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How to VIP (visually inspect) a scuba tank
One of the really important skills that will make you stand out in the dive industry. Actually being qualified to service tanks. You can notch it up there with equipment maintenance as well....
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Back into the waters of Manuel Antonio - Life of a scuba instrutcor
Happy Open Water DiversIt’s been a while, but after about 10 months of not going deeper than 5 ft I was back in the water and teaching some open waters. For those of you that don’t know me I was out on maternity leave. Had a little girl and am very happy....but I digress. With the evolvement of the open water program over the past couple of years I was excited to put everything I had been teaching into a real application and get going with it. So my first two open water divers, since my land con...
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Updating the news, New scuba instructors and Marine Conservation and Research Program
Two successful PADI Instructor training programs this year already, our IDC in February and then in April has led to our continued success as a IDC center and more importantly to some happy new instructors heading out into the scuba world. So far this year our instructors have headed off to the Phillipines, the BVIs, Hawaii, the States and some have stayed here in Costa Rica to teach. There are always plenty of opportunities out there in the Ocean and at Go Pro Costa Rica we try to give you ever...
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Congratulations to our new Instructors
Congratulations to our new scuba Instructors! After a intense but fun PADI IDC program here at Go Pro Costa Rica we have four new PADI Instructors ready to teach! Congratulations guys, it was a pleasure to teach and looking forward to working with you all in the future....
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Diving highlights July 28th
Scuba diving highlights from today. I love the big and the small, the pinktail triggersih I think is definitely one of my faves!...
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A PADI Divemaster, To Be or Not to be......that is the question
So after a recent discussion with some PADI Divemaster candidates I was inspired to write an article about "why it is good" to become a Divemaster and why, in my humble opinion, it is a bad idea to complete your divemaster training. Not that it is a bad thing per se, more that there are some good reasons to complete the training and there are some bad reasons. So let’s start with what we know about the course for starters and what it entails. The PADI Divemaster program is designed to train you ...
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Why take an IDC Internship? - Benefits of real world experience
I’ll be honest with you, dreaming of lying under palm tree laden beaches, diving in crystal clear waters, watching the sun go down after an incredible day is in many ways, how the life of a scuba diving instructor is portrayed. And yes, don’t get me wrong it is for many of us, it is how our life is, (I can already here the pessimists poo pooing!!). You can travel, you can live an amazing life as a scuba diving instructor, but believe me, it is work, and certainly to get to a position, where you ...
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Sailfish Tagging - Scuba Diving in the Blue
This past week has been a hectic one but fun. The Billfish research team are back in Quepos/Manuel Antonio with Frenzy Sportfishing, with some tags to put out as part of a study on Sailfish movement around the area. The idea is to answer the inevitable question, where do they go when they are not here? Each year we have progressed with the project and the tagging techniques and data recording has got better, quicker and more efficient. This year, with six tags to put out we started the week with...
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I can tackle the world when I can Scuba dive .....
Scuba diving means many different things to many different people. As someone who has been scuba diving for years, I still use it as an escape, a free moment and so much more. Having recently lost my loyal companion of over 8 years I was, to put it mildly, pretty distressed. Things happen in life that you have to face and deal with and some of them can be incredibly difficult to the point of gut wrenching. I have only cried twice underwater and this was one of those moments. When I am scuba divi...
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Transformation as a PADI scuba Instructor, Good luck with the IE
Yes, I am stressed right now but I am dealing with it the only way I know how at an PADI IE, with a glass of wine and escaping to a quiet corner. It is crunch time with the theory and standards exams right now and the part when I feel the most useless. Why you ask, because it is the part that I really can’t do much to help you. Now matter how much we review and revise physics or physiology, if you go into a melt down as soon as an exam is put in front of you, the same will happen. My job at this...
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Exciting New Divemaster programs at Go Pro Costa Rica
And I can finally announce that we have put together some new Divemaster programs for Go Pro Costa Rica, sorry for the delay, I know it has been in the works for a while. The PADI Divemaster program is a great structured program that encompasses dive theory, skills, assisting and a whole wealth of dive training, the idea being, to train you to work in the dive industry, as a guide or instructional assistant. Well, we have decided to take that program and elaborate on it, with two specific focuse...
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1 week until the next PADI IDC....are you prepared?
So with all the fun and excitement that has been happening in the dive shop the next PADI IDC is fast approaching. The current Divemaster program is wrapping up with the next group of Divemaster candidates waiting to get going on their path to becoming dive professionals. So, with the current IDC about to begin, what is the best way to get prepared. Now, with the program at Go Pro Costa Rica I like to work with the online portion of the IDC first which allows for all more time in the pool and wa...
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Scuba Diving is not for everyone - How do you recognize that and work with your students ?
Hurdles to cross as an instructor teaching open waterI have mentioned this in the past, that as a scuba instructor its not all about the diving, and this was clearly proved over my last class. Counsellor would fall into the role here. Over the past weekend I was working with a group of 15 open water students. Now those of you that know me, are aware of the fact that I don’t normally teach too many open water classes now. The new instructors in the dive center very kindly do that, allowing me to ...
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Open waters and thunder storms...back in Costa Rica
Pandora when not cuddling on the sofa!So after a hiatus in england for six weeks I am back in the jungle and into rainy season. Hello giant storm this morning that made my house shake. I do kinda like the storms, but, only if I am safely on a sofa or in bed. I have learnt to gage the size of the storm depending on how close Pandora (dog) wants to cuddle up. If she’s happy on the floor, its a mild storm, if she is trying to get on the sofa then we are medium gauge, and for big storms expect a hea...
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Congratulations to our PADI Instructor candidates - onwards into July!
The June PADI IDC finished with a large celebration at Gran Escape once again. It was a Georgia/Georgia party in Manuel Antonio. With examiner Georgia Hausserman coming down and visiting our humble little dive center the heat was on as the three instructor candidates set about completing the examination. After 10 days of preparation, exams, confined water work, dives and more everyone was ready, and with the world cup first round games playing in the background, we sat down for the exams. A day ...
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Hello Rainy Season....Diving and Surfing.....So many ways to enjoy the water and become a Pro!
With the start of the rainy season here in Costa Rica, +Oceans Unlimited & Go Pro Costa Rica are ready with some great training opportunities. For some of us, we breathe a sigh of relief that the rains have started, for others, it’s a sigh of disappointment. As the ever optimist I like to think of it as a good thing. The rainforest that we live in is green and lush and the quite frankly, considering that we work underwater we are going to get wet anyway. Saying that the rains aren’t going to rea...
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Which way to go says the almighty compass.... Direction seeking during specialty instructor training
Apparently not the right direction as I found out today +Oceans Unlimited & Go Pro Costa Rica . This is a slight vent in all fairness and also some advice to would be instructors out there when it comes to teaching the inevitable skill of navigating. Working on a search and recovery instructor specialty today, so as expected, the topics of compasses comes up, really more the focus with being on how to teach compass work to your students. With 5 specialty instructor candidates there are different...
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Sailfish diving and PADI IDC prep moving into easter fun
The April PADI IDC is about to start +Oceans Unlimited & Go Pro Costa Rica . 5 slightly nervous, yet excited candidates ready to become instructors. Following the Scuba instructor course there is a speciality instructor training program followed by another technical diver course. Yes, another Tec diving course. More and more popular but we like that. With Easter coming so late this year it has been a long high season and since the beginning of January, Go Pro Costa Rica has been busy, with some ...
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