THE DIVE SHOP CAMBODIA: March 2009

Live Aboard Trip to Koh Tang

For any of you wanting to explore some of the untouched islands further off the Cambodian coast, here’s your chance to do it in style! We’re running a two day trip with 6 dives for $275 per person on a luxury boat (check out the pics!). Further details to be confirmed, but give us a shout if you feel like spoiling yourself and we’ll update you! :o)

The Liveaboard Boat

Bar AreaTasty Food

Koh Tang trips galore!

Hi all!

Apologies for the lack of communication but it’s been rather busy organising the Safari Boat trips.

We’ve done two trips so far. The first was on the 3/4th of November. Everything went off without a hitch. The staff, Bibi and Shina, worked hard and kept all the customers very happy. The boat owner, Robert and all his staff, were very hospitable. The atmostphere on board was very relaxed. Helped by the yummy food coming out of the kitchen. By all accounts the diving was incredible. Cobia’s were seen as well as a Spotted Eagle Ray. Those that weren’t diving found many ways to pass the time. The snorkeling was great and the huge sun deck saw lots of use. Everyone came back full of praise for our first attempt with the new boat!

The second was on the 8/9th of Nov. This time Rudy went with Bibi. Good to see the old guy doing some real hard work Again everything ran very smoothly. Most people mentioned that the evening bbq’s were one of their favourite meals. We had fewer divers this time but still a full boat of customers. Rudy completed an Open Water Course while on the trip. Congrats to Jilian Loewen on being the first diver to certify on board our new Safari boat!

As soon as Bibi stops having fun on the Koh Tang trips I’ll get some photos to post on the blog for all to see.

Our next trip departs tomorrow. This time it’s going to Koh Tang and Koh Prins for three days, so much diving! Shina has three Open Water Students. Bibi and Brem will be leading the dives for the already certified divers.

Am so jealous I’m finding it hard to type right now…

PADI Awards The Dive Shop Cambodia with the Prestigious Award of National Geographic Dive Center

The Dive Shop Cambodia is very proud to announce that PADI awarded our dive centre the prestigious award of PADI National Geographic Dive Centre.

We recieved an email directly from padi this morning commending us on our efforts here in Cambodia.This is what they wrote. PADI recognizes your business as a progressive dive operation that offers the best customer service, education, equipment selection and dive experiences. Your commitment to advancing a premium-level of adventure and environmental awareness in your education programs is exciting and commendable. You are cultivating an elite class of people who understand the importance and the impact they have on the ocean realm and what they can do to preserve it for future generations. In essence, you are creating ambassadors for the underwater world.

We are very proud that over the past year we have put Cambodia on the map as a diving destination, after 5 years of reports on how there is not much to see here in Cambodia, our team has worked hard to show the world that there is more to Cambodian diving than first meets the eye. We have discovered more than 20 new sites and brought international attention to the area as a destination for macro lovers and U/W Photographers.

Our Team is currently working on marine conservation projects here in Cambodia aimed at providing the Cambodian ministry for fisheries with vital information on the health of the reefs and collecting data on species and diversity of marine life. We are also working with the villagers on Koh Rung Samleom to create a community conservation area to protect the marine environment so local community’s and divers can enjoy the area for many years to come.

We would like to thank everybody who has joined us in experiencing the pleasure of diving in Cambodia, and The Dive Shop Cambodia would also like to thank all of the members of its team for the hard work and commitment they have put in to make all this possible.

The Dive Shop Cambodia

Next Reef Cleanup - 20th September

There is another Project AWARE International Reef Cleanup Day on the 20^th September - The Dive Shop Cambodia and M’Lop Tapang Centre for Street Children will be taking part and we need your support again please!

If it’s anywhere near as much fun as last time you’ll have an amazing day as well as helping to protect our beautiful and diverse marine life. There’s got to be good karma in that! :o)

Both divers and non-divers are needed, so bring your friends/family along and help us do something important for the environment. If you can make it please get in touch and volunteer, your help really does make a difference and will be very much appreciated!

Alternatively help us spread the word and let all your friends know – if they can’t attend they may know someone who can!

