Class Report: GUE Primer 5/14 - 5/15 with Bob Sherwood

[ScubaSam]

Bob did let me know I had good commuication UW. So if any of you want to have a talk UW, I am available. I am pretty much convinced that I can provide hours of entertainment for anyone that would like to practice with me

Underwater communication skills is very important so good for you!! I've provided countless hours of entertainment for my buddies and for anyone who happened to be swimming by the platform when I practice.

I still provide entertainment for my buddies. :depressed:

 

[tddfleming]

Underwater communication skills is very important so good for you!! I've provided countless hours of entertainment for my buddies and for anyone who happened to be swimming by the platform when I practice.

I still provide entertainment for my buddies. :depressed:

Thanks Sam. I am pretty much known here as the smother diver. As I like my buddies within arms length which is what Bob told us we should be. At one point, I thought I was going to spit my reg out and snot up my mask, as Bob did or said something to me UW and I almost could not control the laughing. At one point, he tried to get in body in the correct postion, and I just let him, next thing I knew I was going head over fins. He did a lot of praying hands UW. Looking back, was he praying for us to get it and stop using our hands or praying that he would survive and class would end without him need to seek mental health services?? Or could be both? It was going to take a lot more than prayer for us. My team mates were great, thanks guys. I had to horrible issue with my lower half wanting to stay on the platform and my upper half wanting to hover, but both halfs never got to together to let me know.

 

[scc135]

Thanks for the very nice report I always love to read class reports...
I wondered before what precisely the content of a Primer class was because I might schedule one with my buddy für July. Do I get this right that it is basically about gear configuration, ascent and descent procedures, frog and modified flutter kick and (last but NOT least) trim and buoyancy control?

While I am absolutely sure that this is a lot of stuff for two days and this will be a humbling experience in any case, I hoped that the basics of back kicking and some skills from the basic five (especially OOG procedures) might be covered to some extent as well. I will talk about my future instructor about that but I think I need to take fundies sooner that later

Anyway, congrats and thanks for sharing!

Yea, the whole class is based around being set up correctly for trim, and buoyancy. Without that, kicks won't mean as much, and if you can't get a good frog, you definitely can't get a good back. Now if you get trim and buoyancy and frog kicks down pat, there's no reason I can think of that your instructor wouldn't go into back kicks. The kicks covered in our class were frog, flutter, modified flutter, modified frog, helicopter turn. It really depends on how quickly you pick up them i suppose.

 

[scc135]

Thanks Sam. I am pretty much known here as the smother diver. As I like my buddies within arms length which is what Bob told us we should be. At one point, I thought I was going to spit my reg out and snot up my mask, as Bob did or said something to me UW and I almost could not control the laughing. At one point, he tried to get in body in the correct postion, and I just let him, next thing I knew I was going head over fins. He did a lot of praying hands UW. Looking back, was he praying for us to get it and stop using our hands or praying that he would survive and class would end without him need to seek mental health services?? Or could be both? It was going to take a lot more than prayer for us. My team mates were great, thanks guys. I had to horrible issue with my lower half wanting to stay on the platform and my upper half wanting to hover, but both halfs never got to together to let me know.

Yea, you and me both. I can sort of get it when I kick but otherwise... We'll get it eventually...

 

[gypsyjim]

Thanks for sharing your Primer Eugene. I started to read it right after you posted, but my boss showed up, and seemed to be expecting me to work for some reason.

Great report. Primer is only a 2 day class. You do a lot of learning in a very short time, and I think you learn a lot more than you realize at the time. Remember it only stays with you well tho, if you get back in the water and work with it. We DNY folks are very lucky to have many fellow DNY members who are ever willing to help in that. Thank you Henrick, and Sam, and Donna, and Hitch, and... so many friends it is hard to list everyone who has helped me.

Eugen, if you did not think about quitting 1/2 way threw day #1, you are not normal. I was litterally screaming into my reg with frustration several times, and I actually lay awake that night, unable to sleep, I was so frustrated. I actually got back up, and practiced kicks and positioning for a long time on the bed that night, before I was so wiped I finally fell asleep.

