Curragh Divers
This is a note from your very happy training officer.
May is undoubtedly early in the diving season but yet we
have made tremduous progress already this year. We have had
two very successful trips away and this year’s intake
of trainees is getting on great. Most of them have got the
requisite 5 dives for their 1* certificate, more are already
logging dives for their 2* certificate and I spoke to a couple
who have dived over a dozen times.
I congratulate all of them for their perseverance in training
in the dark days of winter and for continuing on to get themselves
ready for open water diving. I know that some of them found
the snorkel and SCUBA training more difficult than others.
Like many things in diving, and in life, you get out what
you put in and I hope that you all feel justly rewarded.
In congratulating the trainees I wish to congratulate and
thank other club members for the massive club effort made
to train 10 new divers and 8 crossover divers. My thanks to
all instructors who put in the time in the pool and in the
classroom over the past few months. The lecture series is
now almost complete with only some catch up lectures to be
run. My thanks also to all members who brought gear up to
the pool to allow other people to use it.
There is a fantastic buzz around the club this year and this
springs from all of us pulling together for everyone’s
advancement.
While trainees have been the main focus there are many other
activities going on as well. There are six new nitrox divers:
Mark, Siobhan, Gerry, Jean, Alan and myself certified in the
use of Basic Nitrox with several more to come. .The older/senior/experienced/cynical
(delete as applicable) divers still have some work to do but
hopefully they will get around to finishing soon.
There are three candidates for their Rescue Certificate this
season –Jean, James and Mark. Some of them have started
doing practice lifts. In addition there are a number of trainee
Cox’s now qualified to Cox the boat under supervision
so I guess if you are going out in a RIB you better hold on!
The next group coming up on my radar screen are those 1*
trainees from last year who did not do their 2* certificate
before the season ended last year. You know who you are, and
worse – I know who you are as well. I will be actively
discouraging any T3s, T4s or T5s going into next year. A little
bit of study, a bit of diving, a bit of practice and the cert.
is in the bag - so go for it.
Finally there is great progress at instructor level. Roisin
and Kevin were out of the blocks early this year and were
awarded the M1* instructor certificate for their efforts.
This is a great personal achievement (believe me, I know!)
and a great asset to the club also. They have not let the
grass grow under their feet and, together with Paul Walsh,
completed the M2* jurors course and, all going well, the three
of them will be M2*s next year.
Keep up the good work one and all.
Safe diving,
/N
