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.
