DEJA VU? This blog has blown me away Peter. I recall the excesses in the Central African Republic that led to complaits around the world but I have never heard these murmerings about Cote D'Ivoire. You mention the President has been in power for 30 years. Wow. When I was in Mali in 2011 it was daily news that the President of Cote d'Ivoire had lost the elections but refused to step aside. Does that mean he survived and is still in power 3 years later? If so, it appears he had control of vaste sums of money however gained...and money talks!!!
Hi Dave Not the same....Houphoet-Boigny was in power from the early 60' till the end of the 80'...He died around 1990, may not be accurate by one year. What happen 2 years ago is actually not related to him, but still pretty sad for the country. Two years ago, it was more a story of the two candidates getting 50/50....and they never were able to make the difference. So a very big grey area for the country...
Soft corals Superbe photo !!! bravo !!!! on dirait un tableau... j'en ferais bien un poster ou bien photo sur toile .... tu peux me l'envoyer par mail en grande résolution ? Merci deja
Awesome Pictures and Dive ^_^ These photos are so awesome!! (^_^) I should consider diving at Komodo one of these days! However, I would need to overcome my motion sickness before I can do a liveonaboard. Btw, I was just curious, what camera system are you using? Those are some wonderful pictures. Thanks for sharing!
Canon D30 Hi, It's the new Canon D30, waterproof to 25 meters, so no need for a housing. Did bring it many times to 25 meters, but never to 26 meters. As of today, this is the cheapest option to take underwater pictures as there is no need to for an expensive housing. You should be able to find it all around Asia in the bracket of 280-300usd.
Few months ago, the deepest one was a Nikon to 18 meters. So I guess the depth war is on, and we could be lucky to see one waterproof camera to 40 meters not that far from now...without any housing....that's pretty nice...
Superbe.... photos que je vais devoir avaler petit a petit cause boulot oblige... mais faire durer le plaisir, quelque part, fait aussi du bien !!! Bravo !
Bordering on Libel Pierre,
Your blog has been brought to my attention by members of my family.
If you wish to write a public blog for the world to see & comment on; then sir, you should ensure that your readers are fully aware of the facts and moreover; inform your readers of nothing short of the truth in that you & I did not see eye-to-eye because I would not allow you to have your own way regarding your young son's depth limits!
Your comments about me being a “liar” and “money is his first priority” are with malice, full of inaccurate statements & are a personal opinion and as such; false & without foundation. I would also remind you of “The Bloggers Online Defamation Law”.
Let us first discuss the issue of safety...
During your stay with us; you constantly harassed my dive staff about taking Leslie beyond the legal limit of his training which at the time was 21-metres/63-feet. You attempted this on a number of occasions including at least 3-times with myself. You were also informed via email prior to your arrival that we would not allow Leslie to dive beyond 21-metres nor Tiffany beyond 12-metres. Likewise; you were further reminded during you Orientation Briefing on arrival!
Each time you attempted to coerce the dive staff or me personally; I politely reminded you about the effects of bone necrosis and the effects that it may or may not have on a growing child - you even retorted that everyone's physiology is different and that you had previously taken your young & growing son well beyond the limits to which he was trained. While I do agree that everyone's physiology is different; there is still a very real risk of damaging (permanently) a growing skeleton and even the remotest risk in my PROFESSIONAL OPINION is not one I would gamble someone's life on - especially that of a child's life. Hence; my point with not allowing Leslie to exceed 21-metres was both a safety procedure and the following of PADI Training Standards that specifically set the maximum depth for a Junior Advanced Open Water Diver of Leslie's age to 21-metres. Had we taken your children beyond their training limit and had there been a fatal accident; then I am 100% certain we would be looking at a wrongful death lawsuit for failing to provide 'Duty of Care'.
A further point you have failed to mention regarding safety is that for every dive over 12-metres; both of your children were assigned their own personal PADI DM thus ensuring that Leslie did not go beyond 21-metres and Tiffany not beyond 12-metres. I am absolutely certain that any reader now reading this would understand that I was being "reasonably prudent" with regards to the safety of your children whereas you...well; I am sure they can figure that out.
With regards to you allegedly being left on the surface with no dive boat...
I can tell you that in fact, two investigations were carried out.
