While scuba diving does require a certain level of health and fitness, your age doesn’t prevent people from becoming Scuba Divers.  YOU ARE NEVER TOO OLD TO LEARN TO SCUBA DIVE!

People are no longer sitting home on the sofa during retirement. This generation is not only the largest, in the world’s history but it has also been one the most active. Needless to say they are not going quietly into the good night!

You may have read over the years about Scuba Kittens where Scuba Cat Diving has introduced diving to many of the younger generation through Bubblemaker, Sealteam  and Junior Open Water courses. Recently we went the opposite way.

The oldest newly certified open water diver from Scuba Cat has completed his Open Water Course with Scuba Cat Diving.

Larry Boersma is a repeat customer of Scuba Cat for over 4 years. Originally from Holland he now lives in the US and still works as a professor in one of the universities over there. He enjoys regular holidays in the Far East and has visited Thailand and Indonesia.

He had completed 18 Discover Scuba Diving experiences with us, and more in Bali and Borneo, for a long time he was happy with this and enjoyed taking photographs at the beautiful Racha Islands.

Earlier this year we made a special exception and Larry went with a private instructor the sites of Shark Point, Koh Doc Mai and Anemone reef. Usually these are reserved for divers who can go to 18m or deeper. But with more than 50 dives already we felt Larry could cope with these new sites.

This must have made him want more as when he came back to see us after 3 month he had decided to take the open water course with us and then join our liveaboard MV Scuba Adventure for a 4 day 4 night trip to Similan, Koh Bon, Koh Tachai and Richelieu Rock.

With Kath as the tour leader on the boat and Francois as his private guide Larry enjoyed  every one of the 14 dives on offer during the trip.

We are not sure if at 82 Larry is the oldest newly certified open water diver but everyone at Scuba Cat is very happy to see him finally move on from being a habitual Discover Scuba Diver to a fully certified one.

Congratulations Larry!!

Trying to decide if Scuba Diving is for you?

Listen to your Body. 

You can’t expect your body to be as agile when you were 21. It is normal to tire easily or succumb to illness more often. An illness is simply your body’s way of telling you to slow down a bit. Listen to your body and don’t push it too hard. Do what you feel comfortable with, why not take a leaf out of Larry’s book and start with Discover Scuba Diving?

Don’t overestimate  your health. 

If you are the type of person who runs everyday and goes to the gym regularly then perhaps, you won’t have to worry so much about the encounter of health problems underwater. Nevertheless, be sure to visit your Doctor before you start this challenge. If your doctor gives you a thumbs-up, well then go dive! If not, ask how you could get dive fit.

Know your limits.

If you’ve been physically active for much of your whole life, then nothing should stop you from trying Scuba Diving. Unless your Doctor says otherwise, you could still go diving, but only do what you feel comfortable with, don’t succumb to pressure from the others on the Dive trips, if you don’t want to go deep or dive in strong currents, then don’t!

So you have decided to come out and dive with us, fantastic news, here are a couple of pointers before you take the course

More than likely your Instructor will be younger than you. As a mature student, you will have to deal with this. No matter what your position is in the “real world” in the pool or on the boat, the instructor is the boss. Learn to be flexible.

Learning

Expect a learning curve. At Scuba Cat Diving all our Instructors take diving courses very seriously. People who are settled into careers or retirement often forget just how hard learning new things can be sometimes. So go easy on yourself.

Yourself

Be open-minded. You might think you have “been there” “done that” and “survived near everything”, being underwater, breathing through scuba gear and being dependant on a dive buddy, can take some getting used to. Some more mature students can become resistant to being told what to do and when to do it. It’s understandable. It’s hard giving over control to someone who may be half your age, but our instructor’s want you to experience all the joy of diving while remaining safe.

If you have always wanted to go scuba diving but have never found the time, learn why it is never too late to start scuba diving, no matter what your age!

Phuket is a jewel in the Andaman Sea offering tourists a multitude of things to do whilst visiting the Island. Here are a few suggestions…. good to do when you are not diving.

PHUKET FANTASEA

This spectacular Las Vegas style cultural show is the largest on the Island.  The show itself is set in a theme park which offers carnival games, shopping and a choice of restaurants. The show is a colourful tale of Thai fantasy, adventure and romance with trapeze artists, performing elephants and other animals.  The show also hosts the largest buffet in Thailand.

