Brian celebrates winning 1st prize

This years annual Divemaster giveaway saw winner Brian bagging 46,000 baht worth of PADI dive courses. Brian won his Advanced Open Water, Emergency First Responder, Rescue Diver & Divemaster Courses for free in DJL’s annual competition. Congratulations Brian!

The two lucky runners up were Callum & Lucy. Callum won 15% of his Divemaste course (worth 3,750 baht) while Lucy won 15% of her EFR, Rescue & Divemaster course worth (5,650 baht).

Needless to say the celebratory drinks were flowing on the night of the draw. Thanks to Brian for his generous contribution behind the bar, allowing his 10 fellow candidates to help him celebrate in style.

You will be pleased to know that we are already taking bookings for Divemasters in 2012. Anyone who wishes to start a Divemaster Internship between 1st July & 30th August 2012 has a chance of winning it for free and 2 runners-up also get a discount on their Divemaster course. There is no obligation to work for us for free after like with most other free Divemaster Internships. Next year’s draw will be held on the 31st of August at DJL Koh Tao, we hope to see you there!

Runner-Up Callum wins 3,750 baht

Runner-Up Lucy takes home 5,650 baht

Andy enjoying his new job at DJL Diving

I started my divemaster trainee internship in March after doing my advanced and rescue courses at DJL. I really enjoyed my internship because it allowed me to really become a great diver and to experience what it would be like working as a divemaster. I was assisting on courses with the instructors, helping the divemasters with customers and of course fun diving with the other DMT’s. The amount of diving I did over a couple of months was unbelievable, and finished my internship with over 100 dives on Koh Tao.
During my internship I took the opportunity to expand my skills by doing courses that weren’t included in the dive master programme, such as the PADI 02 provider, Aqualung technician course and discover scuba dive leader. These extra courses showed me that the divemaster programme is just the start of my professional education.
After spending two and a half months doing my divemaster internship, and spending a little extra time getting additional qualifications, I left Koh Tao for a visit at home. Two weeks later I’m back on Koh Tao and working as a full-time divemaster at DJL. I love working as a divemaster, and after doing the internship and now working as a full time divemaster I cant imagine doing anything else. I know I still have a lot to learn but that’s why DJL is great, all the staff love diving and are always keen to pass on the knowledge they have.
Andy Cartledge

After finishing my open water and advanced I left to continue my travels, but I soon realised I wasn’t finished diving on Koh Tao. I returned a week later to start my Divemaster course. I’m almost finished now and still enjoying it. I dive almost everyday and assist on open water courses when the instrucors need an assistant.

I’ve enjoyed everyday of my Divemaster course and it’s a shame I have to leave in three weeks, but I’ll be a certified Divemaster.

Andy Richards – DJL DMT

We had a lot of fun hanging out with these guys, and although the big storm at the start of their course put things on hold for a week or so they made some fantastic videos when everything got back to normal.

Also the two runners up get a discount! No previous dive knowledge necessary. The warm waters, tropical fish, sharks and white beaches have made Koh Tao has over recent years become one of the best places in the world to learn to dive. Adding to this Thailand offers cheaper diving courses than anywhere else.

So become a professional diver today and work all round the globe in some of the worlds most exotic and unique places. No previous diving knowledge is needed to take part in this chance to become a Divemaster for free. Plus most importantly there is no obligation to work for us for free after like with most free Divemaster Internships.

The draw will be held on the 30th of August so those who are just finishing and those who are just starting both get to see it take place

BOOK BY: 29th August 2011
STARTING BETWEEN: July 2011-August 2011

PADI Divemaster Trainee, Lisa

Three years ago, I came to DJL for my Open Water Course. As is the norm (or so it seems,) I stayed and completed my Advanced Open Water and some fun dives. I left Koh Tao with the memory of Luke, then a Divemaster, taking me to Chumphon Pinnacle to see sharks and through the swim-throughs at Green Rock. 1,000 days and a few jobs later, I am back to Koh Tao and embarking upon my Divemaster. A trip around the world was hijacked, a boyfriend was (temporarily) abandoned, and a lifestyle was discovered the minute my feet were again in the DJL shop.

A few days ago, I hit my 70th dive. For over two days of my life, I have been underwater and breathing through a series of tubes and metal called a regulator. The first few, I was completely focused on survival. The next dozen, I was perfecting the technique. Then came the phase in which I started to notice the world around me, and searched for the whale sharks, schools of fusiliers, and the flamboyant nudi branchs sharing the water. Finally, I realized I was good at this, felt relaxed, and although I have yet to come across a turtle in Koh Tao, I have been content with what I have seen.

