Sat 11.7.
DM#2
Ratteghe. Crazy dive. I close Alessandros group, 3 divers, number 3 has problems from the start, struggling to go down. 7.5 mm Semidry, 6 kilos on belt, huge dive knife. first few minutes always head down, breathing hard, constant bubble flow.Resurfaces after 3 minutes, i give him 1 more kilo and tell him to calm down, Alessandro comes up after 2 min, gives him another kilo, we go down again, lost the group, we are in the first Arch, I go north, current flows south, we are getting pretty shallow, he takes pictures now, I navigate East to get out of the shallows, then 20 min into the dive I see him surface again, Finstrap broken, he is completely exhausted. I tow him to the boat (nice rescue training…). Luca helps him out of the water, I go down again to find Alessandro and the rest of the group. I meet Vincenzo and his student Antonio from Uruguay at the anchor line., continue and find Alessandro with the two other divers. We finish the dive after 45 min, i close the anchor, put the balloon on, inflate, ok.
Out of the water after 48:30 min, overall RMV 20,8… Hard work…
Sun 12.7.
No dive, to the DC anyway. You can learn something all the time…
I listen to theory sessions with Vince and his OWD student Antonio, he sets up 4 different dive systems, and gets it very fast
DM#2
Ratteghe. Crazy dive. I close Alessandros group, 3 divers, number 3 has problems from the start, struggling to go down. 7.5 mm Semidry, 6 kilos on belt, huge dive knife. first few minutes always head down, breathing hard, constant bubble flow.Resurfaces after 3 minutes, i give him 1 more kilo and tell him to calm down, Alessandro comes up after 2 min, gives him another kilo, we go down again, lost the group, we are in the first Arch, I go north, current flows south, we are getting pretty shallow, he takes pictures now, I navigate East to get out of the shallows, then 20 min into the dive I see him surface again, Finstrap broken, he is completely exhausted. I tow him to the boat (nice rescue training…). Luca helps him out of the water, I go down again to find Alessandro and the rest of the group. I meet Vincenzo and his student Antonio from Uruguay at the anchor line., continue and find Alessandro with the two other divers. We finish the dive after 45 min, i close the anchor, put the balloon on, inflate, ok.
Out of the water after 48:30 min, overall RMV 20,8… Hard work…
Sun 12.7.
No dive, to the DC anyway. You can learn something all the time…
I listen to theory sessions with Vince and his OWD student Antonio, he sets up 4 different dive systems, and gets it very fast
I chill on the Cap Landen terrace on my camping ground:
Mon 13.7.
DM#3
Nice and relaxed. Chiara and Vince have two TSD, I follow with an experienced diver Alister and Luca, who works at the DC.
We go to the wreck and back, then follow the Posidonia north, I try to memorize the „corners“ in the Posidonia.
Alessandro has a student, Vittoria, little girl, Scuba Ranger. Says she was super easy under water.
Chiara goes in a big circle, I did not expect the boat when we got there.
Mesmerizing effect of Posidonia standing still and rocks seem to move.
I show Luca how to clear the anchor underwater.
Lesson Learn: When the anchor is up, get back on the boat as quickly as possible, especially at Ratteghe, where we are close to the rocky shore!
Guests are super happy with the dive, Alister thanks me twice
Tue 14.7.
DM4
Like yesterday, two TSD, I follow with a certified diver, Wander, from Groningen, NL. His brother and his brother’s daughter Maaike do the TSD.
I am lucky, Wander is OWD, knows his weights, and is comfortable under water. After 29 minutes he signals 2000 psi left.
Towards the end I take some vdo clips, show them on the GoPro after the dive, they want to "buy them".
Maaike is a natural, we propose a course, they want to discuss it in the family.
Back home at the beach, I study Assistant Instructor Theory another time and cut a little video of the Try Scuba today
Mon 13.7.
DM#3
Nice and relaxed. Chiara and Vince have two TSD, I follow with an experienced diver Alister and Luca, who works at the DC.
We go to the wreck and back, then follow the Posidonia north, I try to memorize the „corners“ in the Posidonia.
Alessandro has a student, Vittoria, little girl, Scuba Ranger. Says she was super easy under water.
Chiara goes in a big circle, I did not expect the boat when we got there.
