Tioman Eco Divers

[Beach Bum k10]

alee once bubbled...
Hi there...

Actually i just got my OPW dive license in May this year with Steffen's Dive Shop in Perhentian and my instructor was Lars Jensen.

Last weekend i also went to tioman to dive. I did 2 adventure dives (Deep Dive & Night Dive). According to the dive shop there, they say that u can actually do your AOW in stages. If i'm not mistaken a advanced course requires u to do 5 adventure dives and so if u do it in stages its ok. So thats what i did! And boy was the night dive great. Its really something different and the colours below are so much more enhanced with the aid of the torch light. Everything looked so beautiful. I also did a wreck dive....part of my deep dive. Lotsa marine life around the 2 wrecks. I reckon wreck enthusiats should go.

Cheers...=-)

Alee,
So do you like Tioman. I was there last July. Great diving! Did you see the 80 ft long giant squid.....

I take a dive light with me day or night. Even during day time, if you shine the lights on the corals, you'll be able to see the real colour!

Safe diving!

beach bum

 

[alee]

Shucks an 80ft long giant squid??? All i saw were some barracudas and a hermit crab which i mistaken for a blown up puffer fish!!! Damn! Now i'm depressed....heh heh!

Anyway, i totally agree with u Beach Bum....doin my adventure dive right after my OPW really helped in terms of confidence. My first dive was horrible coz i had flu and i couldnt equalize...so before i went on my deep dive i was a nervous wreck....But after going down 30meters without any problem....boy i was on top of the world!

And now....i've got the diving bug....cant stop thinking of the deep blue sea with all its wonders!!

Cheers.... =-)

 

[Tim Wong]

Hi Yen,

Actually if you take the time to look around, you will find that there are many very qualified scuba instructors in M'sia. They range from Master Instructor (MI) to basic open water instructor although there are rare instances of Course Director willing to train you personally. The most important consideration would be the scheduling of the pool sessions and logictics (is it easy for you to go there). All PADI instructors will deliver the same quality of teaching and training. Happy diving.

 

[lanun]

Tim Wong once bubbled...
All [edited] instructors will deliver the same quality of teaching and training.

i had a different experience. in talking and observing instructors from ~ 5 or so dive ops i saw the quality to vary greatly. either in terms of dive skill, mentoring, care of equipment or training methods.

but as is oft suggested on the board, talk to the instructor. dive with them or their DM (sometimes DM's are a reflection of their mentors who might be the instructors themselves.

 

[Snoopy]

Yen

I have dived with Jeff & Michelle last year. A husband & wife operation. They were friendly and patient.

The 2nd time I was there, they had just set up Eco Dive. The previous shop they worked for is about 10 mins away.

The accomodation is just right behind the DS, so you need not walk too much. In that area were resturants and provision shop, so you won't get too hungry. Still missed that Oxtail soup.

Jimmy

yen once bubbled...
Has anyone dive with Tioman Eco Divers before?
Thinking of taking my AOW with them. Instructor will be either Michelle or Jeff, each with 3 years of experience, and has taught in Thailand and Bali and now Tioman.

Thanks in advance for any information!
Greatly appreciate it.

 

[Tim Wong]

Lanun,

Your opinion noted. However, seeing that there are a number of different certifying association out there e.g-Naui, SSI, BSAC, CMAS and so on, training and instructional method do vary from one agency to another. I have personally experience some differences when recreational diving with friends certified from another association. The difference is not a deficiency but rather followers from different schools of thought. All certifying agency strive to upkeep their quality to avoid legal remedies being taken against them.

 

[lanun]

we should encourage comparison shopping for instructors, too. granted it might be hard to do since we might not know the questions to ask (which is where scubaboard comes in to at least give us ideas on what to ask)

even if instructors meet baseline standards, it's the extras that make one instructor worthwhile to continue with than another - for example one that explains the 'why' instead of the 'you must to this'.

sometime you bail on one because what you want to learn is just not that instructor's true specialty.

 

[Snoopy]

What kind of "extra" should one be expecting ?

My experience diving in Malaysia, has it that I have to help to carry tanks, weights and such. One can get tired before the dive begins.

Whereas in Thailand and Bali, I have to insist on helping, as in by-the-way kind of thing. Never once do i have to carry stuff around. The customer (diver) goes and unpack his gears and then gear up for the dives.

 

[lanun]

i was referring to the learning, not the lugging of equipment. sorry for not making that clearer.

an example could be real-time feedback on what your horizontal profile is like by just drawing it on a slate instead of when you're back on the beach/boat, gear configuration +/-, that sort of thing.

on the equipment lugging portion, guess it varies by dive operator. sometimes i get embarassed since i am like 'his lordship' trailed by a horde of porters. other times i lug my dive bag on to the transfer boat.

 

[bakpakka]

I don't think there is any problem with doing the AOW straight after the OW at all. I got my OW in January, then embarked on my AOW a month ago. I've logged 7 dives to date, including 2 adventure ones.

I decided to do my AOW in stages as time did not permit me to do it all at once. I feel fairly confident and not at all worried. Perhaps it is all dependent on a student and if they are comfortable with all their equipment.

If you're still fumbling a bit after the OW, then perhaps you need a few more dives before doing AOW. No hard and fast rule if you ask me.

Cheers, and let's go diving... Where to, tonight?