Thanks you to Scuba Cat’s two new Divemaster’s Sarah and Cal who organised this mornings clean up on Patong Beach.

At 7.30 am this morning we met at Scuba Cat Diving in Soi Wattana, Patong.

Just after 8.00am, after two cups of coffee we were ready to get to work!

We arrived at Patong Beach and were each presented with a pair of “Orange” Rubber gloves and a black bin bag. Cal and Sarah arranged us into two teams, starting in the middle of the Beach and working away from the other team. We had 1 hour! Lek, one of Scuba Cats Drivers, was with us all to act as the collection point for the morning. Bottles, cigarette ends, used condoms!, to name a few things we found…… oh how we wish there were ashtrays and trash bins on the beach, what a difference that would make!!!!

Thanks to Sarah and Cal, Divemaster’s for organizing the morning, Bryan and Reidar for helping us during their IDC, Matt DMT and  Max, Ben and Thibault for joining us during their University Internship with Scuba Cat.

And of course a big thank you to the “Bin Men” from Patong, for helping us dispose of the Rubbish afterwards.

We realized an hour wasn’t long enough to really make a difference so we have decided to carry out a beach cleanup in Patong on a monthly basis as part of our IDC, along with our already scheduled monthly Underwater Cleanup.

If any one wishes to join us for either event please contact us for more details.

I first discovered Scuba Cat Diving, Phuket, Thailand 7 months ago when I had nearly decided to stop diving after completing an Advanced Open Water course that fell far short of standards and left me feeling uncomfortable and lacking in confidence in the water……

Today, I am nearing completion of my Dive Master Course at Scuba Cat.

While taking my Advanced Open Water course on a Similans Liveaboard, I saw the same course being taught far more comprehensively by an Instructor (Kiwi)  from Scuba Cat.  As a newly certified Open Water diver I didn’t want to question my advanced training but through comparison and several experiences in the water that put my safety in jeopardy, it was clear that my training was incomplete and rushed.  After speaking with Kiwi  relaying some of my concerns he told me to stop by the Scuba Cat Dive shop  in Patong when I finished the liveaboard.

When I arrived back in Patong I went to see Scuba Cat. General Manager, Sarah, was already aware of what had happened and she offered to put me on one of their boats free-of-charge to receive the training that I should have received during my course.  In short I had not met the performance requirements that would make me an Advanced Open Water diver, however I had been signed off anyway. At this point in time I had no connection with Scuba Cat and here they were prepared to reteach the course for me to ensure that I was a competent AOW diver.

The next day I went to Racha Yai to repeat the navigation, deep, and peak performance buoyancy portions of my course.  From the moment I got on the boat I felt very well taken care of.

Racha Yai Island

Tony, my Instructor went through all of my equipment set up and briefed me on what we were going to do.  It was taught in a very accessible manner and I felt prepared and ready for my dives.  Whilst in the water, we covered all of the performance requirements that an advanced diver should demonstrate.  The training was very comprehensive and I felt my confidence returning in the water.  There was no question in my mind that I was going to continue diving and that that Scuba Cat was the only choice.

Several months on  a Rescue Diver course, 5 specialities and a Master Scuba Diver later) I am now in the middle of my Dive Master training.

How far I have come from those few months ago when I was ready to give up diving because of a poor learning experience!

The Dive Master course is the first rung on the professional ladder.  It is challenging and exhausting but so much fun.  I am training with several other people and there is a great sense of camaraderie. We complete an extensive range of classroom training, pool training and open water training and our learning encompasses even more than what is required by standards.  We assist on multiple courses and have access to experienced instructors that are a wealth of information and incredibly supportive in our learning.  I have assisted on a few courses now and it is really a great opportunity to see and participate in different teaching practices.  All of the Scuba Cat Instructors are very vigilant about making sure that their students meet the performance requirements but their methods are varied and to have exposure to that is a good learning tool.

As a repeat customer and now a Dive Master trainee, I would say that the one thing that has kept me coming back to Scuba Cat is their commitment to quality and excellence.  We repeat skills and tasks over and over again and our training is not just about doing something once and then being signed off.  There are multiple opportunities to practice and hone our skills.  Of course as Dive Master trainees we make lots of mistakes but even those are turned in to valuable learning opportunities.  Our mistakes also are fodder for the instructors who love to tease us. I, for one, will never again forget to pack my wet suit for a cold and rainy day of pool training!

As trainees, we a representing the company and therefore are expected to abide by the company code of conduct.  We have responsibilities just as the staff members do and our assistance is required in order to keep things running efficiently and effectively.  During the course you learn that your scope of responsibilities lies well beyond being in the water with customers. In many ways, we are relied upon more than some of the instructors as customers feel more comfortable talking with you as you are nearer their level in terms of dive experience.

