Mare Nostrum Diving Center Palermo, Italy

Mikel Hendriks

02/05/14 at 13:38

Italy, Sicily, Porticello (Palermo) - Porticello Golfo Full suite (5mm) with hoodie Entry w/ giant stride from the boat Went u/w to accompany my friends Iwan, Marco and Duarte for their PADI Discover Scuba Diving course with dive instructor Mauro. On board the ship they all suffered from sea sickness but still went u/w. Training of skills: regulator in/out and clearing mask (1 on 1 with Mauro). After that a dive to 6,9 meters in the shallows through a small cave. - Iwan, regulator in/out and clearing his mask no problem. After a successful dive into the small cave he got dizzy and signalled me he wanted to go up, uncertain if he could throw up via this regulator. After Mauro returned with Duarte we aborted the dive. - Duarte, regulator in/out and clearing his mask no problem. Became somewhat claustrofobic when he saw Iwan going towards the cave. Signalled he wanted to go up, calmed him down till Mauro picked him up for the dive into the cave, which went fine. - Marco, did not have a 1 on 1 instruction with Mauro. So first time regulator in/out no problem but could not clear his mask (did not blow out via his nose). Signalled he wanted to go up and aborted the dive early (accompanied by second dive guide: Pierpa Neon).

Mikel Hendriks

02/05/14 at 10:50

Italy, Sicily, Porticello (Palermo) - Secca della Formica Full suite (5mm) with hoodie Entry w/ giant stride from the boat Beautiful underwater pinnacles in a rocky sea landscape. Calm weather and no wind or waves. 5 min into the dive we switch buddies, because Piero had some minor buoyancy control issues. My new buddy was Martina instead of our dive guide Mauro. After 20 min I got cold because of the ill fitting rental wetsuite, continued the dive and enjoyed it. We saw: - Octopus - Morey Eel - Lobsters 3x - Many small fishes