Hey everyone. Check out this new video that Erb put on YouTube for us. The first was filmed at Creole Rock earlier this year while two of our lucky guests were doing a first time, discovery dive! The second was filmed at Sec de Grand Case, which we call "Turtle Reef" for obvious reasons!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4XxqdFPsR_4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UtHKqIzNSAg&feature=channel
We want to say thanks to Erb for helping us technologically challenged dive instructors turn the video into a format that we could put on YouTube.
Anyway... enjoy!
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Congratulations Open Water Students!
Recently we have had the pleasure of certifying quite a few students. Teaching is something that we all love here at Octopus Diving, for me especially, I love seeing people underwater for the first time.
I also think that you learn a lot about people during a diving course. Especially, the Open Water Course. For example, if someone is a little scared, by helping them over come that, you learn about their determination. You see how people deal with having super messy hair and snot on their face! And of course, you see what they look like underwater. I think that all you divers will agree, people just look different underwater!
I just feel that there is the "top side personality", and then... there is "the bottom side personality". Once you descend for a dive, even if you are only practicing in really shallow water, everything seems to change. For example, underwater I have held hands with hundreds of people. Maybe they are a little scared and need some reassuring, or maybe their bouyancy isn't so great, or maybe they have never dived before and can't fin properly! It isn't at all strange to be holding hands with someone you just met, when you are underwater. But once our heads pops up after the dive, immediately we let go. Top side, it would be weird to hold hands, but bottom side, not strange at all.
Well I had loads of fun getting to know my students above and below the water. Here is a picture of a recent group we had all learning the dreaded recreational dive planner! You can see Lee in the front is using the super size RDP!
Then, of course, after the course we have the obligatory mug shot for the certification card... I think it is only right to wait until after the dives so that everyone has messy hair in the photo!
Above you can see all their smiling faces... in no particular order; Lee, James, Kevin, Noah, Emily, Daniel, Alan, Paul and Emma! Congratulations to all of them!
In other news... we recently made an offer on a boat, so finger crossed that they accept it. And we may have another boat for the summer! That would be amazing.
Also, check out some of the reviews that we've had at Scubadviser.com http://www.scubadviser.com/destinations_1.aspx?id=1:35219&company=0:13104 This is a great site if you are traveling and looking for a good scuba diving center.
OK. That is all for now. We've got some snorkelers out this afternoon with JP and Christain, Chris is in the water with two more open water students, and I am sat at the computer. Doesn't seem fair, does it? Oh well, I will be teaching again tomorrow!
(Sally wrote this blog :) )
Friday, June 19, 2009
Sucess! Sucess!
Just to let everyone know that we are back from France and I was successful! I passed the French Exam so I am now officially a BEES 1. Go me!
I couldn't have done it without the help of JP, my coach in all matters concerning French diving, and Chris, for working so hard at the shop allowing me and JP the time to study.
Also, I would like to thank Alex, because he let me drag him around the ocean so much practicing for the part of the exam where I would have to drag a mannequin through the water. This was the one exam that I was the most scared of, but I did it! Thanks to Alex. Although the actual mannequin that I did drag through the water didn't look or feel at all like Alex did! It was a lot bigger, fatter and heavier. But... it didn't squirm around, and it wasn't half as slippery as Alex.
All in all, it was a fantastic experience, and now I have a Brevet d'etat Educateur Sportif for diving!
The divers are still going out, as normal. Chris did a great job with all the boat work and keeping things going while we were away. I know that it wasn't easy for him. Today on the boat we have David, Erb (the DJ from Radio Island 92), and Caley and Billy. They are diving the Gregory and also Chris' reef, so I will let you know how the vis was and the diving when they get back.
Anyway... I have so much paper work to catch up on, so I better start.
Thanks for all your support and good wishes, it really did help!
(this blog was written by Sally... a BEES 1 instructor!)
I couldn't have done it without the help of JP, my coach in all matters concerning French diving, and Chris, for working so hard at the shop allowing me and JP the time to study.
