This is often the first question asked by divers after a dive, some divers seem to enjoy the dive more if they have been deeper rather than staying in the shallow water.

For some divers deep water holds a fascination not experienced in the shallows.

To enable divers to go deeper than the entry level of 18m there is the Advanced open water course and then the Deep diver specialty, these enable the diver to go to a depth of 30m and 40m respectively.

The main reason divers go deep is to see and experience things not found in the shallower waters. This could be shipwrecks, often better preserved due to less exposure to the weather and sea conditions. Deep water pinnacles which often have fantastic sponge and coral life due to less impact from surge waters, or a particular marine live that prefers the deeper waters.

There are though disadvantages to going deeper, less light penetrates the depth, so reducing the colours, less bottom time due to increase nitrogen loading during the dive, nitrogen narcosis affecting the divers judgment and faster air consumption due to the pressure.

Deep diving is safe as long as certain precautions are taken. These are covered in the Deep Speciality  course.

Simple precautions such as regular air checks, proper dive planning using tables or eRDP combined with a dive computer, safety stops and slow ascents.

The Deep speciality course also teaches the use of drop tanks or pony bottles as a precaution for low on air situations.

Most divers when completing deep dives also combine this with diving using computers or multilevel dives plans using the eRDP. This way a longer dive is permitted than using dive tables alone. The Deep diver course also goes into the theory of this and the benefits.

Nitrogen Narcosis is a phenomena only experienced at depth, due to the partial pressure of the nitrogen gas in the air we breath. It affect different divers at different depths, but generally the deeper you go the more pronounced the effect would be.

During the Deep diver course you would complete 4 dives to enable you to go to a depth of 40m safely. The course covers the planning  and execution of the dives, accounting for narcosis, DCS, air consumption, navigation and gaining the most from the dive.

Want to go deeper still?  ask us about the Tec Rec Courses

Banded Sea Snakes are found in the tropical waters of the Indo-Pacific region.  The Latin name is Laticauda Colubrina and belongs to the Laticaudinae family. Snakes within this family are able to survive on land and in water.

"Banded sea Snake"

The snakes frequent shallow water as they must surface to breath air. This curious snake with it’s placid nature is recognised by it’s black bands that run the full length of the light blue body. On the underside there may be cream or yellow colouration. The amount of bands vary between 20 and 65.  The tail is laterally compressed, thus acting as an oar helping to propel themselves through water.  The snake has valvular nostrils with valve like flaps, which close upon submersion. Snakes do not have gills, but they have a left lung that runs almost the entire length of the body. The eyes are protected not by eye lids, but modified scales. The face is highlighted with yellow on the snout, upper lips and bar above the eyes.

"Close up of Banded Sea Snake"

Typically, the female is larger than the male. Lengths may vary from 75cm to 200cm. The maximum recorded length of a Banded Sea Snake is 360cm!! This reptile has ventral plates which helps it to move on land. They are oviparous, which means that they return to the land to lay their eggs.  The males of the species have two penises, but only one is used when mating. This is known as hemipenes. Once the eggs hatch the young make their way to the sea.  Sea snakes move in the water relatively slowly, which means that they are unable to chase fish. The juevenile snakes rely on sand smelts and sand perches for food. As they develop they switch their diet to damsel fish and surgeon fish in addition to crabs, cuttlefish, eels, fish eggs and squid.

"Banded Sea Snake at the Surface"

Banded Sea Snakes are often seen hunting in crevices. The fixed front fangs are very small and are designed to immobilise prey. This highly venomous marine reptile releases a neurotoxin, which affects the nervous system.  The snakes produce 10-15mg of venom. A fatal dose is as low as 1-5mg, that is ten times more lethal than a rattle snake and black mamba. It is possible for a decapitated snake to produce a life threatening bite, so fishermen should be aware!!!!

This is an inquisitive creature that can be mistaken for an eel. The snake, with it’s passive nature is compelling viewing as it hunts amongst the crevices and cracks on the reef.  Watching them hunt and ascending to breath can be a diver’s delight.

Why not sign up for a   Underwater Naturalist Specialty Course, to learn more about the identification of species to enhance your knowledge and highlight the key things to look for or a go look for yourself on board MV Scuba Adventure or MV Scuba Fun.

Jurgens Rescue Course………….

After a difficult a flight towards Phuket, I could finally start my Rescue Diver Course.  My first attempt to become a Rescue diver stopped in Indonesia because some family problems. I had to fly back before I finished my last dive. So I decided to retake the course with Scuba Cat Diving.

