Another 100% pass-rate at the PADI I.E.

The first PADI IDC and IE of 2012 are now all over, and we are happy to say that yet again all candidates were successful, and we now have five new PADI Instructors.  Henry, Judith, Lee, Mac and Martin are all now proud PADI Open Water Scuba Instructors hungry to find their first students.

Five happy PADI Instructors, one PADI Examiner and one PADI Course Director...

Following an extremely pleasurable couple of weeks in the classroom with me, and a couple of slightly ‘stressful’ days at the IE, the new instructors are now in a much more relaxed mood.  But it doesn’t stop there…  After a day of rest and relaxation, we are all back in the classroom to start with some Specialty Instructor training.  This training will help improve their skill and knowledge base, and make them much more attractive to potential employers.  This afternoon we start with Nitrox Instructor, and over the coming days we will be training in Wreck, Deep, Digital Underwater Photography, Reef Shark Awareness, Navigation and various other areas…

Digital Underwater Photography Specialty Instructor training…

 

Deep Specialty Instructor training…
Wreck Specialty Instructor training…

If you like to follow in the footsteps of the new instructors and become qualified to teach diving all over the world, then please send me an e-mail for further details…

 

Photos by Rich Reardon

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The final PADI IDC of 2011…

Thresher Shark Divers’ final PADI IDC of 2011 has finished with yet another very happy PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor !!  Ryan flew into Malapascua Island a couple of weeks ago as a PADI Divemaster, and has now flown back to Qatar as a very happy PADI Instructor eager to find his first students !!

 

Ryan getting his certificate from PADI Examiner George Wegmann

 

After arriving in the Philippines, and making the short trip from Cebu City up to Malapascua Island, Ryan got straight into the water for a Skill Circuit, before hitting the classroom for the start of the IDC proper.  After a couple of presentations from myself, it wasn’t long before it was time for Ryan to take centre stage and deliver his Knowledge Development presentations and teach us all about the PADI RDP…

 

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh......

 

'Divers, know your limits !!'

 

Following some very good presentations in the classroom, it was soon time for Ryan to try his hand at teaching in the water too.  Throughout the IDC, and indeed the IE, Ryan recorded some very strong scores…

The CESA...

 

Ryan giving some 'positive reinforcement' to his student after completing a 'Deep Water Exit'...

 

We also found plenty of time to conduct some dives towards Specialty Instructor ratings and to complete EFR Instructor training for Ryan. We completed Specialty Instructor training in Deep, Wreck, Nitrox, Equipment, Night and Navigation specialties.   On a couple of mornings we got up nice and early to venture out to Monad Shoal to dive with Malapascua’s most famous residents – the thresher sharks

Using a reel on Lighthouse Wreck

 

Navigating at Bantigue...

 

Spotted during Deep Specialty Instructor training...

 

Ryan demonstrating infant CPR...

 

We had a great two weeks during the IDC, then we headed down to the city for the PADI Instructor Exams.  Throughout the two-day examination process, Ryan excelled himself with some outstanding scores – including a few perfect 5.0 scores !!  At the end of the two days, Ryan got the all important handshake from PADI Examiner George Wegmann, and then it was time to celebrate…

The IE Orientation

 

Getting a 5.0 in Confined Water...

 

The handshake...

 

Another happy PADI Instructor...

 

If you’re interested in becoming a PADI Pro, then feel free to e-mail me for further details.  Also, check out the Thresher Shark Divers website to see our PADI IDC schedule for the coming year…

 

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PADI IDC starting this week

 

Well, it’s come around quickly, and although instructor specialty ratings are not yet finished from the last PADI IDC, our next IDC is just around the corner.

This is going to be a very small and personal IDC, but if you are interested in signing up, there is still time!

Isn't it time you became a PADI Instructor?!

Contact dive@thresherdivers.com for more info!

 

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Specialty Instructor Training

Following the successful PADI IDC and IE on Malapascua at the end of October, the newly certified PADI Open Water Scuba Instructors have all been very keen to gain extra skills and qualifications.  Over the last week we have conducted various PADI Specialty Instructor courses and had lots of fun and seen some great sights too…

PADI Specialty Instructor Ratings

Simulating an 'Emergency Decompression Stop' during Deep Specialty Instructor training...

 

PADI Specialty Instructor Ratings

A thresher shark - spotted during Reef Shark Awareness training...

PADI Specialty Instructor Ratings

And this little fellow was spotted during the Wreck Specialty training...

The new instructors are all now PADI Enriched Air, Wreck and Deep Specialty Instructors and various other courses have been taken by some of them too.  We have also completed training in Digital Underwater Photography, Emergency Oxygen Provider, Underwater Naturalist and of course Reef Shark Awareness.  Over the next couple of days we will also be completing Search & Recovery, Night and Underwater Navigator Specialty training as well as others…

PADI Specialty Instructor Ratings

Using a reel during Wreck Specialty training...

PADI Specialty Instructor Ratings

Help spread the word about the plight of sharks...

