Follow me:
Dive Instructor - Nick Paul
  • About
  • Blog
  • Dive trips
  • Gallery
  • Reviews
  • Contact

Have you heard about the Titan Triggerfish?

1/1/2018

2 Comments

 
April 2014, Koh Tao, Thailand.

Another beautiful day in my favourite island in Thailand. It was a special day because I just finalised my Dive Master Program at Phoenix Divers. It took me 6 weeks of diving, setting up equipment for customers, assisting diving courses, doing dive briefings and servicing equipment, among other job duties. 
I learnt so much during those 6 weeks, I gained all my diving experience and confidence day by day and finally...I became a dive professional!

The most exiting moment ever for a  new Dive Master is leading your first customers under the water! I will never forget that experience....and here is why!
Picture
Picture
My first dive as a dive leader was at shark mountain in Koh Tao. It was a sunny day, the sea was calm and we had about 10 meter visibility. 20 minutes into the dive, at 12 meter depth, I turned around to check if my 3 customers behind me were ok. 
I felt very good - the 3 of them, close to each other and right behind me (all what you want as a dive leader!), I knew the direction back to the boat (my biggest fear, get lost on the first dive). Everything was going great so far...so I turned around again and just saw a Triggerfish swimming straight into my direction like a torpedo! 
That bastard didn't even give me a second to think about what to do.
He crashed straight into my forehead and gave me a nice welcome bite!
Awesome!!  Apparently I invaded his home!

Patrick, one of my divers had his camera ready and filmed everything after it happened..click the button below.                                          
After the Triggerfish attack!
Well, I had no clue what was going on so I turned around to check on my customers. After a couple of seconds, I realised what just happened.
My first thoughts: "Shit I got bitten by a fish!"
Second thoughts: "My customers paid for a dive, so keep going!" ^^

After a minute continuously bleeding I decided to cancel the dive and surface-swim back to the boat to get first aid.
It didn't feel that bad, just a bit of a headache and some blood. However, when I got back at the dive shop one of our Thai dive Instructors, Matee,  suggested that I should  see a doctor.   
Picture
The tradition states that every dive master trainee must finish their program with a snorkel test!

So after I returned from the doctor with 3 stitches in my head, we all got ready for a big celebration. 

Dressed up as a fairy (trigger fairy) we played several drinking games and the final snorkel test! 

Mask on, snorkel in and drink whatever your DMT mentor pores in your snorkel! 

Welcome to the world of a dive professional!!

After all, I think we shouldn't be afraid of the Triggerfish at all, we should respect them same as every other marine life. Be aware in which environment you dive and be alert of fish like the Titan trigger.

It is not our natural environment so we are just their guests!

Picture
Some  interesting facts about the Titan Triggerfish: 

The titan triggerfish is usually wary of divers and snorkelers, but during the reproduction season the female guards its nest, which is placed in a flat sandy area, vigorously against any intruders. The territory around the nest is roughly cone-shaped and divers who accidentally enter it may be attacked.
It is the largest member of its family. Most grow 40 - 60cm in length, although there have been reports of larger ones up to 75cm lurking around as well.

Its snout comprises about a third of its total length and its mouth is small with chisel-like teeth. Titan triggerfish can accelerate for short distances at a fairly surprising speeds.

They have a non-protrusible upper jaw, with hard, specialised teeth that in most species are designed for cracking the shells of various hard-shelled invertebrates.    
So  what should you do?
​

Divers should swim horizontally away from the nest rather than upwards which would only take them further into the territory.    

If you have more questions or are interested in your personal diving adventure contact me here!

2 Comments

The A-Team on the Great Barrier Reef

14/12/2017

1 Comment

 
Let me introduce you to one of the best boys I have ever met: Matty 'dread logs' Alexander! 

When I started working for this company, 2 years ago, he was one of the dive master trainees with not much diving experience but already with his long weird hair.
​
Unfortunately, after only a couple of weeks into his training he decided to jump into a tender and break his ankle.
That meant a little break from work and diving for young and wild Matty.  However, after he recovered, he was back with us, better than never before!
Picture
Picture
 Do you guys know what is the tradition when you reach 100 dives? 

Obviously, Matt was not going to miss the old tradition... Dive number 100 is  a naked dive!

My 2 young open water students were impressed by Matties performance! 
(Click here to check out our post from November 2015)

Once being certified as a professional dive master/ assistant Instructor, it didn't take him long to decide that diving was going to be his new career path. 

Quickly after a few months working as Dive Master with us, Matty moved on to Indonesia to visit Komodo Island (my favourite dive destination so far) to complete   his diving instructor course. 

Luckily for us, once he completed his course he came back to Cairns,  but this time was different because both of us were working together as instructors!

He is one of the best examples of  how dedication,  persistance and good work can take you really where you want to be! 

