Life of a Singapore PADI Scuba Diving Instructor

This site is officially migrated to lester.orpheusteam.com

Over the many years of teaching and running a scuba dive centre, week in and week out teaching the same courses, has somehow ruin my passion for diving.

However, when I am teaching pro courses, it somehow brought the joy back. But with the recent two years, Orpheus Dive Professional market has been very much affected.

Reason is simple, when I teach and interact with students, my objective is to promote continuing education to them. Whether they do take the path of Master Scuba Diver Challenge or becoming a PADI Divemaster, I take the joy in it.

Today, a customer walked in and said “I am a Rescue Diver, with 3 specialties and I want to become a Master Scuba Diver”. I was like “Huh, really?”

I spent lottsa time sharing with her diving experience and simply talking about diving. I realize that this is something I missed out alot in my career. Simply talking about diving, nothing about money, nothing about your education, about anything else but ABOUT DIVING. AND NO, she is not a babe. She is old enough to be my elder sister or even mother:)

I simply enjoy talking about diving, about underwater photography and I can go on and on and on and on and on.. .. till the cows fly

I think in life, no matter what industry you are in, you do get jaded and tired of the same work you are doing. However, it is very important to rediscover the reason you went into it. Unlike most occupation, where you do it because the money is good, diving is very different. You go into it because of passion, and for any job that you do because of passion, dun like the burdens kill the passion. Think about why you did it, and rediscover the joy of it .

I thank Alison for making this possible for me, helping me rediscover the joy of diving and what diving meant to me. Now, off to the drawing board for more new marketing ideas.

First I came across this term “succubus” while watching “Charmed”, with original cast of Shannen Doherty, Alyssa Milano, Holly Marie Combs.

This morning, I was just lying back, relaxing and refusing to move cuz the ribs got slightly worst after my rescue pool on Thursday.

So decided to pop in a DVD to keep me occupied, the movie is about a succubus. What the hell is that?

According to Wikipedia, a succubus (plural succubi) is a demon who takes the form of a beautiful human female to seduce men (especially monks) in dreams to have sexual intercourse. They draw energy from the men to sustain themselves, often until the point of exhaustion or death of the victim.

Man, imagine getting fuck till you die. This gives a new meaning to “Die Cock Standing”

Just found out why Aylwin has not been diving that much recently. Thought he was really busy working but the fact is that, he has been busy surfing youtube.

“Woof woof wo woooofff woo” translate that, it means, “Thank you for diving with Orpheus Dive”. Jill has been recently been promoted to Orpheus Babe, so Wai Yin, time to stand down, the new hot bitch is here to stay!

Jill has even got a Orpheus Dive Uniform now. Welcome to the team my girl!

I did not expect anyone to actually reply the eNews on Raja Ampat Expedition and Photoshop class:) Well, at least now I know that there are actually people reading it.

Now that things are getting more organized, I will be sending out an email soon to confirm the participants for the trip.

I am beginning to see why so many people loves to blog. It is a good way for one person to express their thoughts and sharing it with million of people. And also, it is a good marketing tool.

yeah, everything lester does is all about money. In some ways, this is true. But I do give back to others.

Now, time to install a blog for Orpheus Team. Many of us want some sort of websites, but unfortunately, not everyone has a talent nor time to learn how to create their website.

So having a blog is like having their own personal domain.

I have successfully using SME Server to create a new domain call bloggie.orpheusteam.com

After browsing through www.hotscripts.com,  Boast Machine and Life Type caught my eyes, but being a visual person, I choose Lifetype because of the available templates for Lifetype is more than Boastmachine. However, boastmachine seem to be more well documented than Lifetype.

Well, upload 9Mb of files up the server now. Pacific internet seems to be getting from bad to worst. Speed is bad, accounting for Pacific Internet is even worst. This is probably going to be the last year I am using them.

Okay, while waiting for the files to be uploaded, what can a bored instructor, unable to sleep because the ribs are hurting like hell do? Well, surf the website for more information on his dream set up

First stop, www.wetpixel.com to see what is IN and what is OUT in the world of underwater photography. Wooooo, Aquatica to offer Ikelite strobe bulkhead on housings. Seem interesting, another plus point for Aquatica when the time comes for me to get me housing for me camera. Haha, that is assuming I have enough money to get my dream camera. Okay, nothing interesting on the first page, so off to the forum of wetpixel. I wonder who thought of the name wetpixel? How can a pixel ever be wet?

