Blue Star Dive Anda

13/10/2019

Well that's it. The PADI Course Director, IDC Update on the new IDC curriculum finished. So next year I will start to conduct PADI IDC's here at Blue Star. It's to late for this year, sadly.

Look out on these pages, and my personal facebook account "Mick Chapman" for future details coming soon!!

18/06/2019

A question. When is Whale Shark season not a season??

Well, this year we have had Whale Shark sightings every month since last November. It started early (usually late December) and usually finishes around late April.

Well, here we are in mid June, and only three days ago we had our third sighting of the month. Water temperatures are still at 29c and viz around the 20m to 25m mark on average.

Along with Whale Sharks, we have had what I believe to be two, possibly three Humpback Whales going into Guindulman bay area. It was a lovely sunset, and I was taking an Instructor out for her Night Dive Specialty Instructor dive. The whales had been around in the afternoon, but then disappeared. However, there they were not 50 meters from our boat as we cut the engines and gently drifted in towards them as they cruised in the orange glow of flat calm waters of sunset.

Eagle Rays have also been showing up in bigger numbers than usual this year, and we have had what looked like Mobula sightings out in deeper water as we went from dive site to dive site. Then of course we have had our usual Dolphins and Pilot Whales going west/east, then returning going east/west.

Our corals are as beautiful, alive and thriving as always, and our 14 kilometer long wall just outstanding. Plus of course our resident Hawksbill and Green turtle population is doing fine.

I love diving here, it is that simple!!

12/04/2019

It is always a nice experience when people put pen to paper. Well, okay, fingers to keyboard these days.

Here is an exact copy/paste of a mail that we at Blue Star Dive Resort received yesterday. Although I am personally mentioned, it is always a joint effort and team work, for which I am happy to lead.

So, if you want the same service, same advice, same diving experiences, come and join us here at Blue Star.

Finally, anyone out there considering becoming a PADI Pro, completing your Divemaster or Instructor Development Course (IDC) please contact us direct. I am here to help you attain your dreams.

Here's that mail:

To: Blue Star Resort Owner

My husband and I recently stayed at Blue Star for a dive refresher course and subsequent dives. We had not been diving for 9 years and were quite apprehensive about taking it up again and not sure that even one refresher course would be enough. Having explained our situation to Mick he assured us that he would take us through every step and ensure that we were comfortable and confident before taking us diving. That he did…and more. We have never had such thorough, well explained / demonstrated instruction even during our initial PADI courses. Mick re-instilled in us a confidence that we were not sure we could regain. It allowed us to have a wonderful safe dive trip after many years ‘out’. Our thanks again to Mick, Ophie our divemaster and the boat boys who could not have taken better care of us.

We would like to add that we are in our mid 60s and are retired expats living in Bangkok. We searched for a 5 Star dive resort that was not a ‘hardcore’ dive center. A resort that provided the luxury of having all the hardwork done for us where one could choose to dive nor not and still enjoy the ambiance of the resort and its surroundings. Blue Star was a real find, we could not have been more comfortable and relaxed. Your staff are all a big part of the equation. And of course it is a beautiful and well maintained property.

Thank you, we will be back!

Sincerely, Jennifer & Ford

05/04/2019

The shout goes up from the boat, "whale shark, whale shark, whale shark!!

The bubbles blow a little faster as underwater, our DM's scream "whale shark, whale shark, whale shark," through their regulators. In the last three days, we have had four up close and personal interactions as these beauties glide by.

Two or three weeks ago, I had a French lady out doing her very first dive. Then at about 10 or 11 meters, as we turned after watching a Hawksbill turtle, a baby whale shark (about 6 meters in length) slid below our fin tips, literally. I had to raise my legs to avoid a collision between beauty and beast. I'll let you decide which is which!!

Viz is improving a great deal after a slow start to high season, with viz now at about 20 meters. It should be 30 meters plus, but the plankton is keeping our big fishy friends around, so it is a case of win some, lose some.

Sorry guys and girls, I have no photographic proof so far. I do have divers out this morning with cameras, and being as they are all using macro lenses, they could quite well encounter a whale shark, or two. Such is Neptune's Law!!

Here are a few pictures that I admit to stealing off the internet (thanks "Google") of these mega sized, mega beautiful fish. So come dive with us here at Blue Star Dive Resort here in Maganda, Anda, Bohol. You will not regret it.

