The current September-October IDC on Koh Samui has passed the half way point

The current September-October IDC on Koh Samui has passed the half way point

José is progressing slowly but steadily. There's a challenge in the language department, his Spanish is much better than his English! We end up spending more time on each topic and it's paying off.

Another skill circuit; remove and replace the BCD underwater

Plenty of confined water, exams and knowledge presentations have been conducted and together with Paul, who's staffing this IDC on Koh Samui, we're getting there, all three of us but especially José.

José trying to bend the giant RDP table like Beckham

Just a few more days and this IDC will be done and dusted and at the end of this tunnel a PADI IE will be waiting for José on Koh Tao!

My next PADI IDC will also be on Koh Samui, this program will start 26th October, followed by an IDC on Koh Lanta starting 7th November and an IDC on Gili Air in Indonesia starting 19th November. Come and see me during one of these programs and become a PADI Scuba Instructor yourself!

Camille

PADI IDC on Koh Samui, Thailand for September 2011 kicked off

PADI IDC on Koh Samui, Thailand for September 2011 kicked off

This is the first PADI IDC this year with just one candidate and it's also the first IDC candidate from Chile in my program, may I introduce José.

Paul, the owner of the Dive Academy on Koh Samui is staffing this program, so José is not completely alone.

José also ran the quarter marathon of the Princess Cup in Nathon earlier this month together with me.

Completing the theory exams

In a way it's good thing for José to be alone in this program since his English skills require a slightly slower approach to the presentations and he gets all the attention he needs to grasp the materials and content.

Fin pivot Chileno style

We've have covered a bit of ground during the last two days with presentations by me, exams and lots of pool work and it's good to be back on Koh Samui, my home turf, for a while.

Keep going José, Paul is still alive!

Stay tuned for more updates on this PADI IDC on Koh Samui.

If you're interested in participating in one of my IDC's the next PADI IDC that I've got scheduled is an IDC on Koh Samui starting 26th October, followed by an IDC on Koh Lanta, Thailand starting 7th November and the last IDC on Gili Air in Indonesia this year, starting 19th November. Please look here for my current PADI IDC schedule.

Camille

PADI IE on Koh Phangan, Thailand for September 2011 once more 100%

PADI IE on Koh Phangan, Thailand for September 2011 once more 100%

Yes indeed, today Camille's candidates of the Koh Phangan IDC class of September 2011 passed with a 100% rate for their PADI Instructor Exam.

From left to right; David, Dor, Camille, Tim (PADI Examiner) and Sonia

After two days of hard work, before noon today, there were three brand new PADI Instructors trained by Platinum PADI Course Director Camille Lemmens in conjunction with Haad Yao divers. As usual, a very international affair with the three candidates originating from Argentine, Israel and France.

If you're interested in participating in one of my IDC's, the next PADI IDC that I've got scheduled is scheduled to start in a few days, a last minute added IDC on Koh Samui starting 25th September, followed by my first IDC in Dauin, Philippines, starting 20th October. Please look here for my current PADI IDC schedule.

Camille

Underwater training facility for Chanthaburi

Underwater training facility for Chanthaburi

Here's an interesting article about a potentially great underwater training facility. I hope this materializes and I will be able to keep reporting on this project and that one day I will be able to dive it!

The Culture Ministry has approved a Bt27million budget to build a diving training facility for underwater archaeology in Chanthaburi, in order to improve human resources and underwater site inspection. It is expected to be completed in 2014.

Culture Minister Sukumol Khunplome explained that such training was previously done in the sea where, if there was a mistake, it could be fatally dangerous. As a result, the ministry asked for a facility building. The diving pool would be 12 to 20 metresdeep with an observation chamber in the bottom for a coach to observe divers during training, she said.

Fine Arts Department chief Somsuda Leeyawanich said the project organisers had studied China's Shang Hai underwater archaeology centre, which was the most modern of its kind in the AsiaPacific. She said the Office of Architecture was currently designing the diving facility, which was hoped to be the Asean hub of underwater archaeology and used by Unesco to train Asean countries' underwater archaeology divers.

As published by The Nation 14th September 2011

Congratulations to PADI for 20th Million PADI Diver certification

Congratulations to PADI for 20th Million PADI Diver certification

This milestone has been set in Guam and the lucky winner was United States Air Force Second Lieutenant Alexandra Swanson.

As a result Alexandra will be taking a dream dive trip to Queensland, Australia with four nights of accommodation in Cairns, Queensland, Australia and a three-night excursion on the live-aboard dive vessel Spirit of Freedom. During this trip, famous Great Barrier Reef dive sites like Cod Hole and the Ribbon Reefs will be visited. She's got something to look forward to.

Additionally, the certifying instructor, PADI Master Scuba Diver Trainer Timmothy Aguon and PADI Five Star Instructor Development Center Micronesia Divers Association in Guam, were also awarded trips for one in celebration of the certification.

With more than 20 million diver certifications issued worldwide since 1966, PADI is The Way the World Learns to Dive®.

Time for you to become certified or take the enxt step or even become a Pro!

If you're interested in participating in one of myIDC's, the next PADI IDC that I've got scheduled is an additionally scheduled, last minute addedIDC on Koh Samui starting 25th September, followed by my first IDC in Dauin, Philippines, starting 20th October. Please look here for my current PADI IDC schedule.

Camille

PADI IDC for September 2011 on Koh Phangan is in the bag!

PADI IDC for September 2011 on Koh Phangan is in the bag!

In conjunction with Haad Yao divers, it's all done and dusted for the September 2011 PADI IDC on Koh Phangan.

