Good Practice

Here is a picture of me and Tanja with two guests who completed the Discover Suba Diving Program.

Tanja has just started the instructor internship, so she came along to learn about teaching DSD's.

I think teaching DSD's is a really good way to gain experience and I have learnt alot from doing them. It is also good practice for demonstrating underwater skills which will benefit me when it comes to teaching openwater courses.

Will update again soon,
James

A Few Pictures

Just a quick post as I am helping to organise activities for Christmas day on the island.
(should be fun)!!!!!

Here are a few pictures from the past couple of days diving..

Update soon.
James

Mount Kinabalu

Since my last post I have climbed half way up Mount Kinabalu. We were unable to go to the summit because the accommodation at the base camp was fully booked, so next time.

The half way point is called Layang-Layang and it is a 4 km climb from the bottom. Then you have to walk 4 km back again. 4 km doesn't sound like a long way but its so steep it feels like double that.

It was a tough climb even to half way but its the best thing I have done so far here in Borneo. The weather was really kind to us as it didn't rain, but you can feel that is gets much colder the further up you go.

Coming back down is just a hard as going up but also alot of fun. I really hope I get another chance to go again and then go to the summit.

Here are a few pics from the climb.

James

DSD Picture

Here is a picture of everyone after they had completed their DSD program.

I was assisting the new instructor that has just started with Downbelow. It was a good day and Richard managed to show the guests a turtle on their first dive.

Update soon

James.

Quick Update

Just a short post to share a few pictures of a Moray eel that I took the other day on one of the dives.



I have plans to climb Mount Kinabalu soon!! which will be a challenge but a good achievement if I manage to complete it so wish me luck!!

Will update on that shortly.

James.

p.s. here is a picture of Mount Kinabalu taken by Richard.

Guiding Dives

Recently I have been guiding guests on there dives which is something that I really enjoy doing even though the briefings are a bit scary, but that's part of it and good for the guests to know what they will be doing on the dive and what they might see.

Its nice to be able to find interesting marine life to show other people and I am also now getting to know all the different dive sites and which way to go (which is helpful when guiding people)!!.

The best part about it is seeing people enjoying their day and being exited about the marine life they have come across, Its also good in the surface interval between the dives to show them the fish ID books so they can read info about the things they have seen. Because I'm useless with all the names of fish!!!!

Update soon,
James



p.s. here is a pic taken by Richard of me guiding two guests on one of the dive sites.

Day Trip To Klias

A couple a days ago Downbelow were invited as a company to attend a day trip to promote a new wildlife tour.

I was kindly invited to go along free of charge as well, another perk from doing this Instructor internship.

When we arrived there we walked in and I saw what was like a small square swimming pool with fish inside and you put your feet in and let the fish suck on your feet, a bit weird but is supposed to be good for your skin.

We had lunch served for us just ofter we arrived and after that we were taken on a river boat ride to see Proboscis monkeys and fire flies. In the evening a meal was served for us and the minister of tourism gave a speech on the new place.

It was a really good day out, here are a few pic's from the day.

James

Discover Scuba Diving Update

Since my last post I have assisted on my forth DSD and have conducted one myself.


The thought of conducting the program myself for the first time made me a bit nervous but once I got started it was fine. The two students I had were easy to teach, but it was still a challenge.

I felt that this was a really good experience and very rewarding to be able to share what I know about diving with others.

I was also pleased that on the open water dives I managed to show them some interesting things such a cuttle fish, squid and clownfish (nemo).

Both the guests left happy wich is the main thing and I will look forward to conducting another program.

Will post again soon
James



p.s. here is a pic at the end of the day.

Discover Scuba Diving Program

Over the past few days I have been assisting with a few Discover Scuba Diving programs (DSD).

A (DSD) program is designed for people new to diving and wish to try it out. I really enjoy assisting with these programs and it is interesting to help people that have never scuba dived before.

As a PADI Divemaster, after I have assisted on 4 different (DSD) programs I can conduct them myself.

