From “wreck” to Tech
It was almost exactly 12 months ago when I sat in on a GUE fundamentals class and then got in the water with Clare. The dive was awful, frankly I was embarrassed at my lack of “ease” in the water, Clare was effortless and I was a shambles.
Over the following months, I got to dive with some experienced divers who seemed to be more than willing to take a Muppet like me diving. I did my GUE-F course with Clare in April and continued with my “diver education” over the next few months. Some skills were a struggle and I still hadn’t cracked the valve drill with any degree of slickness.
Around July/August I decided to bite the bullet and buy a new dry suit, which Clare arranged for me, I went for the fitting and she ticked all the options boxes. When the suit arrived I felt much better about myself, surprising what a new bit of kit will do. So I had a couple of dives in it before my holiday, some time ago I had offered to be Clare’s surface support on a forthcoming GUE-F course at Capernwray Quarry in Lancashire, we had made a tentative arrangement to do my upgrade dive at the end of the course, subject to time.
I didn’t have much time to practice in the new suit, so last week I picked up a diving day with Mark Emery at Stoney, he hadn’t been in the water for a while and when I volunteered to buddy him he accepted. The dives went quite well, the first not so good but for me they got better. So I was quite happy that I would be able to give it my best shot if the opportunity for a dive arose.
I headed up to Capernwray on Friday, arriving just as the guys were all finishing lunch, so they were soon off for their first dive of the day having spent the morning doing the kit set up. After their dives we headed back to Capernwray House where they were staying for another lecture and video de-brief, then headed off to the accommodation which had originally been booked for another candidate who couldn’t attend and I got his room, we also had a nice dinner there, although it was probably a bit late in the day for me to be eating and I didn’t do justice to my shoulder of lamb.
I met up with the guys again on Saturday morning at Cap. House and they were doing valve drills and S-drills in the car park, as my kit was set up, Rob used mine as their sets were at Capernwray being filled. After their first dive, I was ready to go and had a short dive with Garf, we descended and ran through valve drills and S-drills and a rather nice ascent – if I may say so myself. After their second dive if was back again to the B&B for another lecture and de-brief, then out again and as the food had been good the night before we headed back to the Kings Arms at Burton in Kendal for more food.
I woke up on Sunday morning feeling rather delicate, was I nervous about my potential dive – I don’t know, but I really wasn’t feeling 100%. Rob and Marty worked through their exam and then went in for their dive; this dive is for practicing something you need to have another go at. Clare’s suit had been leaking throughout the weekend and she looked really cold when she finished the dive, so a combination of this and me not feeling very well, I asked if we could leave my dive for maybe next week at Guildy. Clare agreed and we would see how we both felt after their dive.
Clare had asked me to play “3rd man” as there were only 2 of them on the course; I hoped I wouldn’t let them down, as it was their course. Clare said it would be fine. We got kitted up and entered the water from the beach area, Marty was number 1 and ran through the GUEedge and Rob was number 2, they had put me at number 3, which was where Clare had thought they would put me, this was because I would probably end up being snaffled during the dive to make sure they were watching the lights. We descended and ran through valve drills, I was quite pleased with mine which made a nice start, we then ran S-drills round the team and then started the “dive”, I was immediately stopped round the platform and within a few fin strokes Rob signalled Marty and they both turned to see me hiding being the platform legs, OK probably not hiding that well. A few failures later, I won’t go into too much detail, as it wasn’t my course or dive; I’ll leave the guys to post a report.
At the end of the dive, Rob and Marty were gas sharing so that leaves me to put the smb up, which goes quite nicely, just as I have finished putting it up but before I have chance to clip off a double ender, I see Garf coming at me OOG, so I donate to him and we ascend – sorry Garf it could have been a bit slower, I had developed cramp at the bottom and was trying to cope with it even before the bag went up, so I wasn’t having the best of times – lesson learnt eat more than a chocolate brownie even if you aren’t feeling well.
On the surface I am gathering myself when Clare comes over and tells me I have just upgrading my Rec pass, I don’t quite understand at the time as I didn’t even know it was happening. I don’t have time to feel pleased with myself as I am immediately told to “get back down and help the boys get theirs”.
Back on the surface I am told my smb was text book, I guess watching Clare’s video at least a hundred times must have helped then. Please don’t knock me for feeling more than a little pleased with myself - it has been tough 2 years 