Whale Shark season begins !!

 Every year  Team members form MCSS and Underwater Centre  have a start of season Bar B Q. to help get to know each other and make friends.So this year went with a big bang as Dr Rowat cooked up the first of several season  big Bar B Q's

MCSS Team members this year stretch from East  to  West including America, Australia , England, Holland, South Africa. ....7 girls  and 5 boys .

Underwater Staff  decides to let their hair down......Senior Staff Tony , Sabrina and '' CORAL HEAD'' Michael  getting in the mood..


Eventually the evening came to a close and  it was time to go home '' Seychelles style ''..............just how many can you get into  4 x 4 pick up?

Pilots have successfully done two flights  with both days encounters registering 10 - 13 whale shark encounters of fish over 8 meters in length ...............it looks as if  2010 will be a good season.

Rescue Diver Weekend

IDC Staff Instructor  Tony  loves doing Rescue Courses and enjoys talking lots of photos of the whole weekend training .............and this weekend was no exception .

Divemaster Alex is this victim and is being towed back to shore

Follow the course from  Outdoor Classroom ,  taking Exams,  pre dive preperation and course excersise........its serious fun  but a great course!




Divemaster Jarron  assists with in water  ventilation practice

Divemaster Lee is assisting with the course  and managed to have problems on multiple occassions. It seems Monica  exjoyed the CPR excercises!







 Finally everyone had   individually rescued or assisted in a rescue of  at least two victims.  We need to congratulate all candidates on a great job well done and to all the Divemasters for assisting so well  and in having so many repeated priblems!!!  Well done Divemasters

New Book on WHALE SHARKS of Seychelles arrives!

 At last the  boxes have arrived from  the UK with the newest book on Whale Sharks .............written by Dr David Rowat, Chairman of MCSS.

The book has fantastic photos of sharks and snorkelling encounters as well as  up to date  information on research into these  magnificent  creatures.

Recommended retail price is Seychelles Rupees 800 with an introductory '' SPECIAL'' offer  of the first 50 copies sold  before end of October at SR700 ....copies are already  moving  so dont wait. Want to order by e mail. No problem!!  Just get in touch

New member of Staff for Underwater Centre

A  new Divemaster  for Underwater Centre is Jessica Fonseka .  Jessica  has spent much of her  time between UK and Seychelles  and has now opted to live full time on Mahe.  .

She started her diving career with Underwater Centre  who trained her as an Openwater Diver  several years ago  and started her on the path  to professional SCUBA diving certifications.  Jessica has already  put her name forward for the next IDC in February 2011 so we will all be working  hard towards a successfull  IDC / IE .    Welcome to the Dive Team, Jessica

Dive Centre maintenance...can be a laugh!

Sometimes Dive Centres get quiet......... not as hectic and just a few divers  and courses so lots of oppertunity to do maintenance and repairs.

Sounds a bit boring but actaually every event can be a laugh!   Washing the bus '' Mervin style''  is  the first time  the roof of the bus has been so clean!!  ......... thank goodness he is of  very slight  build  although very strong






 Maritime Training  Students  , Andrew ( aka RAMBO)  and  newest  trainee  Yannick attack the concrete  bench  with hammer and jissel.......... bits fly  about  and dust   everywere but the end job is perfect.  Well done to them  both.

Professional carpenters are employed  to completely change the Retail  display area of the  shop................lots of cupboards, shelves and hanging spaces  to display all kinds of sales items. ..... wetsuits, lycra suits, masks, snorkels,  fins, boots,  clips, cameras,  fish ID books  as well as the new Whale Shark book from MCSS.  Watch this space for the final  and finnished  interior design of Underwater Centre

We cant leave out the Dive Masters who are  very busy changing old lockers into new '' DAY LOCKERS'' for boat divers.............never know were to put your towel, beach shoes , dry clothes????.......well now you do.



 Changes are  going on continuously ......... many of them small  but all make a big difference to the   Dive Centre image.  We hope you will enjoy   when next you visit.

Jeff revisits Underwater Centre as aka J Bond 007

Jeff  has visited us for over 15 years  and we just fell in love with his new wetsuit!!  James Bond 007 was in town ..... and what fun we all had both above and below water .  maybe it was the fancy dress wet suit that did it but Jeff's first dive was also the first WHALE SHARK encounter of the season with all the divers managing a 10 minute swim with the giant of the sea. Since then there has been 2 whale sharks and 2 manta rays seen  so we are hoping for a great season

Whale sharks must be in season all around as HMS Northumberland had an encounter  out in deep water and actually managed to do a short swim along side the ship!!

Seychelles Maretine Training work attachment student gets certified

Andrew Laboudallon has been on work attatchment from the MTC college for several months and has assisted with all kinds of jobs  around the Dive Centre and on the Dive boats so finally the day came for him to graduate as a PADI Openwater Diver.

 

Hopefully he will continue with this SCUBA training in the next student year of 2011.

CONGRATULATIONS TO JULY STUDENTS

CONGRATULATIONS TO JULY STUDENTS.....well done and happy diving

MASTER SEAL TEAM:  Amalia Gru,

SCUBA DIVER: Antoine Geron, Gordon Cockburn,

JR OPEN WATER DIVER: William Robins, Ole Reyer, Calandra Tapp, Samuel Tapp, Lizzie Cole

OPEN WATER DIVER: Fazila Talati, James McGill, Keiran James, Carl McGowan, Anthony Carr, Philip Mayo, Andrew Hill,  Andrew Peasegood, Jacqui Lane,Jurien Didon,  Steven Washington,  Carl Spalin, 
Sarah Flury, Max Reyer, Anne Reyer, Adham Khoury,  Ulf Reyer,

ADVANCED OPEN WATER: Christopher Gummo,  Steven Washington,  Jason Smith,

EMERGENCY   FIRST RESPONDER;  George Cole,

RESCUE DIVER: Lynette Ferreira,  George Cole, Allison Herman, 


ENRICHED AIR DIVER (NITROX): Jared Beck, Hernan Borja, Martin Whiteley, Victoria Cole, Lee cassidy, Alex Filous, Jarron Cole,

NIGHT DIVER;  Philip Hanton, Martin Whiteley, Hernan Borja, Will Jackson,

WRECK DIVER; Hernan Borja,


UNDERWATER NAVIGATOR;  Hernon Borja,

DIGITAL U/W PHOTOGRAPHER ;  Steven Washington,  Richard Abbott,  Jason Smith

MASTER SCUBA DIVER : Thomas Conely,

DIVEMASTER;  Jarron Cole, Lee Cassidy, Alex filous.

DIVEMASTERS doing a great job

Our newest Divemaster Trainees  have been doing a great deal of study and have managed to pass all exams with flying colours. 

They then went on to practical training  going diving with certified divers and assisting Instructors with all kinds of PADI courses  and before long were fully qualified DIVEMASTERS.

Training now continues with INTERSHIP   till mid September before they leave us for  employment withing the diving industry.

RFA DILIGENCE revisits SEYCHELLES

It was with great pleasure that Underwater Centre   welcomed crew of RFA DILIGENCE on a repeat visit to Seychelles



Old friends dives regularly and completed the NIGHT DIVER SPECIALTY  course with  new crew members doing the PADI Openwater Diver course  and several happy divers  just going diving








The weather was good , the divers enjoying all the dives and many happy faces  were seen  after graduation.

We wish everyone on board safe sailing and hope to see you all again very soon