The Bangalore Dive Club,in association with Planet Scuba India, presents:
Diving in Forbidden Waters!
29th Oct 09 (Thursday Evening)
to
2nd Nov 09(Monday MorningRs. 18500/- + 10.3% Tax
Netrani is now open for diving!! That’s right, after all the numerous meetings and negotiations; Netrani has opened up her beautiful waters for divers to discover hidden treasures.
Nethrani is a small uninhabited island that makes a perfect setting for an adventure yarn. Nethrani Island is just off Murdeshwar, which is famous for its Shiva temple lies one of best dive sites in this part of the world. The last thing you would expect to see here is the submarine wonderland bustling with everything from Angelfish and Turtles to Barracuda and Moray Eels.
With depths ranging from 6 to 40 meters and visibility from 15 to 30 meters, divers from every level can experience the wonders of life beneath the waves.
The Bangalore Dive Club in association with Planet Scuba India is organizing the best ever dive trip to Netrani. This is to usher in the new era of diving exploration in the pristine waters there. Come join us in greeting our long lost fish friends and other stunning marine eco system in our own backyard in Karnataka.
The Nursery
A shallow dive site with a maximum depth of 10 metres. So named because of the profusion of juveniles of many fish species as well as Nudibranchs found here. Ideal for beginners as well as advanced divers who enjoy looking for all things small and wonderful. Great site for macro photography.
Grand Central Stations
High adrenaline action with lots of big fish. Gradual slope going down to 20 metres. This is one place the fish watch you !! Schools of big Surgeonfish, Parrotfish, Red Snappers, Batfish, Barracudas, Rabbitfish and many more come cruising by to check YOU out !!
The Abyss
Dropping down to 35 metres, this dive site is an ideal one for deep dive fanatics. Large schools of Barracuda, Tuna and cruising pelagic are often sighted. The gravel bottom has a gradual slope heading towards the island where we complete our safety stop in Dini’s Delight.
Dini’s Delight
Shallow dive with a maximum depth of 8 metres. Gigantic coral head are home to an incredible variety of fishlife. Good for beginners and photographers alike, this is a good spot to see lobster, moray eel and several species of angelfish and surgeonfish not commonly found in these waters.
Cul de Sac
With sheer walls on either side, this dive site is a pretty and gentle dive where one “goes with the flow” !! A gentle surge takes you into a cul de sac teaming with tiny reef fishes. The bottom is made up of sea grass where many species of Goby share their home with the housekeeping shrimp!.
- Aladin’s Cave
Reported to be the mouth of a tunnel which travels into the core of the island!
This trip is for Open Water Students as well as for certified divers with some experience under their belt or those willing to move ahead with the PADI Advanced Open Water Diver Course. Whatever you are, a new world of adventure and discovery awaits you under water.Essential Information
Cost?
Rs. 18500/- + 10.3% Tax
Who can go?
Open Water Students or certified divers or all those who want to complete Advanced Open Water course during this trip and over 18 years of age.
What is included?
· Transportation Bangalore – Murudeshwar and back by A/C chartered Bus · Twin sharing Non A/C Standard Accommodation .
· 8 Dives including night dives (depends on whether condition)
· Boat Transfer – Murudeshwar – Netrani and Back
· Equipment availability on first cum first basis
What is not included?
Transport from House to our Office & Back
Dive Insurance coverage.
Food, Alcoholic, soft drinks
Any Item which is not included in the included list
Courses available on the trip!
Advanced Open Water Diver Course – Fee Rs. 16500/- + Tax 10.3%
Itinerary
·Day 1 & 2 (Thursday 29th Oct 2009 & Friday 30th Oct 2009)
·6 pm meet and board the A/C Chartered Coach or Private Bus heading to MurudeshwarFriday 30th of October
·6am arrive in Murudeshwar and check into RNS Yatrinivas Hotel and freshen up, catch a few more winks, fuel up with breakfast and double check your gear
·7 / 8am load up and leave for the boat
·7.30 / 8:30am boat loaded and ready to set sail
·By 9 or 10am reach Nethrani Island, check the conditions and choose from 1 of 6 fabulous dive sites
·Dive deep into the Blue and feel the stress of city life fade away
·7:30pm early dinner, stories of the deep, such 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
·Day 3 & 4 (Saturday 31st Oct 2009 & Sunday 1st Nov 2009)
·7am breakfast and ready to leave by 8
·8:30am on the boat and following the same routine as yesterday for these two days
·4pm back on the main land with another 8 dive day racked up in your log book
·5pm all packed up, checked out and ready to head back to the grind at home in Bangalore
Important Guidelines for booking:
§Fare is subject to change according to your booking dates later than 10th Oct 2009
§No refunds for cancellation.