Having dived with Scuba Cat before, I was introduced to my   Instructor, Francois. I already knew him from last visit, we hoped to see that elusive whale shark together, oh well it wasn’t to be that time. He was happy to see us and give me a handshake and kissed my sister three times. After that, my sister filled in all the paperwork for her Advanced Course and I went upstairs to start my EFR.

We started at 10.00am (nice time!) The day was alot of fun. In the Netherlands the rules are different than here in Asia. So I learned the Asian way also. First 2  rescue breaths and after that 30 chest compressions. This was repeated many times then I  practiced with an AED. Luckily for me, I  practiced on a manikin and not with Francois!

After the session I had to practice finding injuries that Francois was pretending to have. While we were doing this, we had lots of fun and jokes, quite normal for us. After a couple minutes, he role played passing out and I had to put him into the recovery position. While I did this, he found out, that I did it on another way than he was used to do. He thought the way I did it was also correct, because I already checked his pulse and breathing while I did this and after I finished.

After the senario’s, I did my exam. I only got two wrong! Not bad at all.

Then onto the rescue theory. Wow I passed this with 100%! Time for some fun diving before I finished the course.

I went diving with my sister so we could practice a bit and take some pictures.

The next day after the fun dives, I went for the pool session. Kiwi was to be my instructor for the confined sessions and Nim, Divemaster was my “Victim”

"Kiwi"

Nim was a very good Victim, making everything realistic for me so I could master all the skills I thought the skills are easy but spectacular. Everybody in the swimming pool was watching while we did the skills. As I knew. In the swimming pool  everything seemed easy but in the ocean I knew it would be different, a bit difficult because the currents and waves.

One of the skills was bringing a diver towards the surface while he or she is out. I first did it the way I had been taught in the Netherlands. It’s a bit difference than the way wants to do this. In the Netherlands we approach from the front while do this from behind because the risk of panic. No problem, I could do it both ways.

Now the surface skills, exercise number 7,  I had to move the diver through the pool and while I did this, I had to give rescue breaths. Every 5 seconds I gave one and bring her to the side of the pool. In the meanwhile I had to remove her equipment  and mine, then take her on the (boat) poolside. I did this easily…. the problem was, could I do this on the live aboard as well with currents and waves. I Knew Kiwi wouldn’t make it easy for me!!!!

Then it was off to the Liveaboard in the Similans, to finish my Rescue course on the first day and do lots of diving with my sister, whilst she did her advanced course.

We arrived there on New years eve….

Setting up our gear for the sunset dive, Kiwi started screaming for help. I should have guessed it, after all this was all for my Rescue Course!!!  I walked towards the diving platform and saw a rope. I threw it towards Kiwi and he grabbed it. That was the first time! While was setting up the rest of my equipment, Kiwi went out snorkelling. After a minute he was screaming again. I couldn’t find something that floats, so I put on my fins, snorkel and mask. I could save him with my skills from lifeguard. He was in panic so I could swim underneath him and grab him from behind. But he was cheating! While I get down, he followed me with his eyes, very relaxed. I should have known he would make this difficult for me!.  So I had to swim back to the boat!  Kiwi stopped and said: You had to bring something that floats! Damn, he got me!!!

"Jurgen"

After these skills, we went diving. Priscilla took her time and Kiwi entered the water first. I followed him, because he was already going under. I gave him a signal to come back, but he didn’t respond, so I followed him at the surface, while I was waiting for my sister. I asked her to hurry up a bit (well she is my sister!) got our buddy checks done. Then entered the water, at that precise moment , Kiwi came up and simulating panic! So Priscilla and I start swimming towards him. I asked her to wait, while I approached him. I did it from behind and grabbed his tank with my legs and inflated his BCD. I asked if he could swim back to the boat. He didn’t answer, so I had to tow him. After a minute he pretended to pass out and stopped breathing. So I informed the boat and started with rescue breathes and moving him towards the boat.

While I was taking of the equipment he said that I did it very good and we stopped the skill. We went down for fun diving! Just before we went down, Priscilla had cramps. When I looked in her eyes I saw there was nothing wrong, and while I did the skill, I didn’t feel anything of cramp. I thought its going to be a long dive!

When we reached the bottom, Kiwi lost his mask. I grabbed it and put it on his face. Priscilla had the same problem….. At the same moment, Kiwi started to grab rocks, trying to grab fish etc. etc… I had to respond. It was like diving with school kids! Kiwi and Priscilla pretended to fight. While I came between, Priscilla grabbed me! I was right this was not going to be a straight forward dive!!!  Priscilla pretended to pass out. I had to bring her up to the suface, again using the skills I learnt in the pool. On the way up, I saw big waves and there was a strong current, so change of plan and went up towards the boat (not straight ahead).

