Fundamentals Course report.

scubajay · December 14th, 2005, 10:15 PM

Jason does the DIR-F course.

I set off at 1230hrs on the Friday thinking that I would get there in about 3 or so hours. Wrong-o. Traffic jams and accidents and rush hour all conspired and I ended up arriving at 1845!!! Booked in the hotel, and got straight into lectures at 1900. Evening lectures were about GUE, philosophy of the skills etc. Beddy byes at about 2230, and big day ahead.

Day 1:

Got up and straight into the fray for kit sorting. Got the back plate adjusted to the right fit, and was as sweaty as a sweaty thing at the end of it. Got all the bolt snaps sorted with proper cave line (elastic bands begone!!) and then went through some bits and bobs like fins kicks, valve drills S-drill(sharing drills for OOG emergencies). Got onto this cool as shit boat and zoomed off at superfast knots to the dive site, an old dredger just by the sea wall. We were a team of 3, and with Rich W filming us for debriefing purpose we made 4. 1st dive was a drills practice and buoyancy/trim practice. Got the drills OK, but we were all a bit scrappy. Buoyancy etc was poo, and I ended up being so into a drill that I floated up and hit the bottom of the boat. Hot, stressed and pissed off. Dive 1 was a disaster. Lots of learning, but no fun at all.

Quick break, and a debrief and then off to do dive 2. This was much better, but I was still using my hands too much instead of feet and we ended up running short of air to complete the whole exercise. Dive cut short. More admin (and an airfill) etc, and then we went to the pool. We did a 275 metre swim (time to beat-14mins) which I did in 4m30secs!!!!! and then a 15 metre breath hold swim, which I beat....did 25metres!!! As we had time we finished the earlier skills so we practised S-drills, and backward finning. Done after this, so back to the HQ for more lectures. Wrapped up at 2230!! Time for bed. My head was hurting after brain Olympics all day. Maths lectures, gear lectures, skills lectures, dive de briefs......I hit the pillow and zonked until........

Day 2:

Straight up. breakfast and then more lectures. Gas managment. More maths, team order and signalling. Small covering of deco/gas. Triox covered........skills covered....ARGH!!!

Dive 3 (dive 100 for me!!) Onto boat, and off to the dredger again. Descend buoyancy better, but not great. Do Valve drills, and S-drills. Demonstrate basic 5: Reg remove, reg remove and swap, mask flood and clear, mask flood and remove/replace and modified S-drill (an OOG drill, but with no donation.....reg just offered to examiner, and then replaced). I did these OK, and my buoyancy and trim were much better than day before. Not great, but getting there. Still using the hands far too much to maintain position. Final task of the dive.....deploy SMB from spool. Looked easy enough in class, but Uh Oh..........disaster loomed. I couldn't do it, could not fill the bag, attach the line......completely arsed it up. Had to abandon the exercise as I was getting really stressed. Dumped the gear as I was so mad at it. Picked it up, and the trainer took it off me as it was a tangled mess (he was pissing himself!!) Gave me his SMB and spool to take up to surface as we were all going up. As I ascended I got caught in the line of another spool, and got wrapped. Couldn't free myself, so dumped air and hung upside down until freed.
Crap.
Got out of water. Well pissed off!!

Dive 4.
Scenario dive. Swam as a team, and did S-drills. Bit scrappy, but got there. Everything was a little better, but room for improvement. Got an OOG signal and dealt with it. Got another 1 and I have to deploy SMB. Got there in the end, so that was good, but still a mess. End of dive......got out, back to base and kit titting about time. Got gear stowed, had meal and got checked out of room. Final lectures and debriefed. I got a provisional pass, so I need to work on buoyancy and trim, and SMB launching so that it doesn't let my skills down (which is why I didn't get a full pass). Rich says I need maybe and hour or so of water time on the skills and a few dives in the twins just to get well enough rounded. I have 6 months to go and dive with him to get the full pass upgrade. I want to do that as I want to do the tech 1 course next....after rescue diver anyway. Next stop......long drive home and got in at about 0015hrs!!!

So.........nearly there, but GUE trained nonetheless!! Next few dives are going to see me at Gildy, with twins full to bursting at 7 metres, launching and relaunching the SMB on a spool

What didn't help me?

1) Never used a spool before. (Will practice that)
2) Got to get buoyancy and trim right (practice that as well)
3) Time in water w/ twins. (More dives required)

So. End of Jan in Vobster for me then. 15 min dive with Rich and then hopefully I get my DIR-F ticket............

*Clare Gledhill* · December 14th, 2005, 11:02 PM

Great report - good result too.

