Sunny 10/10/10 at Capers

How's the digs?? 5 star hotel

Congratulations Andy

No sympathy Smudge, I'm working from a Train carriage on my way to Norwich. I bet you have more room than I do !!!!!!

Anyway, it looks like the weather was really good and the water cool...

Well done Andy on completing you Rescue Diver you must be almost a MSD as well, you'll have enough dives !! How many Specialties do you need to complete ??

Hope to see some of you turn out next Sunday at Blue Lagoon, Saturday I understand we will be doing exams at the golf club, pool at Askam followed by teaching presentations in the classroom.

Jason & I are going to Blue Lagoon on Thursday morning to do some additional practice if anyojne wants to join us as casualties / students / just a day out getting wet. We plan to be in the water for about 3 hours witha mixture of surface and underwater skills.

As Usual a Fantastic Pro Scuba day at Capers,

Well done to Barbara who returned to Capers for the first time as a qualified diver.

Rob,

MSD already complete,
103 dives and 6 specialitie completed so all good.

Thursday is good for me if you and Jase need any assistance i can be there. do you want to put a midweek post on

Guess what too Killa was kind enough to give me a camera today yes and for nothing, I only need a charger, Now that is a real PADI PRO, what a guy !!!!!


Thanks to all today for a superb day as usual,


Can we all please think about our Smudge tonight. Alone in the Lakes, just him the stars, Abbey, 6 pairs of boxer shorts, 6 pairs of socks, 3 pairs of jeans and 2 new pillows.

BIG CONGRATULATIONS ANDY! I'm rite please pleased for ya hun.. its been a long time coming!!! x x

Don't forget the petrol generator, CO fumes, camp-bed Recipe for disaster

Anyway, well done to everyone who did something today. It was a good days diving with a good selection of photos of that elusive - till now - Euan.

Sonic living up to his name, speeding after that sturgeon, and Sally

Killa putting in a guest appearance, one dive again, then a dry glove leak cutting short dive 2. But the LEGEND is back and in good form.

Still downloading photos - will try and post some tonight

Thanks to all for another great day out.

Editing: spelling mistake

What a fantastic day! It makes getting up at the crack 'a sparrers all worth it!! Thanks to Tink for the driving.

Our group for the day was Tink, Ange, I'ams, Baj and myself.

First dive for me was a bit stressful all due to a change of kit. I decided to change to a weight belt as having all the weight I needed in my BCD wasn't working for all sorts of reasons. I put the same amount of weight in the belt but the placing was all wrong. It was really busy as we were getting into the water and we were all getting jostled and I got a brilliant "right hook" from someones fin, my face is quite sore this morning!

The weight was all on my back, it was pulling me all over and it was a struggle to even move my legs as we were swimming. We didn't get that far and even walking back to the car park I was in pain and for the first time appreciated what some of the others were going through with back pain.

After discussion with my fellow divers I re-distibuted the weight for the second dive, putting some in the BCD and the rest near the front of the belt. Even as we were kitting up in the car park it felt better and once in the water I was fine and feeling confident again. Did a deep water entry which helped with buoyancy skills as well. I know a lot of it is trial and error but I think I have cracked it.

We got to Podsnap which is the first time I have seen that.

I did take quite a few photo's. Some of them are not too bad. Just got to have a go at downloading, re-sizing etc but that is a task for this evening so you will all have to wait

Thanks to everyone for a great day

Well done Andy, I know you were having your test marked as we left so didn't get to hear the good news

I also managed to put my 25 dive bookmark in my dive log so it's onwards and upwards for me (or rather down [if I get the weight right])!!!!

Not really a pleasure dive for I'ams and Ange who were using the day to do the Dive Leading for their DM course.

Both did well with some errors (as expected). It becomes a slight problem officially leading for the first time when you have spent most of your experience following such acomplished leaders such as Smudge and Squirrel who just make it look so easy. All part of the learning curve.

So when are the rest of the TDM's doing theirs.

Well done to Barbara and Jools who both did well. Just keep getting in there and practice. There's nothing better

As for the 'sheepdog' .......................

I am happy to do a guided tour of Eccy, Capers, Vivian. Can even find the Stangarth down the line and the way back.

Having guided my children all summer I am happy to guide in these places and have been doing so - but you weren't there to see.

