Take a look around the  Scuba Cat Diving Shop in the Kee Plaza, Patong Beach, Phuket

Better still come and see for yourself !!!!

Scuba Cat Diving was been based on the beach road of Patong for the past 18 years, but this year, things changed.

New Locations

A move away from the tuk tuks, tailors, massage parlours and Muay Thai advertisements (yes those of you who have already been to see us will recall “Monday Night, Monday Night……….” )to a new location inside the Kee Plaza, a fantastic hotel and shopping facility 200m off of the Beach Road. This has enabled us to have a larger retail selection, much more selection for our customers to choose from Scubapro, Aqualung and many more.

Kee Plaza

We have  kept our classrooms in Soi Watanna but opened a second shop putting retail and booking’s on the ground floor, this has allowed us to have our dive centre at both ends of Patong so is more convenient for you all. Our fun pub has moved to the roof top terrace we created this year.

Meet the team

It has been a different 6 months but things are progressing well.

Scuba Cat Diving, PADI 5 * CDC is still under British ownership and management and they have the only female PADI Course Director, Sarah Kench, conducting monthly PADI IDC’s on Phuket. Along side this we are the only DDI (Disabled Diver International) Instructor Trainer Centre in Asia.

Scuba Cat has a long history of being eco aware, from laying artificial reefs, becoming the first National Geographic Centre in Phuket, bi-annual underwater clean ups and winning awards from Project AWARE. This is consolidated with our 5 year commitment to monitor reefs at a local island in conjunction with reef check trainers from China on a yearly basis as we are the only reef check centre on Phuket. Recently we won the PADI Green Star Award, the first dive centre to achieve this on Phuket and quickly followed it up by becoming the first Dive Centre in Phuket to go 100% Aware.

Following the changes we made on the retail side of the business this year Scuba Cat has also made changes in the type diving we are offering.

As always we conduct our PADI courses to the highest standards, with emphasis on quality rather time. PADI IDC’s are available every month along with DSAT Tech diving up to Instructor level.

We are  running 3 Diving boats this year, all of which will have Nitrox available and limited numbers of divers on them, this will enable us to have 3 different schedules which will suit all divers and snorkelers.  Whether you are a snorkeller, brand new to diving or looking to change your life by joining us working in Paradise, no problem, we have a program to suit you and your whole family.

Daytrips to the local islands around Phuket on board MV Scuba Fun will run 3 dives per day at different locations. New for this year there will be freshly cooked meals from our own kitchen cooked by the awesome Chef from Lair Le Tong Restaurant.

Half day trips to the local reefs of Phuket on MV Scuba Sport, new for this year allowing boat diving on mornings, afternoons and night dives. Sightings on the reefs have been beyond our expectations, with things we have not seen around Phuket in many years, the most recent being a free Swimming Ribbon Eel.

Our liveaboard MV Scuba Adventure will run trips to both the North Andaman and South Andaman this season, allowing for 3, 4 or 7 day trips offering the best diving Thailand has to offer. As always she offers un-crowded conditions, by having reduced numbers on the boat and is run by our own Tour leader Kath Ridley and the best Captain and Crew on Phuket. A brand new schedule is being launched for the summer and next high season to give you even more variety.

A new website  dedicated to professional level courses and Internships will be launched very shortly.

A big thank you to Ursula Scheid who completed her PADI IDC with us in February 2012.

Sarah Kench PADI Course Director

“I believe the reason I passed the IE was in part due to Sarah Kench’s beliefs in my abilities no matter how difficult I thought it was or how much I doubted my own abilities! She was a solid support for me from day one! I walk away from this experience with a heavy heart as I will miss the strength of Sarah’s professionalism, knowledge. care, positive spirits and endless energy. I couldn’t recommend an IDC or Course Director more highly. Thank you ”

Scuba Cat Diving, Phuket, Thailand are pleased to announce that we are now 100% Aware, the first Dive Centre on Phuket to achieve this.

What is 100% Aware?

100% Aware is a voluntary program that encourages PADI dive centres around the world to promote the work of Project AWARE, a non-profit organisation that relies on financial support from environmentally concerned divers.

100% AWARE donations will target protection for the world’s most threatened shark species and the removal and prevention of marine debris from precious underwater environments. Together we can make ocean protection a reality.

Here at Scuba Cat Diving we certify hundreds of scuba divers each year, so our involvement in the 100% AWARE program represents a substantial investment on our part in the work being done by Project AWARE.

By joining 100% Aware we show our commitment to support the Project Aware movement of scuba divers protecting the ocean planet.

The Project Aware movement focuses on two major ocean issues – Sharks in Peril and Marine Debris, or rubbish in our Oceans.

There are many conservation issues converging on our ocean planet at once, but by concentrating on these serious problems where scuba divers are uniquely positioned to directly and positively affect real, long-term change, we hope to be able to make a positive, tangible difference in these two areas.

We believe this is our responsibility as leaders in the diving community and this is just one more way we can help and show our commitment.

The underwater world is not only ours to enjoy, but also ours to protect.

We`ve been working with Project Aware for years, and have a number of initiatives to promote environmental conservation

including:

• Underwater and beach clean-up activities
• Fundraising activities
• Conservation courses, including our new AWARE Shark Conservation Diver Course
• General awareness and promotion of conservation in everything we do.
• Artificial reefs
• We are also spearheading the campaign on Phuket to ban the trade of shark fins.
• As part of our partnership with Project AWARE, we also recently hosted Finley, Project AWARE`s own shark ambassador, as she toured the world promoting shark protection.

Shark Awareness at Molly Malones

What does this mean for you?

As a Scuba Cat Diving Student Diver, you will now receive the special limited edition Project Aware PADI certification cards to stand out from the crowd and serve as a reminder of the importance of conservation.

Project Aware Certification Card

We encourage our students to make their own voluntary donations to Project Aware above and beyond ours.

Each time you take a PADI Dive Course, you will be helping in the movement to address two major ocean issues – Sharks in Peril and Marine Debris

Another big thank you to Jelena Rsumovic who completed her internship with us during 2011. She  completed all PADI courses with Scuba Cat Diving from PADI Divemaster to PADI Instructor.

Scuba Cat Diving Phuket Thailand PADI Instructor Internship

“I had a very professional and organised environment where I completed my divemaster and instructor internship. The divemaster course was the hard one, but today like an instructor, I feel very confident about the skills that I had learnt. I had the opportunity to guide customers on the boats, assist courses etc. I have 200+ dives now, and I am thankful to Scubacat, Vince Callaghan my instructor on divemaster, Christophe Pace, my course director on my IDC and Sarah Kench – general manager of Scubacat for providing me all the support, experience, excellent education and made me the dive instructor I am today. PADI should be very proud of this PADI Dive Centre”