almostsolidH2O
New
Forgive me if posted this in the wrong forum, i usually only browse these forums (and had to create an account to post this), but figured i would give back with a writeup of my recent class in Florida.
I haven’t seen any recent C1 class reports, so I though I would post my experience on my recent foray to Florida (after having had a month + to recover). This class was the IE for Meredith Tanguay, with whom I had previously done my fundies and tech upgrade. The IE for this class was Mark Messersmith, whom I had never met before, but after a quick Internet search surmised he would have lots to add to the class.
Most of my diving is cold water, open water diving at home. In preparing for the course, I tried to dive as much as possible and worked on the basics, I didn’t try to self teach any cave specific skills. I did have some experience with a primary light and a reel, as I use both on every dive at home, the reel is used to tow my dive flag.
My fellow victim for this course was an individual I had met last summer, with whom I had done my tech upgrade. We were at a similar spot diving wise and got along well, so when the opportunity to do C1 came up, I didn’t hesitate. We were supposed to have a third victim, but he unfortunately was unwell and unable to join us for the course, this brought the instructor to student ratio to 1:1.
My buddy and I both arrived early enough so that we could get some dives in the day before the course, just reviewing the basics, shaking out the bugs and seeing how 130s feel (I dive 120s at home). I was also a good opportunity to see how different diving without 50 layers of undergarments was (to no-ones surprise, it was quite nice). Since we hadn’t dove together since last summer, it was also good to work as a team again.
Finally, day one of the course, we met at 0800h at EE and did intros all around, mainly introducing ourselves to Mark. The first day was to be spent on classroom and field drills, with the aim of spending the rest of the week being spent in the water. We covered several of the units, went over failures, learned how to run a line, do tie-offs, practiced following a line while in touch contact ect. Instead of meters of rocks and water, our hazards were ants and dog poop, always good to practice your situational awareness, no matter the circumstances. After a nice long day of classroom and field drills, we went off to do the swim test at an outdoor pool in a neighbouring town, everyone passed with no issues, and I think everyone had fun. Finishing late, we agreed to meet at Blue Grotto for the next morning.
Day 2 we met at BG, and after a quick we got geared up and headed in, did our GUEEDGE and the first dive was a review of fundies, making sure we all knew how to kick, and most importantly – how to not kick. Did a few gas shares and moved on. Then we practiced running a reel, turn the dive, have a failure (or have a failure and turn the dive) and return, rinse and repeat. At some point, there was also some no-vis line following, touch-contact ect. Out for a quick-ish lunch and some more debriefs with video then back in the water for more of the same, run reel (deeper into cavern), follow line, have more failures. Total in water time 290min, longest dive 109min. Mer provided good focused feedback after every dive, with Mark jumping in occasionally with a different perspective or one of his many informative stories.
Days 3-6 were somewhat similar in structure, skills in the run on the way to the eye/ear, do two dives in the morning with good debriefs in-between. Get out, switch tanks, eat lunch, back in the water for two more dives with debriefs. We would cover different skills/lessons along with lunch, or review important stuff before the first dive. There was never a wasted teaching moment, but we still had plenty of time for questions and informal discussions, which can be as informative as the lectures and drills.
My buddy and I alternated running the reel/leading the dive for every dive, we solidified as a team on every dive. More drills got thrown in the more training progressed, loss line drills, lost diver drills, more failures, blind exits, air shares… on and on it went. Eventually they decided to throw Mark into the team, to see how we would handle a 3-man team (and to give us someone to get lost). On one of these dives with Mark, we had him show us his pull and glide routine through the gallery, even with a promise to only go half speed, he still eclipsed us.
After day 4 we had individual debriefs, I always find these to be humbling, knowing that one has so many things to continue working on. We both went home that evening with lots to think about.
Eventually we got to the final day, and after our second morning dive, we headed back to EE and took up the test and had a debrief, were we both learned that we had become Cave1 divers. What else to do after finishing a C1 course but go cave diving to celebrate. We all met up for supper that evening and had a great time.
The next day we headed out for some more cave diving, and as if by divine intervention, not one failure to be had.
Overall this was a fantastic course and I am most certainly a better diver because of it. There were many little hiccups during the course, gear acting up, my dry suit deciding to leak massively, suggestions for different fins (turns out not wearing dry gloves with double wool liners changes your trim…), leaking HP spools ect. If we didn’t have the parts to fix it, Mer and Mark would step in and help us out. A big thank-you to Mark for loaning me a drysuit when mine decided to not behave.
There are many things that I was looking for in this course (and I will refrain from boring you with an extensive list) but I can confidently say that it met and exceeded all of them. As an instructor, Mer was able to read us well, and know how far to push us at each point in our training, she adapted the material to meet our needs, spending more time on things we weren’t quite as quick on, and taking us thoroughly, but without delay through the content we were both already knowledgeable in. She was also good at challenging us on concepts and drills that we thought we knew but maybe didn’t quite understand all the underlying principles. It was not evident (other than by the presence of Mark) that this was an IE for Mer, she really had her stuff together. Being familiar with her teaching style was helpful, as I had no concerns about the quality of teaching I was going to receive going into the course.
Mark was likewise a wonderful individual to dive and talk with; he embodies professionalism without taking himself to serious. He also has the ability to really distil things to their basic elements (and not just course related things).