I will post yesterdays photos when I have time so you can see the tour Andy and I gave Sonic - 6m platform for photos, drop down over tail of plane, off the left wing forwards to oil rig/heli/container, forwards to Podsnap, over the mast, slight left to other boats for Sonic to do the washing up. Through the Cesna the back slightly and up to the training platforms, 5m safety stop and out on the rocky beach. A good 45 minute tour of new sights for Sonic.

No problems on our tour!

A favourite Capers tour is devil-diving bell-pigs-wessex-up road to thunderbird/6m area and out. By the way the 'Road Closed' sign has been moved - anyone know where it is now?

Oh - and don't even try to get me to do a guided tour of Blue Lagoon until it is clear, compasses work and all the PADI pros can show me around first without getting lost!

I know failed to turn up on Sunday and knowing you, you are probably trying to get the rest of us to speak up.

But too have led a few dives in Capers.

In fact my first ever go at leading was in Vivian a long, long time ago when our Instructor Euan was only a baby tDM. OK it didn't go that well mainly as you couldn't see your hand in front of your face, but I was willing to give it a go....

Leading has never really bothered me, obviously the tricky bit is always finding your way back, but then again that is why Capers is my favourite as I have a mental picture of where most things are, and from some underwater landmarks you can find your way.

But I will second that Blue Lagoon is a different tin of sardines (didn't want to use the kettle, cis it would taint my tea), Not even a compass can find North in there.

If I had known it was so easy to get a bite, I would have taken up fishing. :looser:

The point is not whether you can/have been leading dives for pleasure, it is whether you have lead dives under assessment towards you DM training log

If you can walk your dog around the block for pleasure without getting lost you have a sound knowledge of the location. If someone wanted to check you know your way around the block with your dog I doubt very much you would get lost if you have mastered the route by using identifiable landmarks such as a shop, post box or road junction. It is the same in diving you begin to recognise various things whilst diving which aid your navigational skills.

The value of repetetive dives at various locations means you get to know your way round competently by using various navigational points such as, the Podsnap and the Cesna at Capernwray, the Staingarth or Nautilus at Stoney, the Tunnel or crane at Dotty, the pool table at Gilders etc etc.

If you are confident in your navigational skills at a given dive location you are more likely to lead, guide, find your way around even if you are being assessed. That is the reward for mastering navigation at various dive sites.

Now then now then whats all this then about leading dives????

Personally speaking I have led hundreds of dives in many many dive sites in the uk and abroad

So to put everyone straight about the facts of leading dives

The reason ANYONE can and does lead a dive is simple

But the reason I lead dives is so that

1, I get to choose where we go
2, I get to see things first without vis being kicked up
3, I can change my mind whenever I want
4, I'm a control freak
5, For some bizzare reason people follow me
6, Even the fish in Capers follow me

So people following is easy but if you want to make it interesting lead them yourself after all whats the worst that can happen other than a long surface swim and you miss all the attractions.

Lets have some more photos...

my first attempt at photography underwater!

Well done Baj

Only problem is you haven't downsized the 3rd one to 640, , can you go in again via edit button, remove and re-post,
Or is there an admin, red squirrel or green one out there that can do this?

If not our screens are going to stay stretched

ooooooooooooh still too big!!! but at least going downwards now!

You're doing well, keep going.... must be some more....

Well done Barbara, you take really good photos andf you're one step ahead of me cos you can get them on the forum !!!!

Excellent and keep it up..

at least are smaller now!!!

Want my own camera!!!!! but that will have to be on hold now, had an expensive day!!!!

Well done ANDY!!!!

Baj (Barbara)

Well done - not only brilliant photos but you have obviously got this posting of photos sorted too

Baj,

The photos are fantastic, I think they are better than most of mine and I have been using a camera
underwater for while. So you are putting most of us to shame. Well Done!!!!

Is it me or does the last photo look like a huge trout zepplin flying over an industrial city........anyone else!!

Thanks, I really enjoyed that dive, once sorted out a huge mouthful of water!! I want my own camera now, but sadly discovered a new place to spend lots of cash!!! But do have own BCD, mask and fins now!!!

see what you mean about the last photo!!!

Baj

Well done Barbara your photos are brilliant and you have achieved far more in your first two dives than I ever did