On Wednesday, October 04, 2000 12:45 PM, Rebecca Delaporte wrote:

> Finally the WWW has a dive report to share!!  :-)
>
> Let me set the scene.  I have not dived since March with Strike (and if
> Strike was brutally honest I was a disaster!!:-))

Not that I recall!  And you do yourself an injustice in saying it!  :-)

> I have had a friend over
> from England who was super eager to go diving in OZ.  He has not done
> his course.  I pointed him in the direction of doing a course, whilst he
> was doing this, I would tag along and do a refresher.  Then if we had
> time to go out diving we would go with the local dive shop, letting them
> know that we were inexperienced. I thought this was a reasonable
> idea??   I felt the most comfortable with doing it this way.

It seems to me that that was a wise thing to do.  Not least from the point
of view that it removes any burden of responsibility from  your shoulders
and - hopefully - indicates to your friend that you take the activity
seriously.

(snip)

> Anyway we got to Port Stephens I kept telling him he needed four full
> days to get his qualification before he could go diving (we arrive Sunday
> and were due to go home on Tuesday morning - you do the math it
> wasn't going to happen).  Anyway I got dragged in to the dive shop and
> blow me over they do an $80 introductory dive, see if you like it kind of
> thing.  Just arrive one hour prior to departure and will tell you
everything
> you need to know then we will jump in the sea and go.  I got chills
> thinking about it!! (I would like to know what you think about these intro
> dives).

I'm not opposed to introductory dives as such - but I do question the way
that many of them are conducted.  (Here in Oz, for example, a diving medical
is mandatory for everyone undertaking a diving course.  For 'resort' or
'intro' dives the participant only needs to complete a medical statement
form.  I also question the fact that rather than being one-on-one with an
instructor, there can be as many as four - six for a subsequent dive -
resort divers to look after.  In an accelerated programme like resort
diving, I kind of feel that this is three (five in a subsequent dive) too
many!)  :-)

> Well we got to the dive shop 2 hours early.  I got my tank filled, he had
a
> five minute this is what to do.  We went to the dive site, got ready, walk
> in and started.  Now while the instructor was very good and giving Mark
> a few skills ( inflate and deflate BCD) all of 10 mins if that,  I sat
> underwater on a rock and looked at the fish.

It takes me longer than 10 minutes to try and remember how to tie my
shoelaces!  :-)

(all the good stuff about the things that you saw snipped!)  :-)

> The dive went to about 12m for about 60mins, the water temp was 17C.
> I was impresses that I got in.

> The day before we went dining Mark went snorkelling and  I went
> swimming only to have two dolphins come within 2 metre of us - that
> was amazing.  Though I must saying when I only saw the fins appearing
> I was praying it was dolphins and not something else!!

Was that prior to the two surfers being taken by a Great White in South
Australia the week-end before last?

> Strike, I think I'll be coming for another dive with you guys soon.

You're most welcome - just remember the packet of Tim-Tams!  :-)

>  I had
> more weight on me so I didn't flip upside down and my tank didn't slip
> about, it was great.  Also I really would like to congratulate you on your
> pre dive talk - there was nothing up there just follow me by the
> instructor.

I only give that talk to remind myself of what I'm supposed to be doing.
:-)

Strike