§Schedule Date and timings subject to change
§The Bangalore Dive Club and Planet Scuba India reserves all rights to change details subject to demand and availability and they will not be responsible for sudden changes in the whether.
PLEASE CONTACT FOR REGISTRATION
DOMINIC / MADHU KUMAR
PLANET SCUBA INDIA PVT. LTD.
NO.3266, 11THMAIN, HAL 2ND STAGE,INDIRANAGAR, BANGALORE
PHONE NO. 080-41573939, 25213366, info@bangalorediveclub.com
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 $USD). We will then send you your Instructor Candidate Workbook so that you can make a start on your Independent Study – 17 Knowledge Reviews to do before the IDC starts!
David Perry will then stay in touch with you on at least a fortnightly basis to give you further information.
* Currency conversion based on current exchange rate
** please message for more information
Zero to Advance
How long does it take to go from a non diver to a PADI-Advanced Open Water Diver? All it takes is 5 Days. WHAT?? NO WAY!! IMPOSSIBLE? It’s true. just 5 days.
It begins with 2 days of classroom lessons and pool sessions. Then take a 3 days relaxing trip to the Andamans and completing 9 dives and getting qualified as an Advanced Open Water Diver. Sure you can take the same time do a even more relaxing holiday and get qualified as an PADI-Open Water Diver. But this is me we are talking about. We got to go the whole way or no way.
But i will tell you this, it was a beautiful experience. The classroom sessions give you a feel of what to expect. I shall be honest and say some parts of it were dry but hey all classroom lessons are generally on the dry side. The pool sessions however were good. You get to learn the basic skills in a safe and conducive environment. It puts you at ease and gets you acquainted with the equipment that you will use in the open waters. Also its the best excuse to cool yourself off in this summer heat.
PADI-Open Water Diver: The first 2 days in the island was spent getting certified as a OWD ( we use short forms from here on cos, for one thing it sounds cooler. 2ndly i can’t be bothered to type out the whole thing) The first time you are on the boat and putting on your gear, there is a fleeting moment in the back of your head which says ” am i doing the right thing?” that fleeting moment soon disappears when you roll backwards from the boat to the water and is replaced with a siren that goes ” HOLY *#*$&# what the hell is happening” But when you surface and are lazily floating, you realise this IS the life.
You begin the first couple of lessons learning to breathe normally and adjust to your surroundings. You start to feel comfortable in the water. It feels as if you are back home. You gain more confidence moving around. You start to enjoy yourself. Then it hits you. You are breathing underwater. It seems like almost 2nd nature to you. You see the corals and the fishes. This seems like the most natural thing to do. The OWD course teaches you to move underwater, performing tasks that you need to learn. Like defogging your mask (we are waiting for them to create mini internal windshield wipers) learning how to be buoyant so that you don’t crash land on top of aquatic life. You learn and enjoy yourself at the same time. It does not get better than this.
AOWD(Advanced Open Water Diver) shall be continued in my next installment. But first i shall leave you with some pictures.
In the news!
in the news
The Need For Contained Water Dive Schools
Planet Scuba India offers contained water dive training in Bangalore
Scuba diving has always been associated with deep blue seas, glorious coral reefs, breathtaking underwater sceneries and psychologically, a momentary escape from the drudgeries of life above water. Not everyone can don the wet suit and take a dive in the open waters for the first time, though. It takes a lot of practice to be able to do this, apart from the required certifications. Perhaps the best way to start training for the big dive is inside a swimming pool, where the environment is controlled and there are no surprises for the novice divers.
PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors) strongly recommends dive schools around the world to train students in contained waters before taking them out to open waters. One of the main reasons for this would be to combat the initial hesitation and apprehension of students about to dive for the very first time. Apart from the fact that training in a swimming pool is safer it is also easier for instructors to maintain control over the students’ equipment as well as their own.
There is also the psychological aspect of diving to consider. People’s paranoia about sharks and other undersea creatures, fueled by Hollywood, does play an important role in the speed at which a student learns the nuances of breathing and staying calm underwater.
Controlling the rate of descent and staying stable at the desired depth are two other important aspects that can be addressed in contained water dives. There are no extraneous waves and sudden currents that would affect the balance of the diver, and this makes life that much easier for the instructor in training the student.
“It’s all a matter of what’s best for the students,” says Mr. Madhava Reddy, director of Planet Scuba India, which recently launched the country’s first inland scuba divind school in Bangalore. “Our PADI 5-star swim center complimented by the dive center at the KC Reddy Swim Centre and the expertise of out trainers makes our diving school one of the safest. Contained water dives are the best way and of course, the safest way for someone to learn diving and to build the required confidence to dive in open waters,” he added.