As divers, you might think you are easy to buy for, I mean you want Dive Equipment for Christmas - don't you?

BUT

How do your family and friends know what piece of equipment you want.  Well you log your Christmas Wish List and post to Santa ℅ Dive Rutland and let Santa's elves deliver just what you want.  So get writing..

With a Dive Rutland trip booked next August to dive in Scapa Flow and my technical skills a little rusty.. yes I dive a twinset when I can but not as often as I would like and was very aware that I want to be better at some of the skill circuits than I was.  Now was the time to start revisiting some of those skills.  When talking about it with the team, Bridget mentioned that she would like to join me so, we did some research looking for an instructor who not just teaches technical skills, but one that actually dives a lot as a technical diver and could bring real life experience to the process and is well respected within the industry.

We chose Garry Dallas. While Garry is a well known and well respected sidemount diver, he is someone that studies kit and dives it, not as a salesman or ambassador but as someone who wants to know how it works and what it feels like, perfect for new and rusty technical divers. In addition to his incredible skill set as a sidemount diver and technical advisor, Garry has established a good relationship with Charlie, our own Dive Rutland instructor, why not go to someone that we know, and know to be good? 

We were able to get a course, outside of an agency standard, outside of a certification in order to better our skills. It does not matter who the instructor is, anyone from any agency could be the person to help. So taking the mantra that you should never stop learning and bettering your skills we took ourselves off to the Delph Watersports Centre.  A site that neither of us have ever been to or dived so lots of unknowns.

Saturday was spent on a little theory recap as well as looking at how to work out Trimix mixes.. something neither of us are qualified to dive but lots of learning points and a few things we can add into our Enriched Air Speciality.  A speciality that heavily relies on computers but what happens if you know what the maximum depth of the dive you are going to dive is, but you do not get the mix you asked for… then when.  A little calculation and you have it… 

As well as looking at our own personal metabolic oxygen drills, that was very interesting.. now I would prefer to think the results showed that I was the fittest but apparently they show us that Bridget is brainy as she couldn’t get as far as me on no oxygen!

Then Sunday was spent learning some new drills as well as practising some others.. during two long dives. the second dive was 75mins..in less than 6metres of water.. if you can run the drills there you can run them anywhere.

Lots of positives in our performances but during the weekend frustration, apprehension and nervousness all felt.. feelings that all of our students feel and ones we can most definitely relate to.  

Our next steps are practise, practise and practise and a total kit replacement for me!  as we always say to you.. having the right equipment for the job is a huge part of the process and that was the running theme of my weekend.

We would like to thank Garry for all of his support this weekend, but we do recommend you practise your 'Dive Rutland Dance'!

So, whether you take a specialty course, or you decide to work with an instructor under our own boost program, the more tools you have in your diver toolbox, the safer you will be for it.

October Scuba Diver magazine now in store and ready for collection.  Features this month include The Seychelles, Gozo, Murcia and the Philippines.  As well as the regular Gear Guide.

Pop by and pickup your copy.

Go Diving show, the new "kid on the block" dive show at the Ricoh Arena in Coventry is being described as a fully immersive experience and is being fully supported by the dive industry not only suppliers such as 
Apeks, Fourth Element, Suunto, Xdeep and lots of others, there are lots of tour operators on site, so you can discuss that extra special holiday and we might pick up some new ideas for our club trips. Then if that is not enough there are lots of speakers with four stages running various talks over the weekend.

To allow us to attend a Seminar we will be closed all day on Monday 8th October and until 16:00 on Tuesday 9th October
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The pool will run as normal on Tuesday 9th October

In June, a rash made me question a change in pool chemicals. The rash started Saturday after the pool session. When we heard back that there were no issues, Tracey suggested I contact Midlands Diving Chamber (MDC) for advice, probably because she was considering the dives Sunday (30m, 24m, and 7m) , but in my mind it was from the pool, it had to be right, that is when the rash started!

​Sunday after the dives, I went home and was quite tired so went to sleep very early, not abnormal when I have had a high nitrogen load, also it is exam season and I am a teacher so that was fine.​

On my arrival at MDC dive history was discussed, and the profiles were examined.  The shallow dive had a few blips, but any shallow dive will have spikes, it’s the nature of a shallow dive.

The doctor was not convinced of DCI, but did a physical. Nothing significant until the neuro exam, which showed a decrease since my last medical, that he completed two months prior.  I went in the chamber, better safe than sorry.

