Pattaya Scuba Diving News

Mermaids Dive Centers annual underwater Treasure Hunt

ALL Mermaid's Dive Center News Currently here - click for monthly happenings at Mermaids Dive Center

Mermaids Dive Centers annual underwater Treasure Hunt is this year being held on Saturday 10th and Sunday 11th November 2007.   In its 13th year now, this event has always been an exciting fixture on our calendar giving divers the thrill of searching for and claiming hidden loot at a secret location close to Pattaya. 

Saturday the 10th will be 2 dives at secret location 1 and Sunday 11th will be 2 dives at secret location 2 (on the same island).  This year the loot includes a D6 Computer, ScubaPro T Force BCD, Phuket Liveaboard trip, Hotel stays, Dinners and lots more including everyone’s favorite - diving equipment and PADI courses.

To take part in the Treasure Hunt, the prices are 6990 baht for 2 days or 3990 baht for 1 day and this includes:-

Saturday 10th November – Secret location 1 (Koh ?)
2 dives including all equipment, lunch on board, transfers to and from hotel
Mermaids Treasure Hunt T Shirt
Gala Dinner/Prize Giving at Captains Corner Restaurant, Pattaya

Sunday 11th November – Secret location 2 (Koh ?)
2 dives including all equipment, lunch on board, transfers to and from hotel
Mermaids Treasure Hunt T Shirt (if you couldn’t make Saturday)
After Party/snacks at Shooters Bar, Soi Diamond Pattaya

If you just want to come along and spend the day on the boat, the prices are 2990 baht for 2 days and 1990 baht for 1 day. There will also be plenty of opportunity to find prizes for snorkelers/passengers.

For more information or to make your booking, please call 038 232 219, remember book early to avoid disappointment   

We would like to thank our sponsors who include: Dive Supply, Sea King Divers, The Dive Site, Jomtien Boathouse Hotel, UP2U Beer Bar, Tom Rossetti, Shooters Bar and many others…

 DIVERS AND SHORELINE VOLUNTEERS NEEDED ON INTERNATIONAL CLEANUP DAY

Pattaya diving community and local residents are being called upon to celebrate International Cleanup Day on Saturday, 15 September.

Mermaids Dive Center needs your help to target underwater and shoreline debris in your local area. Project AWARE Foundation, the dive industry’s leading environmental organization, coordinates underwater clean up events and urges divers and volunteers to jump in their wetsuits, pull on their gloves and make a splash for trash! 

“Project AWARE is pleased to support Mermaids Dive Center.  Divers are the guardians of our underwater environments – they often see first hand the effects of marine debris on our delicate ecosystem.  This event is the largest single day volunteer event on behalf of our underwater environment.  It’s a fantastic example of how people can work together to take action.” said Henrik Nimb, Director of Project AWARE Foundation.

“It’s not too late to get involved,” said Claus Rasmussen, General Manager at Mermaids Dive Center

“If you’re interested in participating, drop by our store for more information or give us a call: 038 232 219/20.  You don’t have to be a diver to get involved. Bring your friends and family along and help make clean waters a reality.”

Make your difference on the Underwater and Beach Clean Up on Saturday 15th September to support our local environment and to raise funds for the Project AWARE Foundation. 

After an exciting fun filled day on the South Side of Koh Sak, join us at the Post Celebration Party.  Raffle tickets will be on sale all day and will be drawn in the evening.  Prices for diving participants at 1500 baht and snorkelers or passengers 500 baht. 

Meet at Mermaids Dive Center, Soi White House, Jomtien at 8.15am on September 15th.
For further information call the Site Organizer: Sue Horwood on 038 232 219/20.

All divers need to confirm participation before the day and will be required to bring their diver certification card and sunscreen.  Diving equipment will be available for hire if required.  All divers will be required to sign an Underwater Liability Release Form.

Media inquiries: Claus Rasmussen

About Project AWARE Foundation

Project AWARE is a leading nonprofit environmental organization dedicated to conserving underwater environments through education, advocacy and action. Project AWARE Foundation offices located in Australia, United States, Japan, the United Kingdom and Switzerland combines efforts to conserve aquatic resources in 175 countries of the world. For further information visit www.projectaware.org

New Courses

IANTD is back in Thailand. Steve Burton of Mermaids is crowned the only Thailand's exclusive IANTD Instructor Trainer. Courses such as Technical Wreck Diver and Advanced Trimix are on offer at professional level. With Pattaya being the home of several excellent ship-wrecks, the Technical Wreck Diver has a perfect training area. See our link on Technical Diving for more information . (Or click here)

Mermaids has just launched the PADI Advanced Search & Recovery distinctive specialty. The Ad S&R course builds on skills mastered and knowledge in the regular Search & Recovery diver specialty course. Lifting bigger and heavier objects, searches in zero visibility (simulated by using blacked out masks) and many more extended skills involved.
Mermaids are continuously innovating new ideas and pushing training forward. 2007 Holds a few more surprises from the Education Department with more new and exciting courses to be revealed in the 3rd and 4th Quarter. Watch this space!...

IANTD COMES TO PATTAYA, THAILAND

Expert level reel use
Decompression Diving in Wrecks (for qualified deco divers)
Proper kicking and motion in wrecks
Deep penetration into shipwrecks

PADI Course Director and Managing Director of Mermaids Steve Blumenthal passes away.

December 14th 2006 a shockwave spread through the Mermaids Family. Owner Stephen Blumenthal was declared dead from an unexpected Heart Attack.

Steve was the owner and Managing Director of Mermaids Dive Center – Learn in Asia. Through his career Steve achieved incredible achievements. He became PADI's youngest ever Course Director at the age of 25. Spanning almost 2 decades with Mermaids, Steve trained more than 1600 successful Instructor Candidates and started many divers' careers. Steve at the helm saw Mermaids grow into Pattaya's biggest and most successful Dive School, recognized by PADI for its professionalism and success by already in 2002 achieving the highest shop-recognition possible: PADI Career Development Center

Steve was a family man and left a wife, and 2 beautiful children. Steve shall be missed by all that knew him.

Mermaids Dive Center announces a new 2 day course in Professional Equipment Service!

This course goes beyond the popular “PADI Equipment specialty” course to provide detailed experience, workshop practice and information of the following areas.

Regulator Service - Get to strip down and service your own regulator under the supervision of a manufacturer trained engineer. Receive the latest service information drawing and parts lists for your equipment.

Scuba tank Visual Inspection - Learn how to perform a scuba tank visual Inspection and to strip and rebuild pillar valves. Includes demonstrations of how to use the correct techniques, tools and the latest NDT Eddy current equipment for this important and potentially hazardous task. 

SCUBA Tank Hydrostatic Inspection - Learn how perform the scuba tank periodic hydrostatic test. Includes demonstrations of the current water jacket technique used for testing high pressure gas cylinders worldwide.

Compressor operation - Every Dive shop needs one, and it needs to be used with care to continue to provide pure breathing air. Learn how to operate and perform basic maintenance on this important piece of equipment, and how to perform the 3 monthly air purity tests.

If Advanced Wreck penetration and Professional Equipment Service sounds interesting to you, please contact Mermaids Dive Center.