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<font color='#000080'>Well, I've just got myself out of bed after a long weekend in the lakes. TDI Adv Nitrox is as good as everyone makes out.
A lot of the theory was very similar to the BSAC course, and I'd imagine the PADI course too, but Nitrox is nitrox, so there we go. I hadn't done the EAD calculations before, but a good review all the same on the other stuff.
Anyway, so Dave C has organised a cottage. Cottage nothing. It was a mansion. 3 floors, comfortable for 10 to sleep, and a tenner a night. Ten out of ten that man. Very nice.
Day one was in the classroom covering everything, lots of info and th usual material was covered.
That night we had an expensive curry in Kendal, made all the cheaper by not charging us for any drinks. I hope they're not reading this!!!
Day two was in Coniston Water. Deeper dive 1st, bit of confusion as Drifty aborted due to a neck seal loose as a prom queen in the back of a limo. No problems though, we bag off and ascend, as per the plan.
2nd Dive, and I was getting distinctly worried about doing a no-mask swim down a line, and working myself up a bit. It was 4deg, but I was being a poof about it. We went down, did the shutdowns and bubble checks as per before, and then went and did the swim (after we'd found the line!!!). It's easy. It really is. Why I got myself all convinced it was going to be a nightmare I'll never know. Now I know for next time. And there will be a next time if Andy's courses are all like this.
That night we did our exams in the cottage, and everyone passed that bit easy enough. Caused a bit of debate, but nothing that wasn't right apparently.
Day 3 was in Wastwater, a bit more depth in there, and a good site IMO. My twins weren't 02 clean, so Andy just lends me a set of his for the day. Very nice of him, and no charge. I like this kind of course.
2 dives really just for practice, we came up to the 80% tanks on the line, and did our safety stops on them. Worked out nicely, and I got to check that my invert worked with stages. They did, and I was a happy bunny.
Once the diving was done for the day we decamped to a pub for dinner, then home via Leeds to drop off SteveC. And Andy was right. Again. I didn't get tired until I was in bed at midnight, if I'd have done those dives and drive on air I'd have had to stop at least 3 or 4 times on the way home to wake myself up.
All in all a good course, and it was good to spend time with DaveC, SteveC, Drifty and Dave King and Kirklees massive.
I'd reccommend this course to just about anyone, especially those who haven't done nitrox before, DaveC performed on the day, and as far as I know he's not dealt with nitrox previously. He also put in one hell of a performance on the dives. Many DLs would have been proud of themselves with diving like that.
