Twinset Familiarisation

Booked a place to do twinset familiarisation with Mark Powell of  dive-tech yes that's the bloke who writes is Sports Diver, however I didn't know this before booking. I'd had a long converstaion with Mark before the big day and I was told there could be a few more students.

Well the sunday morning had  arrived so it was time to set off to Wraysbury from Hastings I noticed that the temp outside was a crisp -1C, the drive up there was no problem.

I arrived and parked up and waited for Mark to arrive, we sat down with a coffee and I filled in the forms and had a chat as to why I wanted to use twinset and also what I thought I was going to get out of it.

Once I'd finished the forms we went to the back of Mark vehicle where he had a selection of twinsets starting at 7L and going upto 15L, also with a few different wings to choose from.
Mark setup a twinset for me which was twin 12L's, Apeks XTC40 wing which was attached to a stainless steel back plate and harnes system, and a set of Apeks ATX Regulators.I got change into my drysuit and we put the twinset on for the first time, it was amazing how much they weighed. Well into the water for the first time with a twinset this wasn't as bad as I thought.

We went down onto a platform were Mark would demonstrate the skill then I would try my best to do it. the first skill was just a simple hoover over the platform so I could get used to the weight and feel of it all, then followed by swimming round the platform also also over it without touching it. Skill 2 was a gas shut down which simulates that one of the cylinder valves is leaking, so you have to switch of the manifold valve, then swap onto your backup regulator, and reach behind an isolate you right cylinder and see if this clears the problem, if not it's then open the right cylinder valve and swap regulators again and switch off the left cylinder valve. Finally you have to open both the manifold and right cylinder valve. We continued with a swim around and then out for a warm drink and a chat of what had happened with the dive.

Dive 2 Mark went over finning technique and was yet again a quick hoover over a platform and then a nice long swim making sure I was getting used to the wing for my bouyancy.

The day ended far to soon with my head just exploding with Tec this and Tec that, what shall I buy.

From on I was hooked into the Tec world.......!

Night Diver Course

 Well I wanted to do my PADi Night Diver Speciality and found a local club down in Eastbourne that could do this. After speaking to them they told me it could be done over 2 nights in the Marina, which was good for me as it was on the way home so I could take my dive gear to work and then straight to the dive centre to do the diving.

The Instructor Dee went through all the classroom items first and I'd already completed the the reviews.

The first dive would just be for 20 minutes and this would be the navigation part of the course, which was good as I'd dives the marina a few times and had also already completed my PADi Underwater Navigation Speciality.

As we spent a bit longer on the first dive we didn't have time to complete the second dive that night. This wasn't a problem as we always had next week.

The next week we met a little earlier so we could get the two remaining dives completed, we all kitted up and got into the marina as we descended into the darkness I led the way out, we would then stop and switch off the torches and alllow our eyes to adjust to the darkness, it's amazing how much light there is and to what you can see, the silver flecks of the small fish.

Dive 3 was really just putting it all together and we completed the dive apart from my torch decided go pop and I had to switch to the backup one .

Anyway another speciality completed.

Master Scuba Diver Certification

Finally completed my PADi Master Scuba Diver, not bad when you think I only qualified as a diver on 22nd August 2009, I managed to rack up 52 dives and five specialities which include, navigation, drysuit, Peak perfamce Bouyancy, Nitrox and Search & Recovery. As well as Advanced Open Water Diver and Rescue Diver.

Next Stop Divemaster......!

Padi Rescue Diver

The PADi Rescue diver course is the last of the non professional courses, one of the great things with this course it prepares you to being a better dive buddy. As you become more aware of what is going on around you.

Anyway back to the course, this was done with Maidstone Scuba, the course is broken down into 3 segments, the first being a classroom based which as usuall was done in the corperate headquarters better known has the kitchen in John's house, beware of the dog also as it has a tendancy to want to shag your leg from time to time.  I was glad I'd watched the PADi Rescue Diver DVD and also a glance at the course book and completed the reviews. Well the classroom part was rushed and then onto the exam , then marked all passed.

The second part was set in the pool where we would go through all the scenarios, which included saving a tired diver, paniced diver, onto the three different types of diver tow's. The next part was to get the diver from the bottom of the pool, we then practiced a search pattern. It was then onto how to get the diver out of the water and also how to de-kit them.

