Nesher
Contributor
Greetings! Well I finally completed my OW Certification last weekend in Monterey. We actually started the process at Stillwater Cove two weekends ago. That was an experience in itself.
On Saturday, after the Site Survey of Stillwater, my instructor decided not to dive there and we relocated to Timber Cove. Where the water conditions were probably the best on the Northern California Coast at the time.
What an experience, since non of us had actually dived before we were ignorant of the norm and was just excited about getting the Certification completed. Anyways, the first three dive was in what we later came to know as the worse conditions we probably would ever dive in again. Literally, we couldn't see our hands if we extended them out from in front of us. I was kneeling on the botton at 16ft and I couldn't see the ocean floor.
On Sunday my dive buddy and I went up and down the coast to survey sites and get a bead on the conditions. What we saw that morning was enough for me to believe it was not the right day. Two rescue attempts involoving the coast guard were already underway at 9:00 am, one a fatality.
After checking in, our instructor went out to survey the conditions and after a hour returned to inform us that we would not be getting the certifications on that day, the conditions were too bad.
I write this to tell you, I may not have known how severe the conditions were on the first Saturday, but, I and my class mates trusted our instructor and this guy never has let us down.
He really understood our composition and make up and really gave us the type of assurance that I hope every student should have. This guy inspired me to such and extent that I'm setting my goals and plans upon becoming an instructor. Hopefully I'll get mentored by this guy (Harry Greenstreet) and be able to instill this type of confidence in my students as well.
The following week, we headed down to Monterey Breakwater and on Sunday of last week I completed my OW requirements and am now good to go. All went well, other than an uncontrolled ascent from 45 ft which I'm still unhappy about, which just happen to occur during my emergency ascent drill. Can you believe that?
Well, I'm absolutely fine, but do not ever want to replay that event again. Could be very dangerous. What I loved was doing my fifth navigation drill dive where we had to go out on our own and return w/instructors following behind us. My dive buddy Ash, is what you call one of the great guys w/ the understanding of what it means to be a dive buddy.
My experience at this point was such that all I want to do it dive every day. I see my self actually diving in my sleep every single night. I hate to admit it,but, I'm consumed w/ Diving. I always wanted to do it, but now that I have, I could kick myself for waiting so long.
Two things, If you want to do it, Just do it. And two if you don't have the kind of instructor that makes you want to get wet. Find one that does and do all the diving you can with that person until they get sick of you.
I'm going to have many stories to tell. I'm searching for dive buddy in this neck of the woods who loves to train. I mean LOVES To TRAIN. if anyone is out there. Shout it out!
On Saturday, after the Site Survey of Stillwater, my instructor decided not to dive there and we relocated to Timber Cove. Where the water conditions were probably the best on the Northern California Coast at the time.
What an experience, since non of us had actually dived before we were ignorant of the norm and was just excited about getting the Certification completed. Anyways, the first three dive was in what we later came to know as the worse conditions we probably would ever dive in again. Literally, we couldn't see our hands if we extended them out from in front of us. I was kneeling on the botton at 16ft and I couldn't see the ocean floor.
On Sunday my dive buddy and I went up and down the coast to survey sites and get a bead on the conditions. What we saw that morning was enough for me to believe it was not the right day. Two rescue attempts involoving the coast guard were already underway at 9:00 am, one a fatality.
After checking in, our instructor went out to survey the conditions and after a hour returned to inform us that we would not be getting the certifications on that day, the conditions were too bad.
I write this to tell you, I may not have known how severe the conditions were on the first Saturday, but, I and my class mates trusted our instructor and this guy never has let us down.
He really understood our composition and make up and really gave us the type of assurance that I hope every student should have. This guy inspired me to such and extent that I'm setting my goals and plans upon becoming an instructor. Hopefully I'll get mentored by this guy (Harry Greenstreet) and be able to instill this type of confidence in my students as well.
The following week, we headed down to Monterey Breakwater and on Sunday of last week I completed my OW requirements and am now good to go. All went well, other than an uncontrolled ascent from 45 ft which I'm still unhappy about, which just happen to occur during my emergency ascent drill. Can you believe that?
Well, I'm absolutely fine, but do not ever want to replay that event again. Could be very dangerous. What I loved was doing my fifth navigation drill dive where we had to go out on our own and return w/instructors following behind us. My dive buddy Ash, is what you call one of the great guys w/ the understanding of what it means to be a dive buddy.
My experience at this point was such that all I want to do it dive every day. I see my self actually diving in my sleep every single night. I hate to admit it,but, I'm consumed w/ Diving. I always wanted to do it, but now that I have, I could kick myself for waiting so long.
Two things, If you want to do it, Just do it. And two if you don't have the kind of instructor that makes you want to get wet. Find one that does and do all the diving you can with that person until they get sick of you.
I'm going to have many stories to tell. I'm searching for dive buddy in this neck of the woods who loves to train. I mean LOVES To TRAIN. if anyone is out there. Shout it out!
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