Kon-Tiki Management all fired up for PADI Business Seminar in Bangkok!

Today is the first day of the PADI Business Seminar. General managers and assistant managers from Kon-Tiki Phuket and Krabi is ready to learn new tips, suggestions and business ideas from the leaders of the diving world. We all hope to increase our knowledge and marketability as a PADI Professionals. Business Seminars explain the different marketing aspects in the diving industry. We will learn how to market diving equipment and the different diving courses successfully as a manager to our instructors.

We look forward to go back and show all what we have learned.

Hey, let’s go!

My name is Amanda and I’m from Sweden and I have been having my internship on Kon-Tiki in soon three weeks, it feels just like yesterday that I was opening the door to kontiki dive center. This two weeks have going so fast, and it have being so fun to meet all the new people and all the stuff.

The thing I thinks the best here is that your days never are the same, one day you’re working in the shop and cleaning, paper work and things like that. And then the next day you are out whit the boat and snorkeling whit the guests. During my time here I Thailand I have learn to talk more English and a have grown as a person. Now it’s less than a week left in paradise and I know that I’m going to miss this so much!

I’m very happy that i got the possibility to have my internship her in Thailand on Kon-Tiki. Malene and the PADI dive masters and instructors – thanks for that you have taken care of me during my time here in Thailand.

Realgymnasiet Äventyrs turism inriktning dykning Västerås

My name is Charlie Klehr and I am a student from Sweden from the high school Real. In the first year at High school we were told to decide a subject in the adventure course, at the same time I decide to follow my dreams. So now three years later I stand as a Divemaster with experience in Thailand that will make you a story!

I went to Thailand for six weeks that became to change my life. Hoping of experience that could after my school lead to a work, but somehow I’ve got in love in the future because I found my way of living. I could never imagine the big change of me after the weeks alone, after the weeks to be adult, after weeks to take responsibility. I could feel the absolute freedom, so nearly as the feeling of the water in Thailand, you can’t see it but you know it’s there so clear is it sometimes! It was truly the living dream. After my weeks at the boats with people, smiles, laugh, I know that Kon-Tiki is something more that I will gladly recommend for people who wants good diving and fun days at sea. At my work I’ve got the best dives in my life that will be captured in my heart, that I will come back for.

Tree simple words are Kon-Tiki Passion, Professionalism and Environment.

Charlie Klehr

Hallo everybody at Kon-Tiki Krabi!

Now I am leaving you for Karlstad and Sweden after 8 weeks with you. Here follows a short summary what I have been doing during this time.

Mostly I have been on the boat and less in the shop. I have done my advanced open water course some days after my open water. I have been all tours with the boat “Petchmanee” as both snorkel guide and dry staff. I have been more and more interested in diving and I want to come back and work for Kon-Tiki when I have passed my exam next year. On the boat I have taken care of different groups from both Sweden and other countries and I have had “snorkel briefings” with them. This includes informing them about the equipment as fins, masks and snorkels. Then I have also helped them with life jackets. Some of the guests do not always want to wear life jackets and feel that it is unnecessary, so I had to explain that they can get tired, cramped or when they free dive, so it is better to wear one. The weather can change suddenly and the power of the sea is nothing to play with. Then it is my responsibility to look after the guests, count them and make them feel safe both in the water and on the boat. I have enjoyed my time at the boat very much and I feel that this is something for me in the future. I also feel that I have chosen the right with the service business and that I will continue in the diving area.

Recently I have been in the shop with Malene and the other staff. When I was with Malene I had to do an inventory among all products for example T-shirts, rash guards and snorkels. I had to count them and sort them in different sizes and then I had to do a list of all products left in the shop. I also had to do the boat chief-paper. That is a paper in where you write the names of all the guests for the tour next day. Then we leave the list to the responsible for the tour so he or she can check that all the guests are on the boat and also how to know where we shall pick up the guests at what hotel etc. I have also entered the names of the persons who have passed DSD (= discover scuba diving) and them written it in the PADI database.

These 8 weeks have developed me enormously. I feel stronger as a person and I know now that I fit for the service profession and that the program of Hotel and tourism is absolutely the right program for me. I love to talk in front of people and describe things orally. At the beginning it was hard to speak in English because of so many new words about diving – first to learn the Swedish words and then the words in English. I hope I have developed the English language, at least I feel more confident in speaking. I also hope that I can prove that in the class room.

Finally I want to say THANK YOU to all the staff at Kon-Tiki Krabi for these 8 weeks and for making this trainee period to the absolute best for me. Especially I would like to thank the manager Malene for taking me as a trainee and believed in me despite of being a girl! I hope that I have not made you disappointed Malene! It was so fun to be with you in the shop and I think you have made me a little “Danish cocky”.

The life as a Mola mola begins as a larva. They grow very fast and the next step is to become a fry, which look a lot like they’re close relatives Pufferfish. They can be as tall as they are long, the biggest Mola mola ever found was 4 meters, this was in Australia. It is the heaviest known bony fish in the world. It has an average adult weight of 1,000 kilos! The Ocean sunfish prefer to live in warm oceans all around the globe. First time I heard about the Mola mola was when I were in Bali, where you also can find it.

They spend their time anywhere between survice level and up to a depth of 600m. Their favorite food is jellyfish. The Mola mola can do a sound which is similar to the sound of a pig, I think that it is kind of what you expect when you see what it look like.

The English name, Sunfish, comes from the animal’s habit of sunbathing at the surface of the water. In many languages they are called Moonfish because of its shape, for example Pesca luna in Italy, Pez luna in Spain, Poisson lune in France. Some countries has desided that this weird creature also deserve a weird name. In Germany it is well known as Schwimmender Kopf, wich means Swimming head. The Swedish name is Klumpfisk, Clumpfish.

Actually, the Ocean sunfish was once classified under the pufferfish genus but, it is so weird, it has now been given its own genus, Mola.

They have a very effective way to make babies. The females can produce as many as 300 million eggs at a time, that is more than any other known vertebrate. The eggs are released into the water and externally fertilized by sperm.

The meat of the Ocean sunfish is considered a delicacy in some regions, guess where? Japan ofcourse!

Erica Hammarlund

Four de-commissioned Thai Navy vessels to be sunk off Krabi Thailand’s Royal Navy has agreed to hand over four decommissioned vessels for use in a Krabi undersea marine park projected by the provincial office, it was reported Wednesday. The project is aimed at increasing knowledge of undersea life and increasing tourism resources at Koh Phi Phi. Chuan Pukaoluan, appointed chairman of the Governor’s Council of Advisors on Provincial Development, said the Undersea Knowledge Park project originated in the council, which requested the warships in 2010. “Our goal is to conserve and revive the undersea and coastal resources of Krabi,” Chuan said.

“The Navy has now agreed to hand over the ships,” he said, naming the vessels Pra Tong, Kolam, Talibong, and Rawee – all de-commissioned.

“These warships that will be sunk in the undersea marine park are quite important,” he explained, “because, as man-made coral reefs, they will serve as nurseries for conserving immature sea life, protecting them from illegal fishing.”

He also noted the ships will add to Krabi’s tourist attractions and become “an enhanced feature of provincial development.”

He said the vessels will be turned over to Krabi “sometime this month.”

“Presently they are in the cleaning stage,” Sombat said. “I expect in two months they can be towed to Krabi.” He said towing the ships to Krabi would cost “about ten million baht, which is all coming from private sector pockets – it won’t cost the state even one baht.”

Sombat said the project has backing from the Coastal and Marine Resources Department. “One of the ships will be sunk off Phi Phi Lay,” he said, “and three off Koh Yawasam in Tambon Ao Nang of Meuang district, Krabi.”

“I am sure this will be a new choice for tourists in Krabi,” he opined.

Said fellow Council of Advisors member Porthep Siboonreuang: “In addition to becoming a centre for dissemination of knowledge about – and study of – undersea nature, the new park will conserve and revive [the environment in] two places. We expect the resulting increase in tourists wishing to experience the undersea environment will be 5,000 yearly – adding to yearly income by ten million baht.”

It was not reported what facilities, other than the sunken navy vessels, are planned for the park.

Source : Your Krabi / Phuket news

Feather Starfish

The Feather Starfish is unusual that looks more like a plant than a starfish.
They come in many different colors, they can be white, black, purple, red, green, brown or multiple colors.
The feather starfish use their arms to filter the food from the passing currents and then pass it down to their mouth. Very different from the other starfish that feeds from the bottom and moves along the ground to feed. Most feather stars fish only come out to feed at night. During the day, they hide in coral, curling up their arms tight.
They catch tiny plankton using their sticky arms. The feather stars fish usually have arms in multiples of 5, most have at least 10 arms. Some can have up to 80-200 arms! Small crabs, shrimps, worms and other tiny animals may live on a feather star, taking some of the food that flows along the arms. Like I said feather starfish are usually found curled up during the day, but at night they extend their arms to catch plankton in the currents. They can also move around. Feather starfish have both their mouth and anus on the upper surface.

We are blowing bubbles!

While mom, dad and sister have been relaxing by the pool and beachfront for the day, Parker (10 years old) has been blowing scuba diving bubbles with his private instructor!

-”Parker has really been looking forward to this” Says Parkers dad Cory, as they arrive at the dive center.

And all you need is one look at the young boys face to see that this is a fact! The excitement is really shining through!

This is the absolute highlight of Parkers Thailand vacation! 3 hours together with assistant instructor Chris in the Sheraton pool. The time has been spent learning about the gear and how to set it all up, a scuba diving briefing and then of course a lot of fun in the pool. Parker has learned and practiced the basic scuba exercises. He has done all from clearing the regulator and mask from water to buoyancy exercises. And then Chris also brought some cool pool toys!

And after the course is finished and Chris awards Parker with the Bubblemaker diploma it is very clear that someone had an amazing day!

Since this American family lives in Singapore they have easy access to come back to Thailand for their next holiday.

And the goal for next holiday is already decided for Parker and his dad. – ”Open water certificate and diving in the ocean!“

/Rick, Instructor, KON-TIKI Krabi

Hello my name is Emelie and I’m from Sweden. I’m here to do my practice instead of Sweden and I have been here for one week now. I’m going to be here in two month and this is my first time here in Thailand so all is new for me but I’m so exciting to be here and first of all to do my practice here.

I have just finnished my Open Water course and did this course in four days. In Open Water course I learned how to dive safely and how I plan a safe dive with a buddy. The first two days I had theory and pool, when that day was finished. The last days I went to the sea and did the things I learned in the pool. The first dive I did in the ocean was a great time, I saw things I never seen before. With Open Water I can go down to 18 meters but now I want to go deeper and that’s why I want to do Advance Open Water also. I’m in love with diving right now, it is so fun!

The first day I started my practice was in the shop here in Krabi and learned me about how all the thing works, I think it’s going to be fun to learn me new thing. The second day was I at the boat and did some snorkeling and learned me how it works at the big boat. It was fun to see all the fishes and see them how they live under the water and the blue water do it more fun.

Recently our local School in Klong Heng got the opportunity to travel to Bangkok for a spelling and story competition in Bangkok.

Since Klong Heng School is always there to help us when the beaches needs cleaning up, Kon-Tiki Krabi were happy to support her so her dream could come true. Not only did she participate in a big competition like this, but also came home with a prize.

We wish Nataporn Saidan congratulations with her Silver Award for Story telling in English.