Archive for February, 2008

Tim certifies two new BSAC technical divers

By , 27 February, 2008, No Comment

Congratulations to Franky & Clare who have recently qualified as technical divers with DJL Diving.

Both came from Koh Tao Dive professional backgrounds. Clare did her PADI Divemaster training with Island Dive Club, before working as a freelance Divemaster for several dive shops. Franky has been teaching as a PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor with Coral Grand Divers at the north end of Sairee Beach.

Under Tim’s tuition, both Franky and Clare took the BSAC Advanced Nitrox course, Franky then going on to also complete his BSAC Extended Range Diver Training.

The course concluded with a days deep decompression diving visiting the WW2 Japanese Schooner and Unicorn ship wrecks north of Koh Tao, Thailand.

Franky will be joining us on our tech diving liveaboard to the South China Sea this May – we hope that Clare also continues to exersise her technical diving skills.

If you’re interested in finding out what’s involved in deep technical diver training, contact DJL Diving or visit the tech diving section on our website.

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DJL Diving qualifies as PADI Gold Palm Resort

By , 27 February, 2008, No Comment

We’re happy to anounce that DJL Diving has been upgraded to become a PADI Gold Palm Resort [from our previous status of PADI Dive Resort].

Padi gold palm resort koh tao

The higher status is a result of the effort we’ve put into maintaining safe, quality PADI Diver training plus a range of exciting diving options.

In the words of PADI ‘The PIRA Gold Palm Resort membership classification is awarded to progressive PIRA Members that excel in providing quality services to traveling divers. A PIRA Gold Palm Resort presents a professional image and actively promotes the benefits of recreational scuba diving and snorkeling, dive travel and environmental awareness. A Gold Palm Resort’s appearance and performance compares favorably with quality resort dive operators in the local area and exceeds the local norm for dive resort standards.

A PIRA Gold Palm Resort not only adheres to PADI educational standards, but conducts PADI programs as outlined in the PADI Instructor Manual using all appropriate materials for each course. PADI continuing education programs are offered regularly ensuring traveling divers the opportunity to advance their skills and knowledge. A PIRA Gold Palm Resort considers customer satisfaction, dive experience, ducation, safety, and environmental awareness as important aspects of diver training programs.’

With the opening of our new pool / bar / restaurant expected within the next month, we’re hoping to have another great year in 2008.

You can see our new PADI Gold Palm Resort status displayed on the PADI Website by searching through the ‘Find your PADI Dive Center’ feature.

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Marlin encounter diving at the Chumphon Pinnacles Koh Tao

By , 11 February, 2008, No Comment

During one of our late afternoon dive trips to the Chumphon Pinacles, our divers got to see a blue marlin above the dive site.

It’s very rare to see these large blue water fish - they’re rarely seen hanging out around the dive sites, rather spending most of their time in the open sea. Plus they are very fast [so no photo this time].

high speed RIB diving in Koh Tao

Image: DJL Diving’s twin engine high speed RIB

Diving from our high speed RIB, the blue marlin was visible as the divers entered the water and descended down towards the dive site. It didn’t stick around for long, quickly dispearing off into the blue!

For the rest of thedive, the guys got to witness the more predictable sharks, bat fish, barracuda and giant grouper that congregate at the spectacular Chumphon Pinnacle.

It all goes to show, that by making the effort to get out to the distant dive sites when there are no other Koh Tao dive operators there, is more than worth it. When the dive site is quiet, you never know what will turn up!

If you interested in taking advantage of our High Speed RIB diving, get in touch.

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Shark Diving gets DJL Diving featured in DAN Asia Pacific article

By , 1 February, 2008, No Comment

As a result of our awesome shark diving sessions off the high speed RIB, DJL Diving have been mentioned in an article featured on the end of 2007 ‘Deeper with DAN’ bulletin.

Our RIB allows us to reach Koh Tao’s best  dive site when there are no other dive operators - the result is a close encounter with lots of sharks.

diving with sharks

Image: Shark at the Chumphon Pinnacle [Taken by DJL Instructor Arne D'Hoore]

Last year, underwater photographers and keen ‘shark divers’ Robin Nagy & Richard Campbell took advantage of this exciting diving opportunity, and got up close with ths sharks at the Chumphon Pinnacles. In their report, they put convincing evidence that the sharks are not grey reef sharks [the Koh Tao general consensus] but rather juvenile bull sharks.

 

Image: Shark at the Chumphon Pinnacle [Taken by DJL Instructor Arne D'Hoore]

You can see the article by visiting the DAN Asia Pacific website [Divers Alert Network] on this link: ‘DAN Asia Pacific’

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