News and Events Archives - Page 9 of 33 - Asia Divers & El Galleon Beach Resort, Puerto Galera

Diving, News and Events

Revving up for the Festive Season in Puerto Galera

Posted on December 20, 2018December 20, 2018 by Asia Divers

20
Dec

It’s been a great week here at El Galleon and Asia Divers as we slowly get ready for the festive season, and we are really starting to feel it. It feels like every night has been a party night.

Well Done to Nathan Nash, who completed his PADI Advanced Open water course care of Maria. Nathan did Peak performance buoyancy, Night Dive and wreck as his elective dives. He liked the night dive so much he did another one for fun the night after the course!

Now here are some familiar faces. Arjan Kroon AKA Candyman, with his lovely partner Ingrid Vierzen and all us lot. Well Ingrid had a double celebration on this night as she had made her 100th dive and completed her PADI Drift Diving Specialty course, which took her on a pretty swift dive in to the Canyons. We had such a great night in the Point Bar!

Celebrating 4000 Dives!

Chef Jamie pulled out all the stops and dressed for this very special occasion. Check out his threads…. his underwater Tuxedo! Leon Betts was doing his 4000th dive, and Jamie thought it deserved this high class look.

Ocean Dive Supply Christmas Dinners with Tommy

Tommy is travelling around the Philippines to have “Christmas Dinner” with all the staff in our Ocean Dive Supply stores around the country. including Boracay, Dumaguete , Cebu and Alona . That’s a lot of festive food!

Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook to get our latest news updates and links to our blog posts!

Visit Asia Divers on Facebook

Use the buttons below to share Asia Divers news with your friends!

Diving, News and Events

Dive Resort Travel Expo, 2019 Events and more!

Posted on December 11, 2018December 12, 2018 by Asia Divers

11
Dec

What’s been happening this week at Asia Divers

Tony Mulholland had a wicked time with Pete on his DPV (Diver Propulsion Vehicle) trial last week and thought he looked pretty cooll! We think so too Tony. Find out more about the PADI DPV Speciality course.

Congratulations to Larry Bird and Kris on their engagement. Larry romantically popped the question to Kris underwater on a dive in the Maldives. So sweet, and I guess you can figure out her answer…

Congratulations Candyman on getting your 700 dive t-shirt. So glad you did it here with us!

DRT Hong Kong

If you’re in Hong Kong this coming weekend please come by the DRT SHOW at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC), Hall 5G.

Alli and Elly will be there promoting Asia Divers and El Galleon at the Philippine Department of Tourism booth. We have some very good dive packages for fun divers and interesting offers for instructors to bring students here to teach their courses.

Dates are: December 14-16. Opening Hours: 12:00 noon – 8:00pm (Friday) 12:00 noon – 8:00pm (Saturday) 12:00 noon – 6:00pm (Sunday)

Asia Divers Events in 2019

We have a couple of very exciting events planned for 2019 at El Galleon and Asia Divers, so if you’re thinking of what to do for your next holiday please see below:

Objectif Atlantide

The new underwater survey organized by Objectif Atlantide in 2019 in the Philippines!

We are proud to be hosting this event in 2019.

Photo Atlantis objective submarine survey April 2019. Registrations are open!

Details are here

You can also visit the Objectif Atlantide Facebook page.

2019 Photo Workshop – Sneak Peek

Join us June 16-23, 2019 for our Photo workshop with Phil Rudin and Beth Watson. There will be hands on workshops on many different subjects including:

Black Backgrounds : The key is to block out all natural light so only the light reaching the camera sensor is produced by strobes or torches aimed at the subject. Camera settings, strobe positioning, composition and subject location all play a role in achieving a black background. Join us to learn more!

For details please see the 2019 Underwater Photography Workshop page, or contact instructors@asiadivers.com for inquiries.

Diving, News and Events

PADI Freediver Courses, eIDC Updates, and the return of old friends

Posted on December 5, 2018December 5, 2018 by Asia Divers

05
Dec

Look who’s back!

