tennis, life and a few things in between

Training Day is Denzel Washington’s crime thriller film that came out in 2001, directed by Antoine Fuqua.

The beginning of a new journey.

The two week training begins with paperwork – online self study materials.

There are five of us in this class with master diver Edward Ciesla: father Jake and son James, Bart and Ryan – all men. Why most diving photos ore videos featuring young females – sexy appeal?

With all the new gadgets, it is a lot safer but is it still fun, especially for the seasoned divers?

We also looked at equipments and tried on the vest BC (buoyancy compensator device). We hooked up to the gas cylinder, but didn’t put on – just tooooo heavy. I’ll do more fittings tomorrow.

… at the moment, I’m feeling tired already -:) … if you think skiing requires a lot of equipment, think again.

Our training days has total of  37 hours:

1. chap 1 & 2: ^{3 hr} 
2. pool ^{3 hr}
3. chap 3 + pool ^{3 hr}
4. Lake Denton dives ^{9.5 hr 7:30-5pm}
5. chap 4 + pool ^{3 hr}
6. chap 5 + pool ^{3 hr}
7. chap 6 + final + pool^{? 3 hr}
8. Devil’s Den dive $40 ^{9.5 hr}
9. graduation Halloween dive social

^{Woods & Water
124 Edward Ave
Brandon, FL 33510}

… more pix on Google Maps

SCUBA: self-contained underwater breathing apparatus, co-invented by French naval officer Jacques Cousteau (1910-97) in 1943, with Emile Gagnan. Cousteau was also an oceanographer, filmmaker and author.

A few types of dive:

1. open water OWD, which is what I’ll be doing
2. cave
3. cavern 洞穴
4. wreck
5. rescue
6. drift
7. …

SSI is a for-profit organization founded in 1970, in Fort Collins, Colorado. Their most popular program is OWD: Open Water Dive and AOWD (advanced). Their diamond motto is: knowledge, skills, experience and equipment. There are massive online reading materials.

SSI deals mostly with the shops, while Padi, which is better known, deals with shops’ customers too …

The training days

1. paperwork, chapters 1+2: class schedule
2. chap 3, pool: select gears; skills-regulator/octo
3. chap 4, pool: skills-drain the mask water
4. the 1st OWD: checkout dive @ Lake Denton
5. … big step entering the water
6. chap 5 … back into the water; gloves
7. chap 6 + final
8. pool,

The continuing education or speciality courses:

1. Navigation
2. flash light

To qualify for their popular certificate @ Woods & Water, one needs to complete

1. the digital learning material
2. academic sessions
3. open water training dives

For the open water diver, we need

1. six academic sessions
2. six pool sessions
3. four open water training dives

After this, one is able to dive with a buddy, within your training environment and depth.

The total diving system

1. the snorkeling: move, breathe & see below
2. the exposure: keep warm – suit, hood, etc
3. the delivery: life support equipment gas/nitrox
4. the information: a dive computer
5. the buoyancy: life support – float / descents
6. the accessory: extend your capability