Hope join the DM ranks by the 29th...

[Islandheart]

I finished the 800 and float today, and my 1st test. All were good, a 3, a 5 and a 90. Water is cold but not too bad.

Gear swap tomorrow...:shocked2: the 400 and 100 Tow

Lots of daily study and review, also did DAN tonight.

Best Regards and thanks for the pointers all of you all written here.

Bob C.

 

[DM95]

Best of luck Bob! Just get your physiology down and concentrate and you should do fine-

 

[Islandheart]

Gear swap moved to a later day.

We did the 100 tow and 400 today. A 3 and a 1, so I've cleared those hurtles...

Rescue Diver Assestment, a 4 and some other skill performances.... 4s

Also passed tests today on Equipment, 100, Assisting Training Dvrs, 85 and DM Programs, 95.

Reviews on RDP & eRDPml.

Tomorrow is a study day and Sunday is Confined Water diving and programs.

 

[azchipka]

a 1 on the 400?????? Dude what happen did you forget to remove your weights before you jumped in the water!

Congrats on passing the exams! Thats the hardest part. Sadly they will haunt you forever. You get to take them again at Instructor, again at Staff Instructor, and again at Course Director. They continue to haunt me!

 

[OceanEd]

The gear swap while buddy breathing can get interesting. It helps if you are weighted for that one.

Congratulations on your accomplishments.

 

[Islandheart]

Well, it's done ! Today's the 30th and I ARE a Dive Master

Wow, the majority of the tests were not too bad, just honestly do the books and knowledge reviews and the KnowLedge Review Book and study, and you should do ok.

The 400 was a bitch, the water was freezing and I got a cramp about half way through, the instuctor said quit and redo or keep going, so I kept going as best as I could. Hey a 1 was enough for me to pass the Stam Tests.

Physics 85, Physio 90, RDP & ML 90, Skills&Equip 100 and the Gear Swap turned out better than I hoped for. The other DMC was the same size as me, very very comfortable underwater and smooth with buddy breathing, and he could hold his breath forever.... we did well I believe with a 4.

We started in each others gear, lots of weight on us and some in the BCDs, no booties.. so the fins came off easy, mask swap 1st, then a fin at a time and then BCDs and then swam back to the other end of the pool very slowly..... worked out fine.

So to anybody else, GO S-L-O-W., lots of breathing between swaps and calm each other down.
I say team work is the key to doing this the 1st time.

Paperwork is signed and done, Temp Cert in hand.................... very cool

and I'm one happy camper...... diver ! :mooner:

Best regards and thanks to everyone here, I've read just about every post on every thread in the Going Pro forum.

Bob C.
USA/USN Retired

 

[Joe-Diver]

Congrats on the accomplishment!

It's a big step.....

 

[SailNaked]

congrats, I did not know it could be done in 6 days.

 

[TMHeimer]

Great job. Can't wait to join you (this month?). Man, that 400......

 

[Islandheart]

You'd better be ready for 6-7 days of 7:30am to 11:30pm days. and nothing but classes, pool work, open water work and study.
No social time, no TV, no internet to speak of and nothing but Dive, Dive, Dive.

Up to you, work like that or take your time...... spread out over 3-6 months you're still investing the same amount of class, water work and study time, just at a slower pace.

If you're working on a boat or in a shop, you're getting extra exposure too, but the actual time completing all the skills, reviews, evals and tests will probably workout to the same.

I Open Water certed back in 1970, lots&lots of dives while in the Navy, but years ago. I love the changes in equipment and technology in diving that have occured while away. BUT, I'm NOT a newbie....

Even though I'll be certed as a DM, I'm still going to do work at a LDS as a DMC..... do some dive trips, do some classes and work in the shop. They need to see me in action so they trust me, and I'm perfectly OK with that.

I kinda like this method. The Navy had two ways of attaining a Rating. One was "A" School and then go do the job and the other was get into the job, start doing flunkie work with no knowledge.
I believe in the "A" School method. Give someone the training and basis, make sure they can complete the class work and practical applications, then put them in the job.
VS
Start somebody off with nothing, make them learn by the school of HardKnocks, and if they don't work out, throw them away. Very very poor way of doing things, in my 24 years of military experience.

It's all good toward the end goal.

I've got the dives overall for the IDC but want the extra time between DM and IDC to absorb.

Best Regards and Happy New Year !

Bob C.