Day 2 did go much better. It does for most, even if you walk away at the end feeling you were a failure. You are not going to learn it all in 2 days!

You do absorbe a little bit of everything, and you start to see how to really improve the entire diving experience. You begin to see your own strengths, and areas to work on. You have begun the path of becoming a thinking diver, who will be both a safer, more efficient diver, and a better partner/buddy to dive with.

If you think going into Primer with a number of dives under your belt, is a hassle, instead of going right form OW (certainly a lot of vaue in that), try doing it after decades of other training and experience. It sure opened my eyes to how much more I can learn and grow in this sport.

Even if "Tech" is not ones goal, Primer will give a recreational diver so many more tools to work with that make them safer and give them better control U/W

 

[SelkieDVM]

Congratulations on taking the Primer! Remember, baby steps and don't be too hard on yourself.

tddfleming, I'll be at Rawlings this weekend if you want to try out your new skills.

Cheers,
Lilla

 

[scc135]

Thanks for sharing your Primer Eugene. I started to read it right after you posted, but my boss showed up, and seemed to be expecting me to work for some reason.

Great report. Primer is only a 2 day class. You do a lot of learning in a very short time, and I think you learn a lot more than you realize at the time. Remember it only stays with you well tho, if you get back in the water and work with it. We DNY folks are very lucky to have many fellow DNY members who are ever willing to help in that. Thank you Henrick, and Sam, and Donna, and Hitch, and... so many friends it is hard to list everyone who has helped me.

Eugen, if you did not think about quitting 1/2 way threw day #1, you are not normal. I was litterally screaming into my reg with frustration several times, and I actually lay awake that night, unable to sleep, I was so frustrated. I actually got back up, and practiced kicks and positioning for a long time on the bed that night, before I was so wiped I finally fell asleep.

Day 2 did go much better. It does for most, even if you walk away at the end feeling you were a failure. You are not going to learn it all in 2 days!

You do absorbe a little bit of everything, and you start to see how to really improve the entire diving experience. You begin to see your own strengths, and areas to work on. You have begun the path of becoming a thinking diver, who will be both a safer, more efficient diver, and a better partner/buddy to dive with.

If you think going into Primer with a number of dives under your belt, is a hassle, instead of going right form OW (certainly a lot of vaue in that), try doing it after decades of other training and experience. It sure opened my eyes to how much more I can learn and grow in this sport.

Even if "Tech" is not ones goal, Primer will give a recreational diver so many more tools to work with that make them safer and give them better control U/W

Work? What's that? Lol. Truthfully, after I got to the hotel room, I didn't care one bit about anything other than sleep. I was exhausted fighting every urge to do what I had previously learned as well as keeping the legs proper and my head up. I was extremely frustrated both days and I'm sure Bob picked up on my waning enthusiasm by dive 4.

I can very much imagine how frustrating it can be for a seasoned diver such as yourself. Well, the only thing we can do is try to continue to improve and Bonaire is the place to practice!

 

[HenrikBP]

Thanks Sam. I am pretty much known here as the smother diver. As I like my buddies within arms length which is what Bob told us we should be.

No worries - I like my buddies to be close too. Much closer than most divers are comfortable with (wait - that didn't sound right ). The Primer skills of trim, buoyancy and propulsion are what allows you to dive like that and not freak out because people are "in your face" all the time. With practice, comfort with gear and a bit of tweaking you'll get it.

Henrik

 

[tddfleming]

Hey Lilla:

Will be there on Sunday, will you be with the Cville shop??

Desi

 

[SelkieDVM]

Hey Lilla:

Will be there on Sunday, will you be with the Cville shop??

Desi

I was thinking Sunday. I'm also planning to go to the air show in Lynchburg this weekend and was kinda waiting to see how the weather would be but it's looking ok for either day. I was planning on checking out the Viking rebreather demo which is this weekend but would be happy to get a dive in with you as well. Not sure if anybody from the shop will be there, but I wouldn't be surprised.