Mesmerizing effect of Posidonia standing still and rocks seem to move.
I show Luca how to clear the anchor underwater.
Lesson Learn: When the anchor is up, get back on the boat as quickly as possible, especially at Ratteghe, where we are close to the rocky shore!
Guests are super happy with the dive, Alister thanks me twice
Tue 14.7.
DM4
Like yesterday, two TSD, I follow with a certified diver, Wander, from Groningen, NL. His brother and his brother’s daughter Maaike do the TSD.
I am lucky, Wander is OWD, knows his weights, and is comfortable under water. After 29 minutes he signals 2000 psi left.
Towards the end I take some vdo clips, show them on the GoPro after the dive, they want to "buy them".
Maaike is a natural, we propose a course, they want to discuss it in the family.
Back home at the beach, I study Assistant Instructor Theory another time and cut a little video of the Try Scuba today
Wed. 15.7.
DM5 and DM6
Morning Ratteghe with Chiara.
Chiara first in, then students, me last. But when one student with the notorious Rover octopus alternate rolls in, the alternate starts to blow off immediately. I don’t respect the briefing, roll in and immediately swim to him, try to stop the alternate and then close the tank. when I close the tank, he’s at 150 bar already. Chiara first wants tocomplain, then she notices that I saved the dive with waht I did...
We do OWD Exercises
Student with the Rover has 50 bar, Chiara sends him up with me. I send him in the boat, wait for the rest of the group and get up the Anchor perfectly.
I did everything right today
DM5 and DM6
Morning Ratteghe with Chiara.
Chiara first in, then students, me last. But when one student with the notorious Rover octopus alternate rolls in, the alternate starts to blow off immediately. I don’t respect the briefing, roll in and immediately swim to him, try to stop the alternate and then close the tank. when I close the tank, he’s at 150 bar already. Chiara first wants tocomplain, then she notices that I saved the dive with waht I did...
We do OWD Exercises
Student with the Rover has 50 bar, Chiara sends him up with me. I send him in the boat, wait for the rest of the group and get up the Anchor perfectly.
I did everything right today
Yesterday's TSD clients come back to the DC, I show them yesterday's video and give them the Vimeo link, they are happy about it. I tell them it's a service by the Dive Center. Maaike takes the course!
And here is the video:
Chiara Pezzoli from Brescia, who I met on my 100 day trip back in 2017, wants to come around on saturday. She needs "some salty dives", she says. We had kept loose contact via FB all the years.
DM6 Afternoon Ratteghe with Vincenzo
And here is the video:
Chiara Pezzoli from Brescia, who I met on my 100 day trip back in 2017, wants to come around on saturday. She needs "some salty dives", she says. We had kept loose contact via FB all the years.
DM6 Afternoon Ratteghe with Vincenzo
I take a video, the guys are good.
I learn a lot watching Vincenzo teach.
He has a tight contact with his students all the time. (For example when he teaches the skill take off mask: left hand grabs belly belt, so the back of his hand feels the breathing and nervousness, right hand back softly on the students regulator when the mask is off. In case of upcoming panic, pinch student’s nose with the left, right hand stays on regulator)
I learn a lot watching Vincenzo teach.
He has a tight contact with his students all the time. (For example when he teaches the skill take off mask: left hand grabs belly belt, so the back of his hand feels the breathing and nervousness, right hand back softly on the students regulator when the mask is off. In case of upcoming panic, pinch student’s nose with the left, right hand stays on regulator)
We go out east into the posidonia and return. I would have found the boat easily, always aware where it is.
Thu. 16.7.
Morning video editing, also for Urs and Sandra
DM7 afternoon Tubo with Vincenzo and Filippo and 6 students. I do anchor down and up. I am supposed to supervise the entire group in the middle. In the beginning I close, which is wrong, later better. During exercises stay in the back and middle of the group, ready to react to anybody going up. If instructor is finished with a student, keep eye on those.
Vincenzo takes a Kilo off Maike and hands it to me. As a very good divemaster I would have seen she was overweighted, bad trim, legs down, but not bicycling. She tries to compensate with her right hand, so he takes 1 Kilo out of her right pocket. Immediately better after that. She later confirms that.
Anchor up like a breeze, no fast ascent, early on the boat.
