Diving is Life..... everything else is just waiting
That is a quote from one of Steve's shirt's, and it definitely proved true yesterday. I was all set and packed for my last dive for the Advance Open water course Saturday morning until I received the always dreaded call from my instructor letting me know that the dive boat canceled on us due to weather. The wind had picked up to between 20-25 knots creating 4-6 foot waves and there was a small craft advisory out. So no diving yesterday and that's what happens with diving. It was a beautiful sunny day, but windy. And NO diving.
Today we were able to go ahead with our schedule rescue dive because it was in a fresh water lake (my first fresh dive!). My two dive buddies were different than the two from the previous dives; Sam and ....Greg also know by us as "Mr. Connecticut" (not a loving nickname). There's a lot of stories I have about Mr. Connecticut, that i have already rant about a few times, so Ill try and summarize. He is an unprepared, inexperience, idiot of a diver that I pray will never be set off to rescue me. During the navigation section of the dive we were asked to swim in an "expanding square" using our compass for navigation. So naturally, we are suppose to swim to 0degrees (north), 90degrees (east), 180degrees (south), and 270degrees (west). Mr. Connecticut didnt full grasp this and after a series of left,right and who-knows-what turns, and ending with him in the middle of the lake (probably upside down), we all resurface. Our instructor explained the concept again, asking Mr. Connecticut to do it above water using the compass. When he is told to face 180degrees he swivels in a circle.... the instructor repeats go 180. And of course he continues swiveling in circles saying I am! I am!...So to sum up, hes not the sharpest above or below water.
Other then the few hiccups from my dive buddies, I really enjoyed this morning! I felt I improved a lot from the pool session to open water. My instructor even commented I did a perfect ascend (with the "victim") and a nearly perfect rescue. I messed up one itty bitty thing... When I am suppose to "look listen and feel" for breathing I turned by head towards the top of the head rather then his chest (which I am suppose to observe for breathing).
So what was completed today was:
Search and Recovery (preformed two search patterns)
Individual rescue (remember: prefectttto!)
Team rescue (the same as the individual except you split up task between you and a partner; ascend with victim, rescue breaths, equipment removal, bringing to shore, strap lift once on shore, oxygen, and CPR)
And all went great! So technically I have completed my Rescue Diver Certification, but not officially until I complete the dives I missed yesterday (even though they are part of my Advance course) because I am not suppose to be taking part in a rescue certification until i have fully completed the advance course. The dives have been rescheduled for this Tuesday so everyone cross your fingers it works out and these winds die down before then!
Little story, during one of the individual rescues today Mr. Connecticut dropped a pair of Sam's goggles. Lucky for him we just did search and recovery patterns and I was all over it! So he explains where he thinks he drops them. He, as usual, is taking forever to descend so i start with out him. Im half way to the bottom, and I was thinking to my self:
Somethings weird... somethings off.... but what? Oh shit! My regulator!
I realized I completely forgot to put it in. So we found out a few things: I dont panic, I apparently dont breath alot, I'm kinda slow and we have to decide: am I a fish? ... or the next Miss Connecticut? Kinda scary to think!
That's all for now! I have high hopes for Tuesday!
Your a fish Remember crying when we (your parents) signed you up for competitive swimming - the deal (which you reluctantly accepted) was you would go to practice but not the competition. That summer at the cottage you were able to beat everyone to the middle of the lake and back.
What great parents you have!!!
Popa
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Your a fish
Remember crying when we (your parents) signed you up for competitive swimming - the deal (which you reluctantly accepted) was you would go to practice but not the competition. That summer at the cottage you were able to beat everyone to the middle of the lake and back. What great parents you have!!!