It seems just like yesterday that the IDC in Andamans started. But already we are at the tail end of the 2 weeks course. One more day and then the mock exams begin. Fresh candidates almost halfway there to become full fledged instructors. On the 30th they will become qualified PADI Open Water Instructors. Then there is the upcoming party happening on the 2nd at Havelock. Hope to see you all there.
Divestock
That’s right, it is here. The hottest new ” must be seen” event in India. Divestock 2009!! Made by and made for scuba divers and everyone else who loves a good party. Its inaugration will be held in Port Blair and in Havelock in the Andaman Islands.
You know you want to be there. you know you have to be there. THIS IS THE PARTY you have been waiting for!
Nethrani Dive Trip 2009
Bangalore Dive Club together with Planet Scuba India has once again managed to take dive trips to a whole new level. The Nethrani dive trip saw a unprecendented 40 divers from India descending on Murdeshwar’s shores. It was a huge number of people and it was a show of strength from the divers.
Nethrani was closed to diving after an incident involving the arrest of some divers. This happened post 26/11 when security was a knee jerk reaction to the terror incident in Mumbai. After numerous efforts by PSI and the local diving community, Nethrani finally got approved for scuba diving.
Divers were all in high spirits waiting to begin their adventure in these “forbidden” waters as such. There was a high level of camaraderie and anticipation in the air. Even though visibility on the first day was poor due to heavy rains the night before the marine life underwater more than made up for it. Huge lobsters, cuttlefish, moray eels and many more varieties of fish kept the divers completely entertained. It truly was a fantastic dive experience.
There were press involved in this dive trip as well. They got a taste of what scuba diving is all about. The one thing that struck both press and divers is the extensive damage that has been done to the marine environment due to excessive fishing. There was mutual concensus that something had to be done to curb discriminatory practices of fishing and some sort of basic education needs to be imparted to the fishermen on what to fish and how to do it the right way without destroying the environment in which they too are dependent on.
All in all, it was a fantastic 3 days of diving and everyone had a good time. Here’s hoping that Nethrani becomes the diving paradise that it is in good time.