Mar Scuba Mikomoto Summer 2008 Tours-Tentative Schedule

[Mar Scuba]

We often have many inquiries regarding dive tours to Mikomoto to see the hammerhead sharks. Here are the tentative dates for July and August. The tours normally run from Friday to Sunday.

July 18-20 (3 day weekend, July 21 is Marine Day)
August 15-17 (Dates may change due to Obon holidays)
August 29-31

You can find more details on this page.

Mar Scuba - Schedule

Please note that in order to join us, each diver must meet the minimum requirements:

* Required 50 or more documented dives
* Advanced Open Water certification.

Also, the diver must be able to perform the following skills:

* Drift diving (ability to swim in difficult currents)
* Negative entries
* Deployment of safety marker buoy (SMB) from depth
(as verified inwater by Mar Scuba Divemaster or Instructor)

or

* PADI Rescue Diver certification through Mar Scuba

or

* GUE DIR Fundamentals (Please contact us for more details)

These tours fill up very quickly, so please contact us if you would like to join.

Thanks!

 

[bill22]

We often have many inquiries regarding dive tours to Mikomoto to see the hammerhead sharks. Here are the tentative dates for July and August. The tours normally run from Friday to Sunday.

July 18-20 (3 day weekend, July 21 is Marine Day)
August 15-17 (Dates may change due to Obon holidays)
August 29-31

You can find more details on this page.

Mar Scuba - Schedule

Please note that in order to join us, each diver must meet the minimum requirements:

* Required 50 or more documented dives
* Advanced Open Water certification.

Also, the diver must be able to perform the following skills:

* Drift diving (ability to swim in difficult currents)
* Negative entries
* Deployment of safety marker buoy (SMB) from depth
(as verified inwater by Mar Scuba Divemaster or Instructor)

or

* PADI Rescue Diver certification through Mar Scuba

or

* GUE DIR Fundamentals (Please contact us for more details)

These tours fill up very quickly, so please contact us if you would like to join.

Thanks!

So my PADI Rescue Diver isn't recognized because I didn't do it through MarScuba?

 

[Geoff_H]

I can see why Matt has these requirements. I've seen Rescue Divers and Dive masters who were wrecks in the water. Certification is not a fully adequate way to judge diving ability... an open water diver with 500 dives over 10 years is likely to be a far better and more experienced diver than an rescue diver with 50 dives....

Mikomoto can be a very challenging dive and conditions can change quickly - if I was leading dives there I would have exactly the same set of requirements, i.e. I would want to personally observe and verify my customers dive skills before taking them there.

 

[bill22]

I can see why Matt has these requirements. I've seen Rescue Divers and Dive masters who were wrecks in the water. Certification is not a fully adequate way to judge diving ability... an open water diver with 500 dives over 10 years is likely to be a far better and more experienced diver than an rescue diver with 50 dives....

Mikomoto can be a very challenging dive and conditions can change quickly - if I was leading dives there I would have exactly the same set of requirements, i.e. I would want to personally observe and verify my customers dive skills before taking them there.

hmmmm.... maybe I didn't word that very well ) You misunderstand me I believe that Mikomoto is a challenging dive. I also agree with everything that you say about experience levels. I am not arguing against the requirements. That's a minimum for diving in those conditions. They are good, common sense requirements that will I think insure that people don't bite off more than they can chew. Great idea to have people demonstrate proficiency before they dive there

Maybe a better way to have asked the question would have been, "What makes a PADI Rescue Diver certified through Mar Scuba, different than a PADI Rescue Diver certified through someone else?" I'm just asking why he waives PADI Rescue Divers who certified through him from these requirements.

Using your example, an Open Water Diver with 500 dives over 10 years would have to demonstrate everything (good idea, they should), but a PADI Rescue Diver who certified through Mar Scuba with 50 dives doesn't have to.... why not?

 

[The Mushroom King]

Maybe a better way to have asked the question would have been, "What makes a PADI Rescue Diver certified through Mar Scuba, different than a PADI Rescue Diver certified through someone else?" I'm just asking why he waives PADI Rescue Divers who certified through him from these requirements.

I would assume its - because if you've done your rescue though MarScuba then they have personally witnessed your ability and skills in less than ideal situations. I'm sure the content of the course isn't different, but if you did it with them then they can feel confident that you will be able to handle the conditions at mikomoto. I'm sure if you have your rescue from a different organization and then arranged to head out with Matt and go though a scenario or two, just so they could see your ability, there would be no problem.
People do die unfortunately at mikomoto... MarScuba is just doing their due diligence I should think

 

[bill22]

I would assume its - because if you've done your rescue though MarScuba then they have personally witnessed your ability and skills in less than ideal situations. I'm sure the content of the course isn't different, but if you did it with them then they can feel confident that you will be able to handle the conditions at mikomoto. I'm sure if you have your rescue from a different organization and then arranged to head out with Matt and go though a scenario or two, just so they could see your ability, there would be no problem.
People do die unfortunately at mikomoto... MarScuba is just doing their due diligence I should think

You're right... you're assuming. I never assume anything when I'm diving with someone for the first time. Do you? Let Matt explain why a PADI Rescue course with him is different than it is with someone else. If what you say is true, then let him say it.

You guys all seem to be friends of "Matt" and are missing the point. I AGREED that it's a good idea that a person be experienced in drift diving, negative entries, and deploying an SMB from depth based on what I've read and heard about conditions at Mikimoto.

Now let Matt tell me that people that go through his Rescue Diver course, do all those things. Why such a big deal about such a simple question? Do they do all those things or not? If they do, then say so? I haven't attacked anyone, I just asked a question.

 

[Mar Scuba]

Why such a big deal about such a simple question? Do they do all those things or not? If they do, then say so? I haven't attacked anyone, I just asked a question.

Hi, Bill, you have a good question, thanks for asking.

First of all, thank you Geoff H. (who has already gone through the process and demonstrated the skills to our Head Divemaster Geoff) and Mushroom King for giving your opinions. We make time during our fun dive tours to get in some skills practice to get divers prepared for the Mikomoto tours.

Bill, to answer your question, the main reason why we allow divers who have been PADI Rescue certified through Mar Scuba is that we have direct experience with them. As you probably know, the Rescue Diver course can be very demanding and challenging for the diver. It lets us get to know the diver and how they would react to certain conditions and situations in an emergency. We also have students perform deployment of SMB from depth, etc. to make sure that they are adequately prepared for the Mikomoto trip.

If you look at our briefing which we have online, perhaps you can understand the depth and detail of thought that we have given to diving in this special location.

Thanks and appreciate the frank discussion,

 

[Mar Scuba]

Here is the updated status for the tours:

July 18-20 (3 day weekend, July 21 is Marine Day) - Tour FULL
August 15-17 - 3 Spaces left
August 29-31 - 3 Spaces left

Thanks!

 

[Mar Scuba]

First trip, first 2 out of 4 dives, Hammerheads!

On the 4th dive, we saw one Sandbar Shark.

See the Photos on Facebook and our mini review.

In short, we had superb weather, great conditions, and some awesome dives!

 

[Mar Scuba]

Second trip, August 15-17, we were lucky to have good weather even with the typhoon passing by, even though we had some big swells.

On this trip, we saw Hammerheads, Grey reef sharks, an unidentified shark (we think it was a nurse shark), yellowtail tuna, and best of all...a Japanese wobbegong. Some pictures posted on our Facebook page.

August 29-31 trip is full, although we just might be able to accommodate one more diver.