Under Water Wedding 2011 - Jule and Rob

“Will you take this man/woman to be your husband/wife. Will you love him/her, comfort him/her, honor and protect him/her and for shaking all others, be faithful to him/her as long as you both shall live?” that’s the question usually asked in wedding matrimony, like always in the church but this time we had something different, the bride and groom was asked UNDER THE SEA and they make lifetime promise on that moment… We, Crystal Divers; include 2 of the interns, are so honor to be the underwater wedding organizer…

We started from Sanur to go to Nusa Penida, took about 30 minutes to arrive in our diving spot, Toya Pakeh. There were 12 persons ( Jule and Rob as bride and groom, the bride’s parents, Steve as the planner, Toto as instructor and organizer, Gary as the photographer, Dave as videographer, Wulan and Vintty as assistance, Maweh as boat captain, and kencrung as boat assistance) on the boat but only 6 of them will diving around. The first dive, we can say the fun dive or pre wed picture dive, were held in Toya Pakah. While the bride’s mom and dad enjoyed the sunbathing on the boat.

After around 1 hour, they came back to the boat and now we were preparing the wedding. We sent the bride and groom to private beach in Nusa Penida so they can relax while we decorated the boat for them. We were picking them up again after 1 hour and ready to do the underwater wedding.

The first choice diving spot wasn’t a good place to do the underwater wedding because there was a strong current at that time so we needed to change the place to Ceningan channel and it seemed that this place was better than before but with lower visibility. We stopped at Ceningan channel and had a wedding lunch first because it was almost 4pm. This time it was a different kind of lunch, we made some flower decorator and buffet dinner ( usually we got lunch box when we had trip to Nusa penida).

Ok, time to do the wedding. We were putting the ballyhoo in the water to make some aisle under the water. Bride and groom also needed to get ready with their attribute. The bride used the white wet suit, bouquet and flower band around her head while the groom was weared a black wet suit and a bow tie. The bride’s parents were watching from the surface since they can’t dive. I and Vintty will be the guide for them on the surface while the wedding procession happened under the water. The bride and groom were really looked stunning and relieve after the wedding. They successfully did the underwater wedding. We  threw some rice to the bride and groom when they were coming into the boat. This is for prosperity on their marriage life. We put the just married sign and opened the champagne to make a wedding toast! Wow that was a great time and also tired day but it hasn’t finished yet. These were a first part, they also need to do it on the surface: P

The Bemo was waiting for us in the shore, of course with some decorator in it. We put sugar cane stem in front of the bemo ( the meaning of this is making their marriage always as sweet as sugar cane). The priest and the judge were waiting for the couple in Crystal Diver (since 4 pm: p sorry, it was the current’s fault). The bride and groom were standing in front of the priest and said their vow to each other again, that was a beautiful moment on the wedding ceremony when they promise to share their life forever.

We are wishing the newlywed, Robert and Jule, a great new life ahead! And thank you to share and trust Crystal Divers to organize this wedding!

and click here for more pictures and video of them

Side Mount Course

Diving with 2 tanks in your side, have you ever think about that before? Well that dive called side mount diving, usually the tec dive uses it for cave penetration so they can move more freely in the small cave without worry being trapped with the tank behind.

We had the opportunity to learn about tech dive level and this time one of the examiner taught us about all of that information. First he told us about level in tech dive. What we have to do to take the first level and higher level. He shared brief information about Tec 40 until Tec instructor, maybe someday we want to continue our education to be Tec instructor and with this level we can go deeper and longer than the ordinary recreational diver. Of course with more equipment and different gas blend.

Beside Tec dive, he also taught us about rebreather dive, the different between CCR and SCR, he told us in brief but its already enough to make us amaze with the cool video. We can close to aquatic life without disturb them because it will be less bubble if we use it. For rebreather it also divides into 2 recreational rebreather and Tec rebreather. Of course Tec rebreather more complicated than the recreational one which designed automatic use.

And the last but not the least, side mount diving. He showed us the cool video about the diver exploring cave with the side mount equipment... need a lot of practice to move like that I guess ;P PADI will announce this new specialty maybe next year so if you want to discover a new way in diving, you can take this specialty ( check Crystal Divers )

The benefits of side mount are:

1. Ease of streamlining equipment. When you need or want more than one cylinder, side mount provides a very streamlined package compared to many back mount configurations. This can reduce drag and avoids contact with the environment.

