AOWD - the course that does not happen

To finish the internship part of the Divemaster course I'm supposed to help an instructor during the Advanced Open Water Course. Seems easy - the course itself is just 5 dives/2 days. The problem is, that almost everyone is doing their AOWD in Egypt, Croatia or some other place with warm, clear water and not in polish murky lakes:/ I don't have the time&money to go to such place (im trying to finish my masters thesis), so I'm kind of stuck. Hope that someone will eventually do this course before our departure to Phuket.

Search & Recovery

As I was swimming today at our local swimming pool a lifeguard approached me and asked if I could help one of the other swimmers. It turned out that he lost one of his custom made contact lenseses in the pool. I thought 'no way I can find this lens' as there were lots of people swimming, but I didn't want to dissappoint the lifeguard so I agreed. I did a quick breathhold warm up and swam towards the area of the pool where the lens was lost. Remembering my search & recovery skills acquired during the AOWD and Rescue courses I applied the U-pattern. This was easier in the pool as I could follow the tiles on the bottom. On the other hand it was harder because I had to surface to get a breath. I wasn't expecting to find the lens, so I was surprised and happy when it appeared right before my eyes on the second or third turn :)

The guy who lost the lens was even happier - he said that if I hadn't found it he would have to wait one month before he could get a replacement...

Magda going to Egypt for a wreck safari

Magda has been invited to go for Egyptian wreck safari as a divemaster. During a week on a liveaboard boat she's going to guide dives to: Salem Express, Giannis D, Carnatic, Chrisula K, Kimon M, Thistlegorm, Rosalie Moller and El Mina. This is going to be a great trip for her. And it's good beacause she's been put on 'fasttrack to DM' in our dive center, meaning that she'll have priority to do all the interships needed for the Divemaster course she hasn't done yet.

And in the meantime I'll be finishing my master's thesis. Great ... :/

Rescue Diver training on Piłakno Lake

Wow, Rescue Diver training seems to be as hard for the Divemasters as it is for the trainees.. especially when the divemasters are also helping during Deep Diver speciality... This is basically what me and Magda were doing last weekend.

The RD open water training focuses mainly on different ways of getting a diver having a problem to the shore or other safe place. That is why the future RDs where practicing different methods of towing a tired or unconscious diver (sometimes with rescue breathing). A lot attention is also put on searching for a missing diver. During the training trainees were first practicing, under DM supervision, different search patterns (U-shape, square etc.) and then applying these skills in a simulated rescue action.

Viz in the lake was rather poor (less than 5m) and so we had to keep really close to "our" trainee during this supervision. It was then when I got kicked in the face with to-be-rescue-diver's fin and bit off the mouthpiece of my regulator:/ I had to finish that dive on my octo.

Tropical destination chosen :D

We have chosen our tropical travel destination: it's going to be Phuket in Thailand. We're planning to do PADI Assistant Instructor course with Asian Divers a Polish diving center there, and then start working. Lot's of work ahead of us: finishing our masters thesis, finishing DM course, finding accomodation, visas, flights etc. But I can't wait to get there:D