Scuba Diving. The Carnatic, Abu Nuhas, Egypt

The Carnatic is a great 19th Century shipwreck that lies on Sha’ab Abu Nuhas Reef in the Red Sea. It is accessable from both Sharm and hurgada (bit of a trek and weather permitting). It is quite shallow which means that it is accessible to all levels of diver. The Carnatic sank in 1869 but is still remarkably intact. Inside the wreck you can see the remains of broken bottles and there are shoals of glass fish inhabiting them. Penetration into the holds is easy for any level of diver and there are plenty of open areas to get out of. The story is that the Carnatic was carrying Gold when it struck the reef. Rumor has it that it was never recovered…Though, I didnt find any:)… A great dive.

Diving Instructor

So, whats it like becoming a diving instructor?

Becoming a Diving Instructor

This is my own personal opinion. I don’t think there are many people that are able to honestly say that they can do their hobby and get paid. That said the job of an instructor hold responsibilities. You are ultimatly responsible for your clients lives. The pay, well that can be poor, depending on where you are teaching, but the lifestyle, lifing in the sun (if you choose to) more than makes up for that I can assure you. I first became a diving instructor in the Dominican Republic. Working for Northern Coast Diving. At the time there was a team of 9 diving instructors, teaching all levels of PADI certification.
Any job that you do 5 or 6 days a week begins to seem like a JOB, even if its’s your hobby. The turnover of good instructors at a dive store is normally high. If you like travel, it is the perfect job. I worked in the dominican republic, then Hawaii. Apart from being a Diving Instructor, I also turned my hand to boat handling, so there are always other options that arise. Get your self on a good course, if you are young, free and single..or with another diver ….. Becoming a Diving Instructor is a fullfilling occupation, that I would recommend.

Paul Bradbury, PADI Master Instructor. (Over 1000 Students certified) PADI, SDI, SDI.

On the boats

Your job is your hobby

300 bar cylinders, for air rifle use

Steel Cylinders for Scuba Diving or Airguns

I don’t normally use this blog to sell. However, Steel cyliders normally associated with scuba diving are also used by air gun users. These are supplied with different valves, not used in Scuba Diving. Anyone interested in buying cylinders for air gun recharging, here is a great deal. These are not suitable for use as scuba diving cylinders.

Brand New 6Litre 300Bar Steel Cylinders with a 5 year hydrostatic test life. DIN VALVE

LIST PRICE £240.00
REMAR DIVING PRICE £185.00
SAVING £55.00
Anyone interested can contact me directly on 44 (0) 7970311017
or by dropping me an e mail to paul.bradbury@breezeemail.com

UK only. Collection from Cardiff Area. Deliveries UK wide.

scuba diving cylinders for airgun recharging

Sponge in great condition

Tube Sponge

Picture by Sally Rix

If you are on the north shore of the Dominican Republic I can highly recommend Northern Coast Diving on Pedro Clisante, Sosua for your dives. It is a very professional outfit, doing 3 dives a day and offering night dives and trips to the awesome caverns in Cabrera. See the site here and tell them Scuba man sent you.

My first dives. For the PADI ADVANCED course I was taken to Dosthill Quarry. October 1994. Yep, Cold.
Reading the dive log, I didnt sound that impressed with the underwater life. Remember these were FUN DIVES straight after the open water course ! Anyway, It would be good to hear from anyone still diving in Dosthill.

http://www.divedozzi.com

Dive Dosthill

It was a cold October day that I will never forget. After the much needed cup of hot chocolate I plucked up the courage to don my wet suit…..YES wet suit…the water just 4 degrees above freezing. Great. Once the briefing was over we walked to the edge of that platform and stared at the bleak looking pond below……What fun…..and with a perfect giant stride, I was in. After the initial shock the suit did warm up…..but to be fair, the face and hands, which were in thin gloves never do. Visibility….Mmmm about 2 meters, which is not bad, depending on where you have to compare it with. Some say that peeing in your suit helps with the cold…..It does for approx 0.4 seconds, but trust me the hassle with your partner later when you remove the suit is not worth it LOL.

The first module skills were carried out and I am so glad that there was only one other person to wait for. My dive buddy and good friend Steve……. I look back now and wonder how we actually managed to get back in the water for the second dive…AND go back the next day to finish the course. However, after all is said and done, learning to dive altered my life, my lifestyle, my outlook and even my personality…all for the better I must add. Here is a link to stoney cove. It is one of the best inland dive sites and does have a great safety record and all of the needed facilities, including a cafe. SCUBA MAN says Dive safe.
www.stoneycove.com

Dive sites around Hurgarda

SCUBA MAN SAYS… EGYPT TRY IT FIRST

Diving in the RED SEA, without a doubt gave me the passion for travelling and the sea. I had not long done my advanced course when our local dive shop organised a trip to Hurgarda, Egypt. The first dive in warm water, in fact the first dive in anything warmer than 6 degrees…Wow. First thing I noticed….was I could see !!! Ok, I am being cruel..there are some awesome dives in the UK and i hope to cover them soon too on this BLOG. I remember seeing this huge moray eel. Peter was his name …no really !! the dive leader made you pat his big head on the way passed…otherwise he would follow you around the dive !!! YIP I patted his head. Of cousre I would honestly advise and hope that any divers nowerdays DO NOT TOUCH ANYTHING and leave only bubbles.

I weighed in at about 14 stone those days and my tank of air only lasted about 20 mins. So if you are an “air pig” please do not worry. Enjoy the time you have…you will get better and better the more that you dive. Nowerdays at 16 stone…but i am on a diet I can make an average dive last over 2 hours on the same tank!!….. yes, breathing all the time.
Anyway, first trip was 7 days of life changing bliss….I knew then that I wanted to do that for a job…..but it was just a dream….wasn’t it?
NOTE: The diving in egypt has changed since that first splash, but I do think in general. Hurgarda is calm, warm has close sites and is a great place to get your first few dives in after certification. Those first few dives without being taught will no doubt be the deciders of whether you do continue to dive or you quit. So pick a good dive shop and stay safe.

SCUBA MAN.

PADI CAREER CHART

SCUBA DIVING CAREER

Thought I would post this chart. It shows the career path or recreational path you can opt for in the PADI (Professional association of diving instructors) system.

Where to start?

It is very important to find a good reputable diving school/instructor.
Also of course decide if you do actually want to get wet in the UK !
I am a big fan of learning in the UK as I think that once you have dived in the UK you can dive anywhere. Definitly TRY BEFORE YOU BUY. Equipment I mean… Do a try dive. In a pool then the sea. If you enjoy it, then start thinking about buying your own kit. So many people buy kit, then find out that for some reason they dont like it. !! Yep some strange folk out there LOL.

GET CERTIFIED. There is nothing like having that open water certification. Its like freedom..or it was for me !

Let go diving………………………….

In future posts I will be relating to my first dives and posting some real life experiences. I hope that you join in.

Happy bubbles Paul. SCUBA MAN

Eagle Ray