The final part was at Wraysbury where we would be given some scenario's and had to complete them, my first was the paniced diver, however the second was the missing diver, we had to go down onto a container which was the last place they was seen and then find them, both Steve and myself descended we got down to the container at around 8m we then found our missing divers playing naughts and crosses I ended up with Tracy and Steve got Ray. I started to find her Inflator hose and then slowly brought her to the surface and then towed her to the slipway which was around 50m. We had to dekit her and then lift her out which was easy as she's only small.

That was really all there was to the Rescue course and I passed as a Rescue diver

EFR Course

Again George and myself was on this course, we had to travel upto Maidstone one evening to complete this Martin would be running it and was being helped by John's son. Martin went through all the reviews and then showed us the oxygen and and also the defib.

It was on with the roll play where we had to deal with different problems, however when it came to applying a bandage to John's son feet I just wouldn't go there they looked like they hadn't seen water in weeks.

We completed the exam and all passed it

Advanced Open Water Diver

George was also on this course, the Advanced Open Water has 5 parts to it of which 2 are compulsory (Deep & Navigation).
We was going to complete the first two dive at Wraysbury then the last three at Guildenborough the next day.

The first dive was Peak Performance Bouyancy which was basically swim out to a bouy descend down to a platform, hoover and then swim around the platform in a neutrally bouyant, then it was out dive completed. Second dive was navigation, which included walking around the carpark with a towel on your head whilst using a compass to walk a square, the next part was back into the water swim out to a container and descend then in buddy pairs we had to navigate a square underwater and return to the container, George and myself set off and made it back with no problem at all, then it was swim out on a bearing and turn 180 degreesand return from where you started. Lastly we swam back to the exit point which was the natural navigation part.

Day 2 at Guildenborough, George picked me up at about 6.00am as we had a 3 hour drive up there, when we arrived, we met up with the group and was given the days plan, dive 1 deep dive, dive 2 wreck and then dive 3 fish aware.

George and myself went for a coffee and a bite to eat, we both noticed that the staff at Gildenborough hate divers don't want your business and are more arsed over the ducks and geese. WE HAVE NEVER BEEN BACK.We kitted up ready for dive 1 "The Deep " the plan was to swim out to a bouy descend down the line and onto the top of a container, then we would write our name backwards and they would time it and see how much difference there was from when we did it at the surface. The would also demonstrate how the different colours are affected by depth. We made it down to the container when I looked at my dive computer it was saying only 16.5m after a few minutes we all dopped off the side to get the 18m requirement, however as it was a large group by time the first lot was coming up as we was descending onto them, finally managed 18.1m for around a second or two before it was back onto the top of the container and then swim back to the shore and get out.

We had a break for a bit before it was time to do Dive 2 "The Wreck" this time we was to descend down in 2's and when we got to the wreck we was to measure it and draw on a slate the position it was on the bottom, the ascend to the surface and out the water well that was the plan. However George and myself was last ones down we had managed to drift off as there was a strong surface wind which meant that we ended up an another platform at 19m, we didn't have either a divemaster or instructor with us and no one seemed to notice we was missing either, George and myself made sure we was OK and then signalled to go upto the surface at 5m we did a 3 minute safety stop and then swam to the exit point. None of the instructors seemed bothered that we hadn't seen the wreck which was a bus.

The last dive "Fish Aware" , again we was told just togo for a dive around the sides and see what fish we could see note it down and then come back and tell the instructor job done. This was a total joke as the visability was less than 1m and you couldn't hardly see your buddy never mind any fish. We got out and we was all told well done your now Advanced Open Water Divers.

To be honest the Advanced Open Water with Maidstone Scuba was a total joke I didn't benefit from any of it I felt like it was a con to get more money out of you.

Padi Open Water Diver

After retuening from Greece I wanted to complete my PADi Open Water Diver course, after looking around on the internet I found a company called Maidstone Scuba. They answered my questions promptly and also offered me a deal on doing my Advanced open water back to back.

Finally the books and DVD arrived in the post which allowed me to complete the class room stuff, then it was office to what I thought was there offices however this turned out to be in John's living room, not what I was really expecting.

However I was more bothered with getting on with things this never bothered me. John was always trying to sell you something that you would need for the course.

I completed the exams and passed, there was a short break and then off o the pool this is held at Maidstone Lesiure Centre just up the road form there plush Offices (sorry house).