It’s been a great week having this gang back here for their warm up trip before heading off to the Maldives! A big congratulations to Jenny Masters who completed her PADI Advance and nitrox courses. With Jenny, Alli, Chris, Eric, Fitri and Mark

Before the fly through of The Canyons dive site with Chris, Pete, Eric, Jenny, Mark, Fitri and Matt…and what a trip it was!! Just before the first canyon there was a nice big trevelly welcoming us to the heaps of sweetlips, snapper and batfishes. Nothing like a little bit of excitement to get your day rolling along.

Way back in 1997 Alli, Mark and Eric did their PADI Divemaster courses together here at Asia Divers with Peter Wilson and Dave Ross. That’s 21 years of awesome memories for sure!

Welcome back home Candyman and Candy mermaid (Arjan and Ingrid)!!! Only at Asiadivers: Personal VVIP speedboat pickup in Batangas with Candyshots, cold towels, cold beers, peanuts and of course: CANDIES….

Become a PADI Freediver

Asia Divers is very excited to announce that we will now be teaching the PADI Basic Freediver and the PADI Freediver courses.

PADI Basic Freediver

Learn basic freediving principles and focus on practicing breathhold techniques in a pool or confined water site.

PADI Freediver

Your first step toward discovering why freediving is becoming a popular way to explore beneath the waves. No previous freediving course is required.

Freediving is about inward power, discipline and control. If you’ve always wanted to enter the underwater world quietly, on your own terms, staying as long as your breath allows, then freediving is for you. Taking the PADI Freediver course is your first step toward discovering why freediving is becoming a popular way to explore beneath the waves.

For more information contact us at instructors@asiadivers.com

PADI Divemaster Elliot

Congratulations to Elliot Dawson for completing his PADI Divemaster course. Elliot has been here for almost three months now doing his DM training as well as working in the shop, helping out on dives, and generally just about anything that needs doing around the resort.

As a Divemaster intern he’s been learning the ropes about becoming a dive industry professional and gaining some quality life skills along the way. The Divemaster course teaches skills that can be used in many aspects of your life. Elliot’s time is here at Asia Divers is coming to an end and he’ll be joining the “real world” again. It’s been great to have him here with us and we all wish Elliot the best for the future…and hope to see him back again….perhaps taking the next step to becoming an PADI instructor.

Alma Jane Memories

It’s been wonderful to have Tony Mulholland back with us after so many years. He was actually here for the sinking of Alma Jane on March 3rd 2003 and then as soon as it was down Alli and Tony jumped in for a dive on it. It was quite the site to behold with lots of interesting things flying off of it! This week he went back there again for the first time and got to see what an amazing dive site it has turned into.

Going, going, gone! These photos we’re taking by Tony as Alma Jane was sinking.

E-IDC update

A busy week with PADI Specialty Instructor Courses

The best way to use the time after your PADI IE is to further improve your marketability and become PADI Specialty Instructor in areas that interest you.

The PADI Wreck Specialty is a great course to start with. With many good sized wrecks in Asia, learning safe techniques to explore the inside is important and appealing to many. And look at how fun it can be navigating our very own barrel bar obstacle course as dry practice. Great job Matt and Cody.

Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook to get our latest news updates and links to our blog posts!

Visit Asia Divers on Facebook

Use the buttons below to share Asia Divers news with your friends!

News and Events

News from DEMA, 2019 UW Photography Workshop, and SoCalScuba Group

Posted on November 29, 2018 by Asia Divers

29
Nov

SoCalScuba visits Asia Divers

What a great time with SolCalScuba! Lots of fantastic dives in our amazing biodiversity in Puerto Galera with a great group of folks.

We spent a wonderful evening with the gang from SoCalScuba as we celebrated American Thanksgiving with a scrumptious Turkey dinner and all the trimmings prepared by Chef Jamie and his team.

What has our Divemaster Intern, Elliot been up to this week?