2. Easier equipment transport. Most people find it easier can be more easily managed on land because the cylinders than one set of doubles because you can carry them separately. When making dives that require three or more cylinders, this simplicity becomes increasing noticeable.

3.Versatility. Side mount works well with many types of recreational and technical diving, making it a great way to expand your capabilities with a single basic configuration.

4. Equipment availability. In some places, it can be difficult to get manifolded doubles, whereas you can get single cylinders any place people dive.

5.Accessibility. In sidemount, the regulator first stage and valves are in front of you where they’re visible and accessible. This makes it easier to spot and deal with problems.

6. Adjustability. Most sidemount configurations allow you to fine tune equipment fit and trim during the dive to enhance streamlining and body position. Most divers find this makes sidemount more comfortable than other configurations.

7. Problem solving. In recreational diving, sidemount makes it possible to handle an out-of-gas problem without your buddy as your primary alternate air source. In tec diving, you always have at least two life support systems; sidemount provides this.

Pool session time!!!! This was what we were waiting for whole day. Thomas let us to try his sidemount equipment. Actually you can use the BCD for sidemount and back mount, all you need to do is change the strap position, one more regulator ( if you use 2 tank) and of course a clip for hang the tanks. He showed us how to assemble the equipment and Eri got the first chance to try it... He was wearing the equipment in the pool with Thomas's help and he was ready to rock! He dived smoothly under the water, he tried to unclip and play with both tanks. Thomas told us that we will have better buoyancy with this side mount and yes indeed he is right!

All the interns had chanced to try this BCD and beside that the other dive master trainees also wanted to try it and we were really having fun the pool. Thanks Thomas for the lesson and the pool dive ^^

Dive Master Course

Dive master is the first pro level in diving. We already can be a guide and a teacher for refresher aka certified diver who long time didn’t dive. So they need to be refreshed about all the skills. There are some requirements to be a Dive Master: Certified as PADI AOW and Rescue Diver, 18 years old, Logged 40 dives, Complete the EFR training within 24 months, and of course the medical requirement as well.

To be the Dive Master is a different level with OWC until Rescue Diver level, in this level we will be trained as a professional who can lead a group or advice students. So we need to learn how to do all the things in the right way and using our good judgment. That’s why in this level, they will give us so many task to do like guiding, assisting, preparing, repairing, etc.

Beside the 9 chapter theory and 2 exams, we also need to complete some of the skills such as:

1. 400 meters swimming

2. 800 meters snorkeling

3. 100 meters diver towing

4. 15 minutes floating

5. Equipment exchange

6. Assisting confined water course

7. Assisting Open water Dives

8. Assisting theory open water course

9. Assisting Advance Open water Dives

10. Assisting Rescue Divers

11. Skill Circuit

12. Rescue no 7

13. Deep work/ specialty

14. S&R work/ specialty

15. Assisting DSD Confined water

16. Assisting DSD Open water

17. Discover Local Diving ( or we can say guiding)

18. Setting up the dive site

19. Mapping

20. Briefing

21. Skin diving

22. Physic

23. Physiology

24. Skills and equipment

25. RDP

26. Equipment

27. Days with equipment boys

28. Equipment service

29. Scuba refresher

30. Log dives

So far most of us already did some of the skills above like assisting open water ( in theory, pool and open water), assisting AOW, S&R work, Deep work, equipment service, and of course the log dive already 60 + J

We were gathered in the pool side and this time Minni was giving us some tips to put our equipment in the right order and that's the way the BCD should be prepared for all the customer. We also got a gift from Minni, the Crystal Bandana, and she had something to do with that bandana for the first task as DMT. We were asked to use the bandana to close our eyes while assembling and disassembling the BCD and regulator.. good gift and good way to use it :p We were needed to show it as if we teach students. We need to speak loud becase there were a lot of DMT around so our voice need to be louder than the others!!! Like Minni said in the first time, NO SHY in here! After this all the DMT jumped to the pool to do the 24 skills circuit with Minni.

We have time to do it slowly and of course with guidance from all our instructors in Crystal Divers, we need to try to be the best like always!