DIR- GUE Next steps toward GUE tech pass?

[john120283]

Fundies and Tech 1 were both great courses and I suspect that you'll get a lot out of both of them.

I'd suggest reaching out to an instructor or a couple of instructors and talk through your goals with them. If you're pretty sure you're going to go the GUE route for your future tech training, I'd wait on buying more equipment until after you've talked to an instructor. That'll save you from having to rebuy equipment later on down the road. My first set of doubles were HP100s, and they are too negatively buoyant for me in freshwater (I primarily dive in a lake) unless I'm in a thick undergarment and they have helium in them.

A lot of the GUE instructors are happy to travel or add additional classes to their schedule so don't feel constrained by the classes listed on the GUE site. I'd try to find one that works well with your personality.

 

[Alurpal]

Thanks for advice everyone. I went ahead and emailed Kirill Egorov as he reaches in high springs (where I would most likely train) and has a very impressive resume.

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

Thanks for advice everyone. I went ahead and emailed Kirill Egorov as he reaches in high springs (where I would most likely train) and has a very impressive resume.

I'd recommend taking different GUE courses from different instructors, as they will see and test your limits differently. I found it beneficial to do a workshop with a different instructor that from whom I took fundies. Good luck!

 

[Lorenzoid]

Thanks for advice everyone. I went ahead and emailed Kirill Egorov as he reaches in high springs (where I would most likely train) and has a very impressive resume.

Best of luck on your journey, and please keep us updated! If you take a course, consider writing up a course report: DIR Class Reports - A Consolidated Inventory?

 

[mariosx]

I took GUE-F at High Springs with a bit less than 40 dives just because some (GUE and WKPP) buddies pressed me into it. Ofc I was diving singles, I suck(ed) as a newbie, but I think I only have a well above average comfort in the water for a newbie diver.
My only goal was to just learn how to at least backfin and hover (something I was truly struggling), and HOPEFULLY get a rec pass. One GUE buddy gave me his doubles and canister light just in case the first day went well to switch to doubles. He was far more optimistic than myself.

I took my Fundies with Orie, an incredible instructor that we matched very fast and easily one of the coolest guys I have met in GUE in general. While I was preparing the first day my single setup, Orie pressed me to try doubles although I had some fears of making it less likely to get a rec pass (because as he said "I could get more out of the class no matter the result"). I tried doubles, and canister light in the class for the first time. Long story short I came very close to tec pass (with the only issue being buoyancy control due to not taking my time during the skills), with Orie recommending a provisional tec pass. I ended up with a strong rec pass given my unavailability for repeating the process the next 6 months.

So, since I don't even consider my self on the talented spectrum of scuba, given my experience I strongly suggest you to grasp the opportunity and challenge yourself with new gear etc during the GUE-F class. In the best case you end up performing better than expected and reaching the tec pass. In the worst case you introduce yourself to the gear you will use for your next step as diver with the best possible instruction. In your shoes I would prefer to end up with a provisional rec and the knowledge of how to reach tec with doubles/drysuit/canister/etc, than an "easy to get" rec pass on singles and lack of the above knowledge. Yes, you might overwhelm yourself with the new gear/skills/etc, but this is what GUE-F should be as a class in my opinion. Getting a tec or rec pass should be just a byproduct not the main goal going to the class. If you see you cannot handle that, at any point you can always switch back to the gear you feel more comfortable after the first 2 dives.

P/S: I got my GUE-F with wetsuit, given that I didn't have the finances at the time for a nice drysuit. But if I had one, and Orie forced me to wear it, I would be as thankful to him as I am now.

 

[option12]

P/S: I got my GUE-F with wetsuit, given that I didn't have the finances at the time for a nice drysuit. But if I had one, and Orie forced me to wear it, I would be as thankful to him as I am now.

He probably had three more in the truck with him you could have used. he's a mobile dive shop.

And for Alpural: if you are going to go to High Springs---call Orie. He really is a great instructor.

 

[mariosx]

he's a mobile dive shop.

You mean Halcyon's scuba truck? xD

He probably had three more in the truck with him you could have used.

I am sure, but also I was at the time (and still are to an extend) overweight so fit might have been an issue.

if you are going to go to High Springs---call Orie. He really is a great instructor.

I have spent the last 13 years of my life in academia, both as an instructor and a student, and before that 15 years in various sports. I have met extremely good instructor that I look up to them, but Orie was hands down the most talented instructor I have met. He adjusted to my weird extremely analytical type of learning from my first question.

 

[Lorenzoid]

Orie was hands down the most talented instructor I have met. He adjusted to my weird extremely analytical type of learning from my first question.

I had never heard Orie's name until this thread, but I found his resume: GUE Instructor resumé. I guess he's been focusing on his work at Halcyon. Thanks for bringing him to more people's attention. It occurs to me that Lauren Fanning, also at Halcyon, is another instructor whose name deserves to be mentioned more often. I got some coaching from Lauren (among others in the High Springs crowd).

 

[PfcAJ]

I had never heard Orie's name until this thread, but I found his resume: GUE Instructor resumé. I guess he's been focusing on his work at Halcyon. Thanks for bringing him to more people's attention. It occurs to me that Lauren Fanning, also at Halcyon, is another instructor whose name deserves to be mentioned more often. I got some coaching from Lauren (among others in the High Springs crowd).

Lauren is really good.

 

[mariosx]

I had never heard Orie's name until this thread, but I found his resume: GUE Instructor resumé. I guess he's been focusing on his work at Halcyon. Thanks for bringing him to more people's attention. It occurs to me that Lauren Fanning, also at Halcyon, is another instructor whose name deserves to be mentioned more often. I got some coaching from Lauren (among others in the High Springs crowd).

Yeap, I also have heard the best about her. I met her during my first GUE-F dive with Orie, and surprisingly she still remembered my name after 1,5 years. Impressive memory if you ask me.

If I am not very wrong I heard she left Halcyon the first months of this year to focus 100% on teaching, which means that she has made a name for sure and she will be more available for courses.
(Please correct me on that one if needed; my memory likes to play games some times.)


Also GUE-F with Orie, included a free tour and meeting everybody at Halcyon, classes in the Halcyon's conference room, and coincidentally participating in a group meeting to celebrate the first halcyon employee to reach 20 years in the company. So I guess I was extremely lucky to get the full kool-aid experience.