News
Diving With…. Pro Dive International – Mexico & Dominican Republic
In this ongoing series, we speak with the people who run dive centres, resorts and liveaboards from around the world about their businesses and the diving they have to offer…
What is your name?
Susann Seifert
What is the name of your business?
Pro Dive International – Mexico & Dominican Republic
What is your role within the business?
Marketing Manager
How long has the business operated for?
15 years
How long have you dived for, and what qualification are you?
For 8 years in several locations around the world. I’m a certified Rescue and Nitrox Diver.
Photo: Stefan Heer
What is your favorite type of diving?
I love shark cleaning stations and being surrounded by big fish! Besides sharks, mantas, seals, dolphins & co., I also like lively colorful coral reefs with a current to simply drift along and enjoy.
If you could tell people one thing about your business (or maybe more!) to make them want to visit you what would it be?
With Pro Dive, you can satisfy all the fancies of your diver heart within one vacation – the breath-taking highlights of Mexico and Dom Rep from one hand, hassle-free arrangements of your dive & relax package, a great choice of beach resorts with our dive centres located onsite, big fish, macro life, shallow dives and beautiful walls, free Nitrox, the magic of cenotes/ cavern dives, cultural trips to world-heritage sites, high safety standards, a multilingual team of instructors at all of our locations, airport pickup and shuttles. Pro Dive caters for everyone from beginner to pro (CDC), divers with disabilities, kids, groups, non-diving family. Everyone is welcome!
Photo: Gerald Nowak
What is your favorite dive in your location and why?
Santa Rosa Wall in Cozumel/ Mexico clearly is my favourite dive here in the Mexican Caribbean – a spectacular vertical drop off with breath-taking formations of colourful corals, small caverns, overhangs, plenty of swim-throughs, sponges, and a diversity of marine life like huge lobsters, barracudas, Cozumel splendid toad fish (entirely endemic to Cozumel), black groupers, horse-eyed jacks, spotted eagle rays and turtles in about 18-25m depth. The corals seem to grow taller and the drop off gets steeper the further north you go. The current can be unpredictable and rapidly changing from medium to strong. A magical drift dive in all regards!
Photo: Stefan Heer
What types of diving are available in your location?
Deep, drift, wreck, cave and cavern, bull shark, reef diving… From newbie to pro and technical diver, anyone will find their favorite spot here.
What do you find most rewarding about your current role?
I can share my passion for diving, the ocean, marine life and the location itself by tickling our readers’ imagination about the unique highlights of our destinations, make them dream and want to join us for their next dive vacation. Furthermore, I get to meet many inspiring people and industry partners along the way who share the same passion, enjoy their fascinating stories, great achievements and visions.
Photo: Luis Javier Sandoval
What is your favorite underwater creature?
Among my small friends underwater, the Manti shrimp is my personal favorite – a fascinating creature. Among the larger ones, manta rays and sharks will need to fight for the top position.
Are there any exciting changes / developments coming up in the near future?
Absolutely, as Pro Dive International keeps growing! We have just opened a new dive centre in Bayahibe/ Dominican Republic – the country’s hot spot for diving. Stay tuned for more exciting news! 😉
As a center what is the biggest problem you face at the moment?
The moody weather! With the start of the hurricane season, we experienced rough seas, causing the harbor to be closed for safety reasons, which meant we couldn’t go out for local and wreck dives. However, here on the Riviera Maya/ Mexico, we are very fortunate to have the Cenotes on our doorstep – the largest freshwater cave system in the world and a truly unique experience! Hence, we switched local dives and scuba training from the ocean to the cenotes to ensure that all our divers and students had a great time, despite the weather conditions!
Photo: Duxy
Is your center involved in any environmental work?
All of our centres are actively involved! Pro Dive International is hands on when it comes to marine life conservation. In particular shark conservation has been one of Pro Dive’s major concerns. Not only do we support renowned organizations internationally, but actively the local project SAVING OUR SHARKS who focus specifically on research and protection of bull sharks on the Mexican Riviera Maya. Pro Dive has even adopted one of the females that come to visit us every year in winter to give birth! And our SharkSchool will be held for the third time from December 18-24, this year, to continue spreading education and awareness. Anyone is welcome to join!
We use biodegradable cleaning products and cups and participate in ocean cleaning days.
Furthermore, Pro Dive has achieved the PADI Green Star award (the first Mexican company), as well as several certificates of excellence recognizing their continued efforts and contribution toward the marine environment.
How do you see the SCUBA / Freediving / snorkeling industry overall? What changes would you make?
Much more needs to be done in regards to the protection of the marine environment, in particular involving local communities, to educate and inspire, refuse plastic, make safe, sustainable seafood choices, take care of the beach. This responsibility lies in each one of us, however, with joined forces we can achieve more.
Photo: Luis Javier Sandoval
What would you say to our visitors to promote the diving you have to offer?
Mexico is a bucket list destination holding many magical moments to tag off your list, like diving into the mystical Mayan cenotes to get mesmerized by stunning lightshows and beautifully decorated caverns, swimming with the largest fish on the planet – the whale shark, the encounter of majestic bull sharks, the high speed sardine hunt of the world’s fastest fish – the sailfish, the drift along Cozumel’s vibrant colourful reefs, named one of the Top10 in the world by Jacques Cousteau, the countless diving adventures to expect within one trip when combining the highlights of both Mexico’s Caribbean and Pacific-side with Socorro and Great Whites in Guadalupe, a visit of Mayan world heritage sites and one of the seven world wonders, and last but not least, the refreshing facilities of our beach resorts to get yourself pampered.