Found a rather interesting article on wide angle lens. Divers are generally asking which is a better lens. The 10.5mm versus 12-24. While many agreed that the 10.5mm on land is rather useless and only for creative shot underwater, compared to 12-24 is more commonly used on land and still acceptable for WA (wide angle) in water. I personally have seen images taken with the 10.5mm and i SIMPLY LOVE IT. Well, looks like the 10.5mm is going to be the first lens I am getting. And guess how much it cost? As much as the damn freaking camera. The suggested retail price is SGD$1300.

Damn, it is almost 5am and I still cannot sleep. And the files are still uploading.

Time to surf to singnet.com.sg. A quick search shows that right now, Singtel is offering a promotional rate of S$78 for broadband and we are paying Pacific Net for their junk services at S$130. And what got me so agitated about their sales and account services is that when our plan of S$130 was over, instead of writing to us informing that the plan is over and there are other promotional plans, they upgraded us to a S$300 plan instead. And I have spent more than half a year wrestling with them on this. And now, over at their website http://www.pacific.net.sg/business/promotions/, I discovered that their new plans is onlyy S$98. Alright, time to write a nasty email to complain about their services (since I am waiting for the files to be uploaded).

It is already hard enough to run a diving business, every cent saved is much needed to ensure that we survive in the market.

Woah. Files are finally done. Installation seem easy. Now to customize it

Woke up at half past two in the morning after a slight cough. The pain was rather unbearable, actually worst than having a tattoo. This pain is rather consistent, with every cough or sneeze making it worst. The only way to rid the pain is to sit up straight and doing some stretches.

So looks like a long sleepless night ahead. So why not answer some emails. After logging onto the mail server, I added a operating hours to the signature file. I cannot help but wonder, who actually looks at the signature file?

While clearing emails, got an email from Azman. More baby pictures of Hana – the new little princess of Perhentian island.

Isn’t she endearing? Little Azman / Juju. In time to come, PADI Master Instructor Juju would soon become a PADI Course Director. Then it will be a husband and wife team. Course Director Azman and Juju and little princess Hana.

How do you know when you are addicted to something?

When I first got into scuba diving, all I did was to Yahoo (no google at that time) diving information. Dive brands, dive schools, dive destination, diving trips etc

SO right now, what am I addicted to? See my powerbook bookmarks, clubsnap, wetpixel, digideep and many others, too much to be listing here. All the bookmarks is about underwater photography?

Why now? Why underwater photography? To be honest, I was never good in photography but really good with Photoshop. When PADI launched the Digital Underwater Photography, and part of the course entails using Photoshop, I thought to myself, this has to be it. My favorite specialty. However, I have not taught any students on it. To me, teaching is more than using the standard guides from PADI to teach. A good instructor must have relevance experience to share with students. This is one of the many reasons or excuses why I need to equip myself with a DSLR in order to teach.

One of my technical diving mentor once said “In order to teach tech, you must be really comfortable with tech diving or you must be diving beyond the depths. Only then, diving at 80 metres seem like taking a dip in the pool” Using this idea of his, I must travel to the dark side, using cameras from point and shoot to DSLR. Only be making such journeys, will I be happen to be confident in teaching DUP

Since the fracture during the last Perhentian trip, I thought I was recovering. Sometime this morning before the pool, at about half past seven, I woke up with intense pain on my left side. It felt more like the lungs hurting than the ribs itself.

Maybe age is catching up, recovering process seems forever. Now, even a simple yawn, cough, sneeze or a fart hurts like hell. Simple things that we take it for granted daily, is painful for me now.

Simple things that we take for granted.. .. How many times are we all guilty for taking things for granted? Our sight, smell, touch etc. I look at Jill and Dale and saw how peaceful they are now. I cannot help but wonder, in another 7 to 8 years time, when it is time for them to go back to heaven, how would I take to that?

