April 23/24/25th has been set aside for Go Dives next TDI Advanced Nitrox and Decompression procedures course which will be held over 3 days at the Lermontov Lodge.

The Adv Nitrox course will teach you the knowledge and skills to dive up to 100% Nitrox, while the Deco Procedures course will introduce you to stage decompression diving using air and Nitrox.

Over the last year we have run these courses from the Lermontov Lodge and completed the practical application on the wreck of the Lermontov, doing the dives on the wreck allows for more enjoyment and real world experience.

All inclusive cost including, training, manuals, meals, accommodation, O2 for both courses is $950.00 for non club members and $850.00 for club members. There are two spaces left on the April course.

For those without the pre-requisite EAN’x training a PADI Nitrox course will be held prior to the 23rd.

Contact Brent at 0800 GODIVE for more details or to book.

Last week I headed up to Auckland to attend PADI’s Course Director update where the new Instructor Development curriculum was released. The PADI IDC has always been the leading instructor program and this new curriculum will insure it stays that way for quite some time.

The old program which has been around for 5 years was quite boring on todays standards, mainly due to the rapid advancement of the Internet and online training techniques etc. The new program embraces developing technology and offers an e-learning component, meaning candidates can start their development on-line and then attend a 4 day live development session with one of PADI’s Course Directors.

Go Dive being Marlborough’s only Instructor Development Centre will be offering this on-line option for our next IDC and we look forward to running the new curriculum which is more hands on and interactive.

If you are keen on developing through to this level give me a call to talk about the training options and career possibilities.

Safe Diving

Brent

Go Dive

After a pretty ordinary start to summer the weather has finaly settled and we are enjoying a settled period of weather. Over the last few weeks we have been as busy as a "lizard drinking", with another 4 day trip to the Lerm Lodge with a big group from Aussie, plus full local tours and the next three weekends booked solid out at the Lodge.

LATEST GROUP TO EXPERIENCE  THE LERMONTOV ONE OF THE WORLDS BEST WRECK DIVES

The conditions at the Lermontov have been fantastic for this time of year, with vis up to 15 metres and mill pond conditions on the surface, welcome relief from the early summer windy conditions. Our latest group of rebreather, twin and rec divers come away with some of the best memorabilia I have seen come off the wreck, all of it from areas not visited normally by recreational divers. The most interesting being a coin collection consisting of Russian coins;. plus a few more peices to add to our Lodge Morflot dinner set.

Other than the wreck we have been more than busy with local dives and courses, with local conditions matching that off the Lermontov.

Congratulation’s to the following on completion of our courses.

Douglas Blood: PADI Nitrox

Karen Hopkinson: PADI Openwater

TOMO:PADI Advanced

Paula: PADI PPB

Theres still plenty of summer left and heaps of forward bookings for day trips to the Lermontov, with a few spaces on scheduled live-a-ashore charters. 

If your in Picton drop into our shop in High Street Picton for a chat, we are right next door to the Shell Service Station with heap’s of off street parking.

safe diving

Brent

Congratulations to Georgie, Steve, Mitchell, Warren and Arnaud, whom over this past weekend successfully completed their PADI Rescue course.

The Rescue course is a physically and mentally demanding program covering a diverse range of topics from equipment problems to physiology and O2 administration. The goal of the course is to identify personal limitations, strengths and weakness, so in the advent that you are involved either directly or indirectly in a diving emergency you have a better understanding of how to respond.

DIVE RESCUE SCENARIO

Over a period of 4 days the team went through a variety of exercises and scenarios, ranging from missing divers, unconscious diver, beach exits and administration of oxygen, to mention just a  few. The course was not all work and we managed dives on the Long Island Marine Reserve and a scallop dive.

As always a few mistakes were made, including a few near drownings where the rescuers had to be rescued, but that is standard for the rescue course and all part of the learning process.

Thanks again team for training with Go Dive, I hope you never have to put your rescue skills into practice other than identifying and then eliminating problems before they become a hazard.

On another topic, GO Dive is now on Facebook, so become a fan and visit our wall for a on-line chat.

Safe Diving

Brent

Congratulations to Rebbecca Scott, Mike Barton and Aaron Bolton, who all successfully completed their PADI Instructor Examinations this last weekend in Auckland after completing their 7 day PADI Instructor Development Training with Go Dive in Picton. This was the first complete PADI IDC run in Picton, it will become a regular event with candidates already booked onto our next instructor program.