The Dominican Republic has it all, as its slogan suggests: Beautiful beaches and reefs in Bayahibe, Saona, Catalina Island, Cayo Levantado, many wrecks and macro life, but also big fish – the humpback whales. You can either observe or swim with them during the winter months, when the entire North Atlantic humpback whale population migrates south to the Silver Bank – the Sanctuary for the Marine Mammals of the Dominican Republic, for mating and calving.
No matter your choice, adventure & fun await you with our team!
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Where can our visitors find out more about your business?
reservations@prodiveinternational.com, or info@prodiveinternational.com
Mobile: +52 1 984 745 0763
Facebook:
@prodiveinternational
@prodivemexico
@prodivedominicanrepublic
@prodivemexicoacademy
Twitter:
After a two-year tour of UK art galleries, community spaces and aquariums, the Shark Trust’s acclaimed Oceanic31 exhibition takes its final bow at the Royal Geographical Society later this month. And the unique collection of artwork, depicting 31 species of oceanic sharks and rays, donated by 31 artists, is now open for bids from art lovers and shark enthusiasts. The online auction, launched today, will close on the 7th December at 8pm (BST). The money raised will support the Shark Trust Oceanics Programme.
People can now bid on 27 of the artworks by visiting this website:
https://superstars-auctions.com/sharktrustauction
It is a chance to own a beautiful piece of original art and to support the Shark Trust. The timing of the auction also means that these would make a very special Christmas gift for any shark-lover.
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- Bigeye Thresher Shark by Janina Rossiter
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- Carcharodon carcharias by Jimmy Higgs
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- Croc VR 2030 by Tom Mead
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- Oceanic Whitetip by ATM
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- Silky Street by ScapaJoe
The diversity of pieces mirrors that of the sharks and rays they represent. You can bid on paintings, digital creations, sculptures, mixed media and more. You can pick your favourite artist or species of shark. Or you can select the perfect artwork to make a statement in your home or office. Whichever you choose, you will be supporting the work to protect these amazing animals.
One of the pieces of art has been selected to be auctioned live by Steve Backshall at the For the Love of Sharks event at the Royal Geographical Society in London on the 29th November. In addition to this, two further pieces will be raffled at this event, giving people a chance to win an incredible piece of shark art. For the Love of Sharks is the Shark Trust’s flagship evening. A night to celebrate sharks. Steve Backshall is the headline speaker at this event that will see other prominent shark advocates join him on stage.
Tickets for the event can be snapped up here:
https://thesharktrust.org.uk/Event/flos24
Those that would like to see the Oceanic 31 exhibition have one final chance. It is being displayed at the Pavilion at the Royal Geographic Society from 26th November until the 7th December. Entry is free.
Find out more here:
https://www.rgs.org/events/upcoming-events/oceanic-31
Paul Cox, Shark Trust CEO, Said “This exhibition has given us the opportunity to reach out to a new audience. And inspire more people with the wonderful sharks and rays on which our Big Shark Pledge campaign is based. We are immensely grateful to the 31 artists who have worked so hard to create these works.”
Bid for your favourite Oceanic 31 artwork here:
https://superstars-auctions.com/sharktrustauction
Banner Image: Smooth Hammerhead by Alicia Hayden
Cozy and warm in cold water.
It’s drysuit season all year round. With the new RS series premium drysuits from DYNAMICNORD, divers are perfectly equipped for all cold waters.
The sophisticated cut of the RS drysuits allows complete freedom of movement, providing maximum comfort. The high-quality 350 g/m² ripstop material with double ripstop zones on the elbows, knees, and crotch protect ensures extreme robustness as well as long life.
The suit’s features leave nothing to be desired: A high-quality TiZip zipper, easily adjustable inlet and outlet valves, upgradeable with electrically heated underwear, HP bottleneck cuffs made of high-strength latex on the wrists, a 3mm neoprene neck cuff for maximum comfort, a 7mm hood with air outlet and 3mm boots made of double-sided, cross-layered neoprene with ankle straps and fin strap stoppers and a protective but very flexible sole.
Noteworthy is the Molle fastening system, which can be used in a variable and compatible manner. This way, the two detachable leg pockets can be attached easily, safely and comfortably.
Alterations of boots to a different shoe size or adjustments to neck or wrist cuffs are done free of charge at the own DYNAMICNORD service centre in Germany in only a couple of days.
The matching Dynaskins made with high-quality Polartec® technology are available in various designs. As an undersuit under the drysuit, as a single suit in warm waters or as a two-piece suit. Polartec® technology’s main features are neutral buoyancy, breathablilty and quick-drying.
Dynaskins are made largely from recycled plastic bottles.
The drysuit RS-351 for men and RS-352 for women are now available at your DYNAMICNORD dealer and in the online store.
Colors men and women: Black-Blue and Black-Burgundy
Sizes men: XS-4XL incl. intermediate sizes MS, MT, MLS, MLT, LS, LT, XLS, XLT, 2XLS, 3XLS, 4XLS
Sizes Women: XS-XL incl. intermediate sizes MS, MT, LS, XLS
DYNAMICNORD – Your Outdoor Companion.
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