BIG BUDDHA

Big Buddha is a serene statue situated on the Nakkerd Hills between Chalong and Kata and can be seen throughout the southern part of the Island.  Surrounded by beautiful tropical rainforest the views from here are spectacular. It is considered that the Buddha is a natural symbol of hope. Big Buddha, standing 45m high with a 25m base is officially called Phra Puttamingmonkol Akenakkin Buddha.   It has been built purely by donations out of Burmese white marble, which shimmers in the sun.  Big Buddha is dedicated to the King of Thailand, whereas the smaller brass Buddha image on the same site has been dedicated to the queen.

WAT CHALONG

Wat Chalong is the largest and most visited of the Island’s Buddhist temples. Wats, or Buddhist temples are important symbols in Thailand as the majority of the population are Buddhist . The Wat is open to on a daily basis from 7am to 5pm. Wat Chalong is associated with the revered monks Luang Pho Chaem and Luang Pho Chuang who were famous for working with herbal medicine and attending to the sick and injured.  During the tin miners rebellion in 1876 they tended to the injured on both sides and were active in mediation to bring the warring parties together to resolve their dispute. Many local Thais are blessed by monks and receive a string tied around their wrist to protect against illness and injury.  Since 1954 the temple has hosted an annual fair around Chinese New Year. There are many stalls selling local products, fairground rides and live music. Please remember when visiting the Temple that it is a place of worship and to act and dress accordingly.

PHUKET AQUARIUM

Phuket Aquarium is located at the end of Cape Panwa and is directly under the control of Phuket Marine Biology Centre, the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources and the Ministry of Natural resources and Environment.  The aim of the aquarium is to provide education and knowledge on the diversity of marine life, flora and fauna. There are over 30 tanks of fresh and salt water exhibits, all labeled in English and Thai with facts about the creatures. The star attraction is a large tank with a tunnel through the centre allowing people to walk through and be surrounded by sharks, groupers, wrasses to name a few. Outside there is a nature trail that leads to large pools with baby green and hawksbill turtles.  Injured adults are tended to in the rehabilitation area. The facility also has a marine biological centre with an endangered species unit. Other facilities include a small children’s playground and a coffee shop.

PHUKET’S VIEW POINTS

Phuket has amazing natural beauty. This can be appreciated by visiting one of the viewpoints around the Island.  Phromthep Cape is the Island’s most southerly hill. The cape also has a lighthouse, which is open to the public. It houses some interesting historical maritime artifacts.

Radar Hill view point is the highest point in Phuket at 529m. It has incredible views and is accessible via Chao Fa West Road. From here you can also see Phuket’s Bang Wad reservoir.

Kata viewpoint, locally known as Khao Saam Haad (3 beach hill) has great views of Kata Noi, Kata Yai and Karon beaches It is located between Nai Harn and Kata Noi beaches.

Windmill viewpoint is between Ya Nai and Nai Harn, where the large white windmills are facing out to sea. This is a quiet area with a covered sala with a seating area.

PHUKET WATERFALLS

Phuket has 4 waterfalls, Bang Pae, Ton Sai and the lesser known one, Ao Yan. Bang Pae and Ton Sai are in the Khao Phra Thaeo National Park on the east of Phuket. This area is virgin rain forest and is host to many birds, monkeys and barking deer. Bang Pae is north of Phuket Town and is the largest of Phuket’s waterfalls. Bang Pae is particularly popular with local Thais for swimming during the wet season and picnics.

Ton Sai, also known as Banyan Tree Waterfall is west of the National Park. It is possible to walk through the forest with a hired guide to Bang Pae. This waterfall is more family orientated with facilities including toilets, restaurants and a small children’s playground. The waterfall is easily accessible but it is not as impressive as Bang Pae. There is also a well signed trek 2km long behind the waterfall. It is easily found by taking the road east at Thalang’s main traffic lights. It is well signed.

Kathu waterfall does not have a lot of water during the dry season, but it helped by 2 artificial pools halfway up. The waterfall has stairs and several levels leading to the cascade. It is possible to rest at the tables and chairs on the way up. Kathu waterfall is easy to find, turn left at Caltex onto Route 4020 if you are coming from Patong continue for 1km until you see the black marble sign.

Ao Yan waterfall is very quiet and not visited a lot. It is located behind the beach next to Ao Yan near Cape Panwa. To reach the waterfall is it essential to have good shoes as the trek is difficult. There are several drop pools, all small but it is possible to bathe in them. The waterfall can be found by taking the small road at the western end of the beach by the prawn farm. At the end of the road there is a parking area. The path leading up the hill is 100m to the right of here.

