There are 3 underwater video trainee interns right now at ACE Marine Images; Tash and Christa are coming to the end of their first month and are both showing real promise, already selling quality videos and making seamless films, smooth and striking, that's what I for one, love to see; Erik has just begun his internship and has already, in the early stages of the Advanced Underwater Film-Maker Course, shown that he has the potential to become a valued member of the ACE team. I am watching closely with great anticipation as our new crew develop rapidly into world class underwater camera operators.

Andy, as well as being our chief underwater video training course instructor, has taken on the role as head of operations here at the ACE Marine Images Studio and Academy on Koh Tao. Having spent several years training the rookies and interns, and being one of our most reliable documentary film crew, it seemed that he had all the right crudentials to take things a step further and take the helm! It has to be said that in the short time that he has been in  charge he has been doing a blinding job. The new interns can attribute their rapid progress to his dedicated teaching methods and knowledge, and our clients and contracts can enjoy a first class service thanks to his organisational skills and passion for the job.

As we come towards the middle of October, often the most quiet time of year due to the approaching monsoon, the weather has just cleared up and I am predicting the arrival of whale sharks to our dive sites very soon, maybe even today. The visability is certainly clearing up and while swimming over Sairee Reef 4 days ago I was lucky enough to encounter 3 spotted eagle rays. While chatting with local fishermen yesterday they are expecting marlin and sailfish to be plentiful over the next few months and like those of us in the diving industry they are hoping that the destructive local net fishermen will be halted from their incredibly destructive yearly act of midnight dredging for the swordfish run. Maybe too much to hope for, we'll see. I have also been hearing whispers of the bull sharks and reef sharks making a comeback to Chumphon Pinnacle, let's hope they have a good season. Now that the weather is clearing up I plan to get out there myself and shoot some stills, stay posted and checkout the gallery!