 

Earning PADI Specialty Instructor ratings is a great way of improving your dive skills, teaching methods and, perhaps most importantly, of increasing your employability – making it even easier to find that dream job in paradise…

PADI Specialty Instructor Ratings

Assembling the oxygen unit whilst 'blindfolded'...

There are a couple of PADI Specialty instructor ratings that are also available to PADI Divemasters.  Divemasters can also become qualified to teach the Digital Underwater Photography specialty and the Emergency Oxygen Provider specialty.  If you’re a Divemaster thinking of becoming an Instructor in the future and are curious about teaching, then this is a great way to gain some great experience of working with students before completing a PADI Instructor Development Course.

PADI Specialty Instructor Ratings

During Digital Underwater Photography training, we had a look at post-dive production, and went from this....

PADI Specialty Instructor Ratings

... to this!

If you like to know more about professional level PADI training, please contact me via e-mail for more info…

 

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Another successful PADI IE on Malapascua…

After two days of jangling nerves the three candidates from Thresher Shark Divers are now fully certified PADI Open Water Scuba Instructors !!!  October’s PADI IE on Malapascua was the third hosted by the island, and yet again there was a 100% pass-rate…

Happy new instructors...

Three very happy new PADI Instructors, with PADI Examiner George Wegmann and PADI Course Director Richard Reardon.

Jo, Max and Ant spent the two weeks prior to the Instructor Exams working very hard in the classroom during their PADI Instructor Development Course at Thresher Shark Divers.  The hard work paid off, as during the IE they all recorded some very high scores and passed with ease…

The first morning of the IE started with the orientation, and then after a small break continued with the written exams in dive theory and an exam on PADI standards.  This is usually people’s least favourite section of the two-day examination process, but the candidates passed this first hurdle without any problems…

Exam time...

Orientation at the IE...

Some very good scores during the classroom presentations that afternoon brought the first day to an end.  the following day the candidates were in the water presenting skills in confined water and in open water with a mini skill circuit and a rescue demonstration too.  They all walked back up the beach from the boat as very happy PADI Instructors !!!

Happy PADI Instructor...

One happy instructor...

Another happy PADI instructor...

And another...

Another PADI Instructor

And a third...

After an awesome party at Oscar’s Bar & Restaurant that evening, the following day was spent relaxing/recovering.  Now the guys are continuing their training and are completing various Specialty Instructor Training courses to ensure they have no problems finding that dream job in the sun…

Congratulations guys, on a job very well done !!!

PADI IE Party

Time to celebrate....

Interested in following in Jo, Max and Ant’s footsteps ?  Feel free to drop me an e-mail for more details on upcoming PADI IDCs or Divemaster courses at Thresher Shark Divers….

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Half way there…

Well, the current PADI IDC at Thresher Shark Divers has reached the halfway mark, and everything’s going extremely well.  All the candidates have recorded some very high scores so far, both in the classroom and in the water…

PADI IDC Knowledge Development...

We've heard some awesome classroom presentations...

PADI Confined Water presentations...

Max demonstrates his skill during the Confined Water presentations...

PADI IDC Open Water presentations...

Jo briefs her 'students'...

In addition to the mandatory candidate presentations we have also conducted workshops to help the candidates be better prepared for life as a PADI Instructor.  Workshops on CESAs, liftbags and on conducting DSDs have taken place so far, with more planned over the next few days too…

PADI IDC - Liftbag workshop

Max getting to grips with the liftbag...

C.E.S.A

And I demonstrate how a C.E.S.A. should look...

The weather and conditions have also been near perfect, and here’s hoping it stay like that for the PADI IE to be held here on Malapascua Island on the 28th and 29th October…

PADI IDC Internships on Facebook

 

October’s PADI IDC is underway…

The October IDC at Thresher Shark Divers is well and truly underway now, and the candidates performed very well today.  Everybody’s been working very hard practicsing skills, rescues and theory exams.  Yesterday morning started in the IDC classroom with me taking a backseat and the candidates each taking a turn at being the ‘instructor’.  We heard some excellent presentations and some very high scores were recorded…

The PADI IDC candidates...

Jo, Ant and Max...

Ant - snorkel/reg exchange

Ant shows us 'snorkel/regulator exchange'...

PADI CESA Demonstration

Jo's CESA demonstration...

In the afternoon, we transferred to confined water and the candidates again played instructor and taught a skill from the Open Water Diver course.  All the candidates are getting to grips with the structure of the presentations, and some more high scores were registered…  ‘Rescues’ were also practised again…

Practising 'rescues'...

Practising 'rescues'...

PADI rescue scenario

Max 'rescues' Ant....

Today, we once again start in the classroom with another Knowledge Development presentation from Jo, Ant and Max, before venturing out on the boat for more Confined Water Presentations in the afternoon…

A few days ago the candidates all passed their EFR Instructor courses too…

PADI EFRI Course

Jo watches Ant perform CPR...

PADI EFRI course

Max showing his CPR skills...

 

 

It’s PADI IDC Time Again…

The October IDC at Thresher Shark Divers, on Malapascua Island, is almost upon us…

An IDC debriefing session...

An IDC debriefing session...

