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..