A little disappointed from the news last week that the organisers have changed some of the scope of the project and want to move the dates. So, no deeper diving means no need for me and the rebreather and if there was still a need I couldn’t go anyway with the proposed change of dates.
Annoying having blanked out a whole month in the diary to participate but I guess these things happen.
I still wish the project every success.
Two presentations and one Gala Dinner later and OZTek is done. A fantastic event and one to which I felt really privileged to have been invited and give two different presentations.
Next up is a Tec 100 CCR course for some of the PADI Asia Pacific staff and a Tec 40 CCR course for a Sydney dive centre.
No photographic proof but I have now seen my first seahorse underwater. Previous encounters have been limited to friends’ photographs and a Sea Life centre so I am a happy diver right now 
Just a day to go and I will be off on my travels again. This time it is Australia and my first visit to OZTek. I will be giving a presentation on the Blue Lake project and staying on to run some rebreather and rebreather Instructor courses. Should be fun and looking forward to my first visit ‘down under’
This has to have been one of the toughest rebreather courses we have run, for everyone who was there, including the boat skipper. Icy cold winds in sub zero air temperatures and water that was minus 0.5 degrees C!
Having attended Eurotek 2008 and 2010 I now find myself back again for Eurotek 2012 but this time as a speaker. Over the last few years I have been really fortunate to have been invited to speak at an increasing number of events including Rebreather Forum 3.0 in Orlando earlier this year and I have really enjoyed all of them.
I am sure Eurotek 2012 will not be an exception and I am really looking forward to Sunday. I am on at 1445 in Hall 10b so if you are around and have time do pop in and have a listen.
I will be speaking about the Blue Lake Project in Russia and some of the things that did not go according to plan.
Following on from a previous post and the article on PADI’s TecRec Blog we have set some dates for a PADI Rebreather Instructor course and a PADI Tec 40 CCR Instructor course.
The exact dates will be confirmed once we have established how much interest there is but they will be early to mid-April 2013 to allow everyone plenty of time to be ready.
The venue will be Malta.
The courses will be complete Instructor courses including the course assist requirement. If any existing other agency Instructors wish to do a crossover at the same time then of course we can fit you in.
So, drop me a quick email at info@eau2.com to register your interest and we can pencil you in for one of the spaces.
If anyone who is interested but would rather do something sooner than April please do get in touch (info@eau2.com) via email and we will see if we can put something in the diary a little sooner for you.
Some time ago PADI asked if I would be willing to be one of the PADI Technical Field Consultants and help PADI develop the Rebreather and Tec CCR courses.
Over the past year I have had the privilege to work for PADI helping to run the Launch Programs for the Rebreather Instructor and IT and Tec CCR Instructor and IT courses.
These programs have been spread as far and wide as USA, Australia, Sweden, Thailand, UK, Philippines, Egypt and Germany.
Each has been great fun and a wonderful opportunity to meet PADI members I would probably not have done otherwise.
The courses have been really well received with all the participants thoroughly enjoying them, saying that they had learned a lot but also admitting they were hard work!
PADI Tec 40 CCR IT Course,Thailand
The courses involve the candidates in Knowledge Development presentations, a Waterskills assessment, Confined Water Teaching presentations and Open Water Teaching presentations. We also had the chance do so some real diving with them in the simulated course assists.
Some of the candidates said they felt as nervous as their IE when giving the presentations (I think I would have done too) but the programs were designed with development rather than assessment as the goal (although of course we had to make sure that all the candidates were up to speed and meeting the standards) so we always made time to work with the candidates rather than just assessing them.
For me the most rewarding part was how many candidates told us how much they had learned in the short space of the course and how better prepared they felt to go out and and deliver what is a really excellent set of PADI courses.
The programs have undoubtedly been a success as can be seen by the number of candidates who are now actively teaching both the Rebreather and Tec CCR courses.
The PADI Launch Programs are nearly at an end but if you want to learn more about becoming a Rebreather or Tec CCR Instructor or IT you can contact your PADI office.
Although the launch programmes are nearly done I am running some more Instructor courses and the dates will be up on this blog in the next few days.
This year I will be speaking at Euro Tek 2012 at the ICC in Birmingham.
The subject will be:-
I have not sent out a newsletter for what seems like an eternity (some will perhaps say it was only 2 minutes ago!) and with some friends and students using ‘social media’ to keep in touch it might seem unnecessary but I thought this might be a good way of keeping a few more of you up to date.I am fairly sure everyone knows about my little incident but I am back diving full time again and have already taught an OC Trimix course, an Advanced Recreational Trimix course at diver and Instructor level and a CCR Trimix course.I have got a few Sidemount courses between now and the end of the first week of May when I am off to Florida to teach a some Trimix Cave/Deep Cave Diver programmes and then it is Rebreather Forum 3.0. I am both speaking and am Chairman/Moderator of the CCR Communities Panel. If you see me there do come up and say hello. Even if we haven’t met just introduce yourself, it is always good to meet new faces from the dive community.
After Rf 3.0 I am staying on to run a CCR Cave course then have just a few days at home before the warmth of Thailand beckons for PADI CCR Instructor and IT courses.
We have got Tek Camp in July and then I am in France running Cave Diver courses and Cave Instructor courses for 3 weeks or so. I think there is still one space on a Cave Diver course if anyone fancies it.
I am already looking forwards to the traditional winter cave trip to Florida. This year we are planning for November. Nothing is set in stone yet but if cave diving is something you are keen to get trained in then do please get in touch, either via this blog or drop me an email.
The Blue Lake Project ‘blog’ is on hold at the moment. I am following the suggestion of a number of different people who have hinted I should put pen to paper on a grander scale and try to come up with a book.
Never having written a book before it looks like quite a daunting task but the friends and colleagues who have made the suggestion have all attended one of the talks I have given and are convinced there is sufficient material from the Blue Lake Project to at least have a go.
So, watch this space.