It’s been a busy week with Asia Divers as we enjoyed the company of SoCalScuba from America. Myself and Elly were paired with the PADI Open Water divers in the group. Along with showing them a great time, we focused on improving their air consumption and buoyancy skills. We were able to show them the best of our fantastic reefs and watch them improve over the week. It was sad to see a great group of people leave but I enjoyed being able to watch my group of divers improve each day.

I’ve also had the pleasure of a visit from my own dad, who has been desperate to dive this spectacular coast line and make a special visit to Verdi Island. For me to be able to bring him along on the dives and show him why Asia Divers is one of the best dive centres we’ve been to has been very special for us. Only two more weeks until I leave Asia Divers now so I’m trying to finish my amazing time here with as many dives and memories as I can.

2019 Underwater Photography Workshop

Join us June 16-23, 2019 for our Photo workshop
with Phil Rudin and Beth Watson

Photo workshop will include:

Hands-on in water mentoring with short slideshow presentations throughout the week
Learn about lighting, composition, camera settings, equipment and much more
Learn macro and wide angle techniques using fisheye and rectilinear lenses
Daily photo critiques, Lightroom and Photoshop editing techniques
Learn creative lighting and advanced photography techniques

Please see all the details here

Contact admin@asiadivers.com if you have any questions or would like to make a reservation.

Asia Divers at DEMA 2018

Tommy, Alli, Rhuby, and Allan and our favorite jailbird, Danny Dwyer, from PADI at the Westgate Hotel in Las Vegas having a quick drink before attending the DEMA awards night with the Black and White theme.

This year’s DEMA was very successful in terms of catching up with our travel agents and business associates from all over the world, but spending time with some of our great friends made it even more special. With John Comerford, Chona Baret, Sue Goodman, Karen and Ray Hopton. John, Ray and Karen used to spend a lot of time here in the early years and we’re an important part of what we have become today…thank you!

Dive Travel – Dive The Best!

Asia Divers has booked some spots on Discovery Palawan for a 7-day trip to Tubbataha Reefs. The trip is May 16-22, 2019 with 5 days of diving on South and North Tubbataha Reefs.

This is the best diving in the Philippines, don’t think anyone will argue about that. Beautiful walls and reef tops with plenty of corals and of course the pelagics cruising along the wall and out in blue water. In the past trip we have seen plenty of Sharks, Mantas and of course the real highlight, Whalesharks.

Contact instructors@asiadivers.com for more details.

Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook to get our latest news updates and links to our blog posts!

Visit Asia Divers on Facebook

Use the buttons below to share Asia Divers news with your friends!

News and Events

Asia Divers at DEMA Las Vegas, Halloween Party Pics, and Diver News

Posted on November 7, 2018November 7, 2018 by Asia Divers

07
Nov

Creepy times at our Halloween party

Click on images to enlarge

A ghoulishly delightful night was had by all at our Halloween party. Thanks to everyone for putting in the effort to getting creepified!

You can see more photos in the album on our Facebook page

Asia Divers at DEMA 2018

Allan, Tommy, Alli and Rhuby will be at the DEMA Show November 14-17 at the Las Vegas Convention Center, North Hall.

We’ll be with the Philippine Department of Tourism booth #2425 introducing folks to Asia Divers/El Galleon. Please drop by for a visit if you’re attending.

Scuba Diver News

We’re very excited to welcome three new mermaids into scuba diving. Sarah Fenwick and two sisters, 13 year old Katie and 14 year old Ella Callahan completed their PADI Open Water course with Elly. They worked really hard to achieve this goal and even went through a bit of a tough logistics day because of some bad weather…but they did it, and should all be very proud! Congratulations ladies!

Congratulations Jobert Tapia (Cody) on your Rescue Diver Certification (with EFR Primary and Secondary care with AED! Now, on to your Divemaster! It was a fun course with Arthur Nash who is almost done as well.

