Divingblueberry
Contributor
Disclaimer : I am from Québec, so my native language is French. My English grammar will most likely hurt some of you guys. I apologize in advance.
Context :
@Trace Malinowski is a tech and cave diver. I am a recreational diver with a huge 14 dives under my belt. :-D Yet, he accepted to take me on for 2 days for a buoyancy and propulsion class. My goal was to get the best advice and training on the basic diving skills as I am starting to dive. Oh boy ! I got much more than I expected !
The 2 days :
Two days, four dives.
30 minutes laying on my belly just to learn the 6 different kicks is kinda far from a PADI experience!!! I will always remember : « forget about your fins, focus on the movement your feet. » As a newbie, that is the kind of advice I was looking for. And that’s what teaching is about.
The right body position, the gear (what is important, what is not). All this is relevant. But the most important thing I have learned is team work.
I had the privilege to be buddied up with one of Trace’s student. Amazing diver. (He will be tech instructor soon). Diving with one of these guys (as a buddy) is a rare opportunity. The amount of information you absorb when you see pros doing their job is amazing. Trace insisted that we work as a team. I am happy to say that on day 2, we started to look like one. (Team, buoyancy, trim, action !)
(fun drill : get your mask taken off. Not the emptying the mask drill. The NO MASK drill ! You are a blind diver at 50 feet.. what do you do ? Is your buddy aware of the procedure ? I have learned the importance to trust my buddy right there! Thanks Jess !)
Trace is patient and generous instructor. He never made me feel as a newbie. Of course, he adjusted his teaching to my level, but he never looked down at me as a beginner. He always brings the best out of the diver he is diving with.
Any newbie should go for a class like this. I’d say : learn from the best divers. Not because it is required, but because you want to improve and be the best buddy there is ;-)
Thanks Trace
Context :
@Trace Malinowski is a tech and cave diver. I am a recreational diver with a huge 14 dives under my belt. :-D Yet, he accepted to take me on for 2 days for a buoyancy and propulsion class. My goal was to get the best advice and training on the basic diving skills as I am starting to dive. Oh boy ! I got much more than I expected !
The 2 days :
Two days, four dives.
30 minutes laying on my belly just to learn the 6 different kicks is kinda far from a PADI experience!!! I will always remember : « forget about your fins, focus on the movement your feet. » As a newbie, that is the kind of advice I was looking for. And that’s what teaching is about.
The right body position, the gear (what is important, what is not). All this is relevant. But the most important thing I have learned is team work.
I had the privilege to be buddied up with one of Trace’s student. Amazing diver. (He will be tech instructor soon). Diving with one of these guys (as a buddy) is a rare opportunity. The amount of information you absorb when you see pros doing their job is amazing. Trace insisted that we work as a team. I am happy to say that on day 2, we started to look like one. (Team, buoyancy, trim, action !)
(fun drill : get your mask taken off. Not the emptying the mask drill. The NO MASK drill ! You are a blind diver at 50 feet.. what do you do ? Is your buddy aware of the procedure ? I have learned the importance to trust my buddy right there! Thanks Jess !)
Trace is patient and generous instructor. He never made me feel as a newbie. Of course, he adjusted his teaching to my level, but he never looked down at me as a beginner. He always brings the best out of the diver he is diving with.
Any newbie should go for a class like this. I’d say : learn from the best divers. Not because it is required, but because you want to improve and be the best buddy there is ;-)
Thanks Trace
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