I took the class in Milwaukee, and it was worth every penny. If I had the vacation time, I would sign up and do this class too. If you are looking to pay your money, recite Q&A's and get a c-card, well, this class probably isnt for you. If you want to learn from the best of the best, from years of experience and hear awesome stories to help drive home the lessons he teaches, then this is definitely for you.
Here is a report I posted on another board I belong too:
Friday was day 1 of class. This was all classroom theory stuff, which oddly enough is what I was really looking forward to. How often do you get a chance to learn from someone who fills the books that we read about wreck diving? And as the class began, I was not at all disappointed. John not only taught a very informative class, but shared stories of divers he has dove with that, well, they just didn't make the best decisions on their dive.
Day 2 was our first in water dives. We was diving with Captain Jitka on the Molly V (ship wreck explorers). The dive it self was on the upside down dredge. It was pretty much just basic check out dives, valve drills, showing you can locate cutting devices, back up lights and lift bags and basic line drills, nothing too difficult.
Second dive was more of the same. Line drills, SMB work, etc. This dive was cut a little short due to air issues. I was dealing with a mildly free flowing reg, and Bjorn was having some ear issues.
Next day, we moved to the Willie, and more line drills with the blacked out mask inside the wreck. This was a entertaining dive, because we had no idea where the line was run, and then tried to follow it with the blackout mask on. I caught myself laughing a few times after clocking my head pretty hard. The highlight for me was getting a pat on the head from John as I completed my dive.
Our last day, we headed out to the Milwaukee. They told us this was going to be a dive with no skills, just to utilize what we have been taught. I was fully expecting something unexpected to happen, but it didnt. We found a room, that had something that looked like picture frames in it. Bjorn said it was something much bigger, and he was concerned it was going to come down and trap me in the room. I would like to go back just to see what in the heck that was.
Our last dive, we went back to the Willie for more line and air share drills. Every time we completed a drill, I figured that was it, but John kept throwing more stuff at us, and we kept completing it as requested. I do remember being inside the willie at 80 feet thinking to myself, this is so cool. I am wreck diving with John Chatterton!!!!!!
All in all, this was a great class, and great folks on the boat with us. Water temps was actually pretty warm, and more importantly, the waves were small. We was close to 70 degrees on the Dredge, and in the 60s on the Willie. Gotta love those west winds.
Here is a report I posted on another board I belong too:
Friday was day 1 of class. This was all classroom theory stuff, which oddly enough is what I was really looking forward to. How often do you get a chance to learn from someone who fills the books that we read about wreck diving? And as the class began, I was not at all disappointed. John not only taught a very informative class, but shared stories of divers he has dove with that, well, they just didn't make the best decisions on their dive.
Day 2 was our first in water dives. We was diving with Captain Jitka on the Molly V (ship wreck explorers). The dive it self was on the upside down dredge. It was pretty much just basic check out dives, valve drills, showing you can locate cutting devices, back up lights and lift bags and basic line drills, nothing too difficult.
Second dive was more of the same. Line drills, SMB work, etc. This dive was cut a little short due to air issues. I was dealing with a mildly free flowing reg, and Bjorn was having some ear issues.
Next day, we moved to the Willie, and more line drills with the blacked out mask inside the wreck. This was a entertaining dive, because we had no idea where the line was run, and then tried to follow it with the blackout mask on. I caught myself laughing a few times after clocking my head pretty hard. The highlight for me was getting a pat on the head from John as I completed my dive.
Our last day, we headed out to the Milwaukee. They told us this was going to be a dive with no skills, just to utilize what we have been taught. I was fully expecting something unexpected to happen, but it didnt. We found a room, that had something that looked like picture frames in it. Bjorn said it was something much bigger, and he was concerned it was going to come down and trap me in the room. I would like to go back just to see what in the heck that was.
Our last dive, we went back to the Willie for more line and air share drills. Every time we completed a drill, I figured that was it, but John kept throwing more stuff at us, and we kept completing it as requested. I do remember being inside the willie at 80 feet thinking to myself, this is so cool. I am wreck diving with John Chatterton!!!!!!
All in all, this was a great class, and great folks on the boat with us. Water temps was actually pretty warm, and more importantly, the waves were small. We was close to 70 degrees on the Dredge, and in the 60s on the Willie. Gotta love those west winds.
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