The holiday is finally here, we are off tomorrow and because of the National Parks issues in August I never thought we would get here. I started packing last weekend and I must have packed my bag at least 6 times since then, good job I have nothing better to do.
I had always thought a 20kg limit plus a 20kg sports package would be ample until I started packing – what the heck I have packed, the initial packed bag sees the dive kit coming in at 29kg – it was never like this in the buddy commando days. My first overseas trip was 10 years ago and everything had to be packed in to 20kg so why have things changed so much.
I have had back plate in the dive bag, in the clothes bag and even in my hand luggage, which now weighs an absolute tonne so it’s back in the clothes bag. So we have checked in online – well almost as there was a problem and I can’t now check in for the main flight, I am sure it will be fine at the airport.
September 27th, 2007
Posted by
Fiona |
Holidays |
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Last week my new DUI TLS350 dry suit arrived and I was keen to try it in the water along with my new Scubapro regs just to make sure everything was OK. I arranged to dive with James from DIRx and then I got a phone call to say that I could dive with Rachel while the candidates on Clare and John’s fundamentals course were doing land drills.
Clare had a quick look at the suit once it was on and said it looked fine, so I got kitted and headed for the water with Rachel, we headed off to the platforms and did a valve drill. I think Rachel then asked which way to the other platform but I misunderstood and we headed off back to the entry point, just before the exit we went through another valve drill, sorry Rachel I should learn to keep still.
Back on the surface Clare asked if I would do a bit of surface support for them and then when they had finished their dive I could jump in and she would have time to do a short dive with me, sounded like a good trade to me so headed off to the far end kitted and armed with camera and log sheets. As soon as the guys surfaced I kitted up and even had enough room in the suit to crouch down and put my fins on, something, which would not have been possible in the old suit. For some reason on the surface I had a bit of trouble leaving the surface, I always feel like a small puppy when I dive with Clare.
We descended to the platform and I was asked to do a valve drill and that successfully completed I did the S drill and a bit of buoyancy practice, I am still moving a bit put apparently not as bad as I thought I was, I have a habit of reaching out for my “safety blanket” which needs work to correct. Clare then asked if I wanted to put up a delayed smb which I have found to be my best skill, I made doubly sure I checked above me before deploying, although thinking back I don’t know why I unfurled the smb before attaching it to the spool, just another one of those nervous moments I guess. Anyway I was feeling quite pleased with myself when Clare threw me an out of gas drill, I don’t think my brain works correctly because when I got to donate with the right hand I am not bringing up the secondary reg with the left but waiting for the right to be free – odd I know but I have always been very right handed. We do an ascent while sharing, which should have been slower, but we get there with an attempt at back kick on the way – that’s me not Clare.
Back on the surface we have a chat and Clare tells me I just need a little more confidence in myself and we plan a date for my fundamentals re-evaluation dive, the date is a course scheduled for the end of October at Capernwray. I will struggle to get some more “proper” diving in before then but have a whole 10 days of holiday single tank dives to practice the back kick.
I don’t know if I will pass – but I am going to give it a damn good go, the important thing is diving is starting to be fun again.:)
September 12th, 2007
Posted by
Fiona |
Diving |
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