Solo Diver Cert for Me

It was time, not that I am ever lacking for a dive buddy to go diving with. I figured it would be good information and education to add to my skill set.  A group of divers took the course in 2016 from Len our resident SDI/TDI instructor I had found out about it after they had finished their training. 

I asked Len if he was going to hold a course this year, he said: " if you are asking, I am holding it."   Later I was telling Lee that I was taking the Solo course and mention that he wanted to do it too. He too had missed the course last year. 

We both signed up for the online course. SDI/TDI had a very good online educational system. Completed the coursework and met Len at the quarry to do our classroom and in water exercises. In short order the classroom work was done, we were in the water being put through our paces both on the surface and underwater.  Once we were done Len waved bye-bye, Lee and I swam away on our own paths to explore the lake as solo divers.

I was diving with my 72 cu.ft. sling that I use for tech diving it was way too bulky.  Lee had borrowed Tige's 40 cu.ft. pony bottle for his dives.  We did two dives to complete the cert.  Lee was heading out I asked to borrow Tige's pony bottle for my next dive.

 What a difference.  It tucked in on my left side and felt the way it should;  like it belonged there.   Add a 40 to my list of gear I have to purchase. I completed three dives for the day.

 Solo Diving is fun to do but when you are used to having a dive buddy it is a little weird, there is nobody to talk to about your experience. 

My goal as a Solo Diver is to complete a series of dives then get my Solo/Independent Diver Instructor Cert to add to my skill set and offerings.

Now, what color do I want that 40 cu. ft. pony bottle in...

PADI Rescue Class and EFR this weekend

What a GREAT weekend! PADI Rescue and Emergency First Responder (EFR) courses. Those participating in the course ranged from the reasonably new diver to the former military diver starting work on his civilian certs.

Friday afternoon covered Primary and Secondary care (First Aid). Most everybody had some past training it made the flying gauze and bandages easy to work through.

Saturday morning we hit the pool. Worked on self rescue and tows.  Learned something new about myself today. I found when acting as a victim needing rescue and you dive down and grab one of my ankles as your rescue option, you stand a better than even chance of being punched when you surface. Not much in water bothers me, the got right next to me, fast.  Also learned Tige can move really quick in the water when he wants to.  It's all good. We worked out other options.  The students did excellent. One of the best Rescue pool classes I have done.

Saturday afternoon we work played with Resuscitation Annie and her unnamed friend practicing scene assessment and CPR.  During the EFR course we discuss how it can be used in diving, the course is a ILCOR recognized First Aid and CPR class. This training could be put to use whenever the need arises.

Sunday was a great day. The weather was wonderful and it is late enough in the year Millbrook is about as warm as it is going to get.  We went out over  the sandy bottom near  the row boat off of beach 1 and work on our skills, loosing, finding, and ascending with divers. Worked stripping gear off of "victims" as we swam them to shore.  Hid the VA Scuba lost diver dummy. Tige and I waited a while for the student to find him. The student started in either the wrong direction or  turned around and figured out where the dummy  was lost at.

If you are an Advanced Open Water Diver looking for a new fun and rewarding diving challenge consider both the EFR and Rescue course, contact me and we can add it to the schedule. Or if would like to become trained as a Emergency First Responder (EFR) or need to renew your certification, it only last for two years, let me know this is a stand alone course.

Boy Scouts Release a Scuba Merit Badge

From article posted on divewire.com

Written by Scouting Magazine

Tuesday, 17 November 2009 16:29

(Scouting Magazine.org) - Looking for the perfect stocking stuffer for your water-loving Boy Scout? Here's one: the Scuba Diving merit badge pamphlet, hot off the presses. The merit badge, the first new one in three years, will officially be released on Dec. 1 when it will be available in Scout Shops and online at scoutstuff.org. It's the result of a newly announced partnership between the BSA and PADI, the Professional Association of Diving Instructors. Officials at the BSA determined that 84 percent of Scouts were interested in the merit badge, and so it was fast-tracked for adoption. It's one of five merit badges being released in the next 12 months. The other four are Inventing (first quarter 2010), Geocaching (second quarter 2010), Scouting Heritage (second quarter 2010), and Robotics (fourth quarter 2010). But Scuba will arrive first, and so the BSA has established some key facts that Scouters should know about the merit badge: Completing the Scuba Diving merit badge will result in the boy achieving an open-water certification, enabling him to dive around the world with the appropriate supervision, based on his age. There are two important roles for this merit badge: the merit badge counselor and a certified dive instructor. Sometimes this may be the same person, but more likely, the counselor will be an existing BSA adult member. The instructor will be one certified by one of a number of instructional agencies, but he or she does not have to be a BSA member. Earning the Scuba Diving merit badge is open to all Boy Scout-age youth. There are, however, limitations based on age with respect to how deep and with whom a boy can dive. These limitations vary by certifying organization. Completion of the Swimming merit badge is a requirement of the merit badge and must be completed prior to entering into scuba training portion of the requirements. Boys with a current open water certification will not have to recertify in order to earn the merit badge. They will, however, have to have completed the Swimming merit badge, present their certification to the merit badge counselor and complete all the other requirements. There are three important pieces of information which must be fully reviewed by the merit badge counselor prior to approving any Scout for the merit badge: the merit badge requirements, the notes to counselor and the scuba policy of the Guide to Safe Scouting. For more details, visit www.ScoutingMagazine.org