After various days of classroom presentations by me, a few classroom presentations by them aka knowledge development, confined- and open water presentations, it was at last all in the bag.

Open air classroom at Haad Yao divers, aka eco classroom

Now it's waiting until 16th September before the PADI IE kicks off here on Koh Phangan. We were planning to do some diving and Instructor level specialty training but Sonia got an ear infection, so hopefully we will be able to schedule this after the IE, providing her ear is ok.

Here are the main players, after an open water dive, from left to right, David, Sonia and Dor

Stay tuned on the progress of this IDC and if you're interested in participating in one of my IDC's, the next PADI IDC that I've got scheduled is an additionally scheduled, last minute added IDC on Koh Samui starting 25th September, followed by my first IDC in Dauin, Philippines, starting 20th October. Please look here for my current PADI IDC schedule.

Camille

EFR Instructor course on Koh Phangan

EFR Instructor course on Koh Phangan

Today we completed the EFR Instructor course at Haad Yao divers on Koh Phangan.

From left to right; Dor, myself, Sonia and David

It was fun to do the skills with everybody and we had some good laughs. Tomorrow the current PADI IDC on Koh Phangan should be completed. I'll be off back to Samui for a few days and after the Full Moon party here on Koh Phangan on 12th September and an island wide day off on the 13th, I plan to conduct some more Instructor specialties with all three of them.

Stay tuned for more updates, I can't wait to get wet again!

Camille

PADI IDC on Koh Phangan for September 2011 is on the half way mark

PADI IDC on Koh Phangan for September 2011 is on the half way mark

We just passed the half way mark of this IDC on Koh Phangan yesterday and proceedings are going fine! It's a fun group to work with and they're already getting good scores.

Sonia needs to explain Dor how to use a RDP Table

Now if you're interested in the next course............

A Project Aware presentation by David

More pool work and rescue practice are almost daily part of the program

Today we will go for the first to Open Water and see how they deal with that. Haad Yao, here we come!

Stay tuned on the progress of this IDC and if you're interested in participating in one of my IDC's, the next PADI IDC that I've got scheduled is an additionally scheduled, last minute added IDC on Koh Samui starting 25th September, followed by my first IDC in Dauin, Philippines, starting 20th October. Please look here for my current PADI IDC schedule.

Camille

Additional last minute PADI IDC scheduled on Koh Samui, starting 25th September 2011

Additional PADI IDC scheduled on Koh Samui, starting 25th September 2011

If you're interested for this last minute, additionally scheduled PADI IDC on Koh Samui in conjunction with 'The Dive Academy', please get in touch with me. There are still some places available.

The PADI IE will take place on Koh Tao between 11th and 13 th October 2011.

Hope to see you there!

Camille

PADI IDC for September 2011 on Koh Phangan is in full swing

PADI IDC for September 2011 on Koh Phangan is in full swing

Two days it all kicked off and today we're already on day # 3 of the current PADI IDC on Koh Phangan.

It's always nice to find some special things about my IDC and for this program I can tick off the box for first Argentine candidate, welcome David! It's a typical all around international affair with Dor from Israel and Sonia from France.

The 5 theory exams, all passed with ease!

This is my second IDC on Koh Phangan, exactly a year ago I conducted the first program here in conjunction with Haad Yao divers.

Sonia demonstrating a CESA in confined water

Dor and David during an alternate air source ascent in confined water

Rescue exercise # 7, unconscious diver at the surface

The first two days were fun and I'm looking forward to the rest of this IDC here on Koh Phangan.

Camille

Diving around the Gili islands in Indonesia

Diving around the Gili islands in Indonesia

As usual when visiting Gili Air and conducting a PADI IDC, I arrange for a few dives, to enjoy the great underwater world around the Gili's.

A map of the more common dive sites around the Gili islands

This time around I managed to get a night dive in at Oceans 5 house reef and a dive at Halik. Some 17 years ago I dived Halik during my Advanced Open Water diver course!

Blue spotted stingray at Halik

At Halik we conducted a Digital Underwater Photography Instructor training dive in a very strong current. We flew almost over the site and around this time of the year, strong currents are rather the standard than an exception.

A small nudi branch on Halik

It was a good dive and it wouldn't have been for our DUP training, we could have easily made this into a Drift dive specialty! A great experience and I also spotted a rather juvenile bumphead!

Porcelain crab

During the recent PADI IDC on Gili Air I took the opportunity to make a night dive with Kathleen, one of the candidates. The porcelain crab pictured above was one of the creatures we met that night.

Shortfin lionfish

It was once more a good experience and I always enjoy and look forward to dive around the Gili's! Can't wait to get back in November and get wet again!

Camille

PADI IE on Gili Air, Indonesia successfully completed

PADI IE on Gili Air, Indonesia successfully completed

A good start to the month! All 4 August Gili Air PADI IDC candidates in conjunction with Oceans 5 are now the newest PADI Instructors on the block! They completed the PADI IE on Gili Air very successfully!

From left to right; Greg, Wayne, Kathleen, Camille and Anna

Well done to all of you and good luck in your respective new PADI instructor careers!

If you're interested in participating in one of my IDC's, the next PADI IDC that I've got scheduled is an IDC on Koh Phangan starting 2nd September, followed by another IDC on Gili Air starting 21st September and my first IDC in Dauin, Philippines, starting 20th October. Please look here for my current PADI IDC schedule. A new schedule for 2012 is about to be launched, stay tuned! This will include more IDC's on Gili Air next year.

Camille