DIR-F from Aug 2005

Divingniknaks · November 23rd, 2005, 04:58 PM

Here's mine, Jonathan and Neils from August this year.

Friday night 19th August 2005.

Met up at Capernwray with Neilh, Tonytheteal who were to be the Team along with me for the weekend, and of course the famous Richard Walker our Instructor for the course.

Intro to GUE and DIR-F, lectures and videos, now the guys on the videos are COOL, nuff said. This is where the twitching starts, it's a big curve from where I am to there

Day 2 Dive 1

Brief from Rich, nice simple intro dive.

It's amazing what happens when a "team" of 3 gets in the water with what could at best be described as a "half-assed" plan. In reality it became obvious PDQ there was no Plan.

Eventually we get through the S drills and valve drills.

Bouyancy skills not too bad, my trim needs some work that's for sure.

The video is best consigned to Beadles About I think

He's a patient man that Rich.

Debrief and get prepped for Dive 2.

Dive 2
Right then, it might be better if we have a Plan. So we at least organise who is 1,2,3 and agree we'll do the skills in this sequence at all times.

Swim out down the road to the square which is now our little world.

We go out 3 abreast and it's starting to feel good, this is a bit more how it should look.

Get on station kind of and start the drills, now this is better. Still scrappy don't get me wrong, but at least now we are starting to try and think like a team and work together.

Interesting to realise that I can't walk and chew gum at the same time any more. Start to focus on the doubles shutdown, knees drop, trims gone, bouyancy not too bad but the team are playing "chase me" round the square. Tunnel vision when tasked is almost automatic, what's happening to my team? Are they OK ? How the hell would I know, I'm not looking.

Not that easy this after all

Remembering And's comment "It's hard that DIR-F".

Propulsion techniques, demonstrated by Rich. Jeez how the hell do you do that 3 inches off the bottom and not disturb anything. Well in my case it might have something to do with the fact that I seem to have 2Kg weights instead of knee caps.

More feedback. More class work and adjourn to the hostelry for dinner. Steak and Kidney pudding makes marvelous comfort food

Toddle off to bed with thoughts of tomorrow.

Day 2

Woke up and for some strange reason realised I was laid in bed with my back arched and my bum clenched. Strange effect these GUE instructors have on you

The swim test which was going to be in Capernwray last night has now been moved to indoors thank god.

Dive 3

More of the same with some extra stuff thrown in. It's starting to ramp up a bit now.

Down the road in formation again, for some reason decide to round the back of the platform

But joy, we all realise it's tight in here and switch to the appropriate kick almost without thinking, just proves some of this stuff must be sinking in somewhere then

Into our little square world and more S drills and Valve drills followed by a Basic 5. I have trouble clearing after the remove replace, but eventually get it sorted (kind of).

Ascent descent, well it's not as easy as Rich makes it looks thats for sure. Nuff said.

Drop down and let's bag off, at this point the tunnels come in again. So focused on not going up with the bag, that the whole team thing has gone to ratshit basically. Somehow we all manage to get bags up and off for the debrief.

Now Mr Walkers patience is running a bit thin we discover

At this point we get a wake up call as to just where we are and where we need to be on Dive 4.

The team decides that at this point a "proper" plan is no bad thing. So we start to assign roles responsibilities, work out where we are going to S drills, valve drills etc.

Kit up, off we go. First platform down the road. S-drills all done nice and neat and tidy 5 mins in. Job done off to the next platform, Jon does his single tank shutdown spot on. My turn.

Right post off, breathe it down, switch to backup, right post on. Good. Isolator , good. Left post off, breathe it down, switch to Primary. OMFG no gas

Then Neil in front of me hands off his primary, 3-4 seconds later it's all under control, panic over Phew. Now sort out why I seem to have consciously turned of my gas supply. Left post back on, because I know thats one is definately off. Right post, why is this off ?