After dive, Vincenzo and me do the Anchorman foto:
 | |||||||||
| 30 years in the Media news industry, but only weeks in the diving business and I am Anchorman! |
Fri 17.7.
DM8 15:00 Ratteghe with Filippo
Students Giancarlo, Antonella (last OWD dive), Antonio from Uruguay, Maaike from Holland.
I do anchor down and up. Bad bad viz.
Filippo guides I close.
Maaike and Antonio have problems with buoyancy, Giancarlo and Antonella are fine.
I take one kilo off Antonio, change his 2k to a 1k spare of me. he feels better after that.
Back at anchor after 31 min, me out after 45 or so.
Vincenzo has a Buoyancy course with one diver
Anchor perfect, next time possible I want to film it with Luca
Sat 18.7.
DM9
Chiara Pezzoli at Ratteghe.. Chiara from Brescia arrived by train, met at the diving at 12, she sets up her equipment.
On the boat give some tips for the snorkelers, where to find the wreck, mask treatment etc...
I guide independent. Briefing dive time 45-50 min, depth, things to see, Exit procedure, basic signals, history of the wreck. Ratteghe 2nd Arch, I know my way to the wreck and back. 25 min. Then south, pick up some litter, navigation no problem. I find a juvenile octopus. Super relaxed, she sure can dive. I don’t even bother to ask for air.
Perfect timing, we arrive at the Cima 1 minute after Filippo and his group.
Dive time 48 min incluso Anchora.
Gigi and Vince say perfect job.
I love my life
Sun. 19.7.
DM10
Croce in the morning. Sea flat, no current. I dive with Chiara Pezzoli. After 25 min Chiara Soriente calls me because one of the students Samuele must go up, reached 100 bar, getting hectic over leaking mask. We calm him, then i take him up the line. Half way up he switches to alternate reg. Standard reg blocked. After safetystop I send him up and wait for rest of group. Take up Stefanie after safetystop, she seems disoriented. Nice dive, nice ride.
Later we notice one of the bungees that hold the tanks on the cart is broken. So we simply fix all of them, on both carts, or carello as they say here.
Lunch at Teccu, then at home coffee and 10 min rest, then back.
DM#11
Saraghi. Chiara Soriente guides, I dive in Buddy Team with Chiara Pezzoli. Fil and Vincenzo follow with a group of students. Cold dive, the usual Saraghi Thermocline at 14 meters. We see a Barracuda. Chiara shows me how to get up the anchor at Saraghi (enough to to get it off the ground and rise slowly, but not too much as long as divers use the line for ascent) 2 min Deco
Chiara Pezzoli seems happy with her diving weekend
Mon. 20.7.
Chiara Pezzoli leaves Imperia after we had a last lunch break at Chioschetto.
DM#12
Ratteghe with Chiara and 3 OWD from southern Germany or Austria.
They forgot everything, bad buoyancy, we do buoyancy skills all the time.
3 min to get anchor up and back to boat. ok
Next morning they will have a beach session with Fil, only buoyancy.
 | |
| The bike is waiting... |
Leg is getting bad, can hardly walk.
When I go to bed I use a needle sterilized by fire to open the bad spot on the inner side of the knee, then put Bepanthen on it.
Tue. 21.7.
Morning take care of leg, the dry one is more or less ok with 2 socks. I will take the wet leg to DC and leave it there. After dive put extra sock under the 3mm Neopren for walk back to DC.
Dm#13 Ratteghe with two of yesterday’s guys, Vince Instructor.
Exercises mask off, measure fin kicks and time, out of air.
While swimming my leg feels much too tight, I take it off, take away extra sock, with leg under left arm Signal ok to Vince, put the shaft back on, it's ok now.
Nice diving with one leg
Back at anchor Vince teaches the skill SMB deployment, the student is using my smb, because Vince's is a huge 2 meter one.
I pull up anchor
Wed. 22.7.
DM#14 Ratteghe. I guide independent. Gianni, dives for 2 years, adv. , full own equipment, lake diver, 4 kg, I give him 1 more for saltwater. Briefing on the boat. buoyancy check at surface ok. We put balloon on anchor. Off to the wreck. I expand my radius a bit...
Super nice viz, 26 degrees, nice and easy dive.
