A day in the life!

[mjatkins]

well, it is a done deal. My open water students came back this morning and we worked at it for several hours and several tanks. We were still struggling with the BCD removal and replacement for the gentleman, despite my best efforts to teach him my various methods. Finally we found a way that was brand new to me, but met the standards, and was easy and repeatable for him. Yay!!! We finished up our dive flexible skills and went out on the boat this afternoon for open water dives 3 and 4. It went well enough to comfortably certify them as open water divers.

I am uplifted in my belief that good training just requires patience, perseverance, and however much time it takes. I am also thankful to my students for being so tenacious. Because of them I learned some things in the last two days, and am a better instructor for having worked with them.

 

[boscobc]

Mathew, keep up the good work and the blog. Both are refreshing to see.

 

[DELMIKE]

Finally got my new laptop after other died was able to sit down and rear entire blog. I love the insight you have given us. Keep up the blog,great job and thank you.

 

[rje634]

Marg,
I'm not familiar with the course. It's obviously a "distinctive specialty" designed by a local instructor. What's the outline look like? Do you know who wrote it?

The Lionfish Hunter course was created by an instructor (and a good friend) that I work with. If you want any info he is on this board, he user name is Hondaid. PM him if your interested in any information.
He was in Coz a week and a half ago teaching a course and meeting with the marine park officials to discuss the lionfish issue.

 

[mjatkins]

The Lionfish Hunter course was created by an instructor (and a good friend) that I work with. If you want any info he is on this board, he user name is Hondaid. PM him if your interested in any information.
He was in Coz a week and a half ago teaching a course and meeting with the marine park officials to discuss the lionfish issue.

Thanks for the information. Hopefully people will take a look at this course, and deal with the lion fish issue in a way that is safer than some of the alternatives we have seen so far.

 

[mjatkins]

It's been a busy few days. Yesterday I was all set to sleep in, only had a nitrox course to teach late in the day, and help a divemaster candidate work on his demonstration quality skills in the afternoon. At about 7:30 my phone rang needing a DM for an 8 am boat. OK, no worries, I was there and we had a couple of great dives. As I arrived back at the dock around 12:30, it turned out they needed me to do a 1 pm boat also. OK, rescheduled my students a bit and off we went. Again, a couple of nice dives. Then hurried back to the shop to teach the Nitrox course.

This morning i took out a trip at 8 again. Tunich and Villa Blanca walls were great. Lots of turtles, a huge moray, some squid, etc.... Back at the shop in time to work on those demonstration quality skills with my DM candidate, then head out with a couple of night diver specialty students. I think they found it challenging, which is good. I am glad that this course will help them grow as divers.

Tomorrow (touch wood) I will get that chance to sleep in, then head in for a bit of night diver knowledge reviews, teach another nitrox course, then some more demo quality skills, and cap it off with 2 night dives to finish the night diver specialty course. Woohoo!!!!!

 

[jeancmo]

Thanks! for taking the time to blog your days with us! We really appreciate it! Hope to meet you when we come down next- hopefully in the fall sometime. Mike and Jean in MO

 

[mjatkins]

Yesterday I had the day off!!!! Woohoo!!! I had to get up early and run into the shop for an hour first thing, but then came home and slept on the couch for 3 hours. Aahhh!!! You would think that after that I would be up all night, but no. Back in bed asleep before 10 pm.

This morning I was to take a boat of fun divers, but the port was closed. It reopened at around 10 am, but by then my boat trip was not going to happen. As luck would have it, some folks walked in to use the bathroom, and before you know it, we were doing a discover scuba experience. The woman had some anxiety, but worked through it and ended up thrilled with the experience. She will go home and sign up for an open water course, I'm sure.

All in all a great afternoon. Wonder what tomorrow will bring.

 

[MMM]

All in all a great afternoon. Wonder what tomorrow will bring.

Good weather I hope. I'm booked to dive and then in the evening working as a hostess/greeter at the Crux Roja fundraiser at the Park Royale.

 

[DiverG]

Good weather I hope. I'm booked to dive and then in the evening working as a hostess/greeter at the Crux Roja fundraiser at the Park Royale.

That sounds like fun. Are there opportunities to help out local charities throughout the year. Maybe on my next trip(whenever that is) I could spend an afternoon or evening helping out.