Thank the lord for video feedback, although Mr walker laughing under water when my heart rate hit 300 instantaneously and my eyes quadrupled in size was a little cruel

I guess he needs to gets some fun out of the weekend as well, and what better way than videoing a student calmly and deliberately attempt to kill themselves.

Onwards towards our little square world then, what do you mean your OOG gas Neil ? Shit have this one then. OK ? yep OK. Right Jon bag off this dives over. Not too bad except the bag is a bit stuck in the MC pack. But it gets sorted off we go.

At the top Rich says right we'll go find my reel and pull out the line, descend into formation and away we go.

What do mean I'm out of gas ? Shit. Turn to the right and why is Rich between me and MY gas? Split second decision, Do I chin him and climb over him or get the gas from my other team member ? Jon gives me the primary everythings cool, Neil bags off up we go nice and steady.

Back on the balcony for more debrief. Time to see exactly how I attempted to commit suicide, which is interesting to say the least. I'll save myself any further embarassment if you don't mind

Just to say I now know what a clusterf*ck looks like.

More lectures and then the dreaded decision.

YAY a provisional pass, some stuff to go away and work on, but that's a great result as far as I'm concerned.

Jon and Neil get the same, well done to all of us. We are a team !

Thoughts overall

The best money I have ever spent on my diving education without a doubt.

RichW is a fabulous instructor, communicator and a true DIVE GOD in the water and a jolly nice chap to boot.

Neilh and Tonytheteal are fab chaps to dive with, socialise with and were literally in my face to save me when it all went to ratshit, what more can I say guys, Thank you

It's a little strange but I've just spent a weekend with 3 other guys who I didnt know before, I come home with an aching back and a sore arse and I've enjoyed every minute of it

Hmmmmmmm, if that sounds odd , it's meant to be

If anyone has any doubts about doing Fundies forget them, just sign up and get it done. It will be everything you hoped and more.

Now where's that 40 gallon drum of Deap Heat Mandy ?