Well the pool session was to complete the confined water dives and to master the 20 skills that PADi set. We was given diving kit and helped to put this together, everything with them just seemed rushed. We went straight round to the small pool and sat on the side all kitted up. There was 6 of us we was helped into the pool and then started with some of the skills, John would demonstrate this first and then we would copy, if anyone had any problem with this he would just move on and say they would catch up later.

After an hour or so we was moved to the deeper pool, again everything seemed rushed, we continued with the reminder of the skills. It was then out of the pool and straight on to do the swim tests first the 200m swim and then a 10min tred water.

Well that was the end of the first day, only to be told we won't be returning tomorrow as we had done all the skills and had met the PADi standard. I was totally knackered and had a drive of around an hour to get home.

On the way home I remember thinking how things had been rushed and there were a couple of skills some people didn't catch up on.

Open Water at Wraysbury:
I'd emailed John aweek before asking if anyone from my neck of the woods was also driving upto Wraysbury, however never got an answer, on arriving there I was interduced to all the other people on the course, and yes there was someone who was local to me he was called George. When we was talking he said he'd asked the same question and didn't get a reply.

We kitted up, with the help from John and Mary (his wife), it was into the water for Open Water dive 1, mary stayed by the van and John came in with the 4 of us. THERE WASN'T ANY ADDITIONAL DIVEMASTERS OR INSTRUSTORS WITH US.
We completed all the dives we needed to that day, George and myself decided to car share for the remaining days of the course.

Day 2 at Wraysbury, we was met with some other Instructors from Maidstone scuba, this time there was surface support and also additional divemasters to help out. We only  had one dive to complete and then we would be open water divers, it was the last skill the CESA. We went out to a platform around 6m deep and then one by one we ascended to the surface, job done I was an Open Water Diver..

1st Real Boat Dive

It seemed to take ages for wednesday to arrive, ever to slowly did that clock turn, then at 12.00 o'clock we set off to Keri and the boat.

When we arrived at the dive center only a few had turned up so we had a drink and waited , then we started getting the kit ready to be packed into the van for a short trip to the quayside and then unloaded onto the boat.

We walked down the quayside to the boat in the baking heat, I then found out that everyone mucks into get the equipment unloaded onto the boat. After about 15 minutes this was completed and the boat headed out from the quay. The water was clear blue and you could see down to the bottom.

The boat moved up a gear and headed over to Keri Caves, I'd been there a few years ago on sight seeing tour, but never in the water. About 40 minutes later we slowed down and anchored the boat, as I was the least experienced diver onboard we was going off last letting all the other divers go off first,Sabina told everyone that this was a 45 minute dive. I watched as they went off the back of the boat one at a time then disappeared into the blue depths, then it was my time to step off the boat, I placed some air in my BCD and then stepped off, coming up with a mouthful of water, the regulator seemed to be on the small side, however after a couple of minutes we was right to descend, slowly we began to go under, it was amazing it looked to be around 60 feet deep or maybe deeper.

It started with Trial Dive in Greece........!

Well managed to get over to Zante for a summer holiday, not intending on going diving while we was there, on the moday we drove through Keri and stopped for a drink. The diver Center was located in the back of it. We got chatting to a couple of there instructors and it turned out that Andy was from Eastbourne just a few miles from where we live.

Well we ended booking a trial dive each the next day, Sarah hadn't done anything like this before but I knew she'd be fine with it.

The next day arrived we had to be at the dive center by 2.00pm so there was no rush to get to the other side of the island. When we arrived at the dive center we were greeted by Steve and Andy and was told they were our instructors for the day, as Tuesday is there turn round day meaning they nadn't much to do, however all the better for us an instructor each.

We got kitted up and walked across the road onto the beach and then into the sea, it was a cool 21 degs. We got to waist deep placed on the mask and regulator in the mouthand took a few breathes of air whilst putting my head under the water, just like I remembered. Sarah had some difficulties doing this as she had never even snorkeled before after about 10 minutes of trying she was going to give up however with a bit more practise she was fine, we split up with and instrustor each . Andy and myself headed out toward the sea, with the seabed slowly dropping awaywe then started to desend to around 5meters. We swam around for around 40 minutes before heading back to the shore to meet up with Sarah and her instructor Steve.


When we got back to the scuba center we had a chat and I asked about the drive trips from the boat, theyt said I'd be ok , Sarah said she was happy just to come to watch. I was soon handing over 50euros for a boat dive the next day.