Frequently Asked Questions |
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| 1. Are there are prerequisites to scuba diving? |
| All scuba diving students are required to complete a brief medical questionnaire that lists certain medical conditions, if your answer is yes to any of the questions, as a safety requirement your physician will need to sign on the questionnaire to confirm that you are fit to dive. Please download the form, read it carefully and fill it up, get it countersigned by your physician if required and bring it along with you. |
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| 2. What do I do on the day of arrival? |
| Typically, the day of arrival is for rest and relaxation. Depending on how long your journey was to Havelock, you might want to rest on your day of arrival. There is no diving / courses done on the day of arrival to Havelock due to ferry times and similarly on the day of departure due to ferry times. |
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| 3. When is the dive shop open? |
The dive shop is open from September to May. However if you are coming to the Andamans in June, July or August, please contact us, diving may be able to be arranged depending on staff availability.
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| 4. When is the best time to dive? |
| Peak diving season starts in December and goes on till the middle of May, normally the sun is shining; the seas are flat and visibility at it best. |
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| 5.Do I need to make a Booking in advance or can I just turn up? |
| Because we keep our dive groups small, we tend to fill dive space quick, so to guarantee a space it is always better to book before your arrival. |
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| 6. What is the typical water temperature? |
| The water temperature can range from 26 to 30 C (79 to 86 F) depending on the time of year. During peak season the water temperature is normally between 28 C and 30 C (82 F and 86 F). |
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| 7. What about visibility? |
| There are many factors that can effect visibility: the time of year, the dive site, etc. Visibility can range from 5 to 40+ meters with the best visibility normally in February, March and April. |
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| 8. And Currents? |
| We have dive sites to suit all levels of experience divers. Some sites tend to have little to no currents while it is possible to experience strong currents at some of our more advanced sites. |
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| 9. Is there a decompression chamber on Havelock? |
| There is no decompression chamber on Havelock or in the Andamans. The closest one is on the mainland India. We recommend checking with your dive insurance company to see if they have an evacuation plan for the Andamans. |
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| 10. What are your dive policies? |
All diving with Andaman Bubbles is conducted with one of are experienced divemasters or instructors within recreational dive limits.
We follow the professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI) general standards and recommendations.
We recommend that all certified divers at the open water diver level, depending on experience and previous diving history do a deep adventure training dive before visiting our deeper (beyond 18 meters) dive sites.
We may insist that any diver that has not dived for 12 months or longer depending on experience do a Scuba Review. We have this policy due to the lack of dive medical facilities in the Andamans and safe diving practices
We have a deep appreciation for the waters we dive in and we absolutely do not touch or tease marine life.
Remember "The Sea is not ours, we borrow it from our children. Take only memories; leave only bubbles" |
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| 11. What should I carry with me to Havelock? |
Havelock is primarily run off of cash. Some of the bigger resorts will accept major credit cards or foreign currency for a nominal fee, usually 3%. There is an ATM in Havelock but the money changing facilities are not dependable on Havelock. There are money changing facilities and ATMs in Port Blair.
If you’re a certified diver, please bring your certification card and log book. Diver’s insurance is a good idea. Other things you will need: Bug repellent, sunscreen, flashlight and other essentials that you might need personally.
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| 12. Is there Malaria on Havelock? |
There have been no reported incidents of malaria on Havelock.
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| 13. How are the medical facilities on Havelock? |
There are minimal medical facilities in Havelock except for pharmacies where you can purchase basic medicine for general ailments. Better facilities are available in Port Blair. It is recommended that you check with your doctor and bring what you need with you.
If you have any other questions please feel free to contact us. |
