Thursday, July 30, 2009

Getting kids diving - making young adults!

As I sit in the Divewise office - I'm looking at about 25 kids from language schools in the local area - youngsters come from all over Europe to learn English in Malta - its a fantastic summer vacation that teaches them a lot and gives them plenty of extra curricular experiences too.

These youths are away from their parents and obviously, that always results in a little partying while they have the freedom to do so - the streets of Paceville are packed with mini skirts and over-applied aftershave in the evening - ahhh those first flutters of ... well perhaps not love...

Usually, I'd be part of the old crowd saying 'it wasn't like that in my day', and you do witness a few clubbing casualties along the way - but I've noticed another, more encouraging trend in these schools.

Many of them arrange Scuba Diving experiences for their students here at Divewise - and some go on to take their Open Water and even Advanced Open Water courses too. Funny thing is - we see them on their first day - struggling in the classroom a little after a late night and a few love bites... then the next lesson - we take them for a dive - and suddenly a huge improvement shows...

Once they see all the adventures they can have under the water, these students are less bothered about late nights checking out the discos, and more interested in a study session to allow them to the next level of their diving adventure! We also see them learning to work as a team, helping their buddies and putting in some elbow grease walking their kit down to the water. You certainly can't accuse our students of being lazy 'Kevin the Teenager' types.

So if you're looking for the equation that turn children into a young adult (resonsibility, education, manners and a work ethic!) look no further than diving for all of these things!

Find out more about learning English as a second Language in Malta HERE.


Monday, July 20, 2009


Our newest family member - the Poseidon recreational rebreather! These lovely little fellas are making their way to Divewise as we type... and it could mean a whole new era for diving...

You don't have to be a technical diver to try this fantastic new bit of kit - you don't even have to be a diver! With the recreational rebreather you can BEGIN your diving adventure on a rebreather.

The difference between this shiny little number and conventional open circuit SCUBA is that when you breathe out on SCUBA, your exhalation is lost into the ocean - rebreathers recycle your breathe, adding just the right balance of Oxygen to let you breathe it again - less waste, less air carried - more time in the water!

Sounds good eh? We're ridiculously excited to bust them out of their boxes the minute they arrive and start getting to know them inside out - we'll keep you posted about all the neat features and benefits - our dives on them and when you too can book on to ... what shall we call it DRD? - Discover Rebreather Diving!


Thursday, July 16, 2009

Birthdays, Busy Business & Bigilla

What a way to spend your birthday - Mr Alan Whitehead turned '29 again' yesterday and celebrated with a big slice of chocolate cake, bigila and braggoli... and another late night in the office! - ahhh, he loves it really - and at least he got the day off today instead.

While Al and Viv read the broadsheets in bed (rare occasion!) Divewise was busting at the seams! Students and pleasure divers all over the place - its a great thing to see - language barriers being broken, smiling faces arriving home from a multitude of dive sites - Gozo, Maori and more!

And its more of the same tomorrow - Beaufighter, Gozo again, Cirkewwa wrecks and reefs - the choice is endless - much like our customers enthusiasm! It must be the stops for ice cream on the way home!

Wednesday, July 15, 2009

Why Dive?

So, I was suffering a little writers block and I thought I'd try to inspire myself by looking at my passion from a different angle - from the point of view of someone who didn't like diving. Bizarre as it sounds - it's got me writing at least!

Often I find my self asking why. Why bother with this or that? So What if someone asked me 'Why dive?'... 'Why not snowboard instead?' 'Why get up early to go dive?' 'Why tire yourself when you could stay in bed or out sunbathing?'

I'll tell you why... because somethings are worth making the effort for! When you get up early in the morning - you get so much more from your day and when that's a diving day I know I can squeeze amazing experiences from that 24 hours! You also see the world, both land and water in a different way - tranquil after the party antics of teenagers the night before - now the world is fresher, cooler, calm - and then you get underwater and its even more chilled out! You can have all the excitement you search for in the blue, but it can also be as relaxing as snoozing in the sun.

And its GOOD to feel tired - that healthy, hungry fatigue like after going swimming - you feel great - like you really earned that evening meal and rest! Your blood is flowing through your veins - you've blown the cobwebs and you feel so much better for it!

And why not snowboard or skydive? Well... I don't know any other activity that fits so well inside the rules and requirements of family and group holidays - your friends might not be happy to sit in the snow while you hit the piste - but I never heard anyone complain about sunbathing and sightseeing while you fly through the blue!!

So why dive? - 1000 thousand reasons - of which these are just a few (plus the smile on my face from getting a nervous newbie out and enjoying it this afternoon!) ... watch this space for the rest of the 1000 reasons!

Friday, July 10, 2009

Scuba Students and Liquid Learning

What a week! My fingers are burning from typing the names of successful students into PADI's online certificate system! Tons of customers (Ferry , Roelien, Jane, Sara, Helen) finishing their Deep Diver and Wreck Diver course, others are in the classroom getting to grips with Enriched Air Diving, while still more (Petra, Eline, Nicole, Chris) are just starting the adventure with Open Water Diver!

We've been enjoying the beautiful breeding season on the house reef, with several juvenile octopus on each of our Night Dives, and baby fish in bright colours dotted all over the reef.

We've been out to the Tuna Farm for a dive with the 'big boys' and over to Gozo and Comino for some great days out.

Sean McGahern has been out on the reef, racking up the hours readying for his Guiness World Record attempt, and as always, the Tec Terriers have been tempting recreational divers with the promise of spectacular wrecks in the beautiful blue (find out more at our sister company blog - Techwise Tales).

In fact, we've so many happy divers passing through our doors, we're having to update the Diver of the Month every week!!! Watch the site for more smiley faces and course success!

Saturday, July 4, 2009

Super Sunday Sunshine Diving

Ahhh... Bliss... Everyday when I walk to work, I think how lucky I am to be working here in the sunshine.  Our customers come in and they are on holiday - just willing, ready, waiting to have  a great time! How easy could a job be?!

Today we just packed off  mixed van of Technical and Recreational divers on their way to Gozo.  Its hot in the morning sun, but with the windows down and the breeze in your face - its a pretty fantastic journey. The scenery is stunning and they're off to a mixed bag of diving - Blue Hole scenic style for the morning, followed by the wreck of the Cominoland in the afternoon. A selection box of diving chocolate!

If I'd been back at home, working on a Sunday, I know I'd be missing my bed right now - somehow its a lot easier to be up early here - even a joy.
So I guess my question is... where are you? Why not here, enjoying great diving and beautiful scenery with us?!!