30/03/2019

I had the pleasure last December to certify a new member of Mick's Mermaids Club as an Open Water Diver. Now Congratulations this week must go to that same mermaid, Mary Grace (Grace) De Wijn who successfully passed her PADI Advanced Open Water Course here at Blue Star.
Grace completed a Deep Dive to 30 meters, and played with chickens eggs, colours and pressure related objects.
As part of the Advanced course, a diver has to also complete a Navigation Exercise, and it has to be said that Grace was well within the bounds set down by PADI. Grace also completed a Night Dive, an Underwater Photography Dive (aka Underwater Imaging) and an Underwater Naturalist Dive looking at, and understanding more about the marine animals we all love.

Great fun was had by all. Grace is now an "Advanced Open Water Mermaid..."

It has been a busy week with diving, teaching, playing with Whale Sharks, and having three technical divers here penetrating one of our cave systems. Although no one at Blue Star is cave dive/tech trained, these three guys were all Instructors and Instructor Trainers, so safety was assured.

So come along, join in the action and interaction with our marine friends out on our truly beautiful reef system.

24/03/2019

Good morning, good afternoon, good evening, all depending on where in the world you are.

Okay, after a loooong break from facebook, we are back in operation, and will endeavor to post as and when we can, but on at least two or three times per week.

Since I last posted on here, Blue Star Dive Resort has taken on the mantle of PADI's prestigious...

5 STAR IDC DIVE RESORT!!

This simply means that with Mick Chapman, our resident PADI Course Director, we can now offer Instructor Development Courses (IDC's) to Divemasters and people wishing to crossover from other training agencies. We hope to conduct our first IDC later this summer once PADI finally put out the new IDC curriculum and standards.

It has been a rather manic time here with divers diving, people taking courses and becoming divers, and divers taking other courses to enhance their own capabilities.

One of the owners, Mary Grace De Wijn took her Open Water course with Mick back in December, all ready for Christmas. Then just this month she continued on and took her Advanced Open Water course. Fun was had all round, and so congratulations must go to Grace.

Also last month Mick certified Kevin Ausman who came all the way from Canada, and completed his Deep Diver Instructor Specialty here with us. More fun was had by all.

I apologise, as I know there are so many of you out there that did courses with us and had fun, but you guys are so many to mention right now.
However, I must say that some people have all the luck. Earlier this month Mick was taking a French lady on an "Intro" dive, and at about 10 meters down, she had a baby whale shark virtually touch her fin tips as it cruised below her. I say "baby" as he/she was only about 6 meters in length.

If anyone is out there and interested in taking part in our first IDC (not Mick's first by any stretch of the imagination) then please drop us a mail, or message us here for further details. Thank you.

So Blue Star Dive Resort page is now back in operation, so watch out for more news as the days/months roll by into summer, and beyond.

18/07/2017

Diving is a SAFE sport/pastime/profession but going into caves/wrecks or overhead environments, even with proper training, can be, shall we say, "hazardous." I'd say this guy was extremely lucky, but mentally well prepared and adapted to his survival situation. That, his buddy and the rescue team saved his life. Lucky man indeed!!

http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-40558067

Xisco Gràcia experienced a diver's worst nightmare after finding himself without oxygen in an underwater cave beneath Mallorca.

29/06/2017

A Mermaid and Chris Ryan!!

This last week has been rather hectic given that we are into low season here. However, the weather does not agree and the sun is out and shining, and only light rain during the night. The water temperature is 30c and the viz aroiund 30 meters plus (100ft plus).

The pictures below show (ladies first) a Mermaid, one Russel Lea Deloso who is now an Advanced Open Water Diver after completing her course with me here at Blue Star Dive Resort. Lea is an old student of mine having completed her Open Water Course last year, so it was great to help her continue along the path to full Mermaid status.
Lea, good luck, good fortune and stay safe in your new life.

The lady to the right of the picture is my boss (so she thinks) one Meldrid Chapman.

