Maybe this ought to be another thread... I am surprised by this use of pools for advanced training.
So these ‘technical’ pool sessions. What do you wear? And what temperature is the pool?
Pools are a relatively scarce and expensive resource in the U.K. it is MUCH easier to get open water time. You use a pool for initial training where open water would be overwhelming, such as brand new divers.
I can see that if your local sites are closed it might seem like there is no choice, but it seems like a poor return on time. Maybe I will try it, I have a diver who needs to learn to use a twinset. Pool then 40m off Brighton. What could possibly go wrong?
In our pool right now the temp is in the low 70'sF. I'll bump it down on Thursday because I have two AN/DP students coming and we'll be in the water for about 3 hours in drysuits.
One of them I have dived with before, 5 years ago. I've never been in the water with his wife. So basically I only have their word on skill level.
The pool will allow me to assess their current level, make suggestions on things they need to work on before the OW dives at their local site (they are 5 hours away), introduce the new skills they will be doing and explain the level of proficiency I expect when we do get to open water. The Advanced Nitrox dives will be done first when we get to OW at one site. The DP dives will be done later in the season at a different site. The last OW AN dive or two (we'll do 5 total) will also introduce the skills I want them to work on for DP. Then our DP course will have 5 dives.
I've done 2 classes like this now and the results are so much better. They have time to digest and work on skills before the next stage.
It's easier mentally, physically, and emotionally on everyone. The AN/DP classes I crammed into one week were good, but by the last day, people were dragging. I don't offer the helitrox option. Around here it's not that easy to get and it's expensive. I have my diver cert for it. Most of the wrecks we do in Erie don't require it. A few do.
But my AN/DP class is still 10 dives and most of my students are required to do a pool skills assessment before I sign them up. While people should have their stuff together before plunking down the money, too many are in a rush and don't. I know my IT failed a CD for one agency who was trying to cross over as a tech instructor. 20 minutes into the first dive he corked on a valve drill and bottle drop and recovery.
Just because someone says they are ready, it doesn't mean they are. The pool is a great place to find out quickly if they are. If they can't do valve drill in 6 feet of water, they aren't ready to start a deco class.