GIBBON REHABILITATION CENTRE

Unfortunately, Thailand’s wild gibbon population suffers at the hands of poachers they often kill the mother to take the baby, which is then sold into the illegal pet trade. A young gibbon is “cute”, but at the age of 5 years they can become aggressive and develop sharp canine teeth that inflict severe injury. This leads to abandonment or killing of matured aggressive pets. The centre in Khao Pra Thaeo National Park, near bang Pae waterfall tries to rehabilitate abandoned pet gibbons back into the wild. This is a long process as often the gibbons have to learn what to eat in the wild, regain strength and mobility and basically learn how to become a gibbon!! The centre is staffed by European volunteers who pay to work at the sanctuary, which is open  daily between 10am and 4pm. As it is a nonprofit organization donations are always welcome.

PHUKET MANGROVES

Mangroves are a crucial part of Phuket’s tropical and coastal ecology. They are important as nurseries for fish and crustaceans. In recent years mangrove areas have been replanted as they are a natural defense against large waves and flood damage. This became apparent following the 2004 tsunami. The mangrove is also a good natural filter of impurities in the water and can hold large amounts of carbon in the roots.

There are several ways of seeing the mangroves. Tours using ATV’s is perfect for families. An ATV can carry two people. There is an ATV camp in the Thalang district whose tours include rubber plantations and deserted beaches fringed with mangroves. It is also possible to visit the mangroves on bikes. The tour companies provide top of the range light weight mountain bikes with a suppoet vehicle and an English speaking guide. Kayaking in the mangroves is also another popular activity. The journey is about 2 km along the Klong Mudong which is alive with bird life, macaque monkeys and many other animals.

At approximately 4.00pm yesterday afternoon, 11th April 2012 we received a telephone call. That was to change the afternoon.

The husband of one of our staff called to ask if we had felt the earthquake which had happened in Indonesia and to warn us of a potential Tsunami. Then the Tsunami Warning towers let off their sirens……….

This put everyone in our Dive Shop on high Alert.

Kath, our ever loyal Tourleader from MV Scuba Adventure telephoned saying she was struggling to get down to the shop to prepare for the trip that was due to go out to the Similans that evening! We suggested she might like to stay at home!

The rest of the staff however stayed at the Scuba Cat Shop in Patong, it is in a 3 story townhouse and so we gathered all the customers, staff and unsure tourists and invited them to go and sit up on the roof terrace in safety away for the potential wave.

Jack was manning the telephones, assuring concerned callers from India and various other places around the world that we were all OK and we would keep them posted of any developments. A concerned customer who was due to go onto the Liveaboard trip that evening called, after speaking with him we advised him to stay the other side of the Hill in Kathu until he got the all clear to come over.

At the new Scuba Cat Diving Shop, Kee Plaza Patong, the staff were moved to safety at their roof top restaurant on the 7th Floor.

Great news, all the staff and customers from both shops were accounted for.

The Scuba Cat Boats, MV Scuba Adventure and MV Scuba Sport were moved away from the Island and out into safety, Deep Open Water. Why? The ocean is deep. It is only when the wave comes close to shore when it is slowed down that the water is pushed upward into a huge wave. If they can get far enough out the wave, if it had happened would only have been a few feet high.

MV Scuba Fun had just returned from a day trip to King Cruiser, Shark Point and Koh Doc Mai. We quickly transported the customers to a hotel which was high up in the hills and waited with them for the all clear.

Then we were all surprised, Kath had walked for 40 minutes to get to us at the shop, she wanted to be with us and her customers for the Scuba Adventure trip. Ozzy, who lives in safety up in the hills above Nanai Road, had heard about the Tsunami alert when may people appeared outside his hilltop home and decided to come down and join us at the shop, figure that one!! Irish, need I say more!!!!

Everyone had been warned in Patong and the streets were cleared. Sean went down to the end of the Soi to see if the water was going out from the beach, there he met two Irish Ladies who had been caught up in the Thai staff leaving. At the time of the warning they were half way through having a haircut. The lady cutting their hair talked about the earthquake on Thai and then left, when Sean met them they had their hair half finished….. they were looking for a Pub to forget about their new hair styles.

Sean came back laughing and thought this was a great idea and promptly went and arranged beers for the staff and customers!!!!

