
The main challenge for blind divers is to set up a communication signal. So, I designed a unique ‘touch signal’ for blind students where they just need to touch an arm to convey a message. For example, when an instructor touches your arm twice, it means he is asking, “Are you okay?”. In case of any emergency during the dive, the blind diver just needs to squeeze the arm of the instructor to get his attention to solve the problem. For each Scubility diver, there were at least two personnel, an instructor, and an assistant, assigned.
Impact and Emotions of Scubility
The most satisfying experience of this program was to see Scubility divers happy, with emotional, teary eyes. I could imagine that probably for the first time, or perhaps the only time, some of them could walk, stand, and move again underwater without a wheelchair, feeling alive again. Seeing a courageous Scubility diver overcoming all challenges and obstacles to make it possible definitely inspires me to organize more events like this.
“Scuba Diving for All” Event
The biggest local Scubility program, named “Scuba Diving for All,” was organized in Khao Lak, Phang-nga Province, south of Thailand, from October 30 to November 5, 2018. We invited international Scubility participant divers for this event. Leading up to this program, we put in lots of effort, preparing hotels and resorts in a friendly design, making sure of choosing good dive sites, and above all, to bring a smile to our precious Scubility students.
I hope that this endeavor will serve as an inspiration for people worldwide to achieve what may seem impossible, while also raising awareness about the importance of charity and kindness in our society. I look forward to welcoming you soon to our joyful underwater realm.
As an SDI TDI & Scubility IT, Dan Phutthakhun Prungkananon, owner of All Star Diving Academy located in Thailand, has a deep-rooted passion for ensuring safety and fun in the water. Keep up with Dan and the All Star Diving Academy via Instagram or Facebook and by checking out their Dive Center Facebook.
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