Cambodia may be a bit far away for some of you, but if you’d still like to take part check the Project AWARE website for a location nearby - www.projectaware.org

It’s time to put something back after all the diving you’ve enjoyed! :o)

Asian Diver Magazine

The Dive Shop Cambodia was thrilled to have Sol Foo, Editor of Asian Diver Magazine, visit us to check out the diving in Cambodia. Sol dived with our most experienced guide Paul Ferber experiencing some of his favorite sites and even discovering a few new areas, While Kua Kay Yaw Dived with BiBi managing to find some great subjects for his photos. Her article (accessible via our home page) has done a lot to increase the profile of diving in Cambodia, and emphasizes the need to help conserve our rare and beautiful sites.

We would like to take this opportunity to say a massive thank-you to Sol - her considerable knowledge of, and passion for diving is infectious, and we all enjoyed her stay with us.We would particularly like to thank her for helping draw attention to the issue of marine conservation in the area.

Diving in Cambodia is a unique and amazing experience, but we still need your help to protect the rare and unusual species here. Contact us to find out how to take part in one of our Project AWARE Reef Cleanup’s, and give something back to the marine environment.

Marine Conservation/Reef Check Update

We are very proud to announce, that the Dive Shop Cambodia provided logistical support helping to create a Reef Check team in Cambodia. After the training weekend, held in early July in Sihanoukville, a solid team has been established that is able to conduct marine species abundance surveys. The training was facilitated by Kim Sour a tropical marine ecologist from the Cambodian Ministry of Fisheries (FiA), who was very happy to see the support and interest from the team in conserving a marine environment.

The team decided not only to use this expertise to support Reef Check, but also to establish a research team, that is willing to support the local government to maintain Cambodia’s natural marine resources. Officials from the Ministry of Fisheries (FiA) have let us know they are very pleased to hear we are supporting the reef watch team.

At the moment the research team is aiming for a long lasting relationship with FiA, to perform data collection in support of the FiA’s objectives for the future conservation of several sites, in order to protect rare and endangered species such as seahorse and colorful nudibranchs. With the training complete the group of scientists has further received support from The Dive Shop Cambodia, whom is giving logistical support to collect as much data as possible from a number of sites around the islands off Sihanoukville. Both the marine research team and the FiA are looking forward to a productive working relationship to conserve the marine environment of Cambodia.

Besides providing support to the Marine research team and Reef Check activities, The Dive Shop will continue their project on building relationships with local communities on the island Koh Rung Samleom, We are glad that all our efforts so far are bearing fruits.

In regards to the training, it has been one of the most positive experiences so far. This is a great step toward marine protection and all participants felt it was an incredibly positive day.

A very big THANK YOU to everyone who is, or has been involved in making this all possible.

If you are interested in becoming involved in one of these activities after reading our message, please feel free to contact us at scubadiving@diveshopcambodia.com

The Dive Shop Cambodia, Go’s 5 Star

The Dive Shop Cambodia

We would like to thank everyone that supported us during our first high season. With out the support of our Dive master trainees many of which are now fully qualified and working as Dive masters around the world, our wonderful instructors and lll the divers and student divers that have joined us, we would not have been able to achieve so much in such a short time.

Our hard work and passion have paid off wiht our acknowledgement and upgrade form PADI from PADI Dive Center to the prestigious Award of PADI Five Star Dive Center. We are applying also for the awards of National Geographic Dive Center, to help support our conservation efforts which have achieved so much in the last few months and also IDC Center so we can continue the education of our Dive masters all the way through to Instructor Level, making sure they get the best training available.

We received confirmation of our Five Star Status from PADI a few days ago, we will be the only 5 Star Dive Center in Cambodia to open all year round.

Big Thanks to All

World Ocean Day Beach & Underwater Clean Up

Hello Divers,

Its been a while since the last post as things have been very busy. We have just done our second underwater & beach cleanup, and it went as well as the first, another great success.

We left Sihanoukville with 16 divers and 4 snorklers and arrived at the island of Koh Rung Samleom around 9:30 am after a quick run a round the village Bora found gathered the kids for the second clean up. Bora, Maaike, Lee and Clair headed off to the beach with the kids to check out the area we cleaned last time, it was pretty clean and they only managed to fill 4 large sacks with rubbish which is great as the first time they collected over 20 sacks of rubbish. Looks like a clean up every two months might really make a difference and keep it clean.

