Are you already a Open Water Diver? Then join Mermaids Dive Centers Special Promotion for February 2009, where you can improve your diving skills as well as experience, plus get certified as a PADI Advanced Open Water Diver, in just 3 days – plus get 1 dive extra for FREE. We have more than 20 PADI Specialities that you can choose from. This will give you a new perspective on your diving as well as make you more relaxed on your dives.

In the month of February 2009 you will get 25% off the retail price of any mask purchase. So come and upgrade your mask……..

This month’s BBQ took place the day after Valentine’s Day on Sunday 15th February. So to top off all of those expensive meals that were eaten the night before, we decided to change the food slightly this month by adding some more salads and variety. Rich surprised us all and introduced to Mermaids his special Potato Salad.

This was demolished within minutes and was nominated the best thing since sliced bread. Thanks Rich, who after peeling potatoes and slaving over a hot stove for hours eventually sat down and enjoyed the rest of the evening being complimented on his creation.

Again a warm welcome was given to our new students joining us in the 1st half of February. South African Mark Thomas and Cassie Upton, Adam “Ozzy” Drew and on his 3rd Mermaids visit the “Urban Legend “ Euan Hazeldine who is returning to do his MSDT.

This BBQ saw quite a few of our day divers joining us on the evening. Certainly news of our special burgers and sausages is starting to spread.

Thanks as always to Vlad for spending hours cooking and as being neglected in terms of refreshments and of course to everyone else for shopping, preparing and making the food.

The Mermaids BBQ is also open to all divers/snorkelers and prospective divers that would like to join us and meet new people and discuss diving or even non diving topics. Please feel free to come along and join in the fun. The dates for the rest of the year are advertised here on the website and Mermaids provide the food so all you need to do is bring some refreshments with you. The BBQ takes place at our main operations center located near the Hanuman Statue (Golden Statue) in Jomtien.

By popular demand, Rich will be very busy making his potato salad for the next BBQ on Wednesday 11th March 2009.

Mermaids celebrates all new Instructors with dinner and festivities as usual on February 18th 2009

Mermaids Dive Center rallied up the troops once again for the monthly underwater clean up which took place at Koh Keung Bedaan. Koh Keung Bedaan is one of Pattaya’s Far Islands and is very popular with divers due to the varied fish, turtles and amazing corals.

Heading out to the island which is an hour and a half boat ride away gave us ample opportunity to review the objectives of the two dives which is to remove trash not relevant to the eco system. Jon Sussman, who co-organised the clean up explained that a good example of this is plastic bags which turtles may mistake as jellyfish, a staple part of their diet. Everyone was given the dive brief and informed to check each item carefully for any signs of activity inside the items they wanted to remove.

Upon arriving at the Island, the cleaners jumped into action with the standard clean up kit including mesh bags and lift bags and soon found an assortment of items to bring up. Amongst the items were crates, cups, containers, fishing nets, rope and bottles. This time 90 glass bottles were removed and an assortment of plastic bottles. A jelly pot was found and after careful examination was replaced back as there was a squid living inside it. A seahorse was also sighted by a group which caused lots of excitement.

In total 17 people took part and collected approximately 10kgs of trash dotted over a space of 2 km’s. 8 trash bags were filled and Jan Namphathai, Mermaids official PA co-ordinator said “we like to make our dive sites look better for our regular divers and holidaymakers”

Thanks to everyone that took part and to our wonderful crew of Mermaids 1 who recycle the rubbish we collect and return to the pier.