Monday, August 31, 2009
OWSI
Hello all. I am now an Open Water Scuba Instructor! It was a long two
weeks of studying and presentations. Lots of info ! It was like a
college class squeezed into two weeks! The actual exam was the
scariest. Those two weeks would be judged in two days.
The first day would be the orientation and then six exams. Physics,
RDP ( Recreational Dive Planer), Skills and Environment, Physiology,
Equipment, and finally PADI Standards. It took about 3 hours to
complete all the exams. As far as I was concerned the hard part was
over.
Day two would be presentations and in water teaching scenarios.
Although this is the fun part it is still a little nerve racking
having the Examinar floating behind you assining error that will
simulate real life common errors. A strange focus came over me as I
watch for errors. But it's done! All I can do now is wait for my
Instructor Number and then I can start certifying divers!
I plan to get at least 5 instructor specialties done in the next few
weeks. With these I have more opportunity to certify divers and get 25
certifications which will then make me a Master Scuba Diver Trainer.
Life is good here in Roatan.
Largly unaffected by the political problems on the mainland. Life goes
on here. There is a significant drop in tourism which is hurting the
dive industry but the hope is after the November elections stability
will return and people will be more confident in traveling to this
region again.
For now it's time to dive!
Miss u all! Love u all!
weeks of studying and presentations. Lots of info ! It was like a
college class squeezed into two weeks! The actual exam was the
scariest. Those two weeks would be judged in two days.
The first day would be the orientation and then six exams. Physics,
RDP ( Recreational Dive Planer), Skills and Environment, Physiology,
Equipment, and finally PADI Standards. It took about 3 hours to
complete all the exams. As far as I was concerned the hard part was
over.
Day two would be presentations and in water teaching scenarios.
Although this is the fun part it is still a little nerve racking
having the Examinar floating behind you assining error that will
simulate real life common errors. A strange focus came over me as I
watch for errors. But it's done! All I can do now is wait for my
Instructor Number and then I can start certifying divers!
I plan to get at least 5 instructor specialties done in the next few
weeks. With these I have more opportunity to certify divers and get 25
certifications which will then make me a Master Scuba Diver Trainer.
Life is good here in Roatan.
Largly unaffected by the political problems on the mainland. Life goes
on here. There is a significant drop in tourism which is hurting the
dive industry but the hope is after the November elections stability
will return and people will be more confident in traveling to this
region again.
For now it's time to dive!
Miss u all! Love u all!
Friday, August 7, 2009
Utila So Good
Another great sail to Utila from Roatàn. The Winds filled the sail And
the wave rolled under the hull. Captian Vierne recorded our speed a
little over 7 knots. Huge waves slid forward underneath us and we
seemed to gain speed as it's backside pulled out from below. They
seemed mountianous compaired to the battered catamaran we floated on.
It looked as though the situation could turn nightmarish in one miss
step. We sailed on towards Utila feeling like babies being rocked
gently in their mothers arms.
Still dizzy from the night before the boat put us all to rest. Only
two hours into the sail and Utila was already growing from the size of
a match box to the sillouette of the hill that it is. It grew for
another two hours until we finnaly rounded the point at the West Side
of Utila.
Indecicive of what we were really doing we went with Viernes
suggestion on where to stay. Margarita Ville it is. This would let us
explore the island the next day and talk to a few people about where
and who to dive with. I have stayed with Alton's the last two visits
and really like the accomodations right on the water. You just can't
beat laying in bed being able to see the sea. Even if your sharing the
room with three other people.
We were all deciding on a place together. And we had a night and a day
to figure it out. The night insued into a chilled out sipping contest
until we decided to call it a night. On the long stroll back to our
accomodations we ran into Monty. He rounded us up with a couple smacks
to the face and twist of an arm and we were back on the hunt for a
crazy time. We found it a Cross Creek...
the wave rolled under the hull. Captian Vierne recorded our speed a
little over 7 knots. Huge waves slid forward underneath us and we
seemed to gain speed as it's backside pulled out from below. They
seemed mountianous compaired to the battered catamaran we floated on.