The announced times of the Waves came and went without incident. We all proceeded to go down to the beach with our beers in hand, stupid I know but by this point we were all convinced the danger had passed.

This is what we saw………

The streets were empty, no tuk tuks, no traffic, piece and quiet…………

About 7.00pm we made the decision with the Captain and Customers agreement the Scuba Adventure would proceed on her Cruise as scheduled. Big Smiles all round from a group of very happy customers.

A Big thank you to all the Staff and Customers at Scuba Cat Diving for their calm during the warning and a big thank you to Patong for having the Tsunami warning system ready and working for just an event.

Having been here during the Tsunami of 2004 it was reassuring to see the quick evacuation of a large resort town to safety…….. THANK YOU.

Today is a new day, MV Scuba Fun is at Racha Yai/Noi on her planned day trip, the Scuba Cat IDC continues and Songkran will be here tomorrow……………the soaking we expected this year!

A quick guide to some of the Customs in Thailand

THE THAI FLAG

Thailand is a very patriotic Nation and the Thai national flag will be seen on display just about everywhere in Thailand. It isn’t just government buildings that fly the flag because it will be seen on boats, tuk-tuks, roadside stalls, private businesses and private homes. The flags may sometimes be slightly damaged or faded by exposure to the elements, but they are still a proud symbol.

The meaning of the Flag:

Red = Nation: the stripes represent the blood spilt to maintain Thailand’s independence.

White = Religion: the stripes stand for purity and are the colour of Buddhism, which is the country’s main religion.

Blue = Monarchy, blue is Thailand’s national colour and it represents the Thai monarchy.

Thai Flag History:

The current Thai flag was adopted on September 28, 1917, making it one of the world’s older flags. From the mid-19th century until 1916, Thailand, which was called Siam until 1939, used a red-based flag with a white elephant on it. That flag was replaced in 1916 with a red-white-red-white-red horizontal striped flag, which was modified in 1917, when the blue centre replaced red.

Interesting Facts:

The Thai flag is called Triaranga or Triarong, which literally means ‘tricolor’.

The Thai flag may be seen alone or it may be flown with other flags, which have their own meaning. For instance, the National Flag may be flown alongside a yellow flag with the Royal Insignia. This is the King’s flag with yellow representing the King as he was born on a Monday. Similarly, Queen Sirikit has her own flag, which is blue (she was born on a Friday) with her own individual Royal Insignia.

BUDDHA

Be respectful about Buddhism. Dress correctly in Temples. Don’t sit on Buddha images, sit before them with feet pointing backwards. Don’t misuse a Buddha image. Icons should be kept in a place of worship and not used as furniture or ornaments.

THE ROYAL FAMILY

Thailand is a Constitutional Monarchy. King Rama IX, HM King Bhumibol and his family are totally revered. You will see images of the Royals everywhere. Always stand when the National Anthem is being played, for example, at the cinema before the film starts. Do not make disparaging remarks about the Royals. There is a strict lese majeste laws and offenses can be punishable by imprisonment.

 

MONKS

Monks are commonly seen in Thailand. The majority of males in Thailand would have experienced being a monk at some time in their life. Monks are recognized by their saffron robes. Women should not touch or hand anything directly to a monk. Also a woman should not be alone in the presence of a monk.

 

THE WAI

Thai people do not shake hands. They will greet you with a Wai, which is a prayer like gesture at chest or head level with head slightly bowed. This gesture is not only used as a greeting but also for respect or for reverence if performed in front of a Buddha image. Respect is demonstrated by the height at which the hands are held and how low the head comes down. It can also be used to express thank you or goodbye. The Wai is not used for children and people junior in age or status will always offer the Wai first. If someone Wai’s you, do not be frightened to respond.

HEAD AND FEET

Do not touch a person’s head or ruffle their hair. The head is considered to be the highest and the purest part of the body. Do not touch the head or ruffle hair. Apologize if you accidentally touch somebody’s head.

Feet are considered spiritually as well as physically the lowest part of the body. It is highly disrespectful to point feet at someone or to pick things up with the feet. Do not wave your feet around someone’s head. If you should touch someone accidentally with your foot, apologize. Stepping on Thai currency with the King’s Head or sitting in the temple with feet pointed to a religious icon is considered sacrilegious. Stepping over food is also a huge faux pas!!!

FOOTWEAR

Always remove footwear before entering a house or temple.

DRESS CODE

Dress respectfully. If visiting Temples then cover up! Topless sunbathing is frowned upon in Thailand.

