So I left CT at 4:30 am last Sunday to meet my partner Jeremy in Kingston at Dan's shop to head over to a local quarry to check each other out. Jeremy was able to talk one of his Tech 2 buddies Kevin into coming out to critique us a bit. We headed over to the Quarry and dropped in, Vale Drills and S- Drills were out of the way, by this time we both knew that it was going to be a fun week, as we were both on the same page with our skills. The standardization of training in GUE still an awesome thing.. Kevin threw some failures at us, and we ran some line. Then back to the shop to top off some gas, then off to dinner with some of the people from Northern Tech Diver (Dan's Shop) all excellent people, made me feel very welcome. Then it was off to the Army base in Kingston as Jeremy is a member of the Canadian Forces, so we were able to stay in the barracks for $90.00 CAD for the week.

Day 1

Met Dan at the shop @ 8:00 am Started right into the usual GUE Intro lectures, then it was off to the Marine Museum in Kingston for a shore dive. A nice spot with easy access. 40 ft hard deck, in a nice little cove with an old barge wreck about 400 ft off shore. We dropped in for the usual valve drills and S-drills, then a swim out to the barge for propulsion critique, then a few OOA ascents with 6 min ascents from 20 feet, all went well as we came together as a team very quickly. Back to the shop for more lecture, Land drills on Failures, then home around 6:00 for homework and dinner.

Day 2

Day 2 meet at the Marine museum at 8:00 for some land drills on running a line and some no-vis situations, we splashed around 9:30 for some line work and failures. The failures came rapid fire for about an hour as we ran the line out to the barge, then tied in an lapped it five or six times. Then the OOA drills came in with ascents, six minute drill from 20 ft and the bag, all went surprisingly well. then came the no vis drill on the line headed back in, the video was quite comical as we were moving at a pace a snail would of considered slow, all while smashing our faces into the Zebra Muscle infested bottom. Glad I was the second team member, I could only laugh as when we finally started picking up the pace, we would come to a very fast stop as Jeremy slammed into something. then we had a failure on my right post with no vis, all I can say is that was interesting, but managed. Definitely a good experience. Dan then cut the drill, we went and cleaned up the reel and headed to the surface for Unconscious diver drills. I could hear Ed in the back of my head through out the whole drill "YOUR NOT FAR ENOUGH OVER HIM!! GET FARTHER UP!!" It was my best Unconscious Diver drill ever.. Ed would of been proud. Out of the water then back to the shop for more lecture, and out early for dinner and homework.

Day 3

Day 3 brought us to our first experience with the sweet helium. We went over blending and calculations then filed our back gas with 30/30 and our deco bottles with 50% for the days dive on the wreck of the Munson in about 115' of water. We motored out to the wreck Dan went over gas switching procedures, then we dropped in for the first of three dives. Down to the wreck, do a quick SAC calculation, then wait for the failures, first dive brought a fixable right post failure on Jeremy, then an OOA on me, leave the reel then head to the surface doing Minimum Deco, with no gas switch. Dive two brought the same, except my right post failed, and Jeremy went OOA, so it was an OOA drill until the gas switch at 70' then a 3 min stop there, and min deco to the surface. Dive 3 was dress rehearsal for tomorrow. Dropped back down to the wreck, picked up the reel, then head back to 70' for a 3 min stop, with 3 min stops all the way to 20' then a 10 min stop at 20' with a six minute ascent from there. We jumped back on the boat and headed back to the shop for most of the lecture we had left, then home again for homework which included planning the first experience dive for tomorrow. The was the latest night of the week, I think we left the shop around 7:30 or so.

Day 4: Experience Dive #1

Today was our first experience dive on the Rockport Wall to 150' on 21/35. We had planned a 25 min bottom time based on our sac calculation from yesterday. It was a very relaxing dive as the failures were complete at this point, Although we still had a high level of paranoia, it was all out the experience now. Off the boat, bubbles check at 10' then off the wall. 150' came up fast and we found out how sweet Helium really is.. We spent 5 minutes swimming into the current, then turned to go for a ride. I hit min gas at exactly 25 min, and we headed up for deco. We came in about 1 minute early, but kept very close to time all the way up. On the boat, and load up for the drive back to Kingston to tidy up the last little bit of lecture and the test. We spent about 3.5 hours on the test, all while resisting the urge to pull out the calculator, but finally gave in to the temptation as I did not have too many brain cells left at this point.

Day 5: Experience Dive #2

Friday brought us to our final dive of the week and the fatigue of the week was definitely setting in. Today was another dive on the Rockport Wall ( and definitely my last dive there ever:D. The actual name of the dive is "The Rockport Waste of Helium") except were were planning 165' for 20 min using 18/45. Another uneventful dive following the same plan as yesterday. We hit the surface about 2 minutes too late, but we told Dan were were making up for yesterday and he laughed. We then went out for lunch as a graduation dinner, then back to the shop for final thoughts. The it was time to make the 6 hour ride home.

The week was an excellent experience. I could not even imagine showing up for this course not being prepared. I really have to thank Ed for the mentoring that got me through this class, without Without him steering me down the right road, i would not be where I am am today with my diving. Now it's time to put the new knowledge to work.