Great times working with such a legend, always happy and ready for some adventures! Will be hard to forget 6 months sharing room with this  hippie!

Picture
Last but not least..a little mention of another key member of  the A-TEAM:   Jai Holland!   

​I had the best time of my life working with these two legends! 

It was always a pleasure to work with you guys! #seriousdiving    #seriousfun   

Time to move on, safe travels and best luck in western Australia Matty!   Send us some photos of the Whale-sharks!

Have you done -naked- dive number 100 yet? Or are you thinking  about becoming a dive professional?
No worries, contact me for more information!

1 Comment

Go pro with Mares Quattro

7/12/2017

0 Comments

 
Dive fins are what propels you through the water whilst diving. Whether you want to use them for scuba diving, snorkelling, spearfishing, freediving or just swimming.

​Have you got your own perfect fitted fins yet?


The Mares Avanti Quattro Plus open heel fins are the restyling of a legend. They now come equipped with the patented Mares heel bungee straps which increase diver safety and provides fast and easy donning and doffing.

The sturdy blade and flexible tip of the Mares Quattro+ produce a propulsive snap that rockets a diver through the water.
Variations of the Mares Avanti Quattro fins has been one of the top selling fin in the world for many years. They are the preferred choice of many experienced recreational, technical and commercial divers.

I personally used the Mares Avanti Quattro the last 2 1/2 years (more than 2.000 dives) and I am still impressed how great they work.
Picture
Mares Avanti Quattro Plus Open Heel Fin Features:
  • Non-Vented Fin
  • Exceed the Established Performance of Traditional Model
  • New Composite Materials, Optimize Efficiency
  • Greater Responsiveness and Thrusting Power
  • More Attractive Look
  • New Bungee Straps, Standard Issue
  • Straps Equipped with Large Grasp-Loops for Easy Donning and Doffing
  • Proven Channel Thrust Technology
  • Versatile and Ideal in All Diving Conditions
  • Stabilizers Improve Stability and Eliminating Ankle Twisting Phenomena
  • Anatomical Foot Pocket Conveys More Power to Blade
  • Design is Inspired by Marine Mammals
  • Channel Thrust Technology Maximizes the Channeling of Water
  • Fin Moves a Greater Amount of Water than Fins of Same Size
  • Greater Thrusting Power with Same Effort

Colours: Black (BK), Blue (BL), Yellow (YL), White (WH), Flamingo (FL), Lime (LM)
Sizes: S, R, XL
Blade Length: 38 cm (15")
Weight: 0.90 kg

Click here and make sure you get yourself a pair of these high quality fins!
0 Comments

Why is the Great Barrier Reef a natural wonder of the world?

4/12/2017

2 Comments

 
The Great Barrier Reef is one of the seven wonders of the natural world. It is larger than the Great Wall of China and the only living thing on earth visible from space. The great barrier reef is the world’s largest individual formation created by living organisms.

As the largest coral reef in the world, the Great Barrier Reef includes over 900 islands, over 2,900 separate reefs, and supports one of the most diverse ecosystems in the world.

The reef stretches 2,300 km along the north eastern coast of Australia and it covers over 133,000 square miles (344,000 sq km).

Time to explore!
Picture
The Great Barrier Reef can be seen from outer space and is the world's biggest single structure made by living organisms. This reef structure is composed of and built by billions of tiny organisms, known as coral polyps.

A large part of the reef is protected by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, which helps to limit the impact of human use, such as fishing and tourism.

The Great Barrier Reef has long been known to and used by the 
Aboriginal Australian and Torres Strait Islander peoples, and is an important part of local groups' cultures and spirituality.
​Nowadays the Reef is a very
 popular tourist destination especially from Cairns and the Whitsundays. 

Did you know that over two million people are visiting the Great Barrier Reef each year?? 
​Good connecting flights from Europe or America and cheap direct flights from Asia or Indonesia transfer hundreds of tourists to tropical Cairns everyday. 

Check out below my latest introductory dive team who just arrived yesterday to see one of the natural wonders of the world!
Have you added trying scuba in the Great Barrier Reef on your bucket list? 

If you haven't, remember this 3 golden scuba rules for your upcoming dive adventure!

Rule 1 - NEVER HOLD YOUR BREATH!

Rule 2 - Equalise your ears

Rule 3 - stay close to your instructor

Easy as that! 

Join me on the next dive adventure at the Great Barrier Reef and learn more about scuba diving!

Please contact me for more information. 
2 Comments

    Triggerfish

    check out my first dive as a Dive Master, 1 on 1 with a Triggerfish including 3 stitches on my head (photos at the Gallery)

    Triggerfish Video
    ​
    Bild

    Book me

    You can find me currently in Cairns. Contact me!

    E-Mail

    Archives

    February 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    June 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.