Interest Free Finance
What a year it has been for our diving community! It’s been great to see so many new faces in the shop and school this year catching the diving bug; developing their skills and knowledge along the way.
The mild temperatures early in the year made for some excellent teaching conditions and diving adventures. So here are the numbers:
We welcomed 7 New Padi Pro’s, Dive Master’s Dan Atkinson and Dawn Fearn completed their PADI Assistant Instructor training. 2020-2021 DMT recruits Danny Bray and Simon Sainty joined the team as RoHo Divemasters. 2021-2022 DMT’s Martin Croft and Chris Tue completed their Divemaster Internships with us this autumn and we can’t wait for them to join the team for the 2023 season.
With this being said, we’ve welcomed a further 6 new DMT recruits throughout this last season. Each of the recruits are passionate, energetic and enthusiastic and you’ll get to know them pretty well over the up and coming season.
This past year saw us make almost monthly visits to either St Abbs or the Farnes. Our UK boat trip weekends have become insanely popular!
This last season we ran a total of 6 boat weekends and because of this popularity in 2023 we actually have 8 weekends and in 2024 (Yes I have booked that far ahead!) we have a total of 10.
Our dates for next year are below along with a few snap shots of this year’s antics.
In September 2022 we returned to a bucket list favourite, with an expedition to Scapa Flow. Andy Cuthbertson is a Scapa legend, fountain of knowledge and one of the nicest blokes you’re ever like to meet.
His vessel the MV Jean Elaine, is compact but lovely and cosy during the diving day. Anything you want to know about the flow, the wrecks, tides, currents, lines, maps and even how to steer his beloved Jean Elaine; he’ll happily share his knowledge with you. Alongside Andy’s expert knowledge, we take a few veterans of our own.
The name Scapa conjures all manner of deep, dark, “tec” big-boy only style diving; this really isn’t the case. We're keen to promote that Scapa really canbe for everyone. The Grimms have joked "if you can dive Farnes you can dive Scapa!"
A huge proportion of the wrecks lay at 20m and above, some as shallow as 10m. Of course, the big seven refers to names illustrious with diving the flow: SMS’s Markgraf, Kronprinz Willhelm, König, Brummer, Dresden, and my personal favourites the Cöln and the Karlsruhe. Believe me there is so much more than the 7 ships named above. Diving the flow, is actually a lot of fun; the surface currents are rather like being on a theme park ride.
When descending the shot lines, the sheer magnitude of these wrecks peak through the waters and come into focus. This is the second time I’ve dived the flow and I can honestly say, after a week at Scapa 2 things are guaranteed: a confidence boost for you and your diving not to mention a desire to return to the islands as soon as you can!
Our next planned expedition to Scapa is in September / October 2024, this will again be a recreational level trip. Single 15Ltr cylinders are more than adequate, but you’ll surface wanting more time; I guarantee it.
Orkney is a place that once you’ve been, you won’t want to leave, it’s an amazing place, not just for the diving, but the Northern Lights are often visible in the autumn months. The islands are home to various seal species and the lesser spotted sea otter. The waters around Orkney also boast at least 3 resident orca pods and a vast array of “passer-by’s”; that have been known to surface on occasion too.
Lastly, we can’t close out our 2022 review without sharing the long awaited (and three times rescheduled) trip to Malapascua in the Philippines. Originally booked in 2019 and scheduled for Nov 2020, Covid had other plans. None the less this year we went, and O.M.G was this place unbelievably worth the wait!
When asking the customers for feedback, one customer said “I’ve seen more bonkers stuff on one dive than I’ve seen for years”. Another said “the colours, I can’t believe the colours”, “we could’ve gone home after day one and seen everything we’d hope to see”. The boat excursions to Gato Island were Valerie’s “Best Ever Dive”
Dive guide Irwin was hailed as a super spotter, customers even managed to capture images of the microscopic pygmy seahorse. Other delights included: mandarin fish, harlequin shrimp, mantis shrimp, frog fish, sponges, squirts, corals and star fish to name just a few, and of course every photographer and macro hunters dream; Nudibranchs!
Nudi’s of every size, colour, species and even the rare Shaun the Sheep Nudi was spotted on occasion. Of course, one of the main draws of Malapascua are the Pelagic and Big Eye Thresher sharks that inhabit the waters. The resort guides were experts in knowing exactly where and when the best time to spot these magnificent beasts. Opting for a slightly later departure time meant that our divers (got a cheeky lie-in) and were usually on the drop-off alone; spacing out the divers proved crucial for closer encounters.
The resort itself is purely centred around divers, beach front rooms, dining areas and lounges provided a very relaxing atmosphere. The service provided was first class, from housekeeping services, food and drinks. We were there on a full-board basis. The resort gives you an allowance for food, if you do not spend this entirely on your meals the remainder is deducted from your drinks bill.
Filipino government regulations meant our divers were not able to transfer to the island until daybreak. The resort however did not hesitate to send a chef over to prepare a traditional Filipino BBQ, this made our divers stay extra special from their first night . Conah became known as Mango boy, (due to his obsession) with said fruit. Also it must be said that the beverages were also very reasonable especially cocktail happy hour(s).
To summarise, our expedition to Malapascua was a mesmerising experience. Our divers have visited the coral triangle for the first time and it didn’t disappoint! Whale sharks and rays are known to make sporadic appearances, on this occasion our divers didn’t see any mega fauna.