One of the most magical parts of this course is being there for the first moment that someone takes their first breath underwater.  As we are in the ocean so much it is easy to forget the magic that surrounds you on a daily basis and it is always a reminder of how lucky I am when I get to share that experience with a new diver.

The Dive Master course is a serious commitment and I could not recommend Scuba Cat more highly.  In just a few weeks, I feel that I have learnt so much.  The staff are supportive and I feel that I am part of a team.  Every day offers something new to learn and I feel confident that when I am signed off as a Dive Master I will have been trained to the highest standards.

Hi Sarah,

Didn’t have the chance to meet you when we were in Phuket last 2 weeks.. you must have been busy and so did us…

It was a great diving course we’ve had… I “love” your team, everyone was so cool, supportive and welcoming.

During the open water course, i thought i will never dive again.. Trust me, I hate the mask clearance so much that I almost quit. Thanks that Kiwi ( Instructor) made me hang on there.. He and (the other) Sarah (Divemaster)were very helpful and supportive especially to me – as I guess i needed it more than my friends

Now when it’s all over I missed it so much. I give the blame to the turtle whom we met in one of our dives. hehe…

I look forward to join you guys again when I return to Malaysia for my vacation. I might drop by in Patong for short diving excursion again.

Thanks again to ScubaCat team for making my dream comes true, especially to Sarah and Kelvin the Kiwi. You ROCK!!

Cheers,
Sue

Suhanida Abd Gani

If you have had a good course or dive experience with us let the world know, Scuba Cat Diving have reviews on both Trip Adviser and Google

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!

Scuba Cat Diving was been based on the beach road of Patong for the past 18 years, but this year, things changed.

New Locations

A move away from the tuk tuks, tailors, massage parlours and Muay Thai advertisements (yes those of you who have already been to see us will recall “Monday Night, Monday Night……….” )to a new location inside the Kee Plaza, a fantastic hotel and shopping facility 200m off of the Beach Road. This has enabled us to have a larger retail selection, much more selection for our customers to choose from Scubapro, Aqualung and many more.

Kee Plaza

We have  kept our classrooms in Soi Watanna but opened a second shop putting retail and booking’s on the ground floor, this has allowed us to have our dive centre at both ends of Patong so is more convenient for you all. Our fun pub has moved to the roof top terrace we created this year.

Meet the team

It has been a different 6 months but things are progressing well.

Scuba Cat Diving, 5 * CDC is still under British ownership and management and they have the only female Course Director, Sarah Kench, conducting monthly IDC’s on Phuket. Along side this we are the only DDI (Disabled Diver International) Instructor Trainer Centre in Asia.

Scuba Cat has a long history of being eco aware, from laying artificial reefs, becoming the first National Geographic Centre in Phuket, bi-annual underwater clean ups and winning awards from Project AWARE. This is consolidated with our 5 year commitment to monitor reefs at a local island in conjunction with reef check trainers from China on a yearly basis as we are the only reef check centre on Phuket. Recently we won the Green Star Award, the first dive centre to achieve this on Phuket and quickly followed it up by becoming the first Dive Centre in Phuket to go 100% Aware.

Following the changes we made on the retail side of the business this year Scuba Cat has also made changes in the type diving we are offering.

As always we conduct our courses to the highest standards, with emphasis on quality rather time. IDC’s are available every month along with DSAT Tech diving up to Instructor level.

We are  running 3 Diving boats this year, all of which will have Nitrox available and limited numbers of divers on them, this will enable us to have 3 different schedules which will suit all divers and snorkelers.  Whether you are a snorkeller, brand new to diving or looking to change your life by joining us working in Paradise, no problem, we have a program to suit you and your whole family.

Daytrips to the local islands around Phuket on board MV Scuba Fun will run 3 dives per day at different locations. New for this year there will be freshly cooked meals from our own kitchen cooked by the awesome Chef from Lair Le Tong Restaurant.

Half day trips to the local reefs of Phuket on MV Scuba Sport, new for this year allowing boat diving on mornings, afternoons and night dives. Sightings on the reefs have been beyond our expectations, with things we have not seen around Phuket in many years, the most recent being a free Swimming Ribbon Eel.

Our liveaboard MV Scuba Adventure will run trips to both the North Andaman and South Andaman this season, allowing for 3, 4 or 7 day trips offering the best diving Thailand has to offer. As always she offers un-crowded conditions, by having reduced numbers on the boat and is run by our own Tour leader Kath Ridley and the best Captain and Crew on Phuket. A brand new schedule is being launched for the summer and next high season to give you even more variety.

A new IDC website created by our website designers dedicated to professional level courses and Internships will be launched very shortly.