The Beginning of Billabong´s Diving Club                                  

At Billabong High we are aware that, although 97% of the Maldives is covered underwater, a huge percentage of its population doesn´t know how to swim and have never gone snorkeling or experienced a diving excursion. We therefore believe that it is important to promote these activities as not only will they allow Maldivians to discover more about their own country, but could also become an exciting professional career for many of them.

This country, as one of the top holiday destinations because of its impressive natural underwater sights, offers a huge variety of locations where our students can enjoy the life-changing experience of diving. By giving the students at BHIS the opportunity to observe those natural wonders, we promote the formation of responsible citizens that will understand, care and protect the fragile environment of the Maldives and of our world.

Because we are convinced that it can become an important part of a young person´s education, after going through a lot of planning and a strict revision process to ensure that all the necessary safety measurements are met, on January 22^th, 2013, the principal of Billabong High International School approved the creation of a diving club that will have the following objective:

“For the secondary students from BHIS to have the opportunity, through one of the best diving schools in the Maldives, to have a unique experience and learn about diving.”

To do this, Billabong High has chosen Into Scuba Diving Centre in Hulhumale´ as the main location where the students will be taking an introductory course to scuba diving known as “Discover Scuba Diving”. Mr. Odon Sanchez, a PADI certified Rescue Diver, will supervise the students through the process which consists of the following activities:

• Presentation of a video that displays the safety regulations and important information about scuba diving.
• Explanation, by a certified Divemaster, of the different diving equipment, exercises to be conducted in shallow water and additional information.
• Shallow water exercises, where the students will get familiar with the diving equipment at a safe depth (usually around 2 to 3 meters) and will practice some of the exercises discussed previously.
• The dive, which will be performed at a maximum depth of 12 meters, is the final and probably most exciting part of the whole course. Dives tend to take around 40 to 50 minutes (although they normally feel like 10 to 20 minutes) and allow the student to observe different kinds of animals in their natural habitat such as eels, sharks, manta rays, turtles, octopuses, many different kinds of fish and dolphins.

Once the students have completed the introductory course, they will be given a certificate of completion and a diving log where they will be able to register the information about the dive, as well as that of future dives.

Also, since most of the times the students end the course looking forward to their next diving trip, they will be presented with the possibility of going on a second or even third dive as well as with the option of taking the Open Water course which would certify him/her as a recreational diver.

The diving club is a personal project that started in 2012 but which would not have been possible without the support of the principal of Billabong High Mr. Dinesh Bakshi, the chairman of Islanders Education Mr. Abdul Rasheed, the staff of Into Scuba Diving Centre (particularly that of PADI Instructors Haisham Ali and Asim Mohamed) and, last but not least, the many enthusiastic parents who have encouraged their sons, daughters and us to always do some more in the name of education.

Diving close to the Maldives Victory ship wreck, right next to Hulhule island

Picture of an eagle ray taken at Biyadhoo

School of convict surgeon fish in Biyadhoo

Manta ray in Villingili

Some blue surgeon fish in Embudu

A clown fish and its anemone in Banana reef (between Hulhumale and Club Faru)

A turtle swimming around Banana reef (between Hulhumale and Club Faru)