PADI Forum 2010 Reminder ~ Brighton

PADI have sent me a reminder that their local 2010 Forum is being held on Saturday 27th February at Brighton College , Eastern Road, Brighton, BN2 0AL at 7pm.

This is always a great opportunity to hear what's new in the PADI world and to meet other PADI professionals.

Very conveniently it is being held in Brighton. Click HERE for details of the location.

Hope to see you there.

Per Ardua ad Astra .... and now the Seas!

Per Ardua ad Astra , is the motto of the Royal Air Force and means "Through Struggles to the Stars" but for members of the Air Training Corp Squadrons at Steyning & Storrington it might read "No Struggles to the Seas" as both Squadrons are planning to undertake the PADI Open Water Course. Iain S, an ex-military trained diver and now a work colleague of mine is putting the plan together which is hoped will involve twenty-five Cadets.

Iain has already started to put the plans into action with Ocean View Diving Services at Lancing. Twenty-five Open Water courses should keep them busy for a while and when they have done that Iain is planning a Red Sea trip for the Cadets to do their Advanced Open Water Course. Well done Iain, and thanks for the offer of joining you , I am glad to be of some assistance.

A belated 'Welcome' to blogging!

A belated welcome to PADI in joining the world of blogging. Since March 2009 PADI have been running a blog to track developments in their DSAT TecRec range of courses. In 2006 Meridian Divers was the first scuba blog in the South East and since then there has been a considerable growth in the media for promoting recreational diving, we are proud to have 'done our bit' to encourage interest and very pleased to see the TecRec blog.

The new range of DSAT TecRec courses becam available on 1st September , take a look at the TecRec blog for more information ...click HERE!

Project Aware Beach Clean-Up - 19th Sept

Ocean View have cordially invited Meridian Divers Friends and families to take part in a Beach Clean-Up in aid of PADI Project Aware. Please post a comment if you would like to help out. Looks pretty good to me especially the Hog Roast bit!

Where and when: 12.00, Saturday 19th September at Beach Green, Lancing. Beach Clean-Up & free hog roast with the purchase of a raffle ticket.

Courses Anyone?

Just to let you know some course dates that Ocean View are running over the coming months that may benefit some of you :-

EFR-1st March (Have you checked when yours runs out?)

PADI Rescue -7/8th March

PADI Specialty Week-End - 14/15th March. This weekend includes DEEP(for holiday?), WRECK and DRYSUIT all taking place at Vobster.

PADI A.O.W. -4/5th April. One of the only centres I know that lets you choose what YOU want to do for example Boat, DPV, Drift, Drysuit (would require a pool orientation) Multi-Level and Computer, Night, Peak Performance Buoyancy, Digital Underwater Photography, Search and Recovery, Fish ID, Wreck.

Give Graeme a call at Ocean View if you would like to book anything on offer here and don`t forget OV club members get a discount on ALL courses as well as free air and half price Nitrox.

PADI Clothing ~ New Range

With the abundance of Meridian Divers apparel at our finger tips you will have probably got all the clobber you possibly want ...but if you haven't and you are still looking for more you can see the NEW PADI range HERE.

New Project AWARE ~ PADI Certification Cards

The new PADI 'Project AWARE Certification Cards are now available for 2009 Certifications ~ makes you want to go out and get another certification doesn't it! Hmmm, and our Red Sea Trip is looming up!

Optional Specialties for warm water divers (:-)) :- Wreck, Deep, Night, U/W Nav, Boat, Drift, U/W Naturalist.

Stop Press! Meridian Divers in the Chamber

As I write a party of Meridian Divers are in the 'pot' . No it's not that kind of party! They are all at London Hyperbaric Medicine for a recompression awareness course. I first organised divers training visits to the Chamber in 2005 and several trips since then has seen continued enthusiasm for this well regarded trip. It's also very gratifying to see that other diving groups have also appreciated the value of this training.

Full report on the visit in due course.

NAS Honours the Meridian Divers "T R Thompson" Project

Meridian Divers, Tad, Sheila & Chris were delighted to be invited to the Nautical Archaeology Society (NAS) 2008 Annual Conference held on Saturday 8th November at "ACTION STATIONS" in Portsmouth's Historic Dockyard, itself the home of HMS Victory.

The Conference, supported by PADI, BSAC, SAA, English Heritage, Historic Scotland and others, had a packed Agenda with some of the leading UK and overseas archaeologists. With such an eminent and erudite line-up of speakers one might reasonably wonder why Meridian Divers were invited.


Well the answer is simple, the NAS wished to honour Meridian Diver's for their Adopt A Wreck Project (see linked blog , link top right of this page). On behalf of the NAS, Mr Ray Sutcliffe FSA read out a glowing citation on the work of Meridian Divers and the extent to which the project had traced living relatives of the Steamship T R Thompson, sunk in 1918. The citation included a special reference to the succesful use of the broadcast media which had promoted maritime heritage.


Tad , on behalf of Meridian Divers was called to the dias and presented with a Certificate and a engraved glass wine decanter. The Certificate , for 'Runners-Up' in the 2008 Adopt a Wreck Awards was all the more meaningful to Meridian Divers as it surpassed the Certificates of Merit awarded to several other impressive projects. After the presentation several members of the NAS came forward to add their personal endorsement of the Project. It was a very proud day in the history of Meridian Divers and provides some independent and authoritative support for our work. It was particularly pleasing to know that PADI Internal was a member of the Judging Panel for this year's award. The PADI web site has previously carried reports of the projects progress.
. The engraved decanter

. The base of the engraved decanter Meridian Divers would like to thank all those who have contributed to the T R Thompson Project.

