My AN/DP/Helitrox course

[Marie13]

Let’s see if people are actually capable of behaving themselves.

I’ve been asked to document this by a number of newer folks, so WTH.

I begin my AN/DP/Helitrox course Sunday with a pool session. In February, there’s a morning of classroom, then pool in the afternoon. March will probably be the rest of classroom. Our local quarry doesn’t open until the beginning of April. My bookwork was done in November. To the people who poo-poo pool sessions for tech classes, it’s winter in the Midwest. ‘Nuff said.

The AN/DP/Helitrox combo requires 10 dives. Deco dives will be up at Wazee Lake in WI, about 4 hours away. It’s a former iron mine that goes down to 350ft.

 

[Tug]

Good luck!

Curious as to why you’re not doing your final check out dives off a boat? I know you’ve been dreaming of a few local wrecks for a while now.

 

[formernuke]

Do you know the depths the dives will be? You said the mine goes to 350 but it seems like that really deep for those.

 

[Marie13]

Do you know the depths the dives will be? You said the mine goes to 350 but it seems like that really deep for those.

150ft is max depth for Helitrox. And it’s an open pit mine. So just a deep hole in the ground.

 

[Marie13]

Good luck!

Curious as to why you’re not doing your final check out dives off a boat? I know you’ve been dreaming of a few local wrecks for a while now.

Don’t want to deal with getting blown out. Wazee is the usual location for these dives. Bottom temp at 150ft will be 40ish, so very close to conditions at that depth on the big lake.

 

[NothingClever]

Wait a second....weren't you recently firing off advice on technical diving?

I'm not going to knock pool sessions. I wholeheartedly support that you're getting those underway.

 

[_Ralph]

Don’t want to deal with getting blown out. Wazee is the usual location for these dives. Bottom temp at 150ft will be 40ish, so very close to conditions at that depth on the big lake.

Diving off a boat has its own challenges when technical diving that you don’t find with shore diving.

I’ll never knock pool sessions. Easier to perform a skill and get nearly immediate surface remedial work if required, rather than go down and realize that something isn’t right (equipment or diver).

Good luck and have fun!


_R

 

[Marie13]

Diving off a boat has its own challenges when technical diving that you don’t find with shore diving.

I’ll never knock pool sessions. Easier to perform a skill and get nearly immediate surface remedial work if required, rather than go down and realize that something isn’t right (equipment or diver).

Good luck and have fun!
_R

Thanks! Another reason I don’t want to do class dives on the Hume is that as I’ve wanted to dive this wreck since I got OW, it would probably be way too distracting for me.

 

[Neilwood]

Good luck on the course.

Personally I can see the benefits of pool work knowing how bad some of the quarries (mud puddles) are here in the winter. Lot easier to work on things in a "perfect" environment instead of dealing with extraneous complications such as wind/waves etc.

 

[Graeme Fraser]

Let’s see if people are actually capable of behaving themselves.

I’ve been asked to document this by a number of newer folks, so WTH.

I begin my AN/DP/Helitrox course Sunday with a pool session. In February, there’s a morning of classroom, then pool in the afternoon. March will probably be the rest of classroom. Our local quarry doesn’t open until the beginning of April. My bookwork was done in November. To the people who poo-poo pool sessions for tech classes, it’s winter in the Midwest. ‘Nuff said.

The AN/DP/Helitrox combo requires 10 dives. Deco dives will be up at Wazee Lake in WI, about 4 hours away. It’s a former iron mine that goes down to 350ft.

I think pool time is an excellent way of introducing people to tech skills for the first time, particularly during the winter months.

1 they / you are not as time limited by the cold
2 they can begin building the mechanics and muscle memory of new skills without thick gloves / hood
3 they can more easily locate and manipulate valves without the added restriction of thick thermal protection
4 you can actually see them (not a given in OW)

Obviously these skills all need to transfer to OW, but a good long pool session or two acts as a useful stepping stone and confidence builder. The same goes for certified divers wanting to keep skills fresh during the off season.

Good luck on your course and keep us posted.