New Divemaster trainees get wet !

 On Tuesday afternoon we  have a collection of young school children doing various courses  form Jr Adventure Diver , Jr Openwater Diver and snorkelling   activities.

School Dive Club enjoy Tuesday afternoons

By July 15th all with be certified so only a few more Tuesday afternoons to go

Snorkelling is easy and fun

Jr Openwater class

Visiting Navy during June

 During the first 2 weeks of June we have had 2 visiting Navy ships:  the VASCO DA GAMA from Portugal and the HMS Monmouth for UK .

Portuguese Navy

HMS Monmouth

During these visits  we select a mixture of wreck sites that are now good artificial reefs , Seychelles granitic rocks and Marine Park protected  areas .  This  visit HMS Monmouth were interested in helping out with any underwater  conservation work   so we put our heads together with MCSS and came up with a search and recovery for 3 of the  VR2  tracking / listening stations . This new project has already shown some vast movements of tagged species  around our waters . After diving to 30 meters it was followed with a ''Thank You '' dive at Grouper point.......with white tip sharks and rays seen !!

HMS Monmouth, MCSS and Underwater Centre staff

                                                         

HELLO to our new Divemaster Interns

Our Divemaster training course and extended  Internship is now very popular. June's intake has 4  trainees signed in for 3 months  and 1  local Seychellois   who will train for a month or more 

Meaghan, Julia, Shelby, Lucie, Veronique

The course always starts with theory  and the group are paying attention to the PADI Divemaster DVD!   It is now possible to do Divemaster theory via PADI e- learning .......David did this last phase and found it  excellent.  You can always consider this  alternative option  for theory for almost all PADI  courses .

Watch this blog as we take you  on the Divemaster  course !!

Our popular 3 Island dive / snorkel day out with beach BBQ

Another great day out with good dives ,  great snorkel  activities and the most fantastic beaches to visit  plus a tasty  Creole  BBQ

Tony preparing the lunch table

Dives are done on the granitic rocks of  Grouper Point on the NW of Mahe Island   and south point of  Conception Island .  Lunch  was spent on the beach of  Therese Island  with fantastic views over to   the hills of Mahe
  

Creole Fish Kebabs

BBQ fish and chicken Creole style is prepared by Tony and crew  and there is always more than everyone can eat


After lunch there is time to wander around the islands beaches, snorkel off the shallow reefs  or just play water games with the staff as they relaxe for an hour or two  before taking the boat back to Beau Vallon Beach 

View from Therese Island beach over to Mahe

Divemaster Corrine  and Harry  relaxe in the water

                        

Bye Bye to leaving Divemaster Interns

Our latest Divemaster Interns  from Australia, Great Britain ,and  America   are packing their bags and will be leaving us over the next few days .

Corrine, Samantha, David, Susie , Stephanie , Dagmar

Joined during their training by David from South Africa and  assisted by  our German Divemaster Dagmar everyone had a great time  helping many students and divers from around the world over the last three months.We wish them  safe travels   during their ongoing trips to sight see through South Africa or traveling home. 

Returning  as Whale Shark Research assistants  for 2011 season of September and October  will be our Divemasters Vanessa, Samantha and Susie so we will see you all again very soon.

Vanessa

Susie

Samantha

Jean Michel Cousteau comes diving with us!

It was a very happy day to once again welcome world famous conservationist  and pioneer diver  Jean Michel Cousteau  and his wife on a flying visit to Seychelles.....and on a quick dive with Divemasters Jessica and Joshua

 We have been fortunate to show them  Seychelles granitic sites such as L'Ilot Island and Requin Bank  were  they have made positive comments about  our coral growth and abundant fish life . It was also fortunate that Dr David Rowat , Chairman of Marine Conservation Society Seychelles was at the Dive Centre asthis time  and was able to present  a copy of his  new  book on SEYCHELLES WHALE SHARK