My AN/DP/Helitrox course

[-JD-]

Neck ring. Narrow shoulders. Ring covers a large part of my shoulder. Mike at DRIS had even mentioned the neck ring could be an issue with valve drills when I bought the suit in 2018.

I wonder if it could be carefully re-moulded into a narrower oval with judicious use of a heat gun. Might be worth a last-ditch try before replacemet.

 

[Marie13]

I wonder if it could be carefully re-moulded into a narrower oval with judicious use of a heat gun. Might be worth a last-ditch try before replacemet.

Luckily my local shop is the one everyone sends their suits to for repair, so at least I don’t have to send it off. It’s winter, so a good time to get this stuff sorted out.

 

[kensuf]

quarries, Blue Heron Bridge, springs, etc. all count as pool time. What I don't think you can do is teach a class like ANDP 100% off of a charter boat since it is a course where you are introducing new skills. Same with courses like fundies. Those are not what I'd considered advanced courses like normoxic/trimix where there really aren't any "new skills" being introduced. ANDP is the first time you're handling bottles and gas switches and you don't benefit by being on a wreck or anything in that course.

You shouldn't even get near the boat until you've gotten the ability to maintain deco stops squared away.

My typical in-water schedule looks something like this:

Step 1 - Minimum of 1 day - shallow springs, pool like conditions, to work on basics including bottle handling/gas switching, air shares/rescues and validate that they are proficient in buoyancy/trim/propulsion/working with basic kit (sidemount/doubles). If this goes well we move to the next step.

Step 2 - Minimum of 1 day - mid-deep water, ~60' feet-ish (Troy Springs for those that know the area), working on holding and performing deco stops at 40, 30, 20, 10' while shooting bags, plus various drills. If this goes well we move to the next step.

Step 3 - Minimum of 1 day - deep water quarry, 120-130' ish (Hudson Grotto for those that know), two actual deco dives but in controlled conditions performing a blue water ascent (yes, I know it's not actually blue, but you can't see the walls so have zero references points at this site) without current. If this goes well, we're ready to hit a boat.

Step 4 - Minimum of 1 day - if things went well, we go hit a boat and do a deep reef/wreck in the 140' range as a graduation dive.

This doesn't include multiple days in the classroom going over physiology, dive planning, emergency procedures, equipment selections, mindset, and teamwork. I've also been making pre-req to entry either taking ITT with me, OR demonstrating you'd be capable of passing ITT without taking the course (a skills evaluation dive). ITT is a 3 or 4 day course.

 

[kensuf]

And we’re off!

View attachment 561017

That's an awful lot of pink (SMB??? WOW!!!)

Now, a bit of constructive criticism. Please label your O2 bottle with a MOD label on the sides of the cylinder. The word "OXYGEN!" is great. Green hoses, not so much. If you have a reg failure on the surface before a dive and swap out to a spare, it may not have a green hose.

 

[Marie13]

You shouldn't even get near the boat until you've gotten the ability to maintain deco stops squared away.

My typical in-water schedule looks something like this:

Step 1 - Minimum of 1 day - shallow springs, pool like conditions, to work on basics including bottle handling/gas switching, air shares/rescues and validate that they are proficient in buoyancy/trim/propulsion/working with basic kit (sidemount/doubles). If this goes well we move to the next step.

Step 2 - Minimum of 1 day - mid-deep water, ~60' feet-ish (Troy Springs for those that know the area), working on holding and performing deco stops at 40, 30, 20, 10' while shooting bags, plus various drills. If this goes well we move to the next step.

Step 3 - Minimum of 1 day - deep water quarry, 120-130' ish (Hudson Grotto for those that know), two actual deco dives but in controlled conditions performing a blue water ascent (yes, I know it's not actually blue, but you can't see the walls so have zero references points at this site) without current. If this goes well, we're ready to hit a boat.

Step 4 - Minimum of 1 day - if things went well, we go hit a boat and do a deep reef/wreck in the 140' range as a graduation dive.

This doesn't include multiple days in the classroom going over physiology, dive planning, emergency procedures, equipment selections, mindset, and teamwork. I've also been making pre-req to entry either taking ITT with me, OR demonstrating you'd be capable of passing ITT without taking the course (a skills evaluation dive). ITT is a 3 or 4 day course.

I am very happy I decided to do my course locally. I have no time pressures beyond wanting to dive the Hume at least once before the end of this season - which essentially ends in late September.

 

[kensuf]

I am very happy I decided to do my course locally. I have no time pressures beyond wanting to dive the Hume at least once before the end of this season - which essentially ends in late September.

That's definitely a better approach. I'm a big fan of taking time and letting things gel and settle.

 

[Marie13]

That's an awful lot of pink (SMB??? WOW!!!)

Now, a bit of constructive criticism. Please label your O2 bottle with a MOD label on the sides of the cylinder. The word "OXYGEN!" is great. Green hoses, not so much. If you have a reg failure on the surface before a dive and swap out to a spare, it may not have a green hose.

Yes, big 6ft SMB that’s PINK. Both deco bottles will be labeled properly when they’ve got more than just air in them. This one has been used as a pony (with OCA to preserve O2 cleaning) for the past year when single tank diving.

 

[kensuf]

Yes, big 6ft SMB that’s PINK. Both deco bottles will be labeled properly when they’ve got more than just air in them. This one has been used as a pony (with OCA to preserve O2 cleaning) for the past year when single tank diving.

I realize there's no fun in safety but thank you.

 

[rob.mwpropane]

I realize there's no fun in safety but thank you.

Safety can be fun, lol;

 

[Marie13]

I think my suit is getting dropped off this week to get the neck ring removed. Thinking more about it, it’s just extremely restrictive and it’s also hard to put my head back because the ring is in the way. It just sort of pushes my head down.