Good Bye to Dm's

Already the time has come to say GOOD BYE to Andy, Kyle and Pippa and HELLO to Rachel and David . How quickly 3 months goes buy . We all wish them luck when doing their IDC next year . Meantime day 1 for David and Rachel was a classroom session on the ROLE OF THE DIVEMASTER , orientation to the Dive Centre and our activities and homework for tomorrow!!

Exam time !!

Our Divemasters are doing very well with their training and are already sitting exams...........a task no one likes!

Glad to say that everyone passed  bt as you can see concentration  was required

Everyone loves a night dive

We like to do night dives as often as possible . It is a dive situation  that you  can completely loose your self in . Just looking into the space of the torch light  and seeing the unusual night time creatures.

As we live on the equator the night falls early and very fast so we have to leave in twilight to be on site for the total darkness.

The Dive Centre is so close to the waters edge and looks WNW . The setting sun touches the left hand corner  of the dive deck at 18.30 every evening ( more or less )

This night dive was to the Twin Barges  with lots of lobsters, shrimps and Spanish Dancer  nudibranchs.

Excitement is high and fun is had by all

Buisy IDC Staff Instructor , Tony Marie -Jeanne

Sabrina has been on holiday  for 2 weeks and Tony has been holding down the fort / classroom!

IDC Staff Instructor , Tony

Along with his  band of 4 Divemaster trainees he has completed :
2 x EFR & First Aid classes
2 x Jr Openwater Diver courses
2 x Openwater Diver courses
1 x Advanced OW course
1 x Rescue course with one more to come next weekend!

He is a great educator and combines his  course training with Divemaster  continuing education  expereinces.
His 4 Divemasters are  Andy, Kyle and Pippa and local skipper/ divemaster trainee Andrew .

Now we are glad to add to the mix a new trainee Simon. So if you see yet another smiling face you will know who everyone is

new addition to the team, Simon

Loyal Dive Club member continues PADI training

 Mike has been a loyal diver with the Underwater Centre for many, many years .  He took his Openwater Diver  and Advanced Openwater Diver courses with us  when he first came to Seychelles.  After many dives over the last  few years  we are now about to do the next step in the PADI training course.

Glad to say that Mike passed with flying colours  the required Emergency First Responder and First Aid course  that is a pre requesite for the Rescue Diver training.

poor Annie waits patiently for CPR to begin. Not much can be done about the arm and leg amputations however!!
Once Mike  returns from travels we will be booking the Rescue Diver course .....a demanding course that many say is the best one they have ever done.

Tierd Diver towing can be done at least three different ways . As with all the Rescue course  perfecting techniques and knowing what works best for you the individual is what is required...so we try lots of different ways to do the same thing!
This is the tank valve tow, or try the under arm push or grab your buddy by the fins and push him infront of you .............the Divemaster tow as its fast and works well..

Rescue breaths to divers in the water takes a bit of practice and again there are several ways to perform this. Ultimately using a CPR one way breathing mask is usually best as it helps with personal protection, makes for good seals around the victims mouth and nose  and only lets air in keeping water out!

New Divemaster trainees keep busy

IDC Staff Instructor Tony has been relentless with the education of our three new Divemaster trainees

Andy gives the pre afternoon boat snorkel trip briefing

Water stamina tests are completed,  in water skills demonstration evaluations all done! Theory and exams passed . So now its lots and lots of practical experience . They need to get as  many dives  as possible with certified divers, assisting the instructor with students in confined water  and openwater dives, assisting with all continuing education courses such as Advanced Openwater , Rescue and Specialty courses..
They will also be doing DEEP DIVER  and SEARCH & RECOVERY training plus all have experessed an interest in getting NITROX certified. .... a must for the IDC / IE they hope to take next year .



Kyle assists with 3 students of the  Discover SCUBA Diving 1 day intro course


















Pippa assisting with Jr OW course



Pippa   ...?? is she coming or going ??

Views of the New Dive Centre

 We are finding the correct place to put all our belongings ! Here are a few photos.