It looked as though the situation could turn nightmarish in one miss
step. We sailed on towards Utila feeling like babies being rocked
gently in their mothers arms.
Still dizzy from the night before the boat put us all to rest. Only
two hours into the sail and Utila was already growing from the size of
a match box to the sillouette of the hill that it is. It grew for
another two hours until we finnaly rounded the point at the West Side
of Utila.
Indecicive of what we were really doing we went with Viernes
suggestion on where to stay. Margarita Ville it is. This would let us
explore the island the next day and talk to a few people about where
and who to dive with. I have stayed with Alton's the last two visits
and really like the accomodations right on the water. You just can't
beat laying in bed being able to see the sea. Even if your sharing the
room with three other people.
We were all deciding on a place together. And we had a night and a day
to figure it out. The night insued into a chilled out sipping contest
until we decided to call it a night. On the long stroll back to our
accomodations we ran into Monty. He rounded us up with a couple smacks
to the face and twist of an arm and we were back on the hunt for a
crazy time. We found it a Cross Creek...
It's Been a While
Hello all! I think its been a few months now. Sorry about the delay I
hope the photos have been interesting. After all this time I am finaly
a Divemaster. It was a fun and educational journey. The Stamina test
was especially memorable and extremly challenging. It consists of a
800 yard swim with fins but no arms , 12 min of tread and the last
two minutes your arms are out of the water, then a 400 yard swim with
nothing, and then a 100 yard tired diver tow. All in a row! No
breathers! Needless to say I though I was a goner. I did get a 18 out
of 20 which I'm pretty satisfied with. Then later that day we had a
surprise rescue senario pulled on us.
Over the radio I heard the crackle of PJ the shop boss yell,
"Emergency in the Bay, looks like two people in distress to the left
of the channel! This is not a drill!"
Boom training kicked in and we all jumped to action. First on scene
was Bob, Kristen and I. Your suposed to pace your self to have enough
energy to preform the rescue but after a 400 yard swim I was beat. We
still had to get them to shore. But at least now we had them and they
were our shop instructors Matt and Rags and fine. But the drill
continued to shore. I started the rescue breaths and was going to
continue them until I drowned but the team came together and Bishoff
came in to support so we switched off he gave breaths while I caught
my breath and we went back and forth while Juan another DMT
(Divemaster Trainee) pushed the unconsious diver. We got close enough
to shore where Lauren was waiting in the water and took over the
rescue breaths as we all helped bring them to shore. We did it! The
victims were now pacients and the drill was cut. Happy in the success
of well preformed drill I was totaly spent from the stamina test to
this drill I'm lucky to not have passed out!
hope the photos have been interesting. After all this time I am finaly
a Divemaster. It was a fun and educational journey. The Stamina test
was especially memorable and extremly challenging. It consists of a
800 yard swim with fins but no arms , 12 min of tread and the last
two minutes your arms are out of the water, then a 400 yard swim with
nothing, and then a 100 yard tired diver tow. All in a row! No
breathers! Needless to say I though I was a goner. I did get a 18 out
of 20 which I'm pretty satisfied with. Then later that day we had a
surprise rescue senario pulled on us.
Over the radio I heard the crackle of PJ the shop boss yell,
"Emergency in the Bay, looks like two people in distress to the left
of the channel! This is not a drill!"
Boom training kicked in and we all jumped to action. First on scene
was Bob, Kristen and I. Your suposed to pace your self to have enough
energy to preform the rescue but after a 400 yard swim I was beat. We
still had to get them to shore. But at least now we had them and they
were our shop instructors Matt and Rags and fine. But the drill
continued to shore. I started the rescue breaths and was going to
continue them until I drowned but the team came together and Bishoff
came in to support so we switched off he gave breaths while I caught
my breath and we went back and forth while Juan another DMT
(Divemaster Trainee) pushed the unconsious diver. We got close enough
to shore where Lauren was waiting in the water and took over the
rescue breaths as we all helped bring them to shore. We did it! The
victims were now pacients and the drill was cut. Happy in the success
of well preformed drill I was totaly spent from the stamina test to
this drill I'm lucky to not have passed out!
Thursday, August 6, 2009
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