sylvester
Guest
I recently finished my advance nitrox and deco procedures class with Rick Murcar (GDI). Here is my after action review of the class. I would recommend my friends take the class with Rick.
Subject: After Action Review of TDI Decompression Procedures and Advance Nitrox Class with GDI
Instructor: Rick Murcar, GDI
Training Locations: Paradise Springs, 40 Fathom Grotto
Day one of training, Friday, we met at Paradise Springs, for a shakeout/check out dive, inspected equipment Rick provided suggestions and discussed options for my current configuration.
Covered some book work, and discussed deco procedures, planned a dive to 140 only dove to 99 yet followed the times for a 140 dive as well as well as what I expected from Rick to task load me with running a reel while dropping stages, trying to keep my trim while dropping and retrieving stages mine and his steels.
As well as using one of his training 1st stages, and removing the stage from a valve and replacing it to simulate a stage failure and needing to switch out stages on a bottle.
Ended the dive by following the plan, discussed the newly Id issued I discovered due to extra gear and task loading. As well as experience gained from the dive, lessons like writing my plan using a pencil on the slate was very hard to read, vs graphite pencil from wet notes or even better using a sharpie on duct tape on my slate.
I went home that night feeling over whelmed, but due to a work commitment I had the next day off from class and that gave me time to reconfigure my gear and set it up based on what I experienced today and Ricks recommendations, and get my head right for the new skills and tasks that I was introduced to.
Day two, of the course was on Sunday, again at Paradise, this time I was better prepared for the skills and had made changes to my gear, 3 (three dives were planned and executed today again to 140 all dives were to this level and Rick kept a cave flavor to the training as that is my goal.
I normally dont like to dive Paradise, and could only handle once a year there as I was bored with it never being deeper in the system the 99ft. Today I discovered a new system to me and my interest in that small simple spring was peaked. We planned and dove the system to 140 again I was running my primary reel dropping stages along the way. But after having a day to reconfigure my gear things were smoother and flowed in the water. Trim was better, everything was better all around.
The lessons learned from Day 1 were taken into account and corrections were proper as was Ricks recommendations for gear configuration. This reduced a lot of stress and task loading due to things being clearer.
Rick thinks I was narcd and made fun of my math skills at 140 ft,( maybe I was a little slow counting) but I didnt take my fins off to finish. The plan was followed and I thought things went well. Rick again being ever observant pointed out things I need to improve on like stage placement on the line. Not taking stages beyond the MOD in this environment however making sure I understood in blue water I have to take them.
The 2d dive was also planned and executed again Rick pointed out details to help me. During this dive while I was on a stage, Rick approached and gave me the OOA signal, instinctively I handed him the regulator I was breathing on, which was my deco gas, and I went back to my back gas and then it hit me what I did, that I did not give him my 7footer, I gave him my deco gas. Again, Rick taught me the point in the usual way that he uses, (experience) how to handle AAO situations in this environment. Also during this dive I had equipment failure nothing critical, but aggravating as my dry suit was no longer.
The 3d dive was shallow and more for skills like shooting a lift bag, s drills, equipment manipulation and the day ended I was getting more comfortable with the extra gear and was no longer fighting buoyancy and trim like the previous day.
The 3d day, Monday we met at 40 Fathom Grotto, planned a couple of dives to 150. All was well with planning and getting in the water there was low vis as the 1st 30 was murky, between 15-30 ft I felt a bit sick due to no visual reference and my head and stomach turned some, it cleared up when I dropped below 30 and the water cleared up. We headed to 150, Rick was checking my math during the decent. I was feeling a little narcd at depth and at 20 min it to the dive while responding to a 8 count challenge I used my thumb as the #1 vs my finger and did not realize I just turned the dive. We turned the dive and followed our -10 min plan out. Exited and debriefed on the surface where I was made apparent to me I turned the dive prior to time or gas turn point and I realized what I had done.
The next dive was again to 150 I was not feeling well from the 1st dive but wanted to finish the course. My head was feeling bad and my stomach was turning from the vertigo during the decent. 2d dive entered the water dropped down this time no vertigo no narcosis hanging out at 150, Rick tried to get me to do a trust me and I didnt. we met our planned dive time and began to ascent.
This is where this dive got interesting for me. I was between 100-83 ft things started to spin, no visual reference, I was looking at particulate and it was spinning looking like the stars in a star trek movie flashing by. I grabbed the up line and focused on it did not help. The spinning was getting worse. I got myself neutral, and checked my depth.
Now I was really starting to spin, I felt like was a flag on a pole, and was trying to be thrown from the up line. In my head I knew I was not spinning for real and it was all in head. I checked to make sure I was on the right gas still on back gas not able to change to a deco mix and I felt like a drunk and went spread eagle trying to stop the spinning without success.
I knew in my mind it was all in my head, and made myself slow my breathing down and focused in that now I was having a hard time telling up from down, I could see my depth was unchanged and I started watching my bubbles to get my orientation. About this time Rick and Fred came into view and the vertigo stopped as quickly as it started. I now had a reference point in the water and was able to switch gas for deco and follow my plan out.
That was the worst dive I have ever had. But it also confirmed to me that even when **** is going bad if you have air, life is still good, and just focus on staying calm and working through the issue at hand.
When I finally surfaced I felt like ass stomach and head were spinning and I was done stick a fork in me.
It took me a full day and sleep to feel better. But I really believe that previous training with Rick and others from my past have allowed me to remain calm when things arent going as planned.
Also included was an introduction to PP gas blending and calculating your mix. Again the math portion of that was wearing me out.
I look forward to getting back into the water and using my new skills, after my ears dry out. Rick is a great instructor and very patient. This is the 2d class I have taken with him and plan to take cave with him in the future.