This was a great example of team teaching here as Matt did the EFR courses for both Arthur and Cody and Pete and Matt both got involved with the Rescue course. Matt is now an Assistant instructor and very soon will be an Instructor, so he got some great experience in team teaching with Pete.

Very nice to have the Lalani family here with us this weekend! Ruben and Elliot introduced them to diving through a PADI Discover Scuba program. Mahmud, Temina and Kiran thoroughly enjoyed the experience and I suspect they’ll be back for more.

Way to go Sarah Fenwick!! She completed Open Water and Advanced OW this week and now on to her next great adventure to meet up with mom and dad in El Nido.

Wonderful to have Richard Hughes back again and this time bringing his mom Jacqueline. Richard kept Jackie very busy with finishing off her PADI Advanced course and also doing a Nitrox course. Then they brought out the “big boys’ and got Jackie certified as a DPV diver by Pete. Congrats Jackie!

This month’s cover shot for Asia Diver “Monday News” newsletter is a photo of The Point Bar. The Point Bar is a great place to wind down with good friends, great ambiance and perhaps a cocktail or two at the end of your diving day.

The Monday News is a weekly newsletter that will keep you up to date on what’s been going on here with Asia Divers and El Galleon.

If you would like to subscribe please just sign up below

Photo credit to our good friend Beth Watson, whose beautiful photos and videos you can see throughout our website.

Check out her awesome images on her website or on Facebook

Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook to get our latest news updates and links to our blog posts!

Visit Asia Divers on Facebook

Use the buttons below to share Asia Divers news with your friends!

News and Events

2019 Photo Workshop, eIDC update, and showing off Puerto Galera’s diving to friends old and new

Posted on October 31, 2018October 31, 2018 by Asia Divers

31
Oct

Allways Dive Expeditions explores Puerto Galera

It’s been a great couple days hosting this group of dive shop owners and their representatives from Australia. Thanks so much to Allways Dive Expeditions for organizing this, and to Nikki Cairns for being an awesome team leader. We’ve been able to give them a quick tour of our lovely beachfront resort and facilities and introduce them to the beautiful diving in Puerto Galera. They will leave here having seen the amazing diversity that our area has to offer and we’re looking forward to seeing them come back soon. With Cleyon Wright, Cristine Jones, Graham Willis, Lillian Sassart, Paul Sorensen, Shannon Carlson, Zhiyanne Naera-Crafter, Nikki Cairns, and Darren Hall.

We spent a beautiful Sunday on Verde island with our group from Allways Dive Expeditions. It was a perfect sunny calm-water day to enjoy three wonderful dives, a delicious BBQ, a walkabout on the island, and a BCD party in the Verde island passage on the way home. Also, a big congratulation goes to Darren Hall who “Discovered Scuba” twice in one day with Paul Sorensen introducing him to a whole new world.

allways dive expeditions puerto galera 2

allways dive expeditions puerto galera 4

Underwater Photography Workshop 2019

beth watson underwater photography workshop asia divers 2019

phil rudin underwater photography workshop asia divers 2019

Join Phil Rudin & Beth Watson June 16-23, 2019, here for a Photo Workshop which will cover:

Hands-on in water mentoring
Short slideshow presentations throughout the week
Learn about lighting, composition, camera settings, equipment and much more
Learn macro and wide angle techniques using fisheye and rectilinear lenses
Daily photo critiques
Lightroom and Photoshop editing techniques
Learn creative lighting and advanced photography techniques

Join Phil and Beth for fun, learning, laughter and friendship

Contact: allison@asiadivers.com for more details if you’re interested

Welcome to Puerto Galera, Bill and Pat Acker

We had a visit this week of Bill Acker and his brother Pat. Bill and Tommy did their Instructor course together 1989 in the same time as Andy Norman did his Staff Instructor training. Bill is the owner of Yap Divers and Manta Ray Bay hotel www.mantaray.com in Yap, a great place for Mantas and also Shark dives. Tommy together with Rene Sten and Larry Bird visited Bill last August for this year’s Ngulu expedition.