Also, I would like to thank Alex, because he let me drag him around the ocean so much practicing for the part of the exam where I would have to drag a mannequin through the water. This was the one exam that I was the most scared of, but I did it! Thanks to Alex. Although the actual mannequin that I did drag through the water didn't look or feel at all like Alex did! It was a lot bigger, fatter and heavier. But... it didn't squirm around, and it wasn't half as slippery as Alex.
All in all, it was a fantastic experience, and now I have a Brevet d'etat Educateur Sportif for diving!
The divers are still going out, as normal. Chris did a great job with all the boat work and keeping things going while we were away. I know that it wasn't easy for him. Today on the boat we have David, Erb (the DJ from Radio Island 92), and Caley and Billy. They are diving the Gregory and also Chris' reef, so I will let you know how the vis was and the diving when they get back.
Anyway... I have so much paper work to catch up on, so I better start.
Thanks for all your support and good wishes, it really did help!
(this blog was written by Sally... a BEES 1 instructor!)
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Forget Redbull! Chris, Sally and JP give you fins!
The title of this blog was from our latest reviewer on www.scubadviser.com and I thought it was really funny. It sounds funnier if you say it with gusto and out loud!
JP and I are off to France for a week so that I can take a french diving exam. I'm a little scared, the whole thing being in French and also entailing 6 exams that I have been training for 2 months to pass, but I am feeling confident. I will let everyone know how it goes when I get back, and maybe some updates along the way as well. We are going to Antibes in the south of France. It is supposed to be beautiful there, the only downfall is that the water is cold. brrrrr! So I bought a new wetsuit that seriously needs breaking in!
Chris will still be here, hard at work! We decided to coincide my going to France with JP with some planned boat maintenance. So right now, our beautiful boat is out of the water getting all spruced up. For all of you that have already met Chris, you know how he feels about "prevantative maintenance." So, you can be sure that when the boat does go back in the water, she will be running even better than she is already.
The boat will be back in the water on Monday, for some diving on Tuesday! So not long really. Christian Vincent will be helping Chris while we are away. He is fantastic. He is fluent in English,a PADI IDC Staff Instructor, holds the French diving rating of a BEES 1, and has a wicked sense of humor. Just ask him for some jokes if you are here next week with us.
Well, I better run now, flight leaves at 4 PM for Paris. We are flying Air France, so that makes me a little nervous. But they can't have 2 devestating accidents so close together... right?
Anyway, I want to thank everyone for their confidence in me in passing this exam. It will give me the French rating of BEES 1. Think of me over the next few days and send me good good diving thoughts! In French please! Every bit helps.
Off to France now....
(sally wrote this blog :) )
JP and I are off to France for a week so that I can take a french diving exam. I'm a little scared, the whole thing being in French and also entailing 6 exams that I have been training for 2 months to pass, but I am feeling confident. I will let everyone know how it goes when I get back, and maybe some updates along the way as well. We are going to Antibes in the south of France. It is supposed to be beautiful there, the only downfall is that the water is cold. brrrrr! So I bought a new wetsuit that seriously needs breaking in!
Chris will still be here, hard at work! We decided to coincide my going to France with JP with some planned boat maintenance. So right now, our beautiful boat is out of the water getting all spruced up. For all of you that have already met Chris, you know how he feels about "prevantative maintenance." So, you can be sure that when the boat does go back in the water, she will be running even better than she is already.
The boat will be back in the water on Monday, for some diving on Tuesday! So not long really. Christian Vincent will be helping Chris while we are away. He is fantastic. He is fluent in English,a PADI IDC Staff Instructor, holds the French diving rating of a BEES 1, and has a wicked sense of humor. Just ask him for some jokes if you are here next week with us.
Well, I better run now, flight leaves at 4 PM for Paris. We are flying Air France, so that makes me a little nervous. But they can't have 2 devestating accidents so close together... right?
Anyway, I want to thank everyone for their confidence in me in passing this exam. It will give me the French rating of BEES 1. Think of me over the next few days and send me good good diving thoughts! In French please! Every bit helps.
Off to France now....
(sally wrote this blog :) )
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