A couple days after writing this, I learned I had an ear infection which may have contributed to the vertigo on the last day.
Subject: After Action Review of TDI Decompression Procedures and Advance Nitrox Class with GDI
Instructor: Rick Murcar, GDI
Training Locations: Paradise Springs, 40 Fathom Grotto
Day one of training, Friday, we met at Paradise Springs, for a shakeout/check out dive, inspected equipment Rick provided suggestions and discussed options for my current configuration.
Covered some book work, and discussed deco procedures, planned a dive to 140 only dove to 99 yet followed the times for a 140 dive as well as well as what I expected from Rick to task load me with running a reel while dropping stages, trying to keep my trim while dropping and retrieving stages mine and his steels.
As well as using one of his training 1st stages, and removing the stage from a valve and replacing it to simulate a stage failure and needing to switch out stages on a bottle.
Ended the dive by following the plan, discussed the newly Id issued I discovered due to extra gear and task loading. As well as experience gained from the dive, lessons like writing my plan using a pencil on the slate was very hard to read, vs graphite pencil from wet notes or even better using a sharpie on duct tape on my slate.
I went home that night feeling over whelmed, but due to a work commitment I had the next day off from class and that gave me time to reconfigure my gear and set it up based on what I experienced today and Ricks recommendations, and get my head right for the new skills and tasks that I was introduced to.
Day two, of the course was on Sunday, again at Paradise, this time I was better prepared for the skills and had made changes to my gear, 3 (three dives were planned and executed today again to 140 all dives were to this level and Rick kept a cave flavor to the training as that is my goal.
I normally dont like to dive Paradise, and could only handle once a year there as I was bored with it never being deeper in the system the 99ft. Today I discovered a new system to me and my interest in that small simple spring was peaked. We planned and dove the system to 140 again I was running my primary reel dropping stages along the way. But after having a day to reconfigure my gear things were smoother and flowed in the water. Trim was better, everything was better all around.
The lessons learned from Day 1 were taken into account and corrections were proper as was Ricks recommendations for gear configuration. This reduced a lot of stress and task loading due to things being clearer.
Rick thinks I was narcd and made fun of my math skills at 140 ft,( maybe I was a little slow counting) but I didnt take my fins off to finish. The plan was followed and I thought things went well. Rick again being ever observant pointed out things I need to improve on like stage placement on the line. Not taking stages beyond the MOD in this environment however making sure I understood in blue water I have to take them.
The 2d dive was also planned and executed again Rick pointed out details to help me. During this dive while I was on a stage, Rick approached and gave me the OOA signal, instinctively I handed him the regulator I was breathing on, which was my deco gas, and I went back to my back gas and then it hit me what I did, that I did not give him my 7footer, I gave him my deco gas. Again, Rick taught me the point in the usual way that he uses, (experience) how to handle AAO situations in this environment. Also during this dive I had equipment failure nothing critical, but aggravating as my dry suit was no longer.
The 3d dive was shallow and more for skills like shooting a lift bag, s drills, equipment manipulation and the day ended I was getting more comfortable with the extra gear and was no longer fighting buoyancy and trim like the previous day.
The 3d day, Monday we met at 40 Fathom Grotto, planned a couple of dives to 150. All was well with planning and getting in the water there was low vis as the 1st 30 was murky, between 15-30 ft I felt a bit sick due to no visual reference and my head and stomach turned some, it cleared up when I dropped below 30 and the water cleared up. We headed to 150, Rick was checking my math during the decent. I was feeling a little narcd at depth and at 20 min it to the dive while responding to a 8 count challenge I used my thumb as the #1 vs my finger and did not realize I just turned the dive. We turned the dive and followed our -10 min plan out. Exited and debriefed on the surface where I was made apparent to me I turned the dive prior to time or gas turn point and I realized what I had done.
The next dive was again to 150 I was not feeling well from the 1st dive but wanted to finish the course. My head was feeling bad and my stomach was turning from the vertigo during the decent. 2d dive entered the water dropped down this time no vertigo no narcosis hanging out at 150, Rick tried to get me to do a trust me and I didnt. we met our planned dive time and began to ascent.
This is where this dive got interesting for me. I was between 100-83 ft things started to spin, no visual reference, I was looking at particulate and it was spinning looking like the stars in a star trek movie flashing by. I grabbed the up line and focused on it did not help. The spinning was getting worse. I got myself neutral, and checked my depth.
Now I was really starting to spin, I felt like was a flag on a pole, and was trying to be thrown from the up line. In my head I knew I was not spinning for real and it was all in head. I checked to make sure I was on the right gas still on back gas not able to change to a deco mix and I felt like a drunk and went spread eagle trying to stop the spinning without success.
I knew in my mind it was all in my head, and made myself slow my breathing down and focused in that now I was having a hard time telling up from down, I could see my depth was unchanged and I started watching my bubbles to get my orientation. About this time Rick and Fred came into view and the vertigo stopped as quickly as it started. I now had a reference point in the water and was able to switch gas for deco and follow my plan out.
That was the worst dive I have ever had. But it also confirmed to me that even when **** is going bad if you have air, life is still good, and just focus on staying calm and working through the issue at hand.
When I finally surfaced I felt like ass stomach and head were spinning and I was done stick a fork in me.
It took me a full day and sleep to feel better. But I really believe that previous training with Rick and others from my past have allowed me to remain calm when things arent going as planned.
Also included was an introduction to PP gas blending and calculating your mix. Again the math portion of that was wearing me out.
I look forward to getting back into the water and using my new skills, after my ears dry out. Rick is a great instructor and very patient. This is the 2d class I have taken with him and plan to take cave with him in the future.
A couple days after writing this, I learned I had an ear infection which may have contributed to the vertigo on the last day.