I love the five of them so much that separating from them for good send tears to my eyes. In my entire life, nothing seems to matter more than the well being of the five of them. I hope the other three, Chip, Bubbles and Jack are doing alright with Juliana.

I am often asked, which of them do I love the most. It has to be Jack. Jack is the first dog in the family, and he pratically grew up with me. When Jack was first introduced to me, I wasn’t working, so he spent his growing up days with me. When he was a pup, he was so attached to me that when I worked late at home, he would just sit beside me. Unable to control his tired eyes, he will crawl into my lap and sleep while I worked.

And Jack, has a weird habit. He loves sleeping ontop of me. Everytime when I am done with work and lie down onto the bed, he will climb ontop of me, balance himself and then fall asleep. I miss that SO much.

Jack, if only you can read, you are the love of daddy and daddy miss you every day. Even when I am typing this, daddy cannot hold his tears back thinking of you. You mean everything to me. Even though mummy and daddy did not manage to work things out, and you might be physically far away from me but you are always close to my heart. You will always have a place in my heart my love.

Not a single day went past without me thinking of you. You appear in my dreams, when I talk about you, I speak about you fondly, as though you are by myside.

Indeed, dog is a man’s best friend. And in your case, you are more than a friend. YOU will always be that child of mine, always there to cheer me up. Now that you are no longer by my side, you are always in that place, in my heart.

Norbit (Eddie Murphy) is a very friendly African-American male who tends to see the positive side of things, even in difficult circumstances. As a baby he was literally thrown out of a car, and abandoned, outside a Chinese restaurant, the Golden Wonton, in Boiler Springs, Tennessee. In the restaurant, owned by Mr. Wong (Eddie Murphy), and doubling as an orphanage, Norbit was raised. During elementary school, Norbit was saved from two bullies by a mean child, Rasputia (Eddie Murphy), who later became his girlfriend. As an adult, he marries the overweight Rasputia. She has three imposing older brothers, Big Black Jack (Terry Crews), Earl (Clifton Powell), and Blue (Lester “Rasta” Speight), who threaten Norbit that he should never do anything that makes Rasputia unhappy. However, Rasputia is a very unfriendly woman.

A dilemma occurs when Kate (Thandie Newton), Norbit’s crush from childhood, returns to town, and Norbit catches Rasputia cheating with a “powertap” workout instructor (Marlon Wayans). Norbit meets Kate for lunch hoping to rekindle their childhood romance, but she introduces him to her fiancé Deion (Cuba Gooding, Jr.).

Meanwhile, Rasputia’s brothers (who own and operate Lattimore Construction) want to purchase the Golden Wonton as the building is zoned as commercial and has a liquor license. Mr. Wong decides to sell the orphanage to Kate, so the Lattimore brothers enlist Kate’s fiancé to get her to unknowingly sign the liquor license transfer by using Norbit. Kate finds out that Norbit had her sign this document and confronts him, and Norbit yells at her to leave him alone forever. What Kate does not realize is that Rasputia threatened to physically harm Kate if Norbit doesn’t force her away. Kate agrees to marry her fiancé the next day, when Norbit receives a background check on Deion detailing his criminal past (and multiple wives and children). At the wedding Mr. Wong arranges with the help of some pimps a delay of the ceremony until Norbit, who was imprisoned at home by one of Rasputia’s brothers, after escaping arrives at the church and convinces Kate that she should not marry Deion, has ex-families who recognise him still their father, whom Norbit had contacted and had show up at the wedding. This angers Rasputia and the Latimore brothers, who chase Norbit out of the church with the intent to kill. Rasputia storms out of the church, grabbing a shovel, and plowing through the town citizens who have banned together against the Latimores. When her brothers are chased off, Rasputia finally makes her way to Norbit, shovel in hand. As she raises it, Mr. Wong exits the church with a flagpole/spear, shouting, “WHALE HO!” Rasputia pauses and asks, insulted, “Did someone just call me a whale?” to which Wong replies, “Yeah, and a ho!” before hurling the flagpole/spear at her and impaling her buttocks. She lets out a long, pained scream and bolts off, out of the town and out of Norbit’s life. Kate is delighted to call off the marriage, and Norbit and Kate get married under the trees with Mr. Wong and the orphans attending.