Now it was Bill’s turn to come and visit us and he brought his brother Pat with him. They managed to do some nice dives here in Puerto Galera, together with Tommy and had the opportunity to get introduced to the Classic Club as well.

Bill and Tommy also got some time to do a bit of planning for next year Ngulu expedition that will happen in the end of July. Keep an eye out for the details as the trip will have limited space to 6 divers only!

PADI eIDC Update

Who is diving and teaching with us next…

It could be YOU living the dream… like George Vest who introduced the Green and Wallis family – all connected with the Canadian Academy in Kobe, Japan, where George is an orchestra instructor also promoting SCUBA diving in and out of Japan. George did his IDC in the Philippines and is now working with Asia Divers, teaching and interning on courses, earning commission to finance his holidays. Contact idc@asiadivers.com to find out options to work with us.

Lots of fun in and out of the water

We all enjoyed the families here with lots of entertainment from playing fun card games during meal times, sunsets and moon rises at the barrel bar and of course lots of in-water activities: 8 year old Camille worked with Ruben and got several dives as a Bubblemaker while Chris, her dad, did a DSD and took photos from the dive boats.

His wife Cinnamon and son Cameron along with Mike Wallis completed their Open Water course with Sabine. Shawna Wallis and her son, Zach did a review and then completed the Peak Performance Buoyancy specialty course with George. Shawna ended up with 10 more dives in her log book.

Everyone had a blast and would like to return with George and other families from Canadian Academy!

Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook to get our latest news updates and links to our blog posts!

Visit Asia Divers on Facebook

Use the buttons below to share Asia Divers news with your friends!

News and Events

Halloween Party 2018 & News from Asia Divers

Posted on October 23, 2018October 23, 2018 by Asia Divers

23
Oct

We’ve got the Booze… You Bring the Boo’s!

Join us For Some Haunting Spirits and Wicked Brews at the Point Bar on October 31st 2018.

We still have rooms available. Contact admin@asiadivers.com

Verde Island reefs show resilience to climate change

In the face of climate change, the reefs of Verde Island, situated in the middle of the “center of the center of marine biodiversity” in the world, are showing signs that they are protected from the major impacts of climate change.

Read the full article in the Manila Bulletin

What’s been happening at Asia Divers?

Stunning conditions at Verde Island this week.

Alli snuck on board with Finn and Arthur to do their second dive for their PADI Digital Underwater Photography course. So many great photo opps there! With Elly, Alli, Robert Johnston, Matthew Malekos, Finn Marinkovich-Josey, Simon Josey, Richard Trebus, Omri Hephner, Erich Werne, Mal Howarth, Ron Jackson, Elliot, Jobert Tapia (Cody), Maria and Arthur Nash.

PADI Advanced Open Water & Digital Underwater Photography certs

Congratulations to Finn Marinkovich-Josey on his getting two great PADI certifications this week!

Follow these links for more info about the courses:

The natural beauty of Puerto Galera

Fall colours at The Point. It happens only for a few days every year, but it’s so beautiful…
The elves have been busy preparing for Christmas this past week.

Preparing for a Puerto Galera Christmas

If you don’t have plans for Christmas yet, consider coming down here for very fun time over the holidays. We’ve got lots of special things going on including Santa’s visit on the 24th, scrumptious Christmas and New Year’s Eve dinners at El Gal and fireworks to bring in the New Year.

Underwater Photos Corner

We’ve had a fun time doing the PADI Digital Underwater photography course these past few days with Arthur Nash and Finn Marinkovich-Josey. Both students enjoyed taking photos with the Olympus Tough camera and housing and got some great results. They also got to practice some editing on their phones and tablets.

Arthur and Finn did their PADI Advanced course earlier on in the week, and then went right into the photo course. I was super pleased to see that not only we’re they taking some great photos, but they had excellent buoyancy and awareness under water.

Below are a few of Finn’s photos and we’ll have some from Arthur next week.

I liked this silhouette photo of the fish because of the stunning blue water and the sunburst.

