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Help Our Dive Guide Friends
The "Help Our Dive Guide Friends Fund", what is that about ?
- Dive guides all over the world try their best to give us, divers, a great experience. Though what they do, underwater, is similar all over, there are a few BIG differences
between those in SE-Asia and those elsewhere. At your favourite destinations in Malaysia, Philippines and Thailand, most dive guides you dive with are not
"professionals". What I mean with that is that they are not trained/certified to the level of PADI Divemaster, or equivalent.
- Does that make a difference?
Most of the times it doesn't. They still help carry your gear, set up your gear, deal with equipment issues and "guide you around" underwater.
It's when emergencies happen that a difference can become clear. A "PADI professional" is trained and certified to deal with both leading/guiding divers, AND to deal
with any emergencies that might occur. A PADI Divemaster and Instructor have a "Duty of Care" and will well prepared to deal with problems that might occur.
If your dive guide has not gotten that training, and certification, he/she might not recognise an "event leading to/turning into an emergency". As such he/she might
not be able to deal with it on time or with the appropriately action.
- To become a PADI professional in a country like the Philippines, it is quite expensive for the local staff. Only a few who are committed enough and/or have saved enough money will be able to purchase their own gear and do the training programmes.
Oddly enough, buying equipment in the Philippines is actually more expensive than buying here in Hong Kong !!!
- Over the past few years a number of "Sandy Bottom divers" have been diving around Moalboal/Pescador Island and Mactan Island, both in Cebu. The staff there have
always been very good and extremely helpful with getting equipment sorted and finding your favourite subject for photos. As it usually goes, when one leaves, a tip is
left in the tip-box and some extra is given to the dive guide. Beers are bought, heaps of beers, to say thanks and to close a nice dive trip.
- Since March 2011, some members have gotten together and started a "fund" to help dive guides, we dived with, to purchase gear and as such help
them on their way to become a PADI Professional. In the side-bar on the right you'll see what we've achieved in March-April 2011 alone.
The amount of beer bought has decreased and that money has gone into the fund instead.
When you dive in Cebu with "Savedra", Kontiki Divers" or "Seven Seas", let us know whether your dive guide was a "good professional" (polite, friendly, knowledgeable,
experienced, helpful and a
good role model for divers below and above the surface).
We hope to be able to get 3 sets of gear (BCD + regulator set + octopus + console + mask) this year for the 3 guides we've dived with (and who want to become a
PADI Professional).
If you're interested in helping out and contribute to the fund, please email us.
In March and April
2011 we 've been able
to raise HKD 5,000.
With William's help,
( from Sherwood
distributor BELTRON)
we've been able to get
the first set of gear for a really good price.
Rex was the lucky first. He's based in Mactan.
The 3 others (Jaimee, Larry and Os) are based in Moalboal. The just received their first gear from the fund, mask/snorkel and strapwrapper.
This first weekend of October our "international group" added another HKD 400 to the fund after diving in Moalboal. The second weekend of October our "Anglo-Franco" group will be diving there and even before getting on the plane they have added HKD 600 already.
BIG thank you to you all.
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