TABLE MANNERS

Eating in Thailand is a social event. It is normal to have several dishes for everyone to try. Once you are full leave a little food on your plate as this signifies that you have finished. If you empty your plate your host will think that you have not eaten enough. Thai’s eat with a fork and spoon, occasionally they will eat noodles with chop sticks. Do not lick your fingers!! If you need to get the waiter/waitresses attention then don’t call them with the fingers of the hand pointing up. This equates to raising the middle finger in Western society. Turn the hand so the fingers are pointing down and beckon.

DO NOT GET ANGRY

Thais are non confrontational. Public disputes or criticism are to be avoided at all costs. Raising your voice or loosing your temper will never be constructive in Thailand. Loss of face is a disgrace to a Thai, so they try to avoid confrontation and look for compromises in difficult situations.

AFFECTION

Public displays of affection are frowned upon in Thailand.

Peter and Bente from Denmark, who completed the Northern trip were joined by three French men, Alain, Bertrand and Sylvian.

The first dive of the trip was at Shark Point. Captain Pu dropped the customers on the “shallow rock” on pinnacle two. As soon as we hit the water we were surrounded by fish. Shark Point is a beautiful dive with gorgeous soft corals, huge gorgonion sea fans and massive barrel sponges. The pinnacle was full of schools of fusiliers, snappers and yellow fin barracudas. The site lived upto it’s name by giving us the opportunity to see a large leopard shark sitting quietly on the bottom. A great photo opportunity for the divers with cameras.

Our second dive was on Koh Bida Nai. We entered the water on the north side of the island where we dived along the wall. An ideal place for macro with many different types of nudibranch. Koh Bida Nai has a combination of sloping reef and walls, so it offers a great variety of life. There are some amazing coloured magnificent anemones all swaying in the current. The third dive was Koh Haa Islands 2 and 4. Again, a variety of topography with the walls of the Islands with a sandy patch in between. The customers, all keen photographers except Bente took the opportunity to slowly scour the walls for nudibrach, shrimps, hermit crabs and other macro critters.

The night dive was in the lagoon. Albeit a shallow dive the life was incredible with large hermit crabs walking along the bottom, flounders laying in the sandy bottom, red reef crabs and numerous lobsters. The harlequin crab was also spotted. At the back of the boat there was a huge bait ball that was attracted to the light. A perfect ending to the days diving.

Unfortunately, the weather was not kind to us and we were unable to go to Hin Daeng and Hin Muang, but this did not detract from the great diving that was to be experienced. The first dive on day 2 was the caves on Koh Haa Yai. The Cathedral has a wonderful entrance.

From inside the cave as you look out there is a wonderful contrast of colour. The group had a great time posing for silhouette shots in the entrance of the cave. The reef has some fantastic whip and stunning soft corals. Lobsters were seen hiding in the cracks on the rocks. Nudibranchs and wart slugs were plentiful. The reef cuttlefish was also seen. The second dive was Koh Haa Neau (North Island) The corals here are unbelievable. There is a swim through that opens onto a field of lilac soft corals that look as if they have been on steroids as they are so huge. This site offers boulders with soft corals in the initial part of the dive and then onto a plate coral reef with a huge school of resident snappers. For dive 3 we headed back to Koh Bida Nok, the sister Island to Koh Bida Nai. The topography offers a combination of sloping reef and walls, so the marine life is diverse. A turtle made his appearance and was posing for the cameramen!!! The group decided to do a night dive. This was on Koh Bida Nai. The night dive was wonderful with large hermit crabs, decorator crabs were found on the walls. There was an abundance of crabs in various shapes and sizes. A huge barracuda graced us with his presence as he was hunting around the rocks.

Day 3 and the first dive was on Hin Dot. This dive site is an undived treasure, definitely worth doing. The rocks are surrounded with huge amounts of fish. Often you have to part the fish to see the walls. There is a huge variety of nudibranch on this site. The highlight however, was the stone fish that was found on the wall at 9m. Talk about master of disguise!!!!!

This site will be dived more often by us on MV Scuba Adventure. It is a gem waiting to be opened!!! Our final dive of the trip was on the West side of Koh Doc Mai. The gentle slope here with numerous crevices are homes for bamboo sharks. We managed to find 2 tucked away. In the shallows there were multiple glossidoris nudibranch . This dive was enjoyed by all and it was agreed that it was a good choice for the end of the trip.