Peace and calmness at the top of the Verde Island pinnacle, again with that gorgeous blue water.

Nice use of framing in macro and a little bit of cropping for the clownfish shot . Gorgeous looking turtle giving Finn the eye.

Click on the gallery images below to enlarge

That’s all for now for now folks. Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook to get our latest news updates and links to our blog posts!

Use the buttons below to share Asia Divers news with your friends on social media!

VISIT ASIA DIVERS ON FACEBOOK

Diving, News and Events

What’s Been Happening at Asia Divers?

Posted on October 17, 2018October 17, 2018 by Asia Divers

17
Oct

It’s been a busy week at Asia Divers, which is just the way we like it!

If you have visited the Asia Divers website before, you probably noticed it’s had a major facelift. It was a big job, spanning several months, with many hands involved, but everyone did their part, and we’re very happy with result. Hope you like the new site!

Now you can buy top quality scuba gear from us online!

We’re very pleased to announce that Ocean Dive Supply has a new website and online store. You can see our products at https://divesupply.com.ph/ and visit the ODS Online Store https://divesupply.com.ph/shop/diving/en

Visit the ODS website

A PADI Open Water course 15 years in the making!

Congratulations to Arthur Nash for completing his PADI Open Water course. I’d have to say that this is the longest running course that I’ve ever done….ha ha. Actually, Arthur started the course 15 years ago and never quite finished it, so second time around we made sure it got completed. Now on to AOW and more. Needless to say the family genes are there as far as comfort and ability in the water…a chip off the old block for sure!!

Night dive on the Alma Jane wreck

Diving one of our favourite dive sites with Richard, and Andrew plus 4 instructors! What a great dive to do for the more experienced divers.

What’s our Divemaster Intern Elliot been doing?

Straight from the horse’s mouth:

Over a month now interning with Asia Divers and learning more each week. Passed the Dive Master exams, averaging over 90% and now working with Allison on the PADI Advanced Open Water Course, gaining more great experience training students.

Besides training students I’ve had the opportunity to learn how to work the compressors including the theory of how to repair and analyze cylinders and regulators in the dive shop.

With the number of guests increasing each week there is more and more opportunities to explore and learn the dive sites along with meeting interesting people from all different walks of life. Can’t wait to see how the next month unfolds.

Guilty Pleasures…

They say an army marches on its stomach, and the Asia Divers team is no different. Guess who was very happy to get the chance to go to Batangas SM by speedboat, run in, and get a bag of Big Macs to bring home!

Some recent photos from around Asia Divers

Click to enlarge

That’s all for now for now folks. Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook to get our latest news updates and links to our blog posts!

Use the buttons below to share Asia Divers news with your friends on social media!

Visit Asia Divers on Facebook

News and Events

Night crossings are now possible!

Posted on September 20, 2018 by Asia Divers

We can now do day and NIGHT transfers using our speedboat. We’re very excited that we are perhaps the ONLY resort in Puerto Galera who can offer this service to our guests. We can pick you up in Manila at the airport or hotel and get you down here any time of day or night using this service. If you live in Manila and want to drive down there is an area for you to leave your car right at our area where you get picked up by our speedboat. Contact us for all the details: admin@asiadivers.com Continue reading →

News and Events

BIG NEWS FOR TRANSFERS!

Posted on September 15, 2018 by Asia Divers

sep18b13

We are now set up to do day and NIGHT transfers using our speedboat. We’re very excited that we are perhaps the ONLY resort in Puerto Galera who can offer this service to our guests. We can now pick you up in Manila at the airport or hotel and get you down here any time of day or night using this service. (weather depending of course) Contact us for all the details: admin@asiadivers.com

Diving with friends

It was a short but sweet three-day dive trip for Paul Bronston and Steve Gershon to Puerto Galera. Steve has been coming here for many many years and he wanted to introduce his long time friend to Asia Divers. Steve and Paul go way back…I mean all the way back to being kids together! Check out the photos below. Continue reading →