I send him up after 40 min, the other groups arrive same time, I wait until everybody is in the boat, pump up the anchor.
Gianni seems happy with the dive. I must be doing something right, getting into it.
Leg: 3 mm for diving, plus 2 mm for walking, is best at the moment.
Immediately change to dry leg at DC, with two Frottee socks. This turns out to the best procedure, full change of legs, slicone, socks and shaft, from dry to wet and back.
I learn two more names of the Teccu staff: Ariana, half austrian, half italian.
And the one with black hair is called Maddalena.
Thu. 23.7.
DM#15 Ratteghe
With Bianca and Romy from Bern, Switzerland.
Romy had 40 dives, Bianca 7
Buoyancy check at surface, I give Romy an extra kilo from the boat.
27 degrees, super viz, feels Caribbean...
After 5 min both are ok, Romy struggles with her mask a bit. Super chilled dive, Bianca forgot the sign for 100 bar, but both air ok. Up after 41 min.
(Later they will praise this dive on TripAdvisor. In stark opposite to the one they do next morning.
I must be doing something good here…)
DM#14 Ratteghe. I guide independent. Gianni, dives for 2 years, adv. , full own equipment, lake diver, 4 kg, I give him 1 more for saltwater. Briefing on the boat. buoyancy check at surface ok. We put balloon on anchor. Off to the wreck. I expand my radius a bit...
Super nice viz, 26 degrees, nice and easy dive.
I send him up after 40 min, the other groups arrive same time, I wait until everybody is in the boat, pump up the anchor.
Gianni seems happy with the dive. I must be doing something right, getting into it.
Leg: 3 mm for diving, plus 2 mm for walking, is best at the moment.
Immediately change to dry leg at DC, with two Frottee socks. This turns out to the best procedure, full change of legs, slicone, socks and shaft, from dry to wet and back.
I learn two more names of the Teccu staff: Ariana, half austrian, half italian.
And the one with black hair is called Maddalena.
Thu. 23.7.
DM#15 Ratteghe
With Bianca and Romy from Bern, Switzerland.
Romy had 40 dives, Bianca 7
Buoyancy check at surface, I give Romy an extra kilo from the boat.
27 degrees, super viz, feels Caribbean...
After 5 min both are ok, Romy struggles with her mask a bit. Super chilled dive, Bianca forgot the sign for 100 bar, but both air ok. Up after 41 min.
(Later they will praise this dive on TripAdvisor. In stark opposite to the one they do next morning.
I must be doing something good here…)
Translate: "We were in Imperia for 2 dives. The first dive was at 5-8m on the coast. We enjoyed this dive very much and we were well instructed by Volker before diving.
The second dive was a day later, with another instructor and at a depth of 23m. In our opinion, little or no information / instruction was given about the dive site. The team seemed hectic and you should dive to 20 meters within a few minutes. The improvement tips were also sent hurriedly underwater, so I quickly felt unsafe.
The dive site offers a diverse flora and many schools of fish. The 1. dive we would be happy to repeat."
- - - - - - -
I try the mares XR BCD for the first time at Ratteghe.
Put my trim weight pockets on the belt, put 1 kg on the tank with a weight belt.
SPG fixed with a carabiner.
No idea where to put the extra kilo in case a student needs one. Maybe the hybrid cargo shorts 🩳 will do.
5 kilo far too much with this bcd! Tank weight off, next time 4! Even 3 seems possible... need to adjust tighter tomorrow.
A Dutch lady, mother of the 5 students, tries a TSD, but gets seasick on the boat.
Sarah, the dark haired girl with the big glasses from chioschetto faints on the street in front of the DC, golpe di caldo , Ale brings her to the DC, stress position, ambulance. She recognizes me, as I am a regular customer where she works. Then we send her off to hospital in an ambulance
Fri. 24.7.
I repeat chapters of the instructor course. No dive today. I go to the DC anyway, you can always learn something. Heavy rain starts at 14:15
Vince and I set up the XR BCD nicely, more tight, fix the weight pockets with bungee.
Rain slowly stops, the air is a lot colder now.
Around 16:30 I leave, meet Sarah on the street, she fainted yesterday with a heat stroke. She so cute and grateful. Feels better now.
