Hello from Bangalore, India

[hammerhead_sm]

**Tried posting earlier, but seem to be having some IP issues**

Hey Everyone.

Glad to be on this forum. Always a pleasure interacting with and learning from other divers. The experience shared on this forum is mind-boggling!

I'm an AOW + Deep certified diver, and have been diving for the past seven years, though the last two years have slowed everything down. I'll hit 150 dives next week - and have accumulated them across India, Thailand (Phuket, Similans, Koh Tao), Sri Lanka, Egypt (Dahab), Maldives and Indonesia (Komodo, Bali and Gili T)

I absolutely love the under-water world, like I'm sure everyone else on this forum. I love the sport and I love evangelizing it to everyone I come across. I've taken nearly 40 people from work and my social circle for their DSDs to local dive-shops, of whom 10 have gotten OW certified and 5 have gone on to become AOWs.

I'm now keen to do my divemaster (and rescue) course. The goal is not really to be a pro, but more to really hone skills to a higher level and improve awareness - navigation, planning, safety etc. I figure an intense 3-4 week paid course, with focused theory and lots of dives, would be a great way to achieve that. Also, I really love supporting new divers, answering questions, giving tips, making sure they are comfortable under-water etc. - and hope I will be able to do so more confidently in the future as a DM.

With the Philippines opening up, it is presently my top destination for the DM course. I would greatly appreciate if anyone can recommend a dive shop / instructor in the Philippines for DM training. If not Philippines, please feel free to recommend any better locations across Asia / MENA.

Thanks again, and hope everyone is doing well. Have fun and keep diving!

P.S. - If anyone is visiting India and is keen to dive, do reach out. Would be happy to share my experience.

 

[BoundForElsewhere]

Kese hei, bhai-sehab!!!!

 

[Abhi Singh]

Hey there, last dive I did in India was Pondicherry

 

[Sudhakar123]

**Tried posting earlier, but seem to be having some IP issues**

Hey Everyone.

Glad to be on this forum. Always a pleasure interacting with and learning from other divers. The experience shared on this forum is mind-boggling!

I'm an AOW + Deep certified diver, and have been diving for the past seven years, though the last two years have slowed everything down. I'll hit 150 dives next week - and have accumulated them across India, Thailand (Phuket, Similans, Koh Tao), Sri Lanka, Egypt (Dahab), Maldives and Indonesia (Komodo, Bali and Gili T)

I absolutely love the under-water world, like I'm sure everyone else on this forum. I love the sport and I love evangelizing it to everyone I come across. I've taken nearly 40 people from work and my social circle for their DSDs to local dive-shops, of whom 10 have gotten OW certified and 5 have gone on to become AOWs.

I'm now keen to do my divemaster (and rescue) course. The goal is not really to be a pro, but more to really hone skills to a higher level and improve awareness - navigation, planning, safety etc. I figure an intense 3-4 week paid course, with focused theory and lots of dives, would be a great way to achieve that. Also, I really love supporting new divers, answering questions, giving tips, making sure they are comfortable under-water etc. - and hope I will be able to do so more confidently in the future as a DM.

With the Philippines opening up, it is presently my top destination for the DM course. I would greatly appreciate if anyone can recommend a dive shop / instructor in the Philippines for DM training. If not Philippines, please feel free to recommend any better locations across Asia / MENA.

Thanks again, and hope everyone is doing well. Have fun and keep diving!

P.S. - If anyone is visiting India and is keen to dive, do reach out. Would be happy to share my experience.

Hi Mate
I wanted to make a visit to India for diving at Dwarka …so far have zero responses from agencies I have contacted .Do you have any contacts for Dwarka .I was interested in diving the sunken temple .I am a Padi Qualified Divemaster

 

[hammerhead_sm]

Hi Mate
I wanted to make a visit to India for diving at Dwarka …so far have zero responses from agencies I have contacted .Do you have any contacts for Dwarka .I was interested in diving the sunken temple .I am a Padi Qualified Divemaster

I believe most reputable operators (like diveindia) explored it for a season and then withdrew. Now there only a few operators who I suppose cater to the DSD crowd. I believe the dive sites aren't really worth it. To the best of my knowledge, there are no dive sites with sunken temples etc. which I suppose is the expectation. The few such ruins that do exist are cordoned off by the ASI anyway. Also, the reason you're not getting any responses is because everyone is shut for the monsoon. You can expect to connect with them post end-Sep / early - Oct.

 

[Sudhakar123]

Thanks .. greatly appreciated .. I also felt they are for DSD crowd and most sites dont have any sunken artefacts like I was imagining …thanks again

 

[ShamikB]

Hi Mate
I wanted to make a visit to India for diving at Dwarka …so far have zero responses from agencies I have contacted .Do you have any contacts for Dwarka .I was interested in diving the sunken temple .I am a Padi Qualified Divemaster

That is a ASI protected site and restricted by Ministry of Defense and the Navy is in charge. You want to dive it, get a permit from the Indian Navy

 

[Sudhakar123]

That is a ASI protected site and restricted by Ministry of Defense and the Navy is in charge. You want to dive it, get a permit from the Indian Navy

Is this even possible ? I seriously want to Dive .. I am technically a foriegn passport holder now even though I am 100% Hindustani ?

 

[ShamikB]

As a foreign passport holder, you are not an Indian citizen anymore. I doubt they will ever let a foreigner go even close to that place. They don't even allow us Indians.