Recompression Chamber Visit ~ 9th November

'Joining Instructions' for all those taking part have been emailed out today. If you are on this trip and haven't received the details - add a comment or drop me an email!

Please read the instructions carefully - especially if you want the PADI Specialty Certification!

PADI/SITA Seminar Bristol

for all those that are DM or above you maybe intersted in this
Could be worth sending an MD contigent along. Maybe you planning on becoming a DM and would like to come along (Simon)

If you're planning your diary for 2009 make Monday 9th February a date to come to Bristol for this annual industry seminar.
It's an opportunity to mingle with industry colleagues, and hear presentations on topics affecting our market from other industry stakeholders.
There's also an industry dinner where you can let your hair down after a good day's networking.
Interested?

PADI

post a comment if interested

Who`s Going Pro?

I have been reliably informed that another MD`er is starting down the going pro route, I would like to say good luck and look forward to working with you.

Red Sea Liveaboard ~ Training

There have been several questions about training opportunities on the proposed trip and the answer is 'Yes'. I can arrange training and where appropriate the knowledge development can be completed in the UK before the diving trip takes place. A variety of PADI Specialties (inc Nitrox), Advanced Open Water & Master Scuba Diver for example. Drop me an email if this is something that interests you.

Hello to Sussex Scuba

Hello Sussex Scuba & welcome to the MD blog readership (or so Simon tells us).

Any dive centre that fills Simon's tanks deserves some special thanks - why? Because he's one man drain on any gas blender due to the sheer number of dives he manages to squeeze in around work!

So well done Sussex Scuba!

Recompression Chamber Visit ~ Green Light

Looks likes a GREEN light for this plan , subject to a date to be agreed. I have heard from the Chamber and they are welcoming (as ever).

The Chamber visit , dry dive, & awareness session is expected be £40 but an additional £18 if you want the PADI Specialty Certification . That's very good value. Jane Stevens (PADI IDC Staff Instructor) will take the course, she ran the last course I observed there a while ago.

The expressions of interest list will be maintained on the earlier 'linked' post. We are now into 'Reserves' but that is always handy as we have yet to agree a date.

Recompression Chamber Specialty

At the last MD meeting the option of a visit to a recompression chamber was discussed. Having organised many trips over the years I am happy to do so again if there is demand (a lot of MDers already have the PADI Specialty), of course any of our diving associates & buddies are more than welcome to come.

The visit is well worthwhile, particulary for those who want a far better appreciation of the effects of nitrogen narcosis, decompression illness and it's treatment. Add a comment / contact me if you are interested. Demand will determine whether or not we run another trip. No dates in mind yet but probably between November 2008 / March 2009.

Use the labels link below to research previous posts on Chamber visits! Or if you have access to SportDIVER July 2006 you'll see a full page report on one of the trips I organised.

Expressions of interest:-

1. Chris P
2. Steve L
3. Matt W
4. Sean G
5. Gary S
6. Tina W
7. Tony (bailing-out , work!)
8. Tad
Res 1. Terry
.......................................
Res 2. Max
Res 3. Trez
Res 4.

R.I.P Horsea Island

Well as we are getting over the binned weekend in Looe some of you may be thinking to go for a inland site just to get wet, well you won`t be going to Horsea again EVER it seems.

Yes, its finally been closed after much campaigning as of 30/06/08 no civillian entry is permitted, although the the memories of my open water course nil vis,f reezing cold, mask flooding at this site seemed like hell on earth at the time I think we`ve lost a good training and kit testing site

PADI ? .... Non! Petition for Signing!

Many of you will remember Pete & Lyn Foreman, hitherto PADI Instructors of this Parish and now in the South of France. Below is an extract from a message from them regarding a problem I was totally unaware of beforehand!

Hi
We have now managed to secure a year round mooring in the south of France just a few hours drive from the mountains, to give us time to organise our winter business. This will free us up more time to sort out the summers, and we can also get a few jobs done to the boat which we need to do if we are to eventually head off east (Greece, Turkey, Croatia are all possibilities), where there are more diving opportunities.
We would like to do some diving here in the south of France, but as you may know, the French will not recognise the PADI qualification, and so it may be difficult for us to teach in France.
PADI are fighting the case to get recognised in France, and have recently e-mailed us with a petition. They want OWSI's to get their students to sign and send to France to say that they want to be able to be taught in France under the PADI system and their open water qualification to be recognised without having to take a further test set by the French.

We would be really grateful if you could get anyone possible to sign it and send it, as it seems really crazy that PADI is recognised almost everywhere, but not in France which is on the doorstep.

Pete and Lyn

Pete & Lyn have sent me copies of the petition for divers & prospective divers to sign. If you would like to have the petition documents sent to you just let me know or add a comment to this post.

Good to hear from you guys, good luck with your cointinuing adventure!

Chris

PADI Equipment Specialty ~ 29th June

Hi all,
I have 1 space left for an Equipment Specialty course with Simon Foster at Ocean View on Sunday 29th June this course, by all accounts, Simon goes above and beyond the course requirements and is well worth completing. The cost is approx £100 and will go on all day. If you missed the last course attended by Meridian Divers and want to attend please leave a message or call me, Chris or Tracy have my number.

PADI 'Around the Globe' News ~ T R T Project

PADI have given the Meridian Diver T R T Project a further boost by including it in their 'Around the Globe' news section on the PADI web site. PADI have written to MD with support for our project which compliments PADI's Respect Our Wrecks and Project Aware work.

You can see the PADI article on the following link:-

http://www.padi.com/padi/en/kd/around_the_globe/02001858/Default.aspx