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.

It is coming soon


And selling out fast! That’s right our Nethrani trip is selling out like hotcakes, or maybe hot spicy vadas. Places are being blocked and people are hounding us on availability. Last couple of seats are going to go on a first come first served basis. So hurry and get your place confirmed for this mega trip! There’s a good crowd of divers too. The walrus will be there to try do another beach assault landing. Join us and have the trip of your lives!

Planet Scuba India is India’s First ever IDC!


INDIA’S FIRST EVER INSTRUCTOR DEVELOPMENT COURSE (IDC) AND INSTRUCTOR EXAM (IE)

BECOME A PADI INSTRUCTOR AND BE A PART OF INDIAN DIVING HISTORY!

Here is the basic information that you need to know. To ask any questions, confirm your attendance, order your PADI Materials or just have a chat call, David Perry on +91 94493 51192 or email at dave@planetscubaindia.com.

When?
The IDC runs from 16 November to 27 November including a free 2-day mock IE to fine tune your examination skills. The IE is on 28-30 November.

Where?
The IDC will be held at Planet Scuba India’s new purpose-built Instructor Training facility in Port Blair, Andaman Islands. With the latest multimedia classroom, an Olympic size pool and crystal clear waters on the doorstep the facilities will be unrivalled. The IE will also be in Port Blair.

Course Director
The Course Director running the IDC will be Matt Bolton – a Platinum Course Director normally based in Thailand who is generally considered to be one of the world’s top Instructor Trainers.

How much?
This first IDC will be cheaper than most comparable IDCs in the region and so the price of the IDC will be just 50,000 Rs (1,038 $USD)! This price includes your Instructor Candidate Workbook, open and confined water Lesson Planning Slates and your PADI IDC fee – worth over 12,000 Rs (250 $USD) in total!

You will pay direct to PADI the cost of the Instructor Exam (695 $AU).

Pre-requisites
You must be a PADI Divemaster or an Instructor in good standing with another recognized organisation, have 100 logged dives and have been diving for more than 6 months since your entry-level diving course.

If you are crossing over from another certification body or are unsure about your knowledge of PADI skills or current diving theory, we will be arranging a Pre-IDC Preparation Course.

You must also become an Emergency First Response Instructor prior to the IE (unless you are a current Instructor with DAN, Red Cross or other approved organisation) and we have scheduled an EFR Instructor Course for 14-15 November immediately prior to the IDC for all those candidates who need it.

PADI Materials
In addition to the Instructor Candidate Workbook and Slates included in the price of the IDC, PADI give the following list of Required Materials that you must have at the IDC/IE:

PADI Instructor Manual (digital or paper but must be legal and up to date i.e. 2009 version)
Peak Performance Buoyancy Specialty Instructor Outline
Diving Knowledge Workbook
Encyclopedia of Recreational Diving
Project AWARE Specialty Instructor Outline
AWARE – Coral Reef Conservation Specialty Instructor Outline
RDP – Table and eRDPML including associated Instructions for Use booklets

PADI Open Water Diver Manual
Open Water Diver Quizzes & Exams booklet
PADI Adventures in Diving Manual
PADI Rescue Diver Manual
Rescue Diver Final Exams booklet
PADI Divemaster Manual
Divemaster Final Exams booklet
Aquatic Cue Cards – for Open Water Diver, Adventures in Diving, Rescue Diver, Divemaster and Discover Scuba Diving

Please note that the various Manuals must be complete and up to date with the Knowledge Reviews intact.

You may have access to some or all of these materials – for anything that you don’t have simply order it through Planet Scuba India at a special wholesale price.

What should you do now?
Once you have decided to take part in the IDC, you simply contact me by email and we will arrange for you to pay a deposit of 10,000 Rs (208 $USD). We will then send you your Instructor Candidate Workbook so that you can make a start on your Independent Study – 17 Knowledge Reviews to do before the IDC starts!

David Perry will then stay in touch with you on at least a fortnightly basis to give you further information.

* Currency conversion based on current exchange rate

** please message for more information

Maldive or MalDIVE?


It shouldn’t come as a surprise that the maldives or malDIVES is a great place for diving.  Due to its very specific geographical situation and remoteness, the Maldives archipelago is the perfect example of why liveaboard diving holidays are perfect for the keen divers.

Liveaboard diving cruises meet all requirements of a perfect diving holiday at once: it provides top accommodation, excellent food, socializing with fellow divers and people having the same poles of interest. Relax on sun decks, go for a swim or a snorkel peek between dives, and of course, it brings the best of an ecosystem of discovery through the variety of dive sites visited and the extreme range of dive capacity offered.

In one word, Liveaboard is the way to go for the enthusiastic divers. Liveaboard vessels will start their journey from nearby Male international airport, and will follow the yearly patterns of current and nutrients fluctuations to ensure divers the maximum chances of big pelagic seeing such as sharks, manta rays and whale sharks, who start their migration through the Indian Ocean from off the Maldives, through the Seychelles, to end off Mozambique and follow warmer currents up to Tanzania, Kenya and the Horn of Africa where they achieve their migration and prepare for the way back.

Planet Scuba India is offering an exclusive dive trip to the Maldives at incredible rates.

3 Star Luxury Liveaboard
12 Aug 09 – 17 Aug 09
Rs 59,950