Here are the Top Ten Things to Ask Your Dive Company Before You Book Your Trip with Them. Remember the difference in price is often the difference in quality.
1. Is your dive equipment serviced by trained and certified technicians?
This may seem obvious, but worth checking. Make sure the servicing is performed as per the manufacturers’ recommendations. Common mistakes include reusing consumable items, trying to service the equipment without the proper training and leaving it too long between servicing.
2. Are they a member of a reputable and recognized training organization?
There are too many too mention here but the most common ones are SSI, PADI, CMAS, BSAC, TDI/SDI. This is important too ensure that they are kept up to date with the latest in training and procedures in case anything does go wrong.
3. How Many People are Diving at Once?
To truly enjoy your dive experience it is best to keep the numbers in the group as small as your can. This also reduces any impact that you may have on the environment, such as scaring away fish and stirring up the bottom.
4. What is the Ratio from Instructor to Student or Guide to Diver?
There are regulations covering the first point so numbers will vary under that amount, but it is best to ask before you go so you are not shocked. If you want a smaller group you may have to pay for it. Smaller amount of divers per guide allows for a much smoother and personal dive, allowing the dive to be tailored for what you expect to see on the dive.
5. Are they a member of a relevant local dive organization?
Like point 2 above this ensures that you have a operator that is involved and up to date with the latest guidelines or safety procedures for that region.
6. Do they support local or global efforts in conservation or research?
This gives you a great indication on the attitude of the dive company and makes sure you get great dive karma. Sustaining the marine environment shows the company is interested in the longevity of the local or global ecosystem and is doing their bit to contribute.
7. Do you have travel or dive insurance that gives you the coverage you need?
This will include all sorts of things that may happen that can throw your dive trip into disarray. These may include an illness, illness of a relative, travel agent or operator going bankrupt, weather related cancellations, flight cancellations.
8. What is the cancellation policy of the dive company?
Do they give full refunds for weather or other cancellations? Do they have an immediate no refund policy for cancellations or are they flexible?
9. Are the owners or managers going on their own trips?
Quality control to make sure that you have a great experience is often done with management teams that have a more hands on approach. By taking the time to experience the trip and meet the guests shows that they are going the extra mile to make sure you have the best experience possible.
10. How far is the boat/resort really away from the hotel?
Often people follow the old “we’re just 10 minutes away” story. Use Google Maps or other technologies to get a true picture of where you are in relation to the boat. Better still see if they can arrange transport for you to arrive at the boat on time and not have to lug dive gear around.
Author: TonyB
What a Great Year on the Great Barrier Reef
This year continues to be a fantastic year on the Great Barrier Reef with fantastic weather and great spectacles on show for the world to see on a regular basis. Lighter winds and calm seas for the most part this year have made diving and snorkeling on the outer reef defy the imagination with awesome visibility and active marine life.
Our guests on the extended private yacht charters earlier in the year got to enjoy some of the reefs that are rarely visited and some of the small uninhabited islands that dot the Great Barrier Reef. Dolphins seem to have adopted the bows of our yachts as a playground to surf the waves.
The reef surveys again were carried out by Reefcheck Australia, and continue to show the health and resilience of the reef with positive growth being shown across our dive sites.
We were privileged in June and July with regular Minke Whale visits around the reefs and now the humpback whales are continuing the show. The whales head north for the warm sun and calm seas of the tropics. These Humpback Whales are often seen enjoying their annual winter break from the cold water of the southern states. Whales playfully basking and breaching make a common and spectacular sight sailing to and from the reef.
All the while many of the seabirds that form an important part of the ecosystems are seen continually scann the water surface and then diving from great heights to secure their meals.
Our regular cast of characters such as Wally the Maori Wrasse, “nemo” (clownfish), turtles and many other beautiful fish and reef formations continue to keep us entertained and in awe of the wonder that is Great Barrier Reef. What a privilege to work and live around one the true natural wonders of the world.
Sea Cucumber – Species of the Reef
Like the vaccum cleaners of the sea, the sea cucumber scavages it’s food along the sea floor, where it eats decaying matter and plankton. It is has and endoskeleton which means it’s bone structure is just below it’s leather and tough skin. The sea cucmber shoots out a sticky goo that it uses as a self defence mechanism to entangle any would be predators out there.
The sea cucumber is able to strengthen and loosen the outside of their body at will allowing them to squeeze through tight crevaces and then harden the outside of it’s body again when it is in more exposed areas. Because ten percent of the sea cucumbers blood is vanadium and not hemoglobin their blood is not red but yellow.
Some of the earliest form of trade between Asia and indigenous Australia was the trade of sea cucumbers, which are highly regarding in some forms of eastern medicine and as a food dish.
Some of the earliest form of trade between Asia and indigenous Australia was the trade of sea cucumbers, which are highly regarding in some forms of eastern medicine and as a food dish.
Turtle Rescue Cairns – Saving the Sea Turtle
Cairns Turtle Rehabilitation Centre was established as a facility designed for treatment of ill and injured turtles in Far North Queensland and Cape York Peninsula. The centre works towards the recovery of threatened marine turtle species in conjunction with a local veterinary clinic. Since 2002, 21 turtles have been successfully rehabilitated and released in the region where they were found. Unfortunately 24 turtles have died during attempts at rehabilitation, a not unexpected result when considering the poor condition of these animals when brought into the centre. The majority of the stranded animals brought to the centre from Great Barrier Reef waters had ‘floaters disease’ with only one suffering from fibropapilloma virus. Qantas -Link Airlines has assisted in transport of turtles from the west coast of Cape York Peninsula where the Napranum Land Protection Unit rescued many stranded turtles. These have been injured due to entanglement in ‘ghost nets’. Injuries can be so severe that flippers have been lost or had to be amputated.
Donations Can be made at:
Marlin Coast Veterinary Surgery
Cnr Aropa St & Cook Hwy, Trinity Beach, QLD 4879
Phone: +61 (0)7 4057 6033