But, if you’re an underwater photography enthusiast, into reefs, that are literally teeming with bio-diversity then Malapascua is definatley a resort for you. The islands also boast white tip reef sharks and turtles along with the majestic Threshers. We plan to return to the Philippines in Feb 2025, ask Lindsey or Kieron for more details.
If you can’t wait that long check out our 2023 & 2024 holidays!
So before we get into all of the exciting adventures we’ve got planned, travelling both far and wide, at home and abroad; we need to introduce you to the 2023 RoHo Dive Calendar.
As always we will maintain our monthly visits to Capernwray for our training weekends. Historically we have always (and still do) welcome pleasure divers, on the Sunday’s of our open water weekends. However, our capers course weekends are now so bumper packed, offering guided / supervised dives isn’t feasible. Have no fear though, there are plenty of weekends in a month; with this in mind we’ll be introducing guided pleasure diving days.
Our Pleasure Diving days are open to all, members of the RoHo Pro’s team will be available to support and guide you on your dives. These events are ideal for young, anxious and / or new divers. The main objective aim of our Pleasure Diving days, are to help you develop and build confidence with your diving. If you’d like any information as always; drop the dive team a call or email.
Below we have our 2023 agenda and begun to layout our plans for 2024 and beyond
As mentioned earlier in June of 2023 we’re heading back into international waters for the first of what is shaping up to be an impressive overseas agenda.
For our first major foray abroad since the pandemic, we have teamed up with ultimate diving and opted for a luxurious Egyptian liveaboard, with a Deep South itinerary on the yacht MY Neo
The Egyptian live-aboard has proved exceptionally popular however; we do still however have several spaces available. Our itinerary means that we hope to catch sight of a vast array of marine life from the macro to mega. Hammerheads, White Tip Oceanic’s, Reef Sharks, Rays and maybe even a Whaleshark*. Our intention is to dive the Brothers, Daedalus, Elphinstone and more. (*marine sightings are not guaranteed, weather and conditions pending, itinerary is a sample and not finite)
Details of what to expect from our live-aboard are below including pictures of the interior and exterior of the yacht. The price includes all dives, food, tea, coffee and soft drinks, flights and transfers and an overnight stay Hurghada port.
The Egypt live aboard isn’t the only jewel in the upcoming season’s highlights, as mentioned we have numerous UK diving weekends. St Abb’s is a particular favourite; especially amongst photographers. Our Farne Island weekends offer an array of dives throughout the year. In the autumn, we will have the larger Sovereign boats at our disposal. The grey seals are also greater in numbers at this time of year, the colonies pups are weened and becoming juveniles, making them more playful and curious. The ladies become flirty while the bulls; are fruity!
We’re also happy to announce a renewed relationship with scuba diving holiday giant: Scuba Travel.
Currently we are in the midst of organising a holiday to Gozo in the late summer / early autumn. Gozo is just a ferry ride away from main land Malta and a 3 hour flight from the UK. Gozo boasts distinct rural characteristics, being quieter and embracing a diverse landscape of flat topped hills, rugged cliffs, deep valleys and beautiful inlets.
Our dive base with St Andrew's Divers Cove boasts a beautiful sea front location in Xlendi Bay; a picture perfect fishing village. Diving in Gozo is distinctive to Malta itself, and it's well known for it's clear waters, breath taking drop offs, numerous caves, tunnels and the dramatic underwater scenery. The final details, including some extra-cirricular activities, itinerary and costs are still under construction, but below are a few taster images, to whet your appetite.
Don’t let the cold weather ruin your diving; keep your dive skills fresh over the winter or hone your skills ready for your next holiday.
Our Tuesday Pool Nights make a return after their Christmas break, these evenings are becoming increasingly popular and are still only £5 per for the evening; including a full set of equipment.
We also now have access through to the shop on Tuesday evenings, so if anyone would like to discuss purchasing or upgrading their dive equipment come, browse and ask questions.
Tuesday evenings is also a great night to get to know some of our pro team members whilst also perusing our dive trip calendar; we’re here until 8pm.
To summarise all of the above, despite recent challenging times, diving is back; and we’re in a position to be stronger with a larger market presence than ever. Of course all of the above isn’t just down to 2 people. The RoHo’s pro team is renowned, for their skill, perseverance, talent and ability. We are one symbiotic team; and every single person plays an integral part of that team.
Some other highlights not mentioned above, as always: will be encouraging divers to further their education. Undertaking advanced diving courses, pursuing their rescue certifications and distinct specialities.
We will be running Nitrox classroom based courses once every 6 weeks. Becoming an enriched air diver allows you to extend your dive time.
Equipment wise there are some exciting new products coming onto the market from brands such as Mares, Scubapro and Tusa. We are also proud to now be an accredited Shearwater dealer. Product availability is something that we are working closely with our suppliers to keep track of. Kieron is in discussion with suppliers regarding new wetsuit lines whilst also keeping a keen eye on the technological developments of regulators, computers and BCD’s.
As well as our usual calendar staples, we are again organising several “special events” these will include our rescheduled British Divers Marine Life Rescue young divers event, a beach clean in association with the Marine Conservation Society, a visit to the York Hard Hat Experience and not forgetting running a Shark Dive Experience event in partnership with Cheshire’s Blue Planet Aquarium
