Re-learning skills after a long break from diving

I have just recently gotten back into diving after an 8 year break. I'm really enjoying myself again and looking forward to more dives.

My question is about all of those skills I have forgotten... I did take a refresher course at my LDS which reviewed the very basic skills of diving. I will mention that I received my OW around '88 (lost the card), AOW in '92, Cavern in '93 and Rescue in '94. The refresher course did not even scratch the surface of all of the skills and info covered in all of the courses I have taken.

So my question is, are there suggestions on how to get back up to speed on those skills? To be honest, my own take on it would almost be to go back and get recertified. I enjoy both the act of diving along with the academic side of diving. However, sitting down and re-reading my old course books I don't think is nearly as good as the actual act of practicing the various skills. In addition, I'm sure some things have changed in the last 8 years.

I do feel very comfortable getting in the water again and things are certainly coming back to me, it's just that I took those classes for a reason which was to expand and learn new skills. If you don't use them, you lose them...

I'll also mention that I would like to get my Divemaster some time in the future which is obviously leading to the need to be up-to-date on all of those skills. Would a Divemaster class go back and re-teach/cover all of those skills?

Any thoughts on this topic are appreciated.

Thanks,
Jeff

buy newer books for study and then find some divers that are current in the skills you wish to "re-learn" and have them mentor you back to skill level you once had.