"While they cleaned up the beach, we headed off to clean up the ocean"

We started by cleaning the shallow areas around the village pier as we decided this may well stop alot of the rubbish reaching the reefs. In two or three short dives we managed to fill the back deck of the boat, bringing up lots of nets, lines, plastic bags, and bottles, and some strange asorted items of clothing, strangely enough, a lot of pairs of underpants everyone was glad they had gloves, we even found the remains of a happy simley umbrella and an old wellie.

Its been another great success not only for the cleaning but once again helping the kids on the Island to understand the importance of looking after their environment. We also took the opportunity to introduce the Kids to project aware. We are now waiting on Project aware to supply us with enough materials to run full project aware lessons at the island School.

Project Aware

The Dive Shop would Like to Thank:

Bora, Maaike, Lee, Bianca, Matthias, Sol, Kate, Chantel, Danny, Regis, BiBi, Merrisa, Emelie, The Captain, Lucy, Brem, Clair, Yoshimi, Shina and all the kids from the Island.

Another truly international day with people coming from, Japan, Cambodia, Australia, England, Norway, Holland, Germany, France and Turkey.

More photos: www.diveshopcambodia.com/photo%20galleries/cleanup2/cleanup2.htm

Seahorses in Cambodia

This is a very short post with a couple of pictures from the latest set of Cambodian Seahorse Photos. These were taken yesterday in a very strong current.

The final section of photos will soon be on the website gallerys.

Thank you

They Catch We Release

This Post is a little Late as it happened a few weeks ago, but it took a while to gather all the pics.

On a regular trip to Koh Rung Samleom we moored up next to a Khmer Fishing Boat, We noticed in amongst there catch, 4 juvenile Cobia and a rare horseshoe crab which is on the endangered species list here in Cambodia and should have already been release.

After a few minutes of haggling we asked our captain to help and he managed to negotiate a price of $10 for us to buy the 4 Cobia and horse shoe crab. We then took them to another less fished area and released them.

Every little bit helps.

The only down side was the dead Seahorses drying on the front of the fishing boat, it is also illegal by Cambodian law to catch seahorses but these laws are rarely enforced, which is why the seahorse classed as an endangered species are still in grave danger in Cambodia.

Catch and Release, Conservation in Cambodia transfer to our boat.

Net Damage

The First Horse shoe crab we have seen in Cambodia, back in the Ocean

The first of 4 Juvinile Cobia returned to the sea

This was the only sad part of the day, there where at least 2 pregnant makes hanging here and this is just 1 of hundreds of boats destroying the eco system in Cambodian Waters.

The Seahorses in Cambodia need help, if you feel you ca contribute to their protection please visit our Seahorse gallerys at www.diveshopcambodia.com/photo%20galleries/newseahorse/latestseahorse.htm and send us an email.

Thank you!

The Dive Shop Cambodia

World Earth Day Cambodia, Beach & Underwater Cleanup

We went out to Koh Rung Samleom today with 15 divers 6 non divers and 12 kids from M’Lop Tapang. We were greeted by many little local volunteers. We arrived at the Isalnd around 9:30 and got straight into it with support from the kids from the fishing village all the non divers headed for the beach to start collecting rubbish, and the divers headed for the first dive site. The First Dive came back with not to much Rubbish but alot of the nets and fishing lines all carefully cut from the surrounding coral. We made sure to leave the nets that had already developed marine life growth on them.

We reunited for lunch at the pier by the fishing village. Lots of rubbish already collected. It was great to see the kids from M’lop Tapang enjoying the ocean and playing with the village kids. After a leisurely lunch the divers headed for a site which we knew was strewn with rubbish. We collected, tons bottles, cans, plastic, nets and lines.

The beach cleanup group was back at the pier waiting for us when we finished our dive and we headed over to collect the rubbish they had found, it took us over an hour to transfer it all to the boat to bring back to the mainland for disposal.

It was a great day all a round not only collecting rubbish and cleaning the beaches and dive sites, but wonderful to involve the island kids and teach them how to care for their surroundings, and a great day out for the Kids from M’lop Tapang who had never taken a trip on a boat before. One girl even took a turn at the wheel of the boat.