Have a beer and relax for a while now - then go diving

Shiney incoming :D

GLOC · December 14th, 2005, 11:05 PM

Good effort Jason and well done for going ahead. I know the feeling launching an SMB with reel - just ask Gledders - although I didn't tie myself up in it!

Waiting for AndyK to get back to us 4divers regarding our Fundies in March 06 but practicing in the meantime.

Gareth

MarkEm · December 15th, 2005, 06:03 PM

Well done Jason.

Probably see you next time I'm in 2Dive4

I was beginning to think you worked there.

Regards,

Mark.

Sterny · December 15th, 2005, 07:09 PM

Well done fella - it's a great course, but you really do have to earn that pass, don't you? I can *so* relate to all that stuff. And thanks for the report - very snappy!

David

scubajay · December 15th, 2005, 08:44 PM

Quote: (Originally Posted by MarkEm)

Well done Jason.

Probably see you next time I'm in 2Dive4

I was beginning to think you worked there.

Regards,

Mark.

If my court case goes tits up in the New year then I might do.

*peter_steinhoff* · December 16th, 2005, 02:29 AM

Good work and an impressive time on the swim!

Some more practise in the water and you'll soon be ready for the big dives :-)

Peter

scubajay · December 16th, 2005, 01:36 PM

Quote: (Originally Posted by peter_steinhoff)

Good work and an impressive time on the swim!

Some more practise in the water and you'll soon be ready for the big dives :-)

Peter

Thanks one and all for the good wishes.....

As for the big dives........well that's where I am aiming. I was hoping that my great time on the swim might attract attention, and then when I am qualified I would get picked for the next big adventure!! (oh yeah, then I woke up, and found that it was all a dream

)

December 14th, 2005, 10:15 PM	#1 (permalink)
scubajay(Offline) New Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Great Totham, Essex Posts: 59	Fundamentals Course report. Jason does the DIR-F course. I set off at 1230hrs on the Friday thinking that I would get there in about 3 or so hours. Wrong-o. Traffic jams and accidents and rush hour all conspired and I ended up arriving at 1845!!! Booked in the hotel, and got straight into lectures at 1900. Evening lectures were about GUE, philosophy of the skills etc. Beddy byes at about 2230, and big day ahead. Day 1: Got up and straight into the fray for kit sorting. Got the back plate adjusted to the right fit, and was as sweaty as a sweaty thing at the end of it. Got all the bolt snaps sorted with proper cave line (elastic bands begone!!) and then went through some bits and bobs like fins kicks, valve drills S-drill(sharing drills for OOG emergencies). Got onto this cool as shit boat and zoomed off at superfast knots to the dive site, an old dredger just by the sea wall. We were a team of 3, and with Rich W filming us for debriefing purpose we made 4. 1st dive was a drills practice and buoyancy/trim practice. Got the drills OK, but we were all a bit scrappy. Buoyancy etc was poo, and I ended up being so into a drill that I floated up and hit the bottom of the boat. Hot, stressed and pissed off. Dive 1 was a disaster. Lots of learning, but no fun at all. Quick break, and a debrief and then off to do dive 2. This was much better, but I was still using my hands too much instead of feet and we ended up running short of air to complete the whole exercise. Dive cut short. More admin (and an airfill) etc, and then we went to the pool. We did a 275 metre swim (time to beat-14mins) which I did in 4m30secs!!!!! and then a 15 metre breath hold swim, which I beat....did 25metres!!! As we had time we finished the earlier skills so we practised S-drills, and backward finning. Done after this, so back to the HQ for more lectures. Wrapped up at 2230!! Time for bed. My head was hurting after brain Olympics all day. Maths lectures, gear lectures, skills lectures, dive de briefs......I hit the pillow and zonked until........ Day 2: Straight up. breakfast and then more lectures. Gas managment. More maths, team order and signalling. Small covering of deco/gas. Triox covered........skills covered....ARGH!!! Dive 3 (dive 100 for me!!) Onto boat, and off to the dredger again. Descend buoyancy better, but not great. Do Valve drills, and S-drills. Demonstrate basic 5: Reg remove, reg remove and swap, mask flood and clear, mask flood and remove/replace and modified S-drill (an OOG drill, but with no donation.....reg just offered to examiner, and then replaced). I did these OK, and my buoyancy and trim were much better than day before. Not great, but getting there. Still using the hands far too much to maintain position. Final task of the dive.....deploy SMB from spool. Looked easy enough in class, but Uh Oh..........disaster loomed. I couldn't do it, could not fill the bag, attach the line......completely arsed it up. Had to abandon the exercise as I was getting really stressed. Dumped the gear as I was so mad at it. Picked it up, and the trainer took it off me as it was a tangled mess (he was pissing himself!!) Gave me his SMB and spool to take up to surface as we were all going up. As I ascended I got caught in the line of another spool, and got wrapped. Couldn't free myself, so dumped air and hung upside down until freed. Crap. Got out of water. Well pissed off!! Dive 4. Scenario dive. Swam as a team, and did S-drills. Bit scrappy, but got there. Everything was a little better, but room for improvement. Got an OOG signal and dealt with it. Got another 1 and I have to deploy SMB. Got there in the end, so that was good, but still a mess. End of dive......got out, back to base and kit titting about time. Got gear stowed, had meal and got checked out of room. Final lectures and debriefed. I got a provisional pass, so I need to work on buoyancy and trim, and SMB launching so that it doesn't let my skills down (which is why I didn't get a full pass). Rich says I need maybe and hour or so of water time on the skills and a few dives in the twins just to get well enough rounded. I have 6 months to go and dive with him to get the full pass upgrade. I want to do that as I want to do the tech 1 course next....after rescue diver anyway. Next stop......long drive home and got in at about 0015hrs!!! So.........nearly there, but GUE trained nonetheless!! Next few dives are going to see me at Gildy, with twins full to bursting at 7 metres, launching and relaunching the SMB on a spool What didn't help me? 1) Never used a spool before. (Will practice that) 2) Got to get buoyancy and trim right (practice that as well) 3) Time in water w/ twins. (More dives required) So. End of Jan in Vobster for me then. 15 min dive with Rich and then hopefully I get my DIR-F ticket............ __________________ We can't all be heroes because somebody has to sit on the curb and clap as they go by. 20,000mm Under the Sea