In the end, Big Black Jack, Earl, and Blue move to Mexico and now have a job as servants at a nightclub. Rasputia also moves with them and has a job, too, of becoming a showgirl at the same nightclub and makes the “Chair Dance” parody of Flashdance, ending the movie.

Saturday, day of rest, day for me to be normal and catch up with my beauty rest and lie in bed doing nothing the whole day and watching DVD.

Latest movie “Codename : The Cleaner” starring Lucy Liu and Cedric the entertainer. Cedric the Entertainer plays Jake, a seemingly regular guy who has no idea who he is after being hit over the head by mysterious assailants; when he finds himself entangled in a government conspiracy, Jake and his pursuers become convinced that he is an undercover agent.

During his path of discovery, he had flash back that he was Colonel Bowan, a character in his favorite game.

In this possible? Someone who is so in love with something and start living in it? For example, is it possible that someone lies about something, and he believes in his lie so much that the lie soon become a reality? Not possible? Think again.

Many of us live our lifes in total denial. For instant, there is something I always love to joke about. GOD is so cruel and he pulls a prank on dive centre owners. He place all of us at the front of short tunnel and tell us that there’s light at the end of the tunnel and instruct us to walk towards it. As we start out quest walking towards the light, he moves the damn tunnel so that we will never reach the end of it.

Many dive operators are suffering from this. Even though they are not making enough money, and some of us, we even have problems meeting ends, we keep telling ourselves that next year would be a better year. Year after year, we keep lying to ourselves till we think that this is the truth. But if you do step aside and look at it, it is nothing but a lie

Well, after the movie, they screen a trailer, what is next for me. Spiderman 3. Spiderman has been one of my favorite toy since a kid. Unlike other kids playing with GI Joe or MASK during my era, Spiderman, Incredible Hulk and many Marvel comics hero has always been close to me. As a matter of fact, I still kept some of the toys till now.

Another 12 more days to the screen of Spiderman. The next movie that I am looking forward to

At 12.15pm, Hana (daughter of Azman and Juju) came into this world. I guess the legacy goes on. Look at her.. .. just like Juju. Well the debate of whose genes is stronger is finally answer. All the Orpheus crew has been wondering how Hana is gonna look like. Now we know. Look at her.. …mini juju. Azman eye’s though. So excited that I actually mass MMS everyone including Juliana and William. I think I am making a trip up to see them.

At some point in your life as a guy, I am certain that one has either watch porn or visited a porn site. But have you ever wonder how the directors ever think of creative titles like The Return of the Evil Nurse or Asian Wonders?

In any business, porn or selling carrot cake, a businessman must constantly be creative and thinking of new ways of doing business. Investment in manpower, new ways of marketing, reaching out to customers etc.

In the diving industry, many dive centres result to price war in order to get business. But yet again, there are better ways of doing things. Retention is a good business strategy, alliances bring more customers, creative marketing reaches out and attract, price war.. .. it kills everything.

With the recent price wars affecting the business of Orpheus Dive, we have no choice but to start to form more alliances. With this, we will launch a new attack on the diving industry. In 2004, we had “no confined water” in the city. Do all on the island. Some dive centres has sinced followed us doing such programs. In 2005, we launched the PADI 2 in 1 Program, people are doing it now as well.

In 2006, the PADI 2 in 1 program was so popular that we had more than 200 certifications that year alone and another 100++ continuing education program and people signing up for the Master Scuba Diver programs.

If what we are doing is so wrong, why has no one ever done such a program, promoting the importance of continuing education, listening to what the consumers need and giving them the right products?

Ego does the talking, as much as others has condemned Orpheus Dive business strategies, especially the older companies, many of them are now practicing what they bitch about us in the first place.

So what are we planning to launch in 2007? Well, new pricing model will be launched. Actually, this is nothing new. In 2002, during the doom of DOT COM era, some companies has introduced this system. However, the market was not ready for it. But one China company believe in it so strongly, that they are the biggest company in China today.

And a new alliance will probably give us more reason to fight the battle. An alliance that will bring the Orpheus Team to newer heights.

Two of our funny students, Dairen and Edmund came by today. There were recently certified by Wai Yin in Tioman during March.