November 23rd, 2005, 04:58 PM	#1 (permalink)
Divingniknaks(Offline) Resident purveyor of shiney kit.... Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Midlands UK Posts: 1,038	DIR-F from Aug 2005 Here's mine, Jonathan and Neils from August this year. Friday night 19th August 2005. Met up at Capernwray with Neilh, Tonytheteal who were to be the Team along with me for the weekend, and of course the famous Richard Walker our Instructor for the course. Intro to GUE and DIR-F, lectures and videos, now the guys on the videos are COOL, nuff said. This is where the twitching starts, it's a big curve from where I am to there Day 2 Dive 1 Brief from Rich, nice simple intro dive. It's amazing what happens when a "team" of 3 gets in the water with what could at best be described as a "half-assed" plan. In reality it became obvious PDQ there was no Plan. Eventually we get through the S drills and valve drills. Bouyancy skills not too bad, my trim needs some work that's for sure. The video is best consigned to Beadles About I think He's a patient man that Rich. Debrief and get prepped for Dive 2. Dive 2 Right then, it might be better if we have a Plan. So we at least organise who is 1,2,3 and agree we'll do the skills in this sequence at all times. Swim out down the road to the square which is now our little world. We go out 3 abreast and it's starting to feel good, this is a bit more how it should look. Get on station kind of and start the drills, now this is better. Still scrappy don't get me wrong, but at least now we are starting to try and think like a team and work together. Interesting to realise that I can't walk and chew gum at the same time any more. Start to focus on the doubles shutdown, knees drop, trims gone, bouyancy not too bad but the team are playing "chase me" round the square. Tunnel vision when tasked is almost automatic, what's happening to my team? Are they OK ? How the hell would I know, I'm not looking. Not that easy this after all Remembering And's comment "It's hard that DIR-F". Propulsion techniques, demonstrated by Rich. Jeez how the hell do you do that 3 inches off the bottom and not disturb anything. Well in my case it might have something to do with the fact that I seem to have 2Kg weights instead of knee caps. More feedback. More class work and adjourn to the hostelry for dinner. Steak and Kidney pudding makes marvelous comfort food Toddle off to bed with thoughts of tomorrow. Day 2 Woke up and for some strange reason realised I was laid in bed with my back arched and my bum clenched. Strange effect these GUE instructors have on you The swim test which was going to be in Capernwray last night has now been moved to indoors thank god. Dive 3 More of the same with some extra stuff thrown in. It's starting to ramp up a bit now. Down the road in formation again, for some reason decide to round the back of the platform But joy, we all realise it's tight in here and switch to the appropriate kick almost without thinking, just proves some of this stuff must be sinking in somewhere then Into our little square world and more S drills and Valve drills followed by a Basic 5. I have trouble clearing after the remove replace, but eventually get it sorted (kind of). Ascent descent, well it's not as easy as Rich makes it looks thats for sure. Nuff said. Drop down and let's bag off, at this point the tunnels come in again. So focused on not going up with the bag, that the whole team thing has gone to ratshit basically. Somehow we all manage to get bags up and off for the debrief. Now Mr Walkers patience is running a bit thin we discover At this point we get a wake up call as to just where we are and where we need to be on Dive 4. The team decides that at this point a "proper" plan is no bad thing. So we start to assign roles responsibilities, work out where we are going to S drills, valve drills etc. Kit up, off we go. First platform down the road. S-drills all done nice and neat and tidy 5 mins in. Job done off to the next platform, Jon does his single tank shutdown spot on. My turn. Right post off, breathe it down, switch to backup, right post on. Good. Isolator , good. Left post off, breathe it down, switch to Primary. OMFG no gas Then Neil in front of me hands off his primary, 3-4 seconds later it's all under control, panic over Phew. Now sort out why I seem to have consciously turned of my gas supply. Left post back on, because I know thats one is definately off. Right post, why is this off ? Thank the lord for video feedback, although Mr walker laughing under water when my heart rate hit 300 instantaneously and my eyes quadrupled in size was a little cruel I guess he needs to gets some fun out of the weekend as well, and what better way than videoing a student calmly and deliberately attempt to kill themselves. Onwards towards our little square world then, what do you mean your OOG gas Neil ? Shit have this one then. OK ? yep OK. Right Jon bag off this dives over. Not too bad except the bag is a bit stuck in the MC pack. But it gets sorted off we go. At the top Rich says right we'll go find my reel and pull out the line, descend into formation and away we go. What do mean I'm out of gas ? Shit. Turn to the right and why is Rich between me and MY gas? Split second decision, Do I chin him and climb over him or get the gas from my other team member ? Jon gives me the primary everythings cool, Neil bags off up we go nice and steady. Back on the balcony for more debrief. Time to see exactly how I attempted to commit suicide, which is interesting to say the least. I'll save myself any further embarassment if you don't mind Just to say I now know what a clusterfck looks like. More lectures and then the dreaded decision. YAY a provisional pass, some stuff to go away and work on, but that's a great result as far as I'm concerned. Jon and Neil get the same, well done to all of us. We are a team ! Thoughts overall* The best money I have ever spent on my diving education without a doubt. RichW is a fabulous instructor, communicator and a true DIVE GOD in the water and a jolly nice chap to boot. Neilh and Tonytheteal are fab chaps to dive with, socialise with and were literally in my face to save me when it all went to ratshit, what more can I say guys, Thank you It's a little strange but I've just spent a weekend with 3 other guys who I didnt know before, I come home with an aching back and a sore arse and I've enjoyed every minute of it Hmmmmmmm, if that sounds odd , it's meant to be If anyone has any doubts about doing Fundies forget them, just sign up and get it done. It will be everything you hoped and more. Now where's that 40 gallon drum of Deap Heat Mandy ? __________________ Phill ----------------------------- Salvo Lights, DirZone Gear , Frog Wings Dive ? http://www.divingniknaks.com