On more than a few occasions, I have tried to decipher why each dive still causes me to become excited. I continue to choose to be in bed by 10 to board the rocking long-tail boat at 7:00. Every time, before my giant stride entry into the water, I am smiling. Diving has become to me the most incredible system of repetition. Every time I get in the water, there is something new. I might be looking out for a particular creature. I might be trying to dive with a different wetsuit that is more positively buoyant. Perhaps one of the other DMT’s, John or Danielle, will need assistance. Assisting the instructors, from Luke to Neil, Sabrina to Giles, each offers it’s own series of challenges and learning opportunities. It is possible that I will get underwater and not be able to see more than a meter in front of me. If nothing else, I can choose to beat my personal time for underwater headstand at any given depth on any “boring” dive.

The idea of being comfortable with the basics of a thing, and therefore embracing the details, is not new to me. Teaching middle school had its moments, but still remained so largely out of my control. While I can’t control the outside environment in the Gulf of Thailand, I can master my own part of it. Singing a song at Karaoke. A yoga pose. Writing. Being a friend. It is only in repetition that the truth of many things comes to light. Sing a song enough times and you know the note that trips you up, the place your boredom with the melody begins. Downward facing dog pose has only improved after I had reached my 20th attempt. As I teach my students, the more I go through the writing process the stronger I become with a pen. And it is only by rehashing the mistakes I repeatedly made being a friend that I scratch the surface of why I did it.

This is what is often missing in traveling – no familiar routines. DJL has started to counteract this. I know I can come in here every morning and see the instructors, ready to dive and as much as they pretend to be reluctant, ready to answer my questions about diving. I have a routine again. This is an improvement from the day to day work back home. I have nothing each day that I am choosing to do, to get better at, to practice to the extent that I can sense the smallest improvement as a major accomplishment. It is a nice reminder that a repetitive activity completed for enjoyment is not selfish – rather, it is necessary to make the pedantic feel exciting, the details seem important, and life as a series of manageable tasks. New goal: remember the value of repetition, wherever I may go. Even if it doesn’t involve an aluminum tank on my back and wrinkled skin on my fingertips.

The author, Lisa, is an American who has been a PADI Divemaster Trainee at DJL for a month and will (tragically) be completing her course in the next few weeks.

After completing my Divemaster Internship with Davy Jones Locker in the summer  of 2009, I returned home to the UK for University. This summer I decided to return to Thailand to become a PADI Dive Instructor with DJL.

I had great fun on my Instructor Development Course, Pete was a great instructor and I’d like to thank him for helping me pass my Instructor Exam.

I would strongly recommend doing your Divemaster and Instructor courses at Davy Jones Locker. All the instructors there are very friendly and will do their upmost to ensure you have a great time diving in Koh Tao!

Tom McMurray 20, UK

Ay Up!

Tom Hibbert 21, from Goole East Yorkshire is the latest DJL student to Qualify as a Divemaster. Here’s what Tom had to say about his time on Koh Tao..

Hello!

I first went diving in Egypt when I was 18 and fell in love with diving there and then. I booked with Davy Jones Locker soon after, using real gap. I booked a year in advance which killed me, I was working in a Tescos warehouse in Goole at the time, it was a very long year!

I arrived in Koh Tao April 1st to complete my zero to hero divemaster course. It took me a while to climatise to the hot weather here, so went in search for air con. The island is beautiful with fantastic views and the diving is amazing. It took me 3 months to complete the courses, and I also took on the deep diver, nitrox and intro to tech dive course add ons.

Met some great people here at DJL (staff & customers), I would like to thank Si, Alex & Pete for all their help during the divemaster internship. I have to mention my fellow DMT’s Joe, Bobby Bob Bob, Sam, Beau, Jade, Harry & Chris for their help through the course and ‘evening antics’. I had originally planned to return home to the uk in July however I’m still here working on the DJL Snorkel & Party boat, hoping to pick up some Divemaster work shortly.

I will be returning home soon for a flying visit, although will return to hopefully further my diving career as an Instructor, Technical Diver and to take on the DJL boat handling course.

I would highly reccommend booking a divemaster course with Davy Jones Locker, I’ve had the time of my life!

Here’s what Yorkshire Tom actually wrote, before translation..

The course is run over 3 days.

Day 1 Nitrox and Deep academics

Day 2 Dive 1 & 2 (0n Nitrox 32% & 36%)

Day 3 Dive 3 (40m) & 4 (30m)

Diving in Koh Tao you get used to warm water and I was feeling the cold at the end of the first dive; a chilly 21 degrees, but we warmed up on the boat and during the surface interval entered a very large cavern. Legend has it that during the second world war a japanese sub’ used the cavern to effect repairs away from the eyes of the NZ navy patrols. Our second dive was made just outside the cave around kelp forests and swim-throughs. Cracking couple of dives in the Poor Knights; shame we have to move on,  thanks to the Jeroen and the team at diving.co.nz for making us feel so welcome. One more stop off and its back to Tao and some more diving expeditions…

Ex Davy Jones Locker student Harry Smith is jetting off to the tropical islands of Vanuatu to continue his dive career as a PADI Dive Instructor.

