On with the PADi IDC

I've now started my PADi IDC (Instructor Development Course) with Blue Ocean Diving , the first 2 days are all classroom based, going through all the PADi standards and understanding how modules and courses are taught.

Tonight is the first pool session watching a presentation to get the feeling and know how it's done.

4th/5th September was a full on more classrom room presentations with my second classroom presentation of the "5 pieces of specialized equipment used for deep diving. After 6 -7 minutes of my talk I was told that I'd achieved the pass rate however I'd managed to get a 4.0, a 3.6 being the minimum pass mark.

The evening session (saturday) was to confined water presentation the first being partial mask flood, and fin pivot using low pressure inflator. Sunday's session was regulator recovery, the second skill was remove and replace scuba unit in water to deep to reach the surface.

Well another pool session last night thought I'd got away without doing another demo from the confined open water, wrong as Justin had man flew I ended up doing "Air from an alternate source I happy with the result I managed a 4.6 even that I got a couple of things wrong. So overall a great result and the marks are going in the right direction upwards.

The IDC is a massive learning curve and you have to be committed to it as you could get anything from any of the padi courses, meaning lots of reading, more revision and more practice.

Passed the EFR Instructor Course

Managed to pass the EFR Instructor course, and it wasn't as bad as what I believed it was going to be. Top marks have got to go to Ryby (Blue Ocean Diving) for keeping it entertaining and fun as it's not the best subject in the world.

EFR Instructor Course

Well the time is fast approaching for the start of my EFR Instructor course, currently I don't know if I'm going to enjoy it or it'll be a total ball ache.

Anyway by the end of the week I should be an EFR Instructor.

Sunday at Wraysbury and a few friends from Dive Buddy UK

Some of the Dive Buddy UK members planed a dive at Wraysbury Dive Centre, well With Cel, Tony, Phil and myself (Paul) managed the early morning. With Diego giving it a miss at the last minute.

The weather was overcast however the temperture was twenty degrees, after a few coffee's we got ready and headed into the lake.

Tony, Phil and Cel and myself was the buddy group. This was a checkout dive for the new camera housing and the Canon 500D, all the time I was thinking I hope it doesn't flood. To help with my buoyancy problems my wing was leaking air so I had to use my drysuit instead of the wing which was fun considering I had a twin 12's.

Tony took the lead and started to guide us all over the lake we visited a few platforms and then off to some boat wrecks, back to the VW Camper van. Then through the trenches to large boat wreck and onto the dragon boat.
The visability was not at it's best however with Tony guiding us round the lake we was heading in the right direction.



As we had been in for some time Cel was getting low on air, it was getting time for us to call the dive.

Cel and myself managed 52 minutes , while Phil and Tony swam round to the other exit point in the car park.

We all regrouped at the cafe and food and drinks was ordered, as we all got talking Cel turned his attention to my twinsets and after a few minutes I said that he could try mine if he wanted to. After a few minor modifications the 4Kg V-weight was removed and we kitted him up and off Tony and Cel went for him twinset try dives.


Yet another great day diving with some friends of DIve Buddy UK, if you fancy coming along on any dives, please just come along the more the merrier.

The road ahead

As my journey to become a PADi Scuba Instructor the time is fast arriving for me to complete my EFR Instructor course.

I can remember falling asleep to the EFR dvd over a year ago, so it's going to be an early night on the thursday and then some large vodka's when I've completed it.

Completion I'll have to pay them £80 for a shinny new EFR Instructor card.

PADi Oxygen Provider Certification

I recently spent a enjoyable sunday morning down at Blue Ocean Diving in Maidstone and completed my PADi Oxygen Provider Certification.

This is the perfect addition to the EFR and the PADi Rescue diver courses.

Eastbourne Airshow

After the Alunia dive we headed back into bay at Eastbourne to watch the Airshow as we had plans to dive the Oceana later that afternoon.

This was a great way to let the time go by while waiting for the next dive
All to soon we headed back out to sea for the second dive of the day the Oceana, unfortunately I didn't have enough gas for this dive so I sat it out along with George.