Chioschetto is closed, Teccu isclosed. I drive to Basko in Diano, buy meat and olive bread and veggies for a nice dinner. Buy a replacement bulb for the additional tail light on the bike. Prepare my Dinner, enjoy my time, the sky clears.
Sat 25.7.
Trying to find the average depth of a dive in the Eon Core Computer.
Does not react as described in the manual.
https://www.suunto.com/de-de/Support/Produktsupport/suunto_eon_core/suunto_eon_core/eigenschaften/logbuch/
https://www.suunto.com/en-us/Support/Product-support/suunto_eon_core/suunto_eon_core/features/logbook/
Obviously, those manuals refer to firmware 2.0. I update the firmware with DM5 to version 2.0 and there is everything as it is supposed to be!
Afternoon DM#16 Ratteghe closing Filippos Group.
5 Siblings from the Netherlands: Floyd youngest boy, Storm and Wolf, and the Sisters Zaza and Faye. They will become know as "Gli Ollandesi" at the DC. They do Buoyancy only.
Buddy Teams: Floyd with Zaza, Storm with Wolf, Faye with Luca.
The girls are doing good, especially Faye. Storm and Wolf are always making jokes, not concentrated, teasing Floyd. They Jojo dive. I help Floyd two times with his BCD, then its better.
Faye loses her hair ribbon, looks like a Medusa. Have to film that tomorrow.
Luca films me bringing up the anchor. Not ideal, have to do it again…;-).
Around 16:30 I leave, meet Sarah on the street, she fainted yesterday with a heat stroke. She so cute and grateful. Feels better now.
Chioschetto is closed, Teccu isclosed. I drive to Basko in Diano, buy meat and olive bread and veggies for a nice dinner. Buy a replacement bulb for the additional tail light on the bike. Prepare my Dinner, enjoy my time, the sky clears.
Sat 25.7.
Trying to find the average depth of a dive in the Eon Core Computer.
Does not react as described in the manual.
https://www.suunto.com/de-de/Support/Produktsupport/suunto_eon_core/suunto_eon_core/eigenschaften/logbuch/
https://www.suunto.com/en-us/Support/Product-support/suunto_eon_core/suunto_eon_core/features/logbook/
Obviously, those manuals refer to firmware 2.0. I update the firmware with DM5 to version 2.0 and there is everything as it is supposed to be!
Afternoon DM#16 Ratteghe closing Filippos Group.
5 Siblings from the Netherlands: Floyd youngest boy, Storm and Wolf, and the Sisters Zaza and Faye. They will become know as "Gli Ollandesi" at the DC. They do Buoyancy only.
Buddy Teams: Floyd with Zaza, Storm with Wolf, Faye with Luca.
The girls are doing good, especially Faye. Storm and Wolf are always making jokes, not concentrated, teasing Floyd. They Jojo dive. I help Floyd two times with his BCD, then its better.
Faye loses her hair ribbon, looks like a Medusa. Have to film that tomorrow.
Luca films me bringing up the anchor. Not ideal, have to do it again…;-).
Assignment by Chiara and Alessandro: Prepare a Skill Briefing, Fin Pivot.
Scheduled for Monday, when there are fewer people at the DC
Sun 26.7.
i make the first anchorman video with Luca’s yesterday’s movie. Never had a chance to do it again, so here is the video:
Updated Chiara Pezzolis Video with her footage.
Read my notes about Skill Briefing and Skill Fin Pivot.
Leg is very bad.
DM#17 Ratteghe Instructor Filippo, the Holland Kids plus Matteo Piccolo.
Bad viz, the two bigger boys make jokes again, no focus, no discipline.
Filippo assigns me to take extra care of Matteo Piccolo, because he has some ear problems. I have to take one of the boys down two times, he also doesnt give a fuck for his buddy, swims around, leaves the group.
Zaza has to go up early, ear problems on the right side.
pretty chaotic dive.
Leg is very bad. At the DC I fill the first 8 tanks, then Chiara sends me home.
Mon 27.7.
Morning with leg off, make skin recover and fill stump to make it bigger
DM#18 Ratteghe
Guiding two german buddy teams, father and son, father and daughter. Vincenzo closes. After 30 minutes i have to ask Vincenzo to take over guiding, have to fix my leg which is far too tight with the 