Outside the dive deck equipment set up area

Sun protected Equipment benches looking out towards the beach

Shower and wash basins after a dive

Equipment room

Staff at work



New Equipment  Drying racks  made, painted and in place outside



Moving into the  new Dive Centre has meant a few unusual jobs have come up!





Skipper Mervin and Maratime Training student Fabian preparing sound proofiong floor covering for the compressor room . YES!!!  Mervin is perched on top of the fuel store!



New Divemasters qualify..congratulations

We are happy to say that 2 of our Divemasters have now qualified . Congratulations to you both !

Charlotte is already working as a Divemaster in Conservation work

Our second Divemaster is Dr Hau ''Jackie'' Zhang  currently working in Seychelles. As a keen underwater photographer  he loves to dive and although he will not work in the dive industry  he wanted to be qualified.  He makes a great dive buddy and if he offers to show you his dive photos  please do take a look ...they are amazing!!

Sights of Seychelles

View of Beau Vallon from Le Meridien Fisherman's Cove Hotel . Berjay Hotel and new DiveCentre are hidden in the tree line on the right. Less than a 5 minute walk .

We are so lucky to  live in paradise and it is time to look at a few scenic photos. ..we all love diving but some of the above water  stuff is amazing


Seychelles granitic rocks seem from above

Meet DENIS our family tortoise . At 25 years + he weights in excess of  120 kgs



Sunset at Beau Vallon beach

NW cost of Mahe to the left with Bay Ternay hidden behind the microlite steering bar .  Port Glaude  is the middle bay and Port Lurnay is to the right .All are Marine National Parks

New Divemaster trainees arrive

This week we  have had three new DiveMaster trainees start a 3 month internship.
IDC Staff Instructor Tony has been putting them through their paces with  both theory classes and water stamina test, Rescue tests and dives. Phew!  it can be exhausting having fun



welcome to Andy , Pippa and Kyle

Divemaster training starts with the basics and builds team partnership..........so its straingh into the Dive Centre  daily chores  that have to be done before clients arrive ..sweep, wash and set up .





Always there is sand!!



Study time and theory lessons helps trainees better understand the Role of the Divemaster

There is always a PADI DVD to watch for every course

Getting into the water is also allowed..............its not all classroom and  theory

Getting ready for the dives

We will follow our merry band of three as they progress through their training and dive experiences. Keep checking into the blog  on a regular basis for more updated details!

New Dive Centre opens

Some of you may remember the fire of last year  that totally destroyed the  origional Dive Centre. Well out of the ashes has finally risen the new Dive Centre



Firemen try their best but all is lost



Memories of that dreadful October morning


For 8 months we have worked out of the garden of Berjaya  having a  desk  for bookings and lots of  covered space for compressors and dive equipment.    We became so used to our new location   it was actually hard to make the needed  move to the new building!!  But  following lots of hard work from the staff of UNDERWATER CENTRE moving all the equipment, desks , tanks etcetc ..........  here are some photos of our new premises



The covered dive deck ..protection from sun and rain

More photos to follwo as we  finalise the setting up of the equipment room , compressor room, shop and reception area and post dive wash area.  We are running our 2 morning dives, 1 afternoon dive and lots of snorkelling trips, PADI courses are still underway  and new Divemaster trainees start this week

Farewell to Victoria and James

A 3 month Divemaster training course with internship may seem like a long time but only too soon we are saying ''goodbye ''

 James and Victoria completed their course last week and have great plans for the future.

James wishes to continue in the diving industry and will take his IDC IE in Bali before the end of the year . We hope he enjoys his course and finds  satisfying work around the world.  Victoria has other plans but still marine related. She will  shoot off to the Caribean  to complete her Masters Degree in Marine Biology .

So good luck to you both  and drop a line every now and then.  Bon Plongee.

Whale Shark madness

We all love to see whale sharks so  as the  season  approaches there is, naturally  an increase of  excitement  amongst both divers and staff.

