Browsing articles from "april, 2012"

Every End Has A Start

apr 23, 2012   //   by supernova   //   Blog, Crystal Divers, Interns Blog  //  No Comments
I watched one movie series and it was about intern doctors who need to find another place to get more experience, they did that in the 5th year of their education. In that movie, one of the attending didn’t want to let go the intern, and another intern didn’t want to move to another place. But at the end all needed to move on to gain another experience beside the place we called “home”. It is the same with all of us here, the seven interns, we need to go to somewhere else than our home, we need to grow up to face the world but at some point we will go home.
Almost one month ago we finished our internship with CRYSTAL DIVERS as diving instructor. It has been a pleasure to be part of this program. I have so many new friends,a new family,a new life and great moments in my life.  Allow me to give big gratitude to all the people who helped me in diving and also non diving.
To my fellow interns, thank you for your friendship. I can call you all my sisters and brothers. You will always be part – one of the best parts in my life. It was also a pleasure to work with you guys, hand in hand. I haven’t said a proper good-bye last time because it’s not a permanent good bye. We will gather together – all of us – in some point in our life.
Vintty, oneng -my beautiful roommate and my only sister in this internship, she always said it’s ok for everything to me, especially in cooking. She also always helped us to learn about diving, a good teacher can I say especially for one of us (you know what I mean right ;)) . Good luck with your new journey we will meet again someday.

Eri, the commandant, don’t be worry so much.. Today is today, tomorrows problem just be tomorrows problems. That’s what Eri always said to me. Don’t be worried too much, life is easy. He also always gives us a place when we do over night trip to Tulamben because he is the owner of Tulamben :p Good luck for your job atTulamben Wreck divers!!  I will come to you if I go to Tulamben.
Jink, the golden boy, we had some problem before, during the internship, but after several moments all the things got back to normal. Well its part of our journey maybe but we are fine now. He always entertains us with his jokes, because it is in his blood. From serious problems, he can also make it into a joke.  Take good care of your health seriously bro. Don’t mess up with it again ok 😉 Good luck with your dive and we will meet again soon!
Nico, the adventurer, he really got many experiences in his life from bad things until good things. He also have someone special and finally he got the girl 😉 Way to go Nico!! You are a good instructor, believe that and don’t worry about people talking about you. Just show them that you can do it, no need to say it. Good luck with Crystal Divers and take good care of crystal bro!

 

 

Imam, the thinker, he is a good person but at some times he tends to make simple things to be really complicated. Remember KISS imam and don’t think too much ok. He is a friend who is always there for you when you need it and he’s a hard working guy. Thank you for the bike and I wish you all the luck in Gili Air! You need to take me diving if I go there 😉

Made, the little brother, first time he always thought that it’s too hard and everything, but the good thing is that he wants to be success so he learns harder every day. Sometimes he didn’t want to listen to everybody and locked himself in his room. He is a good diver but always get cold – eat more ya made ;), a good bartender, and also a good chef. Good luck in Big Bubble Made! I will see you in Gili!!!
I also can’t express my gratitude enough to Crystal Divers. You gave us a once in a lifetime opportunity that   I will never regret in my life. Opportunities to know a hidden world, to know many people from around the world, to know the meaning of life. I would not know all the things if I didn’t take this chance. All the instructors, dive masters, instructor trainee, guests, the girls, equipment boys, room boys, all the drivers, boat crew.  Thank you thank you thank you for the friendship. I am pleased to know each of you and you always have a place in my heart. Keep contact and all the best for your plans in the future. Also a big thank you to PADI, Dive Master, DAN and all the person who sponsored us. We will not be like today if without your help also.
 
I want to thank especially to Minni , who gave us this wonderful opportunity. It would not be like this, if you didn’t have trust, support and dream. You have all the trust to us even sometimes we even didn’t trust ourselves. You raiseed us like you raiseed your own baby. You love us from deep inside your heart. You taught us about diving and also life, courage, dream, and drinking. Now we need to grow up and face the world but you keep open your arms to hold us if something happen to us. You are our mom, our angel, our savior. We can’t pay you but we can show you that your hard work will not be used less. Someday we will make you more proud to seven of us and we will try to not let you down.
This post will be the last blog for my journey in crystal diver because the program is over and we need to face the world in front of us as good instructors for our next generation. I, myself will go back to Jakarta to a new work place, Dive Master Jakarta. If someday you go to Jakarta don’t forget to contact me there;)  I wish you all good luck and I hope we keep in contact <3 <3 <3

Crystal Diver’s Shout Out For Sharks

apr 23, 2012   //   by supernova   //   Crystal Divers  //  No Comments

A desire to protect sharks and have fun led the Crystal Divers team to organize a massive month of fundraising for the Big Shark Shout Out.