Harry came to DJL early last year and undertook the Divemaster Internship program. From there he completed the Instructor course and Master Scuba Diver Trainer course. Only 2 weeks after completing these courses with DJL, Harry was offered a job through the PADI website.

Vanuatu is a chain of around 80 small volcanic islands located between Fiji and New Zealand, we are sure Harry will excel in his new dive career in paradise and wish him the best of luck!

Petu, Tori, Luke & Dan

On behalf of everyone here at Davy Jones Locker, I would like to say a big Congratulations to the latest 4 Divemasters to complete the 2-month internship programme. Well done to Tori, Luke, Petu and Dan on becoming the newest PADI professionals here on Koh Tao. To celebrate their achievements, DJL Pool Bar laid on an infamous ’snorkel test’ in the theme of Kiss. All the guys dressed to impress, took on various drinking challenges and even performed an air guitar style classic before taking on the final snorkel test. Well done again guys and thanks for choosing DJL, we all wish you every success in your future dive careers.

Another 2 New certified Divemasters successfully completed their Divemaster internship at DJL. Adrian Cole and Heesham Garroun both from Australia have just spent the past 2 – 4 months working hard and enjoying the great diving Koh Tao has to offer. The guys came as novice divers but after lots of swim tests, assits, lectures, skill circuits and leading dives, the two aussies excelled themselves as excellent Divemasters. After completing the course Adrian also continued his further education and completed his Videography course and provided some fun wacky dive videos.

Myself and the rest of the DJL team would like to congratulate the boys and wish them every success in the future.

Hi my name’s Steven I’m from Scotland and I have just completed my open water to dive master course, or zero to hero as it’s known at DJL, I was working in Singapore before I came here and fancied going somewhere for a holiday before I went home and I saw this course on the real gap website so I decided that I would have a holiday and get a qualification at the same time. DJL is a really good dive school it’s not the biggest dive school but I think that’s part of it’s charm, everyone knows you which helps with meeting new people and girls…, the training I got was second to none and all the instructors are a fine bunch of guys and girls Alex, Callum, Emil ,Fred, Hanna, James, Luke and last but not least Si , special thanks to Tim for letting me do the intro to tech with him, nice to know that you’re in safe hands at 45.2 meters don’t think I’ll laugh so much underwater again. I would recommend taking the course to anyone because it’s a great experience and if I can manage to pass anyone can! Haha, the hardest part is just saying good bye to all the people who have became my friends over the past 3 months.
Cheers guys have a laucow for me at the bar!
Steven aka Scotland

After spending 3 years traveling between Thailand and the UK I decided it was time to do something in Thailand. I was
searching the internet for divemaster internships around Thailand and after many e-mails sent and received I decided to do my divemaster internship with DJL diving on the island of Koh Tao.
I first arrived here just after Christmas 2007, to a great reception. I was shown my home for the next 2 months while I would be doing my course, introduced to the team at DJL and given my own full set of dive equipment which was my own to keep. So i did my Open Water course, Advanced Open Water course, First aid training and rescue diver. By this time I already had taken full advantage of the unlimited fun diving included and was well on my way to getting the 20 dives needed to start the Divemaster course. During my divemaster training I learnt how to organise a busy dive boat, how to safely navigate and lead divers around divesite and about all the theory behind diving. But the best thing about the course apart from the partying on the island was assisting the dive instructors at the shop on their courses, getting to watch and learn from experienced professional PADI instructors was amazing and made me decide that this was the job for me .
So after many hangovers, intro to tech dives, diving with whalesharks, bullsharks and all the other amazing underwater life here I finally completed my Divemater course and was lucky enough to be given a job as a divemaster here at DJL. After I working my ass off for a year and gaining loads of experience and losing a few pounds i was ready to take the next step in the PADI system and go on to do my PADI instructor training here at DJL. It takes just over two weeks of classroom and water work and I learned how to use my divemaster skills in new ways to teach people how to dive. I was finally there after lots of hard work I was a PADI Open Water dive instructor and was given a job here at DJL. Now I’m still on the amazing island of Koh Tao working a dream job, meeting lots of people and diving all the time. So when you come to Davy Jones Locker to do your Divemaster Course you don’t just do your course and then leave, we will help you with your future career in diving if thats the path you choose.
See you on the island soon.
Luke White