As a Instructors, there are some students that comes and goes. But some students, you will not forget them. They leave an impressionableness mark on us. Both Dairen and Edmund looks ordinary, NS boys leaving the service and moving onto a new phase of their lives. University.

What really tickled me is Edmund. While Karla was conducting their confined water session on Sunday, I was in the pool conducting a buoyancy workshop for 6 of my PADI Wreck Specialty divers. Half way through the pool, I thought I was seeing things.

Students are usually wearing shorties and instructor are in fullsuits. But on this occasion, I saw a diver wearing shorty conducting the class and one of the students was wearing a fullsuit. Strange indeed. When I went closer to take a look, Karla was really a shortie, which means, one of the students is actually wearing Karla’s Scubapro fullsuit.

And underwater, Edmund, who apparently could not fit into the wetsuit we packed for him, was donning the female Scubapro suit from Karla. And suit designed for female means that there is an additional allowance on the chest area for boobs. And imagine Edmund, looking like a female

Anyway, both Dairen and Edmund are students we love. They love your training method and they come back for more. They want to dive, they want to learn and we love to teach them.

“So what are your plans for Orpheus Dive now?” Geof asked me over supper. I have been getting this question alot these days.

Selling Orpheus Dive is simply out of the question. Sell it for 10k, I think I am stupid. Sell it for 50k, I think I am cheating someone.

Moving on to resort business or diversifying to an overseas dive centre is the most logical thing to do. The question now is how do I begin. Running Orpheus Dive for the past years has been a mixture of fun and pain.

Sometimes, I feel like throwing in the white flag and calling it quits. But when I sit down and think for a moment, I have worked and toiled so hard, trained so many good instructors and divemasters, calling it quits now seem so silly.

When I take a look at some of my crew, I know they are good. Closing Orpheus Dive will mean the end of diving for many of them and a very selfish decision. So when enough is enough? I am not sure either.

With my little brother studying in Australia for this Marine Bio, closing OD will be a blow for him. So for the time being, the only decision is to bite hard and sustain OD till at least he is back. So I guess it would be a good three years more of hell riding before another decision is gonna be made

I am actually beginning to understand the joy of blogging. In here, I document my daily and hourly thoughts. Reflecting on my life and my doings.

In the evening, Wai Yin was here with Meh Meh, her other half. I realise how I missed the days when all the crew are around, hanging out in Orpheus Dive. Seeing mehmeh and Wai Yin so closed, my heart melted.

Something came to my mind then. Sometime last year, William and me had a huge debate on Orpheus and crew. William was giving in to the crew, messing up all the logistics. I was trying to explain that he should not be so flexible with the crew and certain authority has to be exerted to regain command of the centre. Of course, he did not agree nor I think he did not really understand what I was doing.

Now, fast forward to 2007. I told Wai Yin about trying mehmeh outside Orpheus Dive for her Divemaster. It doesn’t make sense to me that mehmeh is paying (even at cost) for diving, everytime I sent Wai Yin for a dive trip assignment. It is simply too much money for mehmeh. Yet again, I cannot send Meh for trip for free, unless she is a divemaster.

If William was around, I am quite sure he will get pretty confused. For one, I will be against the idea of Wai Yin trying meh outside Orpheus Dive, two, I have always been against the idea of a instructor training their love ones or spouse for professional courses, and three, I never like the idea of using divemaster that are not trained by me.

So why am I breaking all the rules? The only logical reason I can think of, I have seen wai yin grown from a tomboy to a full grown hot sexy female. I remember asking her, why is she single and not attached? I never got a straight answer from her. But from what I have gathered, she was once badly hurt. And in my years as a mentor to her, I have never seen her glow the way she is glowing now. Happily in love, always having someone beside her.

I am not sure if I am doing the right thing, but as far as I know, whether I am happy or not about these actions of mine, I am doing it for love. Not my love, but for the love of wai yin and meh.

So even if I break all my rules and shoot myself in both foot, I think it is worth every single cent.

Sometimes, I really do not understand. How can dive centre lower their profit margins so low just to capture the crowd.

