Back again, not to worry

Hi everyone, its been a few days so apologies to those hanging on a knife edge for the next instalment!

Well I have been pretty busy I can tell you. I have managed a few more exams so I am really pleased. Physiology, Dive Skills and the Environment and Dive Equipment. I got scores of 95%, 90% and 75% respectively. Struggled a bit on Dive equipment because the exam still tests on J valves and transducers but they are not included in the encyclopedia anymore so just scraped a pass. But, as they say, a pass is a pass.

Last Saturday we dived at La Herradura, no sunshine was a first but hopefully not to be repeated situation. I assisted Antonio as we led a group of English guys from Sevilla round the dive site Tres Picos ( 3 Peaks ). Visability was good at around 10-15 metres and lots of varied life. I even spotted an Octopus under one of the overhangs.

Yesterday I took full advantage of Skysports with a football super sunday in my apartment!

Tomorrow it looks like we are back off to Gibraltar with 4 divers, 2 English and 2 Dutch. I quite like this site as there are loads of wrecks sunk purposely for an artificial reef project. I am thinking of using a couple for my Dive Site Mapping exercise I have to complete sometime soon.

Thursday we will be back to La Herraduras but the difference being is that it will be me leading. Think I shall be revising the map a few times over the next few days. I have heard that losing divers does not go down very well!

I will try not to leave it as long next time before my next update so stay tuned...

One down a few more to go

Just got pass the first hurdle as I managed to score 95% on my physics test.  Boyles Law, Charles Law, Archimedes Theory, Gas laws, formulas etc etc, but got through it.  As those who know me Maths is my stronger subject so harder tests to come.

Writing this again in the traditional McDonalds in down town Torremolinos, I have found a signal nearby where I live but it does mean a small drive to the reception area of the estate.

Some more good news, just when I thought that I would be coming home with an Irish accent (only english channel on TV was RTE 1!) I have had a fiddle with the tuning and found I have been missing out.  I now have BBC1, ITV and all Skysports 1,2 and 3.  Get in footie Sunday for me!  Also found a few movie channels, not well known ones but none the less it makes a change from 'The Afternoon Show', Seioge and Fair City.  You thought Emmerdale was bad just try sitting through Fair City.  It is very pants.

Dived again in Gib yesterday with a newly certified Diver.  She was a bit nervous but once the first dive was over she was much better on the second dive.  Viz on the first was very bad due to some building work nearby disturbing all the sand on the bottom.  It was a real struggle to in front of your face and it was very disorientating.  The second dive however was much improved.  Lots of sea life - Box lipped mullet, juvenile wrasse and I managed to find a great small octopus swimming past.  I find them incredible creatures and so hard to find when they camoflague.

Pool skills tests today, good to get them out of the way and to practice them at the same time.  I am also having to watch the Open Water training video so I can kind of memorise the training schedule and what skills I have to teach and in what order.  The OW course is the bread and butter for diving trainers as it is the first rung of the diving ladder and where all divers start when they train with PADI.

Not long now until Amanda joins me for Easter week!  I am trying to sort out which dives she would like most then she can come along and have a go in the lovely Med!

Ta ta for now, thanks again for following

Marina del Este

Yesterday we were joined by 2 trainee´s taking the Advanced Open water training. Early start from now on seems to be the norm with shop open for the day´s prep at 8am. Build all the gear for yourself and students so when the arrive it is a quick hop in the van and we are off.

As I said yesterday it was to marina del Este which is about an hour east of the shop just past Nerja. Nice quiet little cove with a very South of France feel about the place. These dives were assisting the instructor, first up was deep dive. We swam out and then it was down gradually to 29.9 metres (on my watch anyhow). They completed a couple of tests to give them examples of Nitrogen narcosis, after that it was a gradual ascent and back to the shore. The second dive was Underwater Navigation, this was great as it gave me a chance to practice what is a weak area for me.

Today it was back to Gibraltar for another 2 dives with the trainees. This time it was Peak Buoyancy and Wreck Diving. Peak buoyancy is all about weighting properly and learning how to keep neutrally bouyant making for an easier and more in control dive. The second dive was wreck diving and we came across quite a few in Little Camp Bay! Visability all day though was not bad at around 10-12m. It does have an upside in that learning to teach students in so-so viz does show you how easy it is to lose track and orientation. Lots of things to bear in mind to ensure the safety of all.

Tomorrow I think the trainees have picked Search and Recovery as another elective to go towards their certification which should be great exposure for me.

Managed to speak on the phone with Amanda the other day as I now have a Spanish mobile, great to hear her voice. Still roaming the estate to find a free wifi area! Need to have skype. Not long now until she comes out to join me for Easter.

Back to the books tonight - the delights of Boyles Law, Charles Law, Ideal Gas Law, General Gas Law, Dalton´s Law, Archimedes Theory you name it I have to master it. Pressure, temperare, volume, M-Values, Halftimes, there is a hell of a lot of theory that goes into Divemaster training!

ooh thats a bit chilly...

First dive today everyone, blimey that was a bit chilly. For someone used to diving in tropical waters these temperate waters will take a bit of getting used to! Still I must say that I was quite warm in my new wetsuit and gear. Just the face gets a shock as you go down. Once I am aclimatized it should be fine.

We dived from Gibraltar today, not a fantastic place but the diving was good. 3 wrecks and the last one at about 23-26 m was great. The Dolphin was more or less intact and quite a size with loads of life around it. Watre temperature was 14c but we dived to 23.4m for a dive time of around 40-50 minutes inclusive of our 3 minute safety stop.

Safety, safety & safety is the name of the game here and it is reassuring to see.

Sun is still shining but not as warm today, only reaching about 18c. Still it is slightly warmer than UK!

Now what shall I rustle up tonight?