Pattaya Vs. Phuket

[mase]

Quite simply, my whole life is not centred around diving, having said that, I do love diving, but also I have many other interests and things going on.
I equally loved diving in the UK before I relocated to Thailand. There I grew up and lived all my life as far away from the sea as you probably can get.
Living next to the best dive locations is not a prerequisite to love diving. If that were the case indeed I probably would not be living in Thailand at all.
And for the record I dont live in Pattaya.

Fair enough

 

[Apecks]

John,

Always good to dive with you. April sounds good. I am in Pattaya late June to early August. Will you be back in the area?

@Apecks, I am just starting the KRs. Looking fwd to the training. I think we met on Danny's boat a while back. Let's plan on meeting up for a dive or two.

No problems with that. Just finished TEc 50 yesterday - trimix dive in the hole was a great experience. Very pleased with the course and level of instruction which was very very professional

 

[jamiemac]

Thanks. I will do after i remeber how to change it

I have already started my DSAT Tec 50 with them and I must say they are a step above my previous tech training I did down in Koh Tao

You should have done it with me!

We go to all the trouble of equipping and maintaining a dedicated tec boat and then tec divers learn at a recreational school on the day boats, and then get disappointed.

Very frustrating for all concerned, except the bugger who's got your money!

Anyway, now you're properly qualified try and do a trip on the MV Trident, I suggest a 3D/3N trip to a couple of wrecks in 48-60M , about 50miles out. Your Tec 50 cert will have prepared you well for this, but you'll have the luxury of nice vis, deco station, lots of help on the boat etc.

A bit more fun the 'the hole' ! I know, I did my first deep dives there too and it's good training.

See if you can get a group of Pattaya teccies together and we'll bash out a good deal

Just got back from a week's liveaboard at Scapa Flow. Cold, dark, very hard work , but great diving. Can't wait to get back into a 3mm wetsuit

 

[jkaterenchuk]

You should have done it with me!

We go to all the trouble of equipping and maintaining a dedicated tec boat and then tec divers learn at a recreational school on the day boats, and then get disappointed.

If I were to do my technical training over again knowing what I do now I would do it on Jamie's boat. I have been on his boat as a paying customer for 3 trips each more than one week in duration. I have seen some of his students taking courses during these trips. The experience they get is much enhanced.

John

 

[lord khram]

Just got back from a week's liveaboard at Scapa Flow. Cold, dark, very hard work , but great diving. Can't wait to get back into a 3mm wetsuit

Yes Scapa is great, both times I have been we couldn't dive the wrecks we wanted because of weather related restrictions. But brilliant diving anyway. Glad you enjoyed.

Will you be doing any more diving while you are over there? I should be going back soon for a few weeks and hoping to dive the Scillies again.

Sadly as you said, not really a good idea to dive Scapa in a 3mm wetsuit.

 

[jamiemac]

If I were to do my technical training over again knowing what I do now I would do it on Jamie's boat. I have been on his boat as a paying customer for 3 trips each more than one week in duration. I have seen some of his students taking courses during these trips. The experience they get is much enhanced.

John

Thanks for that , John.

My idea with the trips is that we learn off each other. The tec training manuals cover the skills but there is no alternative to diving. And to see other divers with different kit and training broadens your experience so much.

Plus an expedition is a lot of fun

 

[jamiemac]

Yes Scapa is great, both times I have been we couldn't dive the wrecks we wanted because of weather related restrictions. But brilliant diving anyway. Glad you enjoyed.

Will you be doing any more diving while you are over there? I should be going back soon for a few weeks and hoping to dive the Scillies again.

Sadly as you said, not really a good idea to dive Scapa in a 3mm wetsuit.

Dived the 3 battleships, 4 cruisers,some WW2 stuff, some others, there's wrecks everywhere up there. Weather was good but cold, 6-10C . Got dark at midnight, light at 3.30.

Got some interest from the local divers to visit Thailand, I've told them of our hazards, sunshine, spicy food, getting stuck in the bar too late

Next time I'd like to hook onto a battleship for a couple of days and really explore, but needs agreement from the whole group which is difficult.

Diving a WW1 channel wreck in a couple of weeks, Moldavia. Quite like the UK stuff now I've mastered the dry suit and the cold.

 

[lord khram]

Dived the 3 battleships, 4 cruisers,some WW2 stuff, some others, there's wrecks everywhere up there. Weather was good but cold, 6-10C . Got dark at midnight, light at 3.30.

Got some interest from the local divers to visit Thailand, I've told them of our hazards, sunshine, spicy food, getting stuck in the bar too late

Next time I'd like to hook onto a battleship for a couple of days and really explore, but needs agreement from the whole group which is difficult.

Diving a WW1 channel wreck in a couple of weeks, Moldavia. Quite like the UK stuff now I've mastered the dry suit and the cold.

Moldavia is briliant. I been on it several times, only drawback is the long boat ride, its about 23 mile I think, and the window of slack water is not a big one even on a neap tide. Still got some of its big guns on the deck, near the stern if I remember correctly.
This is another wreck that you could quite easily spend a few days on and still not see it all. Its about 150m from bow to stern.
Must say despite the cold water I am envious. I am sure this is another one you will thoroughly enjoy.
I am hoping to get to the Scillies again when I eventually get back. Again this place is littered with wrecks, you should give it a try if you can fit it in your schedule.

 

[Apecks]

You should have done it with me!

We go to all the trouble of equipping and maintaining a dedicated tec boat and then tec divers learn at a recreational school on the day boats, and then get disappointed.

Very frustrating for all concerned, except the bugger who's got your money!

Anyway, now you're properly qualified try and do a trip on the MV Trident, I suggest a 3D/3N trip to a couple of wrecks in 48-60M , about 50miles out. Your Tec 50 cert will have prepared you well for this, but you'll have the luxury of nice vis, deco station, lots of help on the boat etc.

A bit more fun the 'the hole' ! I know, I did my first deep dives there too and it's good training.

See if you can get a group of Pattaya teccies together and we'll bash out a good deal

Just got back from a week's liveaboard at Scapa Flow. Cold, dark, very hard work , but great diving. Can't wait to get back into a 3mm wetsuit

Point taken Jamie........but in truth there were two of us on the tech boat diving to the tides not out on the day boat and Mermaids will argue that they are a full service centre, which i could not disagree with.

Anyway, I fancy a trip and will see what i can do.

 

[jamiemac]

Point taken Jamie........but in truth there were two of us on the tech boat diving to the tides not out on the day boat and Mermaids will argue that they are a full service centre, which i could not disagree with.

Anyway, I fancy a trip and will see what i can do.

No , you mis-understood. I was thinking of your less -than -satisfactory training on Koh Tao that you mentioned.

I'm sure Mermaid's did a good job. I did my formal tec training there with the madman SB2.

I showed him where the 'Ledge' is and he showed me the' Hole'. Dark murky stuff but good for training. You wouldn't want the day boat divers anywhere near !

Good months for a trip would be Sept to mid Oct.