When we were on the surface, I had to start rescue breathes. First thing I did, I informed the boat. The waves were big, so I had to get between my sister and the waves, to stop the water was going in her mouth. Because the current, I had to swim very hard. And it was not easy to get towards the boat. After 2 minutes I arrived at the dingy. I wanted to go in there to start the CPR, but Kiwi said, I had to go towards the boat. So I started again and tried to get help from the boat. They didn’t help and everybody was filming and laughing.

So I did it on my own and when I was in the boat, Priscilla start breathing again and stopped the skill, because she had a lot of water in her mouth. It was very hard and at a moment she even said: You supposed to save me, not drown me! When we finished the dive, Kiwi said, that I had passed all my rescue practical.  Great now the rest of the Liveaboard to relax and enjoy the beauty of the Similans!

"Jurgen and Priscilla"

During the Rescue course I had to work hard, I learned a lot whilst having loads of fun!

Now for my Master Scuba Diver and then who knows!!!!

Scuba Cat Diving received two prestigious awards in one evening.

Reef Check Thailand

and Asia Pacific & Project Aware

A huge THANK YOU to the Staff and Students from Concordia International School, Shanghai, China for their commitment to the Reefs of Racha Yai…..5 years later ……44 days, 60 students, 160 Dives

It all began 5 and a half years ago when we received an email from Terry Umphenour, a teacher from the International School in Shanghai. Terry wanted to start a Marine Ecology Study to enhance the education of  students by bringing it outdoors.

Over the last 5 years the students have collected valuable data from their surveys, recording the many changes that occurred over a 5 year period and learned an important lesson: our reefs are in serious danger.

Many of them have started as non divers, going on to complete multiple Courses, infact during their time on board I think the diver education system has been fully utilized……

• Open Water Course
• Advanced Open Water Course
• Rescue Diver
• Master Scuba Diver
• Many different Specialities
• Dive Master training

and of course the ultimate Goal, Reef Check Divers and Instructors now able to identify different types of indicator species of invertebrates, substrates, and fish by name something taken for granted by most divers, with only a handful round the world being able to do this.

They learned how to dive safely and respectfully to their new environment realizing diving is not a game. They saw first hand the negative effect of human’s on coral reef systems.

This years students were :

• Danielle
• James
• Sydney
• Sara
• Emersyn
• Pan Ling
• Jie
• Jim
• Dana
• Haley
• Yaw Tung (Andy)
• Jing Xin (Jean)

It was an honor to meet you guys and again thank you Paul, Joel and Terry for making this all possible.

and not forgetting Suchana Apple Chanavich, Ph.D and her amazing commitment to the Reef System not only in Thailand but around the world (and the awesome Ice Cream Cake at the BBQ!)

2010 – Diving? Me? No way!
2011  –  I can Dive…
2012 – I ♥ diving

I have been scared of the ocean my whole life. Big fish with sharp teeth, dirty water, the idea of not being able to see your feet, etc. etc.  Enough reasons to not go into the ocean with much more than my big toe. If you would have met me a year ago, and said that I would be scuba diving now? I would laugh at you and call you crazy!  How little did I know…

When my family and I were in Phuket in the summer of 2011, my brother was looking for a dive school to go on some daytrips. Walking along the beach we found Scuba Cat. The instructor we were talking to asked whether I was going to dive too and I told him I was definitely not going to, since there was really nothing that attracted me. The idea of breathing through a tube and having a lot of water above me didn’t sound like fun at all.
I don’t really remember what made me change my mind…but I went back to the dive shop to have a dive at the swimming pool, and I liked it.
I felt very comfortable, the instructor was really patient and we talked about the open water course. After thinking it over and over again, I decided to give it a try and see how far I would go. My Instructor Hielke,  was great. From the moment we met I felt comfortable and safe. He was extremely patient (I was a horrible student – and no I’m not exaggerating!) and he has great teaching skills.

After a day in the classroom, we practised the skills in the swimming pool. There were no problems, so why wouldn’t I be able to do the same thing in the ocean? I didn’t like the idea of pulling my mask off (and get seawater in my eyes) though I knew I would be perfectly able to put it back on. And what to think about practising for an Controlled emergency swimming ascent to the surface….looking up, seeing the surface is far, far away, and then take one breath in and ascent to the surface whilst breathing out all the way. But what’s the fun in life if you don’t try new things and cross your own borders?

I went on a complete new adventure, together with my instructor.
The first dive I stayed extremely close to him. No way there would be more than 15 cm between us! I was scared and I didn’t enjoy the dive. It was not horrible, but I didn’t think it was fun either. I didn’t see much of the beautiful marine life, since I was checking air and depth all the time and did my best to keep breathing on a regular base. Repeating to myself  ‘breath in, breath out…’ the dive seemed to last an eternity.

The second dive was much better, I saw a glimpse of the beautiful coral and sea creatures, still staying close to my instructor. I saw my first ‘Nemo’!

The third dive was a complete disaster, what broke down all the confidence I gained in the first two dives. We were sleeping on the boat and I couldn’t eat, I couldn’t sleep…all I did was crying. That night, I decided to never go diving again. I was looking for a way to tell it to my instructor. I actually found it more sad for him then for me if I wouldn’t finish the course, he was working so hard! It was quiet (there was no one on the boat besides us) the fish were swimming in the lights of the boat and the stars were absolutely stunning! ( I can recommend live aboards to everyone, just to watch the stars and experience how quiet the world can be)
Later the instructor woke up and found me awake. We spend a lot of time talking. What were my exact reasons for not wanting to dive again? I don’t know how he did it, but he found a solution for everything (and I can guarantee you: I had 1001 reasons) and promised me that we would go back to the boat whenever I wanted to. I only needed one more dive to complete my open water training, so why not finish it? After finishing the course I could always decide to never go diving again, but at least I would have finished the course (well…I am a perfectionist, so I always finish what I started) He found the magic words and I went in again.

I’m so glad that he found a way to convince me to go back in!

He showed me how much fun diving could be and how beautiful the marine life is. Because all I did was follow where ever he was going and watching everything he showed me (and checking air and depth of course) I enjoyed the dive very much. We saw beautiful corals, many different fish in all the colours of the rainbow.  They say ‘time flies when you’re having fun’ and it was true! When coming up we had spent an hour down below and I thought we were only there for 25 minutes.
After this dive we went in two more times and with every dive I made I gained a lot of confidence.
I enjoyed the dives so much that I was actually sad that we were moving on to national park Kao Sok, away from the ocean.

During our journey home all I could talk about was diving. When diving I felt like Alice in Wonderland and I felt like I need to explore that world more. As soon as we got home, my brother and I booked a flight back to Thailand for December. Within a few weeks I booked our live aboard with a Advanced Open Water course for me and EFR & Rescue course  for my brother.
Before going back to the ocean I went to the swimming pool in the Netherlands to dive there. I wanted to check if I still knew everything, just to make sure. I’m glad I did, because now I had no reason to be nervous at all and I could relax during the flight. That flight was horrible, we had a major delay and missed our connection. We’ve spend Christmas day on the airport instead of under the palm trees. The staff of Scuba Cat was very friendly and helping with putting us on another daytrip and friendly and helpful words on the phone.

My brother and I went on the liveaboard to dive the Similans.

I read a lot about it before we went, but it was even more beautiful then I imagined….

There were some challenging moments (night dive, bad visibility after the rain,etc) but being with an instructor, Kiwi and my brother and a lot of nice people on the boat, I felt comfortable enough to face them. I know that at certain moments I would never have gone in the water if my brother wasn’t there to hold my hand, an instructor to watch over us and many nice people on the boat to share experiences and give some advice now and then. Being on a liveaboard is great. The food is better than in a restaurant, you meet new people and you all have something you share, so you don’t have to worry about awkward silence….I made new friends there and learned a lot.

I was diving more on my own, not so (literally) attached to my instructor or buddy anymore. I swam with big groups of fish, went deeper than ever before, I saw turtles and seahorses and it felt like I was swimming in an enchanted world.
As long as I stay between my own, newly discovered borders, I can explore that world and enjoy it too. The staff of Scuba Cat helped me with that and will help me to learn more things and enjoy diving more and more in the future.
This summer I’m going to Indonesia, but in December I’m returning to Thailand and dive more with Scuba Cat.  I can’t thank my first instructor enough for all his patience, calming words, teaching me how to dive and showing me the magic world of the ocean. Thank you to the other instructors and guides (daytrips and courses) for all your help, advice and guidance. I can’t imagine a life without diving anymore!  A big thank you to all the staff of Scuba Cat to make everything happen, from booking, to food, from diving to have a drink at the bar to celebrate the happy end of our combined story and our future return to you all.  I will highly recommend you all to everyone who wants to dive in Thailand and see you again in December. I’m looking forward to it very much!

Big hugs for everyone.