The first investigation was carried out by PADI & the second investigation carried out internally by the TSD owners. The reason you have never heard back from PADI is because there is not one iota of evidence to support your claim. I can likewise tell you that all guests on the same trip were contacted. Not one single guest or member of the dive team could collaborate your alleged misfortune at being stranded in the water without a dive boat whilst the dive boat was allegedly on a different site. All evidence supports an entirely different catalogue of non-events of an otherwise routine day.
My question to you is...Why you did not approach me as the Manager of TSD and inform me of your 'alleged' plight at the time ? It was as you put it an alleged major safety violation - was it not? Not once during your entire stay did you address this and that dumbfounds me completely.
My suggestion is that your arrogance and the fact that I would not allow Leslie to exceed the limits of his training despite your excessive attempts at coercion have blinded your judgement into writing a work of fiction!
Dear Dino, I discover your comment on my way back from another great diving week in Komodo. It is more than normal to publish it even if it not an accurate comment of the event.
My main issue with you is simple, you dive two different dive sites which are not drifting dives using the same boat. You can call me a liar, I can put my hand on the bible telling you it's not a lie. I would have never found about it have I done a normal dive of 50 to 60 minutes. I was left in the middle of the water for 30 to 40 minutes, and was the first diver back on the boat. Why would you need to ask divers, it's either you or your management team who picked the dive sites. The good news is my serious accusation may have stop you to do this again in the future. I do not wish to have any dive with an emergency situation, no boat above my head, and the beach at around 500 meters from where I am.
Regarding the depths. My son didn't go further than 21 meters and my daughter deeper than 12 meters. What I did argue with you was the fact that you would not let my son dive on the Thresher shark dive, even if the site did allow it and he was experienced to do it. At the end, he went twice.
You claim that you provide my children with DM...well....most of the time they were trainee DM...but you seems the only one thinking that a child is not a customer. If you take them on, are you not supposed to provide a DM, or decline at booking time. I know, for you it's a money issue.
Now the depth...when a site is in serious current at 21 meters, and that at 22-23 meters there is serious protection, I have no issue to bring my son to 23 meters. You can use the "book" to lecture me on your professional advise. I use my common sense knowing that my children do 2 diving trips per year. If 23 meters is dangerous for my son, than why is 21 not! Specially in the current.
I know these are serious accusations, and I stick by them. At least you found the time to write a comment once you knew I went public. Why didn't you write me when I did the complain to PADI. Go find out!
I really don't see the point, after 600 dives in more than 45 countries to make up such a story. At the end of the day, there are enough divers and organizations with a true passion for diving, and a proper common sense, our roads do not have to cross again.
I'm the first one to appreciate a great organization...but I'm also the first one to find it scandalous that people who claim they have an interest in my security...would not put a boat above my head. We all know the reason...by serving two dives sites with different level, you can put more people on your boat.
So your comment is duly noted, but not correct.
Best regards,
Pierre-Alexandre
Great blog Pierre I enjoyed the blog and loved the photos. All the underwater ones yours?
I hope the Kiwi divers did not touch the crayfish as the whole area is a no take marine reserve.
Doug
Hi Doug! The kiwis behaved in the reserve....they were going to crayfish hunting the next day. Yes, all the underwater pic are mine, with a little canon that is waterproof to 25 meters.
I dived with Dive Tutukaka last year.... in Poor Knights and it was awesome. I'd gladly go there again. It was fun reading this blog and remembering my trip there.
If you ever do a dive in Auckland, I'd recommend "Dive HQ" dive center. I ended up going with them to Tutukaka (they have a pretty big group of regular customers, so in all we were over twenty people).
Cheers!
OH MY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I think meeting people and talking to them every time I travel is/are the highlights of my trips but seeing animals like the ones you saw is the most amazing experience in life. Wonderful pics. Thank you for sharing.
This blog is just short of 10 years old. We have now move to South Africa.
Why South Africa? Simple, great wine, great food, great golf and even more amazing diving! I will for once continue to blog from time to time about home. After all, this is just my fourth continent after having grow up in Europe, lived in Asia for twenty years, and even spent a full year living the life of Buenos Aires.
Come to visit....there is so much to do here! ... full info
Mamy
non-member comment
Yamoussoukro
Interressant !