Independence day

[MonkeyPony]

I guess I'll do another one some time if there is interest.

I would be very interested but please, please, please make the next one on a weekend

Simon

[whaam68]

As one of the 3 who did this “workshop” on Friday & have to say it was a very enjoyable day. My motivation was to see if I could learn anything from the GUE style of teaching that would help me inprove my diving & particularly my trim. I have been diving for about 14 years & a KISS CCR for about 3 of those. Since going CCR I have never been 100% happy with my trim but have always blamed it on the unit with it's 1st stages at bum level & couterlungs near the top.

Starting around 9 the day opened with a chat about our individual objectives for the day & Clare explaining how we would structure things.. . Basically dive (to 6m) with Howard following us & shooting video, we were primed to have a go at various skills over the training platform at Stoney, acheiving neutral trim, frog kicking, backwards finning, use of a spool to deploy a bag.

To cut a long story short my frog kicking turned out not to be frog kicking! & generally I was quite rubbish especially when compared to the zen like level of control shown by our two hosts...we … surfaced, got feedback…dived again…got more feedback …dived again …& eventually went to the pub. The video was very useful as a teaching aid ....there was a noticible improvement in all 3 of us in the afternoon dives... the workshop doesn't aim to provide all the answers in a day but to give the diver the basic techniques to take away & practice. From a CCR perspective there was no CCR bashing & I got the impression that Clare was actually quite surprised just how well the regular GUE trimming out techniques transferred to CCR.

As I said the GUE approach to diving is very Zen & really boils down to getting & keeping a relaxed & efficient position in the water & being able to stop, do tasks etc while not moving out of trim (which applies irrespective of what type of gear is on your back). Got to say I was very very impressed by their level of control…they really have it nailed.

I won't be selling the KISS but I found the day very useful & would definately recommend it to other CCR divers who want to work on their level of comfort in the water.

Mike

[HP]

It official - I'm "Zen"



Clare and I had a long chat on the phone on the way back and I know we both found the day a real eye opener. The skills are just "fundamental" to any kind of diving and work just as well on a CCR as they do DIR OC.

Could someone send me back my spool and DSMB please

[whaam68]

Only the ramblings of a death box monkey...so doesn't count :o)

[whaam68]

Howard...are you missing kit?

I'll double check but pretty sure I don't have it...

[HP]

Yeah I think a spool and a couple of dsmbs - I'm checking with Clare Thanks mate

[GLOC]

You didn't have a pikey on a box with you did you?

Zen? What like Buddha Zen?

[wilbo]

Zen? What like Buddha Zen?

[Clare]

Thanks for your kind remarks Mike - glad you enjoyed it.

I've arranged another one on a weekend date as requested - Saturday 2nd August. Limited to four spaces.

The last workshop had an inspiration diver, a kiss diver and a single tank + pony diver.

1. Monkey Pony
2.
3.
4.

[jamesp]

Thanks for your kind remarks Mike - glad you enjoyed it.

I've arranged another one on a weekend date as requested - Saturday 2nd August. Limited to four spaces.

The last workshop had an inspiration diver, a kiss diver and a single tank + pony diver.

1. Monkey Pony
2.
3.
4.

Thanks Clare,

After my performance on the first dive, I would say that this is indulging in poetic licence. It kept me alive whilst crawling around in a heap, whilst practising my anglo saxon through the loop, would be closer the mark.

Thanks for a very interesting day, I would recommend it.

James