No surprise then that some have taken whale sharks with them everywere they go!....see some of the tattoos that have  been done .

a lover of whale shark dots



A  fantastic shoulder to shoulder image



Amazing image of a whale shark.

If you have such a tattoo and wish to add it to our collection please e mail it to us. Thansk

A quick visit from HMAS NEWCASTLE

Tuesday 25th  was a busy day for  us after receiving a phone call from HMAS Newcastle  to take some of the crew out SCUBA diving and snorkelling .  Bay Ternay Marine Park was chosen for the snorkelling boat  and wrecks and coral reefs for the divers.

HMAS NEWCASTLE

We dont often get Australian Navy visiting us  in Seychelles  and although this was one of the fastest turn arounds ever seen   we all hope for  a repeat visit .


The afternoon dive group  getting picked up at Port Victoria



Whale Sharks arrive for 2013

As predicted we have had reports of the first sightings of the Whale Shark!. Unfortunately still a long way from Beau Vallon but they are heading in the right direction.......

Whale Shark with remoras

The MCSS Research program will start again in September . The Research team and pilots arrive mid August to prepare the microlite plane and to get the training needed to report on these creatures.
We are all hopeful for a good season .

The dive boat , the  shadow of the microlite plane an dhappy snorkellers .

Maritime Training College students on work attachment

The Underwater Centre is always pleased to help out the young Seychellois  gain experience in the activities  and operations of a Dive Resort .  Regularly this is students from the local college for Maritime training .

The boys and girls come for several weeks and   get seamanship expereince helping the skippers on the dive boats, assisting the Dive Centre Receptionist , helping with Compressor room activities plus lots of manual labour jobs and bottles to carry .

The fun stuff comes in the water and everyone is happy to help out the snorkellers  on our afternnon snorkel trips  plus get in a few dives after the basic course .

MTC students learning basic theory before the dive

Divemaster Trainee James assists with  SCUBA class 



Ready for the water are our latest helpers Travis and Romeo . Both boys are doing Fisheries  studies so know most of the local names for the fish already !

Small really is beautiful

Often we hear about big rays , sharks, groupers  and giant parrot fish but sometiems on a dive it is the small things that are truley memorable !

Leaf Fish ........Comes in various colours..pink, white ,yellow and black

Mantis Shrimp ..small but very powerful !!!

We have had some wet and windy days lately and it has been playing  flip flop with the water clarity but even when its cloudy and the visability is not as good as it might be  you have to keep your eyes open or you will miss these  small but beautiful creatures.

Farewell to Yash

Our  young diver, Yash has finally come to an end of his holiday and is  winging his way back to India to start school studies.

He has kept everyone busy by completing 37 logged dives  in Seychelles ( a grand total of 77 in his log book) , 3 specialty courses plus his EFR and Jr Rescue Diver certification . He takes with him his application for Master SCUBA Diver  and becomes one of the few 12 year olds  to complete so much training  .

WELL DONE YASH!!!   The staff held a small farewell  party for him and his Dad brought the wine.....so thanks everyone

Bye Bye Yash ....... Safe Diving

Congratulations to our latest RESCUE Divers

 Sabrina has been very busy doing the last  three PADI  Rescue classes.....so well done everyone

                                                                                        



meet Hanna



meet Ashleigh



Yash has the Jr Rescue as he is only 12 years old.

 Hannah and Ashleigh   also had a successful weekend

Hopefully everyone will think about doing he PADI Divemaster training course .......even if its not in Seychelles!!

N.R.P. Alvares Cabral visits Victoria

The Portuguese Navy is in port  for a few days and several of the crew like to dive .  Seychelles is always a popular port of call for '' Rest & Relaxation''  and the crew are making the most of their short visit.

Some are already certified and some are doing the one day intro course and shallow dive . The 21st May was a very wet and windy day  but today  , the 22nd , was sunny and calm ..............

Tomorrow we have a few more divers  so lets hope we have no more rain!!!