It was a truly international event, with participants from, Cambodia, Australia, UK, Holland, Canada, Norway, France and Turkey.

Thanks to all involved for making it a great and successful day!

Re-Opening the school on Koh Rong Samloem

Hello to everyone. A new face on the blog today - my name is Stephen and I recently did my open water qualification with the Dive Shop.

As part of the course I spent 3days on the island of Koh Rong Samloem, and felt compelled to help this poor but incredibly friendly community. The only school, a 3sided wooden shack, had been closed for over 6months because they couldn’t afford to pay the salary of a teacher. All the children from the 76 families were without education. With 2 other open water students we organised a beach party on Otres beach, Sihanoukville. Thanks to the 60 or so people who came and drank the bar dry, $190 was raised and given to the village chief yesterday. The money will pay a teachers salary for 3months and concrete the walkway to the school which is completely washed out during the wet season.

We are currently planning a second party to be held in the Dive Shop 2 weeks from now. As well as people getting drunk, there will be a huge raffle with over $400 of prizes including free days out diving. Hopefully we can raise enough cash to pay the teacher for a whole 12months and expand the school.

In the meantime I have been staying on the island every few days and teaching the children very basic English. When you come diving be sure to stay on the island amongst this wonderful community - the children would love a chance to practice!

The First Dive Shop Cambodia Explorer Tour

Hello All,

We fianlly ran our much awaited first Explorer tour. After a crazy week of trying to organize the boat and the trip, while at the same time teaching openwater and advanced courses and running full day trips, we all met to depart at 10pm on Saturday at the dive shop. After a calm sleep journey we all awoke to a beautiful sunrise over Koh Tang and crystal clear water.

Before you could blink divers where gearing up and jumping in…our first dive was a shallow site covered in sea grass, here are a few of the critters we saw.

Octopus

Mantis Shrimp

Flasher Scorpion

We then headed across to Explore a new site. With visibility of 25m we decided to have a snorkel around first, within minutes of jumping in BiBi spotted a large Eagle Ray and everyone headed over to take a look.

After a good 20 minutes watching the eagle rays from the surface we all headed back to the boat to grab our scuba gear and go exploring. Here are some more pictures from the next two dives.

Big Vis

Scorpion Fish

Simon Checking out the fish

On the way to our next dive we noticed some submerged rocks and stopped the boat to explore, just the two instructors jumped in and within minutes I was surrounded by around 15 cobia with the biggest being around 2m in length, after waiting over a year to see my first cobia in Cambodia, and now I was surrounded by 15 it was awesome.

On the way back to the boat we came across a large anchor and now our boat as a shiny new anchor on board, always a good find. We then visited a large reef already named explosion reef, and all the divers enjoyed a good long dive as the max depth is around 10m.

We then moored up for the night dive, Tyler our most experienced divemaster then lead two night dives one after the other, showing the divers octopus, stingrays, cuttlefish and many other strange night creatures.

After a great dinner everyone headed to bed after a wonderful but exhausting day. Next morning we where greeted by another beautiful sunrise and headed over to two islands athat we have never visited to explore.

So a Big thanks to all the divers, Kerry, Steve, Emelie, Bart, Nev, Simon, and Merissa for making it a great first trip, also thanks to our divemaster trainees who all worked hard to make it happen, Simon, Shawn, John, Ash, Tyler, and BiBi who’s enthusiasm and passion for diving is inspiring.

We will be organzing another trip soon, hopefully the next trip will take us all the way to Koh Prins one of the even further islands.

Happy Exploring

The Dive Shop Cambodia

THE DIVE SHOP CAMBODIA

Live Aboard Trip to Koh Tang

Koh Tang trips galore!

PADI Awards The Dive Shop Cambodia with the Prestigious Award of National Geographic Dive Center

Next Reef Cleanup - 20th September

Asian Diver Magazine

Marine Conservation/Reef Check Update

The Dive Shop Cambodia, Go’s 5 Star

World Ocean Day Beach & Underwater Clean Up

Seahorses in Cambodia

They Catch We Release

World Earth Day Cambodia, Beach & Underwater Cleanup

Re-Opening the school on Koh Rong Samloem

The First Dive Shop Cambodia Explorer Tour

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