Don’t they know, by lowering selling price, it need not necessary means getting business. And not to mention, is it even worth it? Something that is not known to many people, certifying a student means more than a weekend of diving. A PADI Instructor is held liable legally for 7 years after the student is certify. Which means, if anything happens to the student during that 7 years, you will be drag to court to testify.

The ugly truth is that with the price hike of PADI materials and certifications of almost 30%, selling courses at a reduced price compared to 2005 prices can cause a BIG side effect to the entire diving industry.

Diving industry, like any other business, has to be sustain with a healthy profit. Using money from one business to sustain another business just don’t make much sense. For instant, Dive Centre A owners are running a property business, and even though their dive business is not making money, they are using the profit from their property business to finance their “dive business / hobby” is simply wrong.

In long term, they are actually killing proper dive business, and making the diving industry look stupid. I paid more than $20 000 from Open Water till I became a fully equipped instructor. S$20k can buy you a degree. As much as we are supposed to be professionals in diving, we are not being paid enough as a professional. Which professional do any of you know that earns about 1.5k a month? And on some months, you earn less????

Well, I guess this is a matter of passion versus business.

Nevertheless, till our secret weapon is out, for the time being, we have no choice but to join in the price war. I do want to listen to consumers and give them what they want, but this need not necessary make me a happy person.

But one thing I do know, even if I am not happy earning MUCH less, consumers are paying good money and giving them the right service is important to me. So for the time being, I just need to suck my own toes and make sure that business is good for Orpheus Dive so that all our instructors can carry on teaching without having to queue up.

Tim, a long lost friend from Abyss Scuba, met up with us a couple of weeks ago and insisted that he wants to go Tioman. Even though our schedule trip for this weekend is to Dayang, it was rather difficult to say NO to him, especially given the fact that he has asked my out many times (no we are not a gay couple) and I rejected him due to work commitments.

So here I was, trying to explain even if he has 5 customers, that amount does not justify us to change our entire schedule so that he can go Tioman and have fun. Worst, he wanted to go Salang rather than our usual haunt at Genting.

Well, we gave in to his cries. But as expected, the trip did not go through. Sometimes, instructors like us are being “cornered” to do things by divers. Divers think that 5 to 6 is alot of business, but in reality, I hate to say this to customer, 6 person IS NOT ALOT. Alot to us means 30 divers at one goal.

Nicole has gotten back to us.. .. with her “experience” with diving, her mild lung overexpansion injury from the pool (this is what her doctor told her, till now, we still do not totally understand how this could have happen at a 2 metres pool) and her throat infection, she is coming back to complete her course.

Kudos to her. This is not a easy decision but congratulations.

On another note, Aprene, changing schedule all the time. As much as we understand her busy working schedule, I am getting agitated. But nevertheless, customers with such schedule and who are willing to pay, I accommodate Do not get me wrong, she is nice, but her working schedule is one from hell!!

And during her final exams, she broke down. I was scared out of my wits! What the hell is she crying over a failed Open Water Exam? Was it me? Apparently, it was not. She felt out with her current boyfriend and she was supposed to do it with him. Poor girl. I decided to cancel her trip over the weekend with her friends. Over my dead body if I have to bring a girl, overcoming her fears for open water and her boyfriend, into the open sea

I used to tell our own staffs, divers have to go to other places to dive to experience other dive centres, good or bad, and they decide whether to dive with us.

Over the years, I have seen divers coming in, going away, coming back or going away for good. Well, you can please everyone. Just do what we do, if customers complain, take it and see if there is really a need to change. Constant change is good.

However, today, while sending Ivan to the pool, I bump into our of our Instructor, king, who has left because of “different management style” or rather, he has lost all hopes in me running Orpheus Dive and prefer to go elsewhere to teach.

He seem happy with Diver City, which is rather good. As much as I think that he might not be a good business person, he is generally a good instructor. And I still feel that a instructor should not stop teaching and carrying on teaching, and in the process learn how to become a better instructor.

As they say in the movies, it is not the destination, rather the journey itself:)

Well, thought that it would be interesting to post the life of a instructor up on a blog, to encourage more people turning professional, as well as, to share what really goes on in the life of a PADI Instructor in a city.

Many people are under the impression that a Instructor’s life is all glamorous. This is so untrue. From here, read about what I do daily and judge for yourself