Holly and Crystal Divers launched their Big Shark Shout Out month with a huge barbecue and shark themed drinks night. The shark shots proved very popular and 76 people enjoyed the amazing barbecue, with even more for drinks!

A try dive day in Crystal Divers pool with Poseidon’s new rebreathers raised more money and our yoga teacher Pinglan is very generously donating all of April’s class fees to the cause.

“Our sincere thanks go to Bali Crystal Divers.  The Foundation relies on champions like Holly to go above and beyond and raise much needed funds for our ocean. Holding fundraising events is a great way to get your dive community together for a good cause,” said Joanna McNamara, Coordinator Project AWARE Foundation.

The Big Shark Shout Out is a shark month of action aimed at protecting sharks from overexploitation – overfishing, finning and bycatch.

This Earth Day and throughout April, Project AWARE and divers worldwide call on local communities to rally support for the protection of the world’s most vulnerable shark species by signing and organizing petition signatures to protect heavily traded species.

Well done Crystal Divers. Over 1000 signatures for the shark petition and over $1,200 raised so far to protect sharks.   Keep up the fantastic work.

Crystal Divers Shout For Sharks!!

Self reliant Diver Course

apr 4, 2012   //   by supernova   //   Blog, Crystal Divers  //  No Comments

PADI Self reliant Diver Course with one of the few platinum  Course Directors in the world, Minni Vangsgaard at Crystal Divers Bali

Do you trust yourself and your gear enough to become a certified PADI Self Reliant Diver ? This is not a speciality course for everyone, but is designed for divers who are often in circumstances when they do not have a buddy to rely on, in particular dive guides, photographers, videographers and instructors.  Self reliant training involves emphasizes the importance of effective dive planning whilst incorporating elements of tec training in calculating your bottom time. Training dives focus on how to manage a range of problems and safety drills using an independent alternate air source, thus expanding a divers skill basis and developing a new perspective on their diving. Overall, self reliant divers gain more confidence during any dive regardless of whether they dive with a buddy or alone. Also you ones your certified your insurance is more likely to cover you if anything goes wrong, since insurances normally states that your covered as long as you dive within your certification level which both divers on this course now will be next time they go on their own.

Our latest students were Darren, a very experienced diver  and keen  underwater photographer , along with Holly our very own Course Director who wanted to expand her own experience and continue to teach the self reliant course.

Early morning on a sunny day we started with theory , focusing on air consumption calculations, equipment requirements and what to consider when planning and conducting a self reliant dive.  Many of the points provoke interest and prompted discussions  and anecdotes based on different points of views of diving which added  to a very enjoyable theory session!

We then proceeded to plan for the logistics for our  3 Training dives in Tulamben the following day.

Training dives,

Awesome day, Sun was shining and visibility better than it has been for the last 4 weeks in Bali; I think we owe Darren a thanks for bringing some good weather with him to Bali. . . .

Dive 1

Self reliant diver course with Crystal divers Bali

Self reliant diver course with Crystal divers Bali

Dive 1: The Drop Off (Tulamben)

This dive was all about getting used to diving with the additional gear, practising buoyancy  control whilst carrying an independent alternate  air source and learning how to switch to a redundant air supply.  Darren and Holly then  performed a Surface Air Consumption (SAC) rate timed swim to determine their air consumption per minute whilst diving. To conclude the dive they made a safe ascent deploying a DSMB.

 

Dive 2: USAT liberty (tulamben)

Self reliant diver with crystal divers bali

Self reliant diver with crystal divers bali

 

The performance requirements in dive 2 focus on more on ‘diving your plan’  recording your depth and air consumption at pre agreed points throughout  the dive.  We also mask conducted a 2 minute swim without a mask, navigation skills and an out of air drill, all completed with no problems at all!

 

Dive 3:  5 Meter Reef (Tulamben)

Dive 3 was spent refining  the skills practiced so far and applying the air consumption calculations from previous dives to establish turn around pressure.

 

All 3 dives was very relaxed and the students had absolute TOP Score on all skills, Crystal Divers are proud to certify them both as Self Reliant Divers!

 

So  BIG CONGRATULATIONS to Darren and Holly!!!