I don’t really have much else to add, if anyone has any questions, don’t hesitate to ask
I haven’t seen any recent C1 class reports, so I though I would post my experience on my recent foray to Florida (after having had a month + to recover). This class was the IE for Meredith Tanguay, with whom I had previously done my fundies and tech upgrade. The IE for this class was Mark Messersmith, whom I had never met before, but after a quick Internet search surmised he would have lots to add to the class.
Most of my diving is cold water, open water diving at home. In preparing for the course, I tried to dive as much as possible and worked on the basics, I didn’t try to self teach any cave specific skills. I did have some experience with a primary light and a reel, as I use both on every dive at home, the reel is used to tow my dive flag.
My fellow victim for this course was an individual I had met last summer, with whom I had done my tech upgrade. We were at a similar spot diving wise and got along well, so when the opportunity to do C1 came up, I didn’t hesitate. We were supposed to have a third victim, but he unfortunately was unwell and unable to join us for the course, this brought the instructor to student ratio to 1:1.
My buddy and I both arrived early enough so that we could get some dives in the day before the course, just reviewing the basics, shaking out the bugs and seeing how 130s feel (I dive 120s at home). I was also a good opportunity to see how different diving without 50 layers of undergarments was (to no-ones surprise, it was quite nice). Since we hadn’t dove together since last summer, it was also good to work as a team again.
Finally, day one of the course, we met at 0800h at EE and did intros all around, mainly introducing ourselves to Mark. The first day was to be spent on classroom and field drills, with the aim of spending the rest of the week being spent in the water. We covered several of the units, went over failures, learned how to run a line, do tie-offs, practiced following a line while in touch contact ect. Instead of meters of rocks and water, our hazards were ants and dog poop, always good to practice your situational awareness, no matter the circumstances. After a nice long day of classroom and field drills, we went off to do the swim test at an outdoor pool in a neighbouring town, everyone passed with no issues, and I think everyone had fun. Finishing late, we agreed to meet at Blue Grotto for the next morning.
Day 2 we met at BG, and after a quick we got geared up and headed in, did our GUEEDGE and the first dive was a review of fundies, making sure we all knew how to kick, and most importantly – how to not kick. Did a few gas shares and moved on. Then we practiced running a reel, turn the dive, have a failure (or have a failure and turn the dive) and return, rinse and repeat. At some point, there was also some no-vis line following, touch-contact ect. Out for a quick-ish lunch and some more debriefs with video then back in the water for more of the same, run reel (deeper into cavern), follow line, have more failures. Total in water time 290min, longest dive 109min. Mer provided good focused feedback after every dive, with Mark jumping in occasionally with a different perspective or one of his many informative stories.
Days 3-6 were somewhat similar in structure, skills in the run on the way to the eye/ear, do two dives in the morning with good debriefs in-between. Get out, switch tanks, eat lunch, back in the water for two more dives with debriefs. We would cover different skills/lessons along with lunch, or review important stuff before the first dive. There was never a wasted teaching moment, but we still had plenty of time for questions and informal discussions, which can be as informative as the lectures and drills.
My buddy and I alternated running the reel/leading the dive for every dive, we solidified as a team on every dive. More drills got thrown in the more training progressed, loss line drills, lost diver drills, more failures, blind exits, air shares… on and on it went. Eventually they decided to throw Mark into the team, to see how we would handle a 3-man team (and to give us someone to get lost). On one of these dives with Mark, we had him show us his pull and glide routine through the gallery, even with a promise to only go half speed, he still eclipsed us.
After day 4 we had individual debriefs, I always find these to be humbling, knowing that one has so many things to continue working on. We both went home that evening with lots to think about.
Eventually we got to the final day, and after our second morning dive, we headed back to EE and took up the test and had a debrief, were we both learned that we had become Cave1 divers. What else to do after finishing a C1 course but go cave diving to celebrate. We all met up for supper that evening and had a great time.
The next day we headed out for some more cave diving, and as if by divine intervention, not one failure to be had.
Overall this was a fantastic course and I am most certainly a better diver because of it. There were many little hiccups during the course, gear acting up, my dry suit deciding to leak massively, suggestions for different fins (turns out not wearing dry gloves with double wool liners changes your trim…), leaking HP spools ect. If we didn’t have the parts to fix it, Mer and Mark would step in and help us out. A big thank-you to Mark for loaning me a drysuit when mine decided to not behave.
There are many things that I was looking for in this course (and I will refrain from boring you with an extensive list) but I can confidently say that it met and exceeded all of them. As an instructor, Mer was able to read us well, and know how far to push us at each point in our training, she adapted the material to meet our needs, spending more time on things we weren’t quite as quick on, and taking us thoroughly, but without delay through the content we were both already knowledgeable in. She was also good at challenging us on concepts and drills that we thought we knew but maybe didn’t quite understand all the underlying principles. It was not evident (other than by the presence of Mark) that this was an IE for Mer, she really had her stuff together. Being familiar with her teaching style was helpful, as I had no concerns about the quality of teaching I was going to receive going into the course.
Mark was likewise a wonderful individual to dive and talk with; he embodies professionalism without taking himself to serious. He also has the ability to really distil things to their basic elements (and not just course related things).
I don’t really have much else to add, if anyone has any questions, don’t hesitate to ask