December 14th, 2005, 11:02 PM	#2 (permalink)
Clare Gledhill(Offline) GUE Instructor Site Admin Pacman Champion! Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: UK Posts: 1,541	Great report - good result too. Have a beer and relax for a while now - then go diving Shiney incoming :D __________________ Clare . "Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions....Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you too can become great." Interested in DIR dive training? Always happy to chat/answer questions so get in touch via PM or visit www.dirdiver.co.uk

December 15th, 2005, 08:44 PM	#6 (permalink)
scubajay(Offline) New Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Great Totham, Essex Posts: 59	Quote: (Originally Posted by MarkEm) Well done Jason. Probably see you next time I'm in 2Dive4 I was beginning to think you worked there. Regards, Mark. If my court case goes tits up in the New year then I might do. __________________ We can't all be heroes because somebody has to sit on the curb and clap as they go by. 20,000mm Under the Sea

December 16th, 2005, 01:36 PM	#8 (permalink)
scubajay(Offline) New Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Great Totham, Essex Posts: 59	Quote: (Originally Posted by peter_steinhoff) Good work and an impressive time on the swim! Some more practise in the water and you'll soon be ready for the big dives :-) Peter Thanks one and all for the good wishes..... As for the big dives........well that's where I am aiming. I was hoping that my great time on the swim might attract attention, and then when I am qualified I would get picked for the next big adventure!! (oh yeah, then I woke up, and found that it was all a dream ) __________________ We can't all be heroes because somebody has to sit on the curb and clap as they go by. 20,000mm Under the Sea

December 14th, 2005, 11:05 PM	#3 (permalink)
GLOC (Online) Moderator Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Fleet, Hants Posts: 1,964	Good effort Jason and well done for going ahead. I know the feeling launching an SMB with reel - just ask Gledders - although I didn't tie myself up in it! Waiting for AndyK to get back to us 4divers regarding our Fundies in March 06 but practicing in the meantime. Gareth

December 15th, 2005, 06:03 PM	#4 (permalink)
MarkEm(Offline) Site Sponsor Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Essex, UK Posts: 220	Well done Jason. Probably see you next time I'm in 2Dive4 I was beginning to think you worked there. Regards, Mark.

December 15th, 2005, 07:09 PM	#5 (permalink)
Sterny(Offline) New Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: The limpid tropical lagoons of Ealing, West London Posts: 550	Well done fella - it's a great course, but you really do have to earn that pass, don't you? I can so relate to all that stuff. And thanks for the report - very snappy! David

December 16th, 2005, 02:29 AM	#7 (permalink)
peter_steinhoff(Offline) Instructor candidate Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Sweden & Florida Posts: 205	Good work and an impressive time on the swim! Some more practise in the water and you'll soon be ready for the big dives :-) Peter