I have one more to do so keep you posted.
James.

Black Tip Reef Shark In The Tunku Abdul Rahman Park

Another exciting days diving in the TARP Park!!!!!!!!!

We were at the end of our dive and just about to do our 5 meter safety stop when suddenly Jo spotted a shark swimming along in front of us quite close to the reef, I had just put up a "safety sausage" (which is a marker buoy used so that boats know you are about to surface).

So as we all swam off fast to get a closer look i was still holding on to the safety sausage and trying to swim at the same time. (i must have looked like a right melon)!!

Anyway as we got closer we discovered it was a Black Tip reef shark noticeable by the black tip on the main dorsal fin (as you can see from the picture taken by Richard).

The shark was about a meter and a half long, It's the first time I've seen a shark like this in the wild and we are lucky because it's quite rare to see one, However it is just one of the many amazing things you can see whilst diving in Borneo.

I will update again soon.
James,

Padi Nitrox Course

Dive Downbelow have just installed a new Nitrox station and now offer the Padi Nitrox course and tank rental !!

So over the past 2 days i have been completing the course along with 3 others. The course consists of reading the Enriched Air manual, completing the 2 knowledge reviews and then a final exam (which isn't as bad as it sounds), on the second day we learnt how to analyze the Enriched Air in the tanks and then we went for 2 dives using Enriched Air (Nitrox).

I really enjoyed doing this course and now it's nice to have the option of diving with Enriched Air.

One of the good "perks" with doing this instructor internship is that all additional courses i do are at cost price plus 5%, which really cuts down on the overall price.

Here are a couple of pic's taken through out the day.

James,

What Happens After Diving

Last night we went out for a meal with some of the guests after the days diving to a local restaurant called Jeff D' Corner.

After that we went for a few drinks around the pool and had one to many Pernod's. Im sure it won't be the last time.

Only a short post because i can't remember much else but it was a good night!!!!

Clock in again soon
James,

Giant Sting Ray

Just returned from one of the best days diving so far.

We were diving one of the dive site's in the TARP Park, it was a normal dive that Richard was guiding but about half way into the dive i heard Richard bang on his tank. This isn't unusual and is used allot to gain the attention of other divers but this time i noticed that it was much loader and sounded more urgent so i looked up and as i did there was a huge sting ray swimming along in front of us. It is the biggest thing i have seen underwater it must have been 6 feet long with a tail even longer. It come quite close to us and then turned and swam away, none of us could quite believe it.

All the guests enjoyed the dive as nobody had seen a sting ray quite this big.

Luckily i had taken my underwater camera with me but the pics don't do the size of it justice but it was the best i could do!!!!!

Anyway here are the pics,

James

P.S. Richard is close to the camera so make's it look smaller.

Special Open Water Course

For the past few days i have been assisting Richard the managing director of Dive Downbelow to teach an open water course to Jussi an amputee. Which was a really good experience and also great fun.


It was a challenge getting over some of the obvious problems but that being said it was easy enough to adapt the skills required for Jussi to pass the course with flying colour's.


Jussi is a really great guy which also made it easier and a pleasure to teach him, he really is an inspiration to people.

It was a great oppertunity to help on this course and it would not have been possible with out Dive Downbelow and the internship program they offer.


Here is a couple of pics that Richard kindly gave to me.

James.

(me left & jussi right)

Introduction

I have decided to create this blog to follow the progress of the Instructor internship that I am currently taking 6 months out to complete with Down Below Marine & Wildlife Adventures .

Down Below are based in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia. With a beach house located on Pulau Gaya which is one of the Islands that make up the Tunku Abdul Rahman National Park (TARP).

Down Below also have a Dive Shop and Classroom wich is based in the City of Kota Kinabalu, Sabah. Complementing the Island based Dive Centre within the Tunku Abdul Rahman Park - together the two facilities make up a PADI 5 Star Dive Centre.

Keep you posted, James.