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.

International Beach Clean Up Day


Planet Scuba India is proud to have participated in its very first International Cleanup Day event in Turtle Bay. Being a Go ECO Project Aware member and operator, PSI took the first steps into helping the environment.

At least 6 million tonnes of debris enters the world’s oceans each year, causing harm to underwater environments and wildlife. With unique access to the underwater world, scuba divers can help remove debris underwater, raise awareness and drive positive change. Project AWARE Foundation is dedicated to addressing the devastating impacts of marine debris and coordinates global beach and underwater cleanups year round.

International Cleanup Day is the biggest underwater cleanup of its kind. Held annually on the 3rd Saturday in September each year, more than 370,000 volunteers clean over 33,000 miles of shoreline to remove seven million pounds of rubbish.

This year in India David Perry, Operations Manager and instructor at Planet Scuba India registered with Project AWARE and visited Turtle Bay for the cleanup. Joining hands with Turtle Bay Resort Kundapur they initiated the beach clean up. They were helped by participants from FSL (Field Study Learn) an NGO, International students from Germany, Australia and Switzerland, many local kids, teens from the local Youth Club, members from the local church and patrons of the Lions Club. Close to 60 participants helped clean the local beach by picking up litter.

Dominic a PSI representative said the litter they picked up could have filled an entire tempo van. With almost 150 bags of rubbish consisting mostly of plastic bags, glass bottles, shoes and other forms of trash.

It was not all work with no fun, participants had a fun round of beach volleyball to reward themselves for their hard work. Turtle Bay Resort sponsored food and drinks for the participants.

It is through events like this that PSI hopes to spread awareness about protecting our eco system and to lead people with a hands on approach to protect our earth. It is important for people to come together as a community and start making International Beach Clean Up, not only a yearly event but hopefully a monthly event in all parts of the world.

Special Ops?


Meet Graham Hogg, an experienced and friendly PADI Staff Instructor and Yacht Master. After working around the world including Australia, Egypt, Thailand, Borneo and the Caribbean, Graham, has joined Planet Scuba India as Head – Special Projects.

Graham has over 3000 plus logged dives and taught students numbering in the hundreds. Graham’s experiences include running dive centres, dive liveaboards and private megayachts.

Graham is looking forward to meeting you all and sharing his love of diving, underwater photography and video production with you.

Exploring the Exciting & Exotic


Planet Scuba India is taking you to India’s very own beautiful and exotic Andamans for the next Big Dive Trip!! Join the growing army of Scuba Divers of the Bangalore Dive Club for this unforgettable tour! Get your friends and family along. Its a deal you cannot afford to miss!!
 
Training before Trip!!
What’s more, this deal gives you more than just a dive trip. We have arranged training programs that fit right in so if you or your friends cannot dive, learn before you go to the Andamans. Once you are there, plunge right into the sea. As a special arrangement, our instructor, David Perry, has arranged one PADI Open Water Diver certification program (3 days, 3 hours a day and one day in the Pool or as you fix up with the instructor) and, during the trip, an Advanced Open Water Diver Course. It can’t get better than this. REGISTER NOW! Just call us and we will register you.
 
Andamans’ Havelock Island is a beautiful place to dive at this time of the year.

Trip Schedule (17th March 2009 Night to 22nd March 2009)
The schedule for our Dive Trip to Andaman, Havelock Island is as follows:

 Tuesday 17th March 2009
·8 pm meet and board the Sleeper Coach or Private Bus
heading to  Chennai(coach / flight depending on popular demand)

Wednesday 18th March 2009
·5.50am departure from Chennai  and arrive at Portblair
around  7.55 am.
·8am  Breakfast and leave to jetty
·2.00 p.m. boat loaded and ready to set sail
·5.00 p.m. reach Havelock Island, check the conditions and
choose  fabulous dive sites and take rest and get ready to dive next day.

Thursday 19th march 2009
·8.00 am. Breakfast and get ready to dive
·10:15 – 11:15 Dive deep into the Blue and feel the stress
of city life fade away
·11:15 – 12 Sit back on the boat while our competent staff
switch tanks and prepare your gear for the next dive. Feel free to swap
exaggerated tales of the first dive and what you saw (we all know it looks
bigger under water)
·12 – 1 Suck or sit back on your second tank on us, that’s
up to you but we will ensure that you are given every opportunity to enjoy
another dive site
·2.00pm get ready for 3rd dive and later head back to the
resort for a late lunch and chill out for the evening
·7:30pm early dinner, stories of the deep, great company
that you will find it hard to pull yourself away to get a good night’s sleep
and charge up for the next day

Friday 20th March 2009
·7am breakfast and ready to leave by 8
·8:30am on the boat and following the same routine as
yesterday

Saturday  21st March 2009
·7am breakfast and ready to leave by 8
·8:30am on the boat and following the same
routine as yesterday and head back to  Portblair with another 3 dive
day racked up in your log book

Sunday 22nd March 2009
·7.00 a.m. all packed up, checked out and ready to head back
to Chennai and then back to the grind at home in Bangalore