Scuba Diving Training, Trips, News and Blog
Open Water Divers Bond
I have just finished teaching a PADI Open Water dive course – and it has been one of the most fun (if not absolutely the most fun) that I have had since I have been teaching.
Alan, John and Nickie all got on really well right from the very beginning.
And then when Nickie’s husband Pete (a certified Rescue Diver) joined us for the pool session on the Thursday night, a team was created.
The first pool session was a cracker.
I tweeted at the time that it was basically the BEST pool session ever.
Quite relaxing, lots of laughs, we trucked through all of the skills that we needed to and also headed into the depths of the Olympic Pool for some swimming around and buoyancy practice.
After the pool session (and the rinsing and hanging up of gear) the tradition of a beer or two at Swashbucklers began.
Week Two and things were a little bit tougher.
Nickie got a bit too hot. Waiting on the side of the pool with all of her gear on was a bit more strenuous so we got into improvisation mode. Looking at different ways of entering and gearing up however when we headed down to the deeper end of the pool and completed our descent, she was not comfortable on the bottom and wanted to surface. After ensuring she was okay, I worked with the guys.
We still headed off to Swashbucklers for a beer post pool – where the guys convinced her to come back next week and to carry on.
And to have 2 students completing Confined Water 4/5 and one student completing Confined Water 2/3 when you have a great Divemaster, well its just not an issue.
So she agreed to jump back in the pool again next week and to carry on.
Week Three and we had a great plan on how to best maximise our time.
Bronson – our Divemaster – was working with John and Alan on No-Mask Breathing while I got Nickie caught up on fin pivots. But the plan didnt quite go so well. Long story short, Nickie wasnt comfortable so she surfaced and worked on sitting in the water, balance and breathing through her snorkel with no mask on.
John and Alan and I finished their confined water skills and we all headed back to the shop together.
Not once did anyone make anyone else feel bad for the skills that they had trouble with.
Divers ready for Open Water Dive One
There was no doubt that Nickie (and her husband Pete) wouldn’t be there on the weekend that John and Alan (joined by Melissa and Jono) completed their Open Water dives).
Saturday morning dawned a beautiful morning.
We packed up the cars – along with a couple more certified divers – and headed up to Matheson Bay.
We had a Scuba Saturday day out on the beach. With bread rolls and quiches and yummies from the Matakana Bakery.
Nickie took a whole lot of photos and snorkeled above the guys while they were completing their skills.
Pete and Nickie on the BBQ
This morning we were off to the lake.
Once we had completed our two dives – with no problems at all – I texted Nickie to say we were heading back to the shop and her and Pete met us there …….. with Garlic Prawns! and Steak! and cheesy rolls. Oooooooh yea!
This course is quite possibly the most fun I have ever had teaching.
And it was all down to the divers.
From here, Alan is off back to the U.K, John will be diving on the Great Barrier Reef – and Nickie and I will be completing her Open Water dives at Easter.
WILL BE.
Thats right. We are going to nail this and we know that both the guys will be supporting her from where ever they are.
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