Stef

Hi peeps.
I have recently returned from a 2 week holiday in The Maldives, and can truly say that it is one of the most spectacular places I have ever had the pleasure to visit.
I also went diving loads of times, and even swam with an 18ft whale shark! I'll try and post some piccis soon.
Anyway, I was wondering how many others out there were into Scuba diving, and whether you'd be interested in forming a 'Scooby Scuba' club, or perhaps a 'Scuba Scoob' club?
We could arrange dive meets, even combine driving weekends with diving or something?
Any thoughts?

Stef.
PS I'm also engaged now as well! Poor girl said 'yes'!!!

igratton

Stef...

sounds cool...

Chris and I do a bit of diving...I failed my padi in turkey a few weeks ago cos I nearly threw up mid test.

I think we are going back to turkey in october to do some more...isn't it just ace

Ian

Ian Sutton

Passed my Padi but haven't had the oppotunity to dive again (that is scuba dive).

So i'm interested.

...Ian

Craig H

Stef,
Commiserations, er congratulations I mean. There goes the car

chuckster

Hey Stef, welcome back, glad you hadda great holiday! I'm doing the PADI here soon as the summer starts up.
Can you tell me what part of the Maldives you were diving at with the whaleshark? Thats a diving ambition of mine for sure! But archepeligo(sp) is pretty big and I figure I want best chance of seeing one.
Sorry the cars such a pain in the ****, only consolation is at least it does get fixed eventually. Imagine if you had a 3rd party warranty on that like warranty holding direct? sheesh!
Cheers
Chuck

Rum*

Stef,

You lucky lucky fella!

I'm off to Kuredu Island, up in the north atols in the mAldives on 16th July for a couple of weeks - and I can't wait!!!

I've my Padi Openwater Advanced - so I too will be having a "whale" of a time!!...

What was the weather like???

and where abouts in the UK are you??

Cheers
Tom

JasonHook

Stef

We went to Kuramathi last year, sadly el Ninio had put paid to the coral and fish. Did get to dive with Reef Sharks and Hammerheads (big highlight!).

What was the coral like where you were (where were you?)...

Jason (BSAC Sport Diver just back from Safaga Eygpt)

Shaun

Is that MUFF diving????

Shaun.

No good for Harj, he would just sink!

Stef

I stayed at the Ari Beach resort on the south Ari Atoll. They do weekly whale shark excursions but hadn't seen one for 3 weeks prior to the trip I went on, so I was lucky.
I will never forget the look on the instructors face as it came out of the blue behind us, pure joy! It swam past me only a couple of feet away, and I swam alongside it for several minutes. I took some piccis with a cheap underwater camera which haven't come out too bad considering. Other highlights were swimming with a reef shark in only 4 ft of water and being scared poo-less by an enormous Manta Ray that came from nowhere whilst I was snorkelling. I just happened to look over my shoulder and there it was heading straight for me! Awesome.
The coral was all pretty much killed off and bleached, although some areas where the current was stronger had survived, and the fish were there in abundance.
Visibility wasn't as good as normal as it's low season, but the weather was superb considering June is supposed to be the wettest month of the year. A couple of showers at night but nothing more until the day we left when God himself decided to do a belly flop!
Still, hope to go to Egypt soon and of course Stoney Cove beckons as I'm fairly close!

Stef.

robski

Stef,

went there 2 years ago myself, nive resort aint it, not too built up or anything. Some of the islands you can hardly see any sand now.

I went there about the time I got engaged, and just got married, so I rekon you are counting the months down now!

I recommend Antigua for your next hols. Place called Galley Bay, bloody awesome!

robski

Mossman

I miss diving!!!

After Uni I spent 3 years abroad - 2 seasons as a ski bum / barman / instructor in Italy (Sauzd d'oulx - a top place!), and then was in Asia for 6 mths followed by Sydney for a year.

My favourite part was living on the Thai island of Koh Tao for 2 mths where I did my Advanced Padi. I managed to get back there a few years ago and it was still a paradise! Some lovely dive spots, from a wreck to pinnacles and some caves.

However, the clearest water I have ever seen is off the East coast of Malaysia - The Perhentian Islands. Our fishing trawler pulled up, a dinghy came out to greet us... for our rucksacks and we than swam ashore! Absolutely the business...

I miss the sunsets!

DavidLewis

Jeez Stef, small world.

Just returned from Athuruga (South Ari Atol) We must have been on the same plane!!

Anyway, I too passed the PADI open water, so would be up for any organised event.

Found a site the other day advertising organised trips to Egypt using an awesome yacht as a base. Thought it would be too rich for my purse, but all in was £995 a week, unlimited diving (within no decomp limits of course!) and 3 meals a day.

Darren Soothill

Count me in halfway through doing my Padi at the moment just the Open water dives to do and then got a provisonal place on a Liveaboard to the Red Sea in December!