MIKE, BECKY AND AARON AT THE END OF THEIR IDC IN PICTON

By all accounts they performed at the top end of the scale during all their presentations, a testament to their hard-work prior to the IDC and during it. Mike will join the Go Dive team, Aaron is co owner of the Dive Shack and Sterlings in Auckland two very popular Dive Centers and Becky who hails from Canterbury will be putting her skills to use during overseas travel.

All the best guys and girl as PADI Instructors.

Safe Diving

Brent

PADI Course Director

PS: Kai-Dive this weekend, still a few spots left.

What a windy week it has been, not much hope of getting around the corner to the Mikhail Lermontov for a splash. Luckily I have kept myself amused while running our first course in our new shop, the PADI IDC or Instructor Development Course. The PADI IDC is the most respected dive instructor development process in the market today and one that other agencies attempt to emulate but don’t come close.

The process is intensive yet rewarding, not only focusing on how to teach the PADI system of dive education but overviewing the entire dive industry and how to become a valuable part of it.

GETTING READY FOR CONFINED WATER PRESENTATIONS

Tomorrow is the last day for the three candidates, Becky, Mike and Aaron, then its off to Auckland where they will be objectively evaluated by members of PADI AP at the Instructor Examination.

All three have performed above average during the IDC and I am confident they will do well as Open-water Scuba instructors and I wish them well in the future. 

Safe Diving

Brent

With summer fast approaching, Go Dive is now seeking applications for our summer Divemaster Internship programme. We will be accepting 4 Interns this year, two from October to January and two from January to April.

Pre-requisites are that you are currently a qualified diver and have a current medical stating you are fit to dive and own your own mask, snorkel, fins and exposure suit.

Go Dive will supply materials, training, scuba kit rental and pre-requisite dives as part of the package. There is a cost to enroll on the programme and you will need to take care of your own accommodation. The cost will depend on your current level of training.

The package will include up to 60 dives over the course of the internship, including dives on the Mikhail Lermontov and other wrecks in the area. You will learn how to fill dive cylinders, blend nitrox, perform decompression dives, lead qualified divers and assist on training activities.

You will have the opportunity to continue on to PADI Open water instructor if you wish. Inquires can be directed to Brent McFadden at info@godive.co.nz

Safe diving

Brent

Congratulations to Warren Grossetta, Joel Strickland, Andrea Paterson and Mike Barton who have just completed their TDI Advanced Nitrox and Decompression Procedures this afternoon with Go Dive.

Team about to start 42m Deco Dive (missing is Mike Barton as he left his kit at the shop)

The course was run over the last 4 days with theory on Adv EAN and Deco Procedures and 6 practical skill sessions in open water to a maximum of 45 metres. The team had a chance to practice DSMB deployment while on deco stops (not an easy task) and gas exchanges using mixes over 40%.

The weather was perfect for the 3 days of practical training with hardly a breath of wind felt. The team are now looking forward to using their new skills on Tech only trips to the Lermontov.

Those keen on getting more from your diving, email me to chat about the options. We will be following this course up with Extended Range training in the near future. 

Thanks for training with Go Dive guys and girl.

Brent

Dates have now been set for "Go Dives" next PADI Instructor Development Course.

The PADI Instructor development process is by far the most respected in the industry, with candidates finding work through out the world in some very exotic locations. We get asked on a regular bases if we can refer candidates onto Dive Centres and Operaters throughout the Pacific region, so work is all but assurred as a PADI instructor.

IDC starts at 8am Tuesday the 1st of September 2009 and finishes at 5pm on Monday the 7th September 2009.

IE date has been set for September 8th & 9th September.

Both the IDC and IE will be run in Picton, the IDC at our new facility by the regions only PADI Course Director. To help keep the instructor development process enjoyable and rewarding, we do limit the number of candidates accepted onto "Go Dives" IDC’s. Currently we have 4 spaces avalaible on the September IDC.

For more information contact Brent at godive@xtra.co.nz 

Congratulations to Brian Stone and Simon Parfitt who have just become our latest open-water graduates. Thanks to Instructor Andrea and Divemaster Trainee Mike for a job well done.

We look forward to helping you further with your underwater education and skills when up for your Advanced open-water dives.

FISH RESERVE TRAINING DIVE