After treatment using RNT 62 

Procedure:

1. Descend to 18msw over 2-5 minutes, stopping only if the diver or tender has difficulty clearing ears
2. Treatment time starts once 18m depth is reached
3. Once at 18m, the diver should be re-assessed to establish any change in symptoms
4. If symptoms have remained unchanged or have not completely resolved after 3 oxygen sessions at 18m, the treatment profile may be extended by at least two, twenty minute oxygen sessions, separated by air breaks
5. If symptoms recur during the ascent to 9msw, the decompression should be halted and the diver recompressed slowly until resolution of symptoms occur or a maximum depth of 18msw is reached
6. Symptoms may recur at 9m, depending on the severity and after consultation with the duty diving doctor, the diver may be recompressed to 18msw or the table extended at 9msw
7. The tender breathes Oxygen on the ascent from 18-9msw, 30 minutes at 9msw and the ascent from 9msw to the surface

Procedure​

1. Descend to 14msw over 5 minutes (being prepared to halt treatment for ear equalisation problems)
2. Treatment time starts at 14msw
3. Tender breathes oxygen for the last 10 minutes and the ascent to the surface

If I did have a bend, the only reason that it was caught was because I made the decision to go to MDC for my yearly medical. There was no other reason that put me in the chamber than the doc knowing my neuro assessment was weaker. Oddly, all because I had a rash that may not have been related. I did learn that 10% of reported bends are in shallower than 10m and instructors in that category are often from pool work. When asking about returning to diving, the doc gave me a timeline and I asked if that included pool work. He stated the pressure changes in the pool are MOST significant and categorically could not go in the pool until my fit to dive medical. How many people think ‘its just the pool’? ​

This meant there was a huge learning curve. I talked the theory to death with Charlie. He reminded me every step of the way that its all a theory.  Tracey reminded me that there was nothing I could have done to change what happened, it was a typical training profile we do and one we have done many times before!

What we here at Dive Rutland have 'learnt' from this experience is that undertaking our yearly Health and Safety Dive Professional medicals with our local chamber - Midlands Dive Chamber (MDC) at Rugby means they have our medical files and a baseline to compare to in a scenario such as this.  We feel that as Bridget had her files at MDC the neuro check being weaker raised a flag and although treatment potentially not required a 'better safe than sorry' approach was undertaken, which we applaud MDC for.  

Its also important that if anyone does not 'feel right' after diving be that in the pool or open water it is raised with a member of the team, so we can discuss and guide.. But at the end of the day MDC are on call 24 x 7 and always happy to take that call.  There are cards in the shop that you can put in your purse or wallet, so no excuse not to have the number handy.

And most importantly remember your treatment is free and provided by the National Health Service, so a service as divers we should fight to protect.

Come and dive Plymouth where the history underwater dates back to 1700’s, the sea off Plymouth boasts beautiful drop off walls, is abundant in marine life and is famous for its incredible visibility. The diving is varied with Wrecks / Drifts or Reef diving.    Sites such as James Egan Dayne, Persier, Scylla and Elk.
​The sites available will be subject to the weather conditions on the day!

The trip includes

• 2 days diving (2 dives per day) from Seeker or Panther - Saturday 21st and Sunday 22nd September
• Four single cylinder air fills
• Free Hot drinks & light lunch on-board
• Two nights accommodation at the Mount Batten Watersports centre 20m from the pontoon & dive centre with waterside views (Friday 20th and Saturday 21st September)
• Free on-site car parking
• Cooked or continental breakfast
• Two days full use of the Mount Batten Watersports facilities including hot showers, changing rooms, toilets, secure storage for personal items and 10% discount at the onsite bar!
• Organisation of the trip, including the provision of a Trip Leader by​ Dive Rutland

You will enjoy 2 days hard boat diving with 2 dives per day. You will require 2 cylinders for the trip. A dive computer, SMB and reel are mandatory for each diver. Torches are highly recommended, particularly for exploring wrecks.

50% Non Refundable Deposit secures your space, so book NOW as space is limited!
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The balance will be due on or before the 1st July 2019. 

Dive Rutland are pleased to announce they are holding the inaugural Dive Rutland 'sponsored' Scuba Olympics.

Events currently planned:-

1. Athletics
2. Swimming
   
3. Triathalon
   
4. Weight Lifting
   

Others will be added as we work out, how to adapt and make scuba related.

Great evening on Tuesday with Oakham All Saints Scouts completing Dive Experience with us here at Dive Rutland.  For Video see here

For me, the motivation to become an instructor was a mixture of the frustration associated with the limitations of being a DiveMaster and an Assistant Instructor, a natural progression that comes from developing one’s skills and the need to share the experience and passion that comes from diving, especially to those people who may struggle through physical or mental challenges. I still get the buzz from seeing a skill mastered or the wide-eyed wonderment of someone experience the delights of the underwater world for the first time. It is a privilege as well as a huge responsibility being an instructor, but I love it!
Words kindly provided by Keith Horsted, PADI Staff Instructor.

Want to experience being a PADI Instructor then join our next ​Instructor Development Course, here at Dive Rutland, with our Course Director Steve Prior