In a couple of days time our 3 new PADI IDC candidates, Jo, Max and Ant will be entering the IDC Classroom to start their five-day IDC Prep Course before the main event starts in ernest.

Already hard at work, they’ve been busying themselves re-reading their Divemaster theory and practising skills and knot-tying

On the 28th and 29th of October they will take on the PADI Instructor Exam being held on Malapascua Island, after which they will start their new lives as PADI Open Water SCUBA Instructors – ready to teach the world to dive !!

Go Pro at Thresher Shark Divers

The PADI Instructor Development Course is a natural path of progression in the PADI System of Education for passionate SCUBA divers who want to share their knowledge with others.

We will now be offering several PADI Instructor Development Courses throughout the year and would like to invite you to join our next PADI IDC or join of our popular profressional SCUBA diving internships here in Malapascua Island in the beautiful Philippines.

Malapascua beach

The beach in front of Thresher Shark Divers...

Take your passion for diving to the professional level – live the diving dream! Email us to ‘Go Pro’ with Thresher Shark Divers.

Go Pro in Paradise

 

PADI Wreck Specialty…

Over the last couple of days our PADI Divemaster interns, Chris and Gonzalo, have been learning how to safely penetrate wrecks, under the watchful eyes of two PADI Wreck Specialty instructors !!  Grainne is at Thresher Shark Divers following a ‘Learn To Teach‘ programme and has been involved in the wreck course along with myself

Chris at Lighthouse wreck

Chris using a reel and dive light on Lighthouse Wreck...

 

Our first dive was completed on the Tapilon Wreck, and Chris and Gonzalo excelled at pointing out hazards under water.  The hazards they spotted included sharp metal edges and ammunition !!  The wreck dates back from the second World War and was also a perfect opportunity for Chris and Gonzalo to use their newly acquired Nitrox certifications…

Practising with the reel...

Practising with the reel...

 

Our second and third dives both took place at the shallower Lighthouse Wreck – an un-named vessel that lies between 8 and 6 metres below the surface in front of Malapascua’s lighthouse.  This wreck is perfect for the required skills from dives 2 and 3.  Dive 2 involved Chris and Gonzalo mapping the wreck – a valuable skill for exploratory dives on wrecks when searching for hazards and possible penetration points.

Gonzalo's 'masterpiece' in the making...

Gonzalo's 'masterpiece' in the making...

 

Chris taking measurements...

Chris taking measurements...

 

On dive three of the course, Chris and Gonzalo were busy practising how to use a reel.  This is an essential piece of any wreck diver’s equipment, and penetration should not be attempted without one !!  The guys seemed to find the reel/line work to be a little easier when practised in Oscar’s Restaurant than it was underwater.  But after some perseverance and practise they did extremely well.

Gonzalo reeling in...

Gonzalo reeling in...

 

The next dive will take place on the Doña Marilyn wreck in the next few days…  The Doña Marilyn was a Cebu-Manila passenger ferry that sank in a typhoon over twenty years ago.  She now rests intact on her starboard side on the seabed in 33 metres, with the shallowest part at around 17 metres.  The wreck is covered in beautiful soft-corals and often houses white-tipped reef sharks and marble rays under the bow section.  On this dive, we will be using the newly acquired skills to penetrate the wreck in a safe manner, to go where very few have been before !!!

Doña Marilyn

Doña Marilyn

 

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Cleaning up the oceans…

The Project AWARE Foundation is a growing movement of scuba divers protecting the ocean planet – one dive at a time.

Project AWARE

 

Over the past two decades of underwater conservation we’ve learned that divers are true leaders in ocean protection. We’re ocean heroes numbering in the millions across the globe. We believe together our actions will make a huge impact and will help to rescue the ocean.

With new programmes and more online resources than ever before, Project AWARE supports an unprecedented global movement of divers acting in their own communities to protect oceans and implement lasting change.

Project AWARE are now focusing on two major ocean issues – Sharks In Peril and Marine Debris. The shark campaign is trying to secure shark protection worldwide. Unfortunately, there are some species of sharks that are on the brink of extinction and without action the shark population will continue to be decimated. There is currently a petition, which will put pressure on governments, particularly in countries that matter, to enforce policies to protect the shark population.

Project AWARE are kick-starting the new year-round Dive Against Debris programme with a Debris Month Of Action!

Dive Against Debris

Project AWARE's Debris Month Of Action

Throughout the month of September, Project AWARE divers around the world will mobilise to collect rubbish and log what they find on the Project AWARE website. This data will help to inform researchers of the debris issues facing the ocean. With a more accurate picture of what’s happening in our ocean, we can begin to make better decisions around waste management and the policies that affect ocean life.

Every bit helps...

 

Thresher Shark Divers will ‘Dive Against Debris’ throughout the month at all of Malapascua’s dive sites. As part of TSD’s commitment to protecting the ocean, trained divers not only remove underwater debris such as plastic bottles, fishing line, but also identify and document everything we see underwater and report the data to Project AWARE.

Clean Up - March 2010

 

Scuba divers are uniquely positioned to tackle the global marine debris issue, to take action every day and prevent debris from entering the ocean. For more information visit www.projectaware.org.

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