Side Mount !

Side mount(SM) it's not for everyone!
Some people say its uncomfortable! well if a BCD dont fit properly it can be uncomfortable same as fins & mask! So let start, where did it come from? Yorkshire England, searching partially flooded caves, then crossed the Atlantic to the USA Florida to explore flooded cave's. till it evolved into mainstream  diving! so what is the best system on the market?

Well there are many different company's making the units on the market! and it also depends on where you want to go! i am not here to run down company's, i have tried lots of units on the market and the top two i love the most in my opinion is the Dare to Dive unit 'Diamond' & the new Hollis 'Katana', why well they are very easy to adjust for any person! in fact the Hollis Katana took only 20 min to adjust out of the box!

I have dived with Diamond for nearly 4 years & over 1000 dives in it, and tried few other units and not even close to the Diamond, and then Hollis came out with the KATANA, and they got it right wow, i have had about 10 dives in it now, from 20 meters to 38 meters on double 11's and its fantastic.
 So what do i look for in a sm unit, well it has to be comfortable, adjustable, good lift and everything once in the water is stream lined!

Its important to get the right side mount training, so you know you are adjusting your harness properly, that way you have the perfect fitting harness with  cylinders tucked in under your arm pits,
keeping you stream lined, and making your dive that much more fun!

Along with learning about the many benefits of diving with a sidemount configuration, during one confined water and three open water scuba dives you’ll learn how to:

• Properly assemble and configure sidemount scuba diving equipment.
• Trim your weight system and sidemount gear so you’re perfectly balanced in the water.
• Manage gas by switching second stages as planned, if wearing two cylinders.
• Respond correctly to potential problems when sidemount diving.

For more information on hollis katana or side mount training e-mail us for more information.               techdivingmalta@gmail.com

Padi Side Mount Training.

+PADI  Side mount training, Having scuba tanks on your back isn’t a requirement for exploring the underwater world. Many scuba divers have discovered the joy of mounting cylinders on their sides. Sidemount diving gives you flexibility and streamlining options. Plus, you don’t have to walk with heavy cylinders on your back – just enter the water, clip them on and go. Sound interesting?

So we had Luciano and his brother Neil come over to us to do some side mount training, so we spent the day in the classroom at +Buddies Dive Cove  doing paper work classroom theory, and setting up tanks and side mount wings supplied by Dare to Dive, so here we go for the next few days just side mounting and boy did we have fun.

We start in shallow water( confined) to get you use to it as its like starting all over again, what will you learn! Well lets see!

• Properly assemble and configure sidemount scuba diving equipment.
• Trim your weight system and sidemount gear so you’re perfectly balanced in the water.
• Manage gas by switching second stages as planned, if wearing two cylinders.
• Respond correctly to potential problems when sidemount diving.

Side mount diving is not abut putting tanks on your side and jumping in!! Side mount came from caving! from checking partially flooded caves were the tank would be dragged along behind them or clipped in to hip! as time went on it became more popular with divers and kit and safety procedures changed. To exploring fully flooded cave systems, to what we know today as side mounting! keeping your tanks as close to you as possible and thus making you more stream line and able to enter into the smallest holes, because you can remover the tanks during the dive!

So if you  would like to try something different and join the ranks as +PADI  side mount diver then let us know!

Big well done guys on passing the course and see ya again soon for more fun!
Run in collaboration with Buddies Dive Cove Malta.

Padi TecRec 40 Program.

The Padi TecRec program 40 is entry level Technical course,Technical diving is scuba diving’s “extreme sport”, taking experienced and qualified divers far deeper and further than in mainstream recreational diving. Technical diving is marked by significantly more equipment and training requirements to manage the additional hazards this type of diving entails. Tec diving isn’t for everyone, but for those who want to be explore further, the TecRec courses are the answer.

 Over the last week or so we have been busy with friend and +PADI  Dive Master, and Luciano has done several courses with me and has decided to take the next step! as he described it as starting to dive again, new kit more kit 3 tanks 3 set regs, shut downs, free flow emergency's & lost mask computer failure, all of theses things can happen.

During his course he has learn about oxygen exposure and long term use under water, the pressure effects on central nevus system (cns), and learned how to deal with it and most importantly how to avoid it! planning deco dives with up to 50% O2(1 cylinder), and then we worked on buoyancy and more buoyancy and trim till we got him in the right position! Once he got it skill got easier as he wasnt moving,and then when it was time to go some where he found it less effort to swim!( as we were now stream lined with perfect buoyancy)

And then it all comes together in the last 2 dives when you put all the skill toghter it just make you a more efficient & alert tec diver, as well as doing no mask swim and no mask hover we will even get u to send up smb1 & then smb2 on the same line to simulate jamed reel or failed smb1, if that wasnt bad enough as you doing the smb2 you mask strap breaks so no its with out mask but u have no problem, you continue the skill your tec buddy will come over and help you get from you deco stop to the next stop so you  can keep to your run time and decompression schedule, once there u can look and don your spare mask,

We intend to teach you to the highest standard possible and prepare you for any problem you might face out there, and being prepared is was counts getting the right training for you is what counts,practice and muscle memory and he all comes together and make you that special diver.

For more information on courses contact us techdivingmalta@gmail.com or click on the booking link on the top right.

Padi TecRec 40 Program.

The Padi TecRec program 40 is entry level Technical course,Technical diving is scuba diving’s “extreme sport”, taking experienced and qualified divers far deeper and further than in mainstream recreational diving. Technical diving is marked by significantly more equipment and training requirements to manage the additional hazards this type of diving entails. Tec diving isn’t for everyone, but for those who want to be explore further, the TecRec courses are the answer.

 Over the last week or so we have been busy with friend and +PADI  Dive Master, and Luciano has done several courses with me and has decided to take the next step! as he described it as starting to dive again, new kit more kit 3 tanks 3 set regs, shut downs, free flow emergency's & lost mask computer failure, all of theses things can happen.

During his course he has learn about oxygen exposure and long term use under water, the pressure effects on central nevus system (cns), and learned how to deal with it and most importantly how to avoid it! planning deco dives with up to 50% O2(1 cylinder), and then we worked on buoyancy and more buoyancy and trim till we got him in the right position! Once he got it skill got easier as he wasnt moving,and then when it was time to go some where he found it less effort to swim!( as we were now stream lined with perfect buoyancy)

And then it all comes together in the last 2 dives when you put all the skill toghter it just make you a more efficient & alert tec diver, as well as doing no mask swim and no mask hover we will even get u to send up smb1 & then smb2 on the same line to simulate jamed reel or failed smb1, if that wasnt bad enough as you doing the smb2 you mask strap breaks so no its with out mask but u have no problem, you continue the skill your tec buddy will come over and help you get from you deco stop to the next stop so you  can keep to your run time and decompression schedule, once there u can look and don your spare mask,

We intend to teach you to the highest standard possible and prepare you for any problem you might face out there, and being prepared is was counts getting the right training for you is what counts,practice and muscle memory and he all comes together and make you that special diver.

For more information on courses contact us techdivingmalta@gmail.com or click on the booking link on the top right.

Mad Shark Diving......

Well the last few weeks we been running out of Mad Shark diving Malta, helping with some guided diving for groups and we have had lots of fun, Mad Shark are German based dive school, speaking German/Swiss/Austrian/English/Australian & kewi  hahah only joking Chris, the last 2 weeks we have had fun with wrecks and reefs with current no current then no marine life and then so much marine life that the battery died in the camera....

BARRACUDA.

So old client turn friend came down for 8 dives over 5 days and we had fun! as i was pre booked as well with the school, it turned out fantastic, off we went ole and the rest of the mad shark group and let me tell you no matter how i write this blog it will still not express the close encounters we had with marine life from sting rays & Barracuda to the smallest Nudibranch, and it was awesome pointing out the wonderful marine life we have to offer on this small island of Malta

TRIGGER FISH 

 Then we had wrecks and caves and that was awesome as well with the best marine life anyone could dream of... Moray eels jammed in fuse boxes, squid eggs hanging from mast's or propellers

OVEN ON THE FAROUD.

and the the engine rooms of the wreck are jut jaw dropping as you swim thru her and not realising her size till you see her o land...  today she split in 2 making 2 good dives bow & stern.

FUSE BOX BRIDGE P29 

So if you want a diving holiday that ticks all the box's look no futher- e-mail me or out partners and give you details and what you would like to do in Malta, and let us make your dream come true!

ENGINE ROOM FAROUD!

MANY THANKS TO MAD SHARK DIVING MALTA our partner dive center and all the staff for everything!

Padi Open Water

So i pop round to Dawn Diving our diving partners and they ask if i have few days free to help out so i did and it was great fun working with the team Jane the head of the Office and the best coffee makers i have had to pleasure to meet, she makes it the same way each time for me to perfection, and she also takes care of all the bookings and coming and going from the school, and small Trevor well he not your standard guy well over 6 foot and great guy and owner, always willing to help out or ans any questions, first day nice and relaxed then day two, Danish couple walk in and i get introduced and she is my open water student and he will be following on the course as pleasure diver!
so we get warmed up by getting our kit bags ready for the course and getting to know each other and how she feels about the course and she shows she very excited about it,so we head off to the classroom and do paper work and settle down to watch the padi open water dvd, as they watch that i load the van! be right back!

So we head of to our local house reef Qawra point( Ta Fra Ben).... were we sit on the sea bed at 2 meters running through the skills in man made pool, fantastic i turn to my left to find her boyfriend joining in o the skills he practically re done the open water with her doing the skills as well, i had my own personal dm, and she was great doing all the skills 10/10 and she wasn't afraid of getting involved or asking questions half way thought the course we had to stop for the day due to a big storm hitting the island so we headed to the classroom for the day and finished off all the exams and classroom theory and even in different language when they dont understand its up to you as the teacher to get them involved in the subject and to get them to find the ans because you know they read the book watch the film, they just need to remember and thats what makes them the better diver, 2 more dives left and it was plain sailing she done the next 2 dives like a pro, she now done for dive and racked up 2 hours under water and is ready for some pleasure dives please!
And thats what we did we went diving!!
Big well done Hannah on your achievement and keep diving!
Big thanks to Trevor & Jane from Dawn Diving for making me feel part of the team!

DSD TO Advance Open Water Diver

Well it has been very busy 2 weeks we have had julia from Germany who came for dsd program and ended up working her way up to Padi Open Water Diver, and during that course she had some splendid dives her first 2 open water dives looked  bit flustered, but she grasped the skills and perfected them to the point were i am sure she was practicing in the bath!but as we went onto her open water dive 3 it all came together, so we took off down the reef in sliema to tug tuo(2), as the reef dipped down we tested her buoyancy, and she cruised off the reef at 14 meters and stayed there, hovered around the wreck looking down on her for few minutes and then headed back onto the reef,

Then few days later we meet up to do her final bits of paper work and exams and off we go! oh by the way 100% on the exam well done Julia, so we went to X-lighter 127  sunk during the WWII in the harbour just after refueling  and took a direct hit and caught on fire and sank she, and the only one left all the others have been totally destroyed, Built in 1915 for the admiralty during WWI, 200 support landing craft were built and this is the last one in the world, the hull was based on Thames London barge boats, with a ramp but X-127 was to be slightly redesigned to carry water, 35 meters long 6.5 meters wide she could car lots of water for the troops during the Gallipoli campaign.
 So 16 ended here in Malta and X-127 was one of them,WWII started and her duty's started again carrying fresh water this time from land to the war ships and submarines, then in the late 1941 she was converted to carry shale oil for the 10th submarine flotilla, at HMS Talbot Manoel island,
durning the night of 6th March 1942 while she was unloading, the harbour came under attach and 2 submarines P36 & P39 were damaged but X-127 was on fire shortly after she sank and remains in the same spot as she was in 1942.

Now loaded with knolage of the site we head off and do her final dive and one of the reasons we picked this site of all the clear water sites in malta because she will be diving in lakes and rivers back in Germany so to give her an idea what it will be like and to finish off her finals for the open water course, she excelled with hovering in 2 meters vis controlled her buoyancy perfectly and to finish her dive on the way back we found a piece of plate marked with the royal navy emblem 1941, what a way to finish you course on a historic wreck and to find a small piece of history!

Few days later now hooked she back to start her Advance, so off we go again and she must have been one of the luckiest girls i know, we plan her deep dive for the P29 ex German minesweeper, performs fantastic and on the way back around 22 meters i stop her, and signal to her to look in front and tell me what she can see? she looks at me as if i am crazy! ( i am ),

Followed by wow and then the tail fluttered and i was getting ready for the next shot! Bang just in Time!

So now she has got so hyped up i dont know what to find on the next dive so it wreck dive, we have our surface interval coffee and some food from good man Jason our snack man on the dive site and we do the briefing on the site and what we are going to do! so off we go in and heading down the reef and this moray appears out of nowhere looks at us and scurry's down the bank, just coming onto the MV Rozi and a battery of barracuda swim past then we find some Nudibranch wow.

 So now she left with 3 more dives and meet up and do her buoyancy & night dives, so we head back up to Cirkewwa and we had some tunnels at different depths and ledges to work from and she was great free fall from one ledge to the other under perfect control she mastered it, out we come and and we are joined by a friend for the night dive hanging about in summer waiting for it to get dark in Malta is like watching paint dry.....

You can imagine how her night dive was?
When than headed of few days later to finish off her final dive Navigation! and as she loved hiking ect how do you think it went! well stay tuned as she is doing the next blog called 'MY FIRST DIVE'
so stay tuned

and big thanks to DAWN DIVING MALTA for their help during the course.