Life of a Singapore PADI Scuba Diving Instructor

This is damn cool. I think I am gonna import a few of these

Anyone interested?

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As the months draw closer to December, the more worried I am becoming.

When Orpheus Dive first started and I lost a fulltime job, I had nightmare every other night. Fearing that I am not able to sustain Orpheus Dive. The first few years were a nightmare, always short of funds, never enough money to pay rental etc… …

Now that Orpheus Dive is an established PADI 5 Star IDC, I fear that it is about to be stagnant. It is time to move Orpheus Dive to the next level, similiar to Waterworld in Phuket, full fledge dive centre with A GOOD COLLECTION of retail equipment, dive courses, dive travel with proper dive consultants to advise divers where to dive.

But with such a sudden expansion, it also means that we are fluctuating the operation cost of Orpheus Dive, which is actually not a good move.

But without this move, it is also rather difficult for Orpheus Dive to expand to the next level, providing divers with better services and quality product. 

Every night, I am just spending time thinking of different strategies to reach out to divers, marketing to divers. I am a firm believer in internet applications, searching the web for a solution for customer servicing.

Okay.. .. time to take a rest early, tomorrow it is viewing of apartments again. 

I was conducting Rescue Diver course theory this week and was explaining to students about real panic situations, and how easily it can be avoided if divers actually get themselves familiar with their diving equipment and perform "BWRAF".

On a typical Saturday morning over at Pulau Dayang, I crossed over to another boat in search of 2 missing dive bags and was talking to Esmond from ScubaHub. On this boat, was another freelance professional (I think) by the name Lloyd (not our Lloyd). Under his care, there were four divers.

One of them seem to have some problems with his Seaquest BCD. He was commenting that the power inflator is not working and he can't inflate his BCD at all. At that moment, I was standing beside him and told him that he should check the connection.

"I did, and I checked it a few times" he replied. As it was not a good morning for me, that statement irritated me. I took the power inflator from him, push the lpi hose in and told him "See, told u to check the connection. it is working now".

He gave me a look and no works of thank you. This added to my irritation and I told him, why is your divemaster not doing his job checking for you? And aren't you trained as a diver to check simple things like this? When was the last time you dived?

And I walked away.

Thought that was the last time I am seeing him. Guess I was wrong.

On Sunday morning, we were about to do our deep adventures in diving over at Rayner's Rock. Wen Seang's 3 rescue divers were already in water at that point when I did my entry with my two advanced open water diver. Upon entering and just when were started descending, I notice someone on the surface calling for help. Thinking it was Wen Seang doing his rescue course, I carried on descending to about a metre, when I notice that Wen Seang and his three rescue divers were still on the surface together. Immediately, I signaled to my two students to ascend, and giving firmed instructions to wait for me on the surface, I started my swim towards the unknown diver. Along the way, which is a good 40 metres, one of our rescue diver, Janet, thinking that it was another rescue scene in her course, started pursue towards the panic victim. 

I pulled her back telling her that it is not part of her training but a actual case, I overtook her and approached the panic diver. From the rear, grabbing hold of his power inflator, I noticed that IT WAS THE SAME FUCKER that I was talking to in the morning, Mr FUCKED CAI. Well, his inflator was definitely not working this time and I had to orally inflate his BCD for him. Got him to lied back, check his air and realise that the DAMN STUPID MOTHER FUCKER did not turn on his air. I told him his air was not on and all he replied " I did on, I checked, I breath from it, got air one" Before I could see my next phrase, he started his descend to reunite with his group.

AGITATED!!!!!!!! YES I WAS, DAMN MOTHER FUCKER. IF YOU ARE READING THIS DAMN POST, MY STATEMENT TO YOU IS "DO YOUR FUCKING BWRAF BEFORE YOUR DIVE AND BEFORE YOUR NEXT DIVE TRIP, GO FOR A DAMN FUCKING SCUBA REVIEW! You are a damn stupid ungrateful bastard. I should have let you experience secondary drowning so that you know HOW FUCKING UNGRATEFUL AND DUMB AND STUPID YOU ARE. I DO not need to be reminded how many stupid divers who are cheapskate and go for cheap courses, and in return, go diving without the proper training and care and concern for their own fucking safety.

To all divers reading this thread and I know that there are many of you reading, simple drill like a BWRAF should not be taken lightly. There is a reason why your instructor take their timing explaining the importance of BWRAF to you. Is to ensure that you are safe as a diver and you are competent enough to take care of yourself.

And for the million and one divers who are cheapskate and dun want to do scuba reviews and or purchase your own diving equipment, stop diving immediately. Diving has her own inherent risk like any other sports, if proper training is not done, you are ABOUT TO PAY A FINAL VISIT TO YOUR MAKER, GOD!

But jokes aside, enough of me being angry. This is something serious and a lesson for all. We DO NOT BELONG to the sea and pretty much, we are just visitors. We should all learn to respect the importance of proper training, proper equipment and maintenance, taking time and effort to improve ourselves as a diver to ensure 101% safety. 

This weekend has got to be a jinxed weekend for diving. Why you asked? Well, let's see the number of things that did not go right for us and the entire diving industry

1) Shark Attack in Sipadan Islands. Yes, you read right. Over the week, a diver was in critical condition of an attack from a Grey Reef Shark. News yet to be confirm.

2) Ferry from Tioman caught fire. 4 Dead, 5 injured

3) Orpheus Dive lost 2 dive bags

4) Rescue Divers encountered a real Panic Diver Situation, see post on it! 

This has to be of the worst nightmare of any advertisers. Instead of showing what you are supposed to, Bill Gates came and make a visit

Suntec Media

Suntec Media

I am back, feeling poorer, colder and sick. Yes, age is catching up for sure. Between 9 to 14 August, under Orpheus Dive, I brought a total of 24 divers to Bali to dive with the much talked about, much heard about and much brag about - Mola Mola and Manta Rays.

Read the rest of “Bali Expedition in August” »

Well, finally took a "teachable" course with them over the weekend (Deep Specialty). What can I say… The crew was friendly, accomodating but overall the whole organisation was still administratively WEAK, yet again. sigh… also, no theory, no manual, no video (something wrong here?), just a couple of seemingly silly exercises done during the dive segment (this part's PADIs requirement). Worth the money? considering it only cost less than a hundred bucks for the course, mmmmm…. not if you wanna learn something useful… I had a different objective in mind, as such for me, yes on two counts (evaluation & insurance). Did they meet all of the requirements set by Padi for the course… the jury's still out on a definite answer… In a Nutshell, if you wanna learn something well and proper, probably not the BEST place. But if you just need the certification, than possibly one of the ideal places to approach. - goodeatsfan 01/08/07

I came across the posting from a local dive forum recently. What caught my eyes is that it was posted by someone I really know and has paid LOTTSA MONEY to attend a GUE course. I have removed the name of the dive centre, just in case if anyone stumble upon this site and think that I am trying to stir up something.

Well, the above mentioned is a new PADI 5 Star IDC. One of the highest rating given to a dive centre that has met supreme standards by PADI. However, what really amazed me is "no theory, no manual, no video". According to the diver who has attended the course, he was telling them about me/Orpheus Dive and the owner went on rattling "Wah, this Lester, very evil. Only bother about watching me dying. Only want us to waste money and nah nah nah.. …"

Grow up motherfuckers. If you want people to stop bitching about you, do things right and do things good. Trying to cut corners and breaking standards are not something any instructors nor dive centres should be proud of. Like what Greg used to tell me "If you cannot even do it right here in Singapore, what makes you think that you can do it right anywhere else in the world".

Specialty courses are not to be taken lightly. It is a course where divers who are really keen in learning more, wanting to dive safely. With such records of teaching, in no time, no divers would want to attend any courses, let it be specialty courses.

For those people reading this, yes, I do understand when there are times that standards are broken, but breaking it till no point of return, this is too much. Skipping one or two, I can understand.

According to training standards for PADI Deep Specialty, the following are inclusion of the course.

Recommended depths for each dive:
Dive 1 — 24 metres/80 feet to 30 metres/100 feet
Note: The maximum depth for Dive 1 is 30 metres/100 feet
Dive 2 — 18 metres/60 feet to 24 metres/80 feet
Dive 3 — 30 metres/100 feet to 40 metres/130 feet
Dive 4 — 18 metres/60 feet to 30 metres/100 feet

Safety equipment
a. Boat or surface float with weighted reference descent/scent line.

b. First aid supplies and equipment. Recommended: First aid kit, Pocket Mask and oxygen.

c. Boat/surfboard for rapid surface transport

d. 6-metre/20-foot weighted line for safety stops and practicing an emergency-decompression stop.

e. Backup air supply attached to 6-metre/20-foot weighted
line

f. Surface signaling devices

On another note on independent study, even if a course allows independent study, candidates need to have some form of reference materials. Video, deep diver specialty manual or knowledge reviews. In this case, there is nothing. It is as good as, you come, you pay me money, i take you to 40 metres, we surface, do safety stop and get your certification. What do students learn? Nothing!

This is really sad 

For those reading this and wanting to look for a broadband connection, RULE pacific internet out. Not only do they have a billing problem, the line is THE MOST UNSTABLE LINE I have ever experience.

It is 4am in the morning and I am rushing out work and realise that I can surf all Singapore IP sites and use MSN but NOT other websites. No google, no yahoo, no searches of any sort.

What is wrong with them? 

As the trip to Lembeh draws closer, the urge of getting a housing for my new D200 grows stronger. So many options, at different prices, getting a housing is mind boggling.

Unlike OEM housings from brands like Canon, Olympus, Sony etc, third parties housing markers such as Ikelite, Nexus, Zillion, Sea and Sea, Aquatica, Seacam, Subal and many others all have their own unique selling points.

So how do you decide which housing to get?

Read the rest of “Housing for D200″ »

This probably has nothing to do with photography, diving or traveling. But recently, my staffs have been bitten by the PSP bug and it seems that everyone is walking around the shop holding onto a PSP.

Let's see, the list starts from

1) John Lui
2) Andy Skarda
3) Geof
4) Geof 2
5) Calvin
6) Ben
7) Janice
Chris
9) Wen Seang

Now, the problem is, half of them are wondering how to place DVD movies onto the PSP using a Mac. So this article is for you guys.

Read the rest of “Tutorial on Conversion and loading videos of DVD to PSP” »