Now to Chris Ryan. For all my Army mates, I am damned sure you will know of him, but here he is split into two persons. Chris on the left, and Ryan on the right. Two really nice guys that I have had the sheer privilege and pleasure to teach to dive last week.
Both guys lost count of the number of turtles, mostly Greens and Hawksbills on all dives.
Then as a plus, after their OW course finished, we did a fun dive together, and lo and behold on the reef edge at just 5 meters depth, 15ft, as we were doing a safety stop, along cruises a seven meter whale shark literally inches from our faces, so close that both Chris and Ryan thought I had touched the animal. (I know better than that). A great end to a few days of diving and taking two nice guys from mere humans, Homo sapiens, to the higher level of Homo aquaticus.

You might note in the picture that I am standing on a block, and still smaller that these guys. Yes, they both live in Texas!!

Chris Heise and Ryan Zafris

See you guys back here in a couple of months. See you back here in a couple of years Russel Lea Deloso, or indeed, in Seattle!!

30/03/2017

Over the last month, we have purchased many thousands of dollars worth of new dive equipment, including five new regulators, five BCD's, many wet suits of varying sizes, umpteen pairs of booties etc etc. Oh yes, and two new dive computers for student use and rental. More 12 liter tanks to come also over the coming days.

All this new equipment is going to make our divers look better and helping to make their dives with us much more enjoyable.

So come along, try our new gear, dive with us and have a chat with our local turtle population...

23/01/2017

BLUE STAR DIVE RESORT in Anda, Bohol is looking for a professional PADI Divemaster, male or female, preferably a Filipino citizen.

Salary, commissions, accommodation and food are all part of this employment package. For further details, contact us.
Look us up, we are the ONLY PADI 5 Star facility on the island of Bohol, and will are applying for IDC status within the coming weeks.

Our diving is second to none in the area, a great wall, a mega amount of Turtles, with Whale Sharks in season, Dolphins, Thresher and White Tip Sharks, large Tuna and a few other pelagic species, and our corals are wonderfully alive and thriving.

If you are good at interacting with clients, a good and professionally thinking, motivated DM, send us your CV/resume with a picture.

Please note: Instructors need not apply as your application will be deleted.

Contact Mick Chapman by PM, or email [email protected] (Please mark FAO Mick) or to [email protected] on my private email address.

Salamat po!!

20/01/2017

Thresher, thresher, thresher!! That was what I was shouting through my regulator this morning at 27 meters at Snapper cave here in Anda, Bohol.
She came in close and stayed with us circling for as long as about six or seven minutes. She moved in as close as about two meters at one point. A magnificent fish about 3 meters in length, and she looked in wonderful condition.
It reminded me of my youngest daughter, Thea Amalie Chapman Øyen filming them off Malapascua four years ago along with Emma Sophie Chapman Øyen and Meldrid Chapman, and then Emma took the camera on the next dives to see them.
Most definitely beautiful creatures. Thank you ocean!!

04/01/2017

HAPPY BELATED NEW YEAR everyone!!

That was a late greeting for sure, but we have been extremely busy here at Blue Star. The year ended perfectly with a fifth Whale Shark for the month of December, one month earlier than usual, Plus a couple of Reef White Tips, a small shoal seven or eight six feet long Tuna crusing the top of the reef,and so the new season starts with the New Year.

The usual suspects are here also of course, the multitude of multicoloured, multispecies reef fish. The Jacks, the Barracudas, and who could forget the turtles??

Yesterday I took in an Open Water student on dives 1 and 2. Dive one at Coco North, we got just one turtle, a small Green, but that's not unusual there as it is full of had corals. Dive two was to Turtle Point, and it is so perfectly named. If turtles are your thing, this is possible the best site in the whole of the Philippines. My personal record is 18 turtles on one dive. Yesterday, my student had eight!! Turtle Point is stunning, so full of healthy soft corals with good drift currents to take you along. Black coral trees and bushes are everywhere, and along with large shoals of Spotted Grunts and Sweetlips. It truly is my favourite dive site here, and we call it House Reef, others call it Paradise Gardens!!

Today a huge, and I mean huge Barracuda made another appearence.I have not seen her for about two months now, but I am happy to say she is alive and well. She is longer than myself, even with my fins on. She is well over six feet I'd say (2 meters). I know because I lay down beside her a few months back at a cleaning station.

The New Year brings new joy to the reef, and I hope also to all of you out there reading this. Divers or non divers alike.

HAPPY NEW YEAR for 2017!!!