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MANTIS SCUBA CLUBThe latest issues and happenings
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MANTIS
SCUBA CLUB - NEWS & CURRENT EVENTS
LATEST NEWS
CENTRAL QUEENSLAND TECH - Planning is in the advanced stages for a central QLD tech course and dive trip around October/December. The main purpose of the trip is to train a group of decompression divers and to that end we are looking at diving the SS Yongala, SS Llewellyn and the SS Gothenburg during the course. None of the wrecks are deep enough to require the use of Trimix so only a decompression certification is required. Numbers will be limited as we already have 5 spaces filled for the boat. The trip is restricted to OC divers only due to the boat operator not wanting SCR's/CCR's on board. We also now have marks and a suitable boat (no SCR/CCR allowed) for two as yet undived wrecks in Mid-North NSW. To register interest in either the Central QLD or following NSW tech trips please drop us an e-mail.
NEW WEEKEND BOAT FOR SEQ - After what seems to have been an eternity Brisbane now has a new live aboard dive boat. MV Reef Connection has just commenced operations and we have made several bookings for weekend trips. The boat is about the same length as MV Esperance Star was but is noticably wider. The cabin setup is the same with a single 4 berth cabin up the front and 4 x twin berth cabins at the rear. There are also 2 toilets and showers downstairs. Due to the additional width there is also more room in each of the cabins. The owners have taken advice from some of the local dive operators and have installed stabilizers to help lessen motion sickness. For a look at the new boat as well as trip days and additional information please visit our calendar page. Couples please note that the twin berth cabins have a double bed, it will now be possible to get your own private room again. The days of spending the weekend on Flinders in a floating backpacker's can now be a thing of the past. Reef Connection is surveyed for 12 + 2, so small group diving is its focus and visiting a wide variety of dive sites both recreational and technical during the weekend will be standard on our trips. Please book as early as possible as these trips are once again filling fast. The first weekend in May is over half full already and some of our technical divers have booked on every weekend trip we are running in 2008.
SEQ TECHNICAL/DEEP DIVE WEEKENDS BACK ON - Yes you heard it, after a massive wait we now have access to a live aboard that is happy to allow OC technical/deep diving (sorry no SCR or CCR diving allowed). Once again we will be able to complete 4 technical/deep dives in a weekend. New details have been added to the courses and calendar page. Deep (to 40m), Decompression (to 45m) and Trimix (to 120m) will be available to suitably qualified and experienced open circuit divers.
WRECK PENETRATION/TECHNICAL WRECK PENETRATION - Access to the new boat has also allowed us to compress the time taken to complete wreck diver training here at Mantis. We have decided to commit one complete weekend trip to the final certification dives. The August weekend 16-17th will be just for wreck diving at Curtin and Tangalooma. Prior to this weekend students will be required for 2 additional weekends for the theory, confined water and initial open water training. Please see the courses page for details.
RECREATIONAL DEEP DIVER - Course dates have been posted for our new recreational NAUI deep diver specialty course. Unlike the PADI course or any other locally offered Deep Diver course for that matter, our course requires 8 certification dives, 4 of which will be 40m dives. That's right no single dive to the St Paul followed by two dives at Curtin or Comby for us (some courses require even less). All students will be required to use a back plate, wing and harness (available for hire) and become experienced in carrying and using a stage cylinder (included in course cost). Initially you will do 4 shallower training dives to become comfortable with the equipment and techniques then you will be taken on 4 x single 40m deep dives. This course is a true advanced diving specialty course not just a 'card in a weekend' special. Only 4 spaces are available on each course. The deep dives can be completed on deep dive day trips over a period of 4 months or completed on a single weekend trip on MV Reef Connection.
THEY COME AND THEY CONTINUE TO GO - The SEQ dive industry has lost some more operators with possibly another couple soon to follow. One operation, up for sale unofficially for some years, is now advertising openly in the paper for a buyer. If your thinking of buying it then please do your due diligence. It was not so long ago that 1.3 million was wasted on buying a Brisbane dive shop. If the buyer had done some quality research he would most likely have not bought the shop. We would be happy to suggest some things a potential buyer needs to consider when carrying out research into purchasing a SEQ dive operation.
CONSUMER ALERT - Recently divers on a SEQ weekend dive trip were slugged a $10 per day 'fuel surcharge', after already paying an agreed price for the trip and despite the cost of fuel dropping significantly in the last few weeks. As the extra money was paid through the same cash facility as purchased soft drinks etc. so no tax invoice was provided. In effect the operator recieved a tax free cash gift of $300 for the trip. Even worse was that the advertised destination for the trip was changed during the trip. Divers were told weather was the reason, unfortunately the skipper was overheard telling someone that it was the low number of divers on the trip that forced the destination change. In other words not enough money in it for the operator. If divers continue to accept this poor service it will only get worse. The way to change these practices is to vote with your feet and never use a dive operator that acts like the one above. We also advise divers to contact the ATO any time they are made to pay cash for a service and recieve no tax invoice in return.
UPDATED BEGINNER TRAINING - After testing and trialing our new Alpha wings and harnesses we have decided to incorporate their use into our Recreational courses not just our Technical courses. From March on, all students on our beginners courses will be trained using a wing, backplate and harness setup. This equipment is better than a BCD and makes for more control during a dive not to mention it is also extremely long lasting, simple and less prone to failure. No more 'D' rings stitched directly to a material BCD bag to worry about failing, no more punctures in fully sealed BCD's that can't be repaired but must be replaced. Later on any divers wanting to enter Wreck Penetration or Technical training will have no issues moving from a single cylinder to a set of twins as the equipment will be very familiar. Over the next several months we will be adding a further 8 sets of Alpha wings and harnesses to our training/hire equipment. Students on courses above beginner level will still be able to use BCD's and for those students requiring a BCD we will still have several available for use. Lastly those divers wanting to find out why a NTEC type setup is less expensive, longer lasting, harder wearing, safer and simpler than a normal BCD setup can have the opportunity to try before they buy. Once you compare the differences between both types and see the additional failure points with a BCD you wouldn't want anything but an NTEC type setup.
LOCAL ACCOMMODATION - Due to the number of leadership and technical candidates we get from overseas, interstate and intrastate we have now sealed the deal for some good, clean and safe local accommodation for up to four diving students. The charge per diver will be $22 a night for the accommodation and $44 a night for both accommodation and all three meals, internet access is also included but you need to bring your own lap top. Accommodation booked through us will only be available for students enrolled in a Mantis Diving course or a NAUI sponsored workshop.
PADI DIVEMASTER COURSE CHANGES - PADI have decided that all PADI Divemaster candidates need to have more PADI training materials. From now on all PADI Divemaster candidates must own a PADI Divemaster Manual, RDP - all three versions (Wheel, table and the new eRDP including associated Instructions for Use booklets), The Encyclopedia of Recreational Diving, Diving Knowledge Workbook, Divemaster Slates and Instructor Guides for programs PADI Divemasters may conduct: Discover Scuba Diving, Discover Snorkeling/Skin Diver Course and Scuba Review/Discover Local Diving. The cost of the required materials is $302.50. If you already own some of the required materials it will save you some of the total cost increase. We have reduced our PADI Divemaster course cost to $695 (down from $750) but all candidates will also now need to have or buy the complete training materials pack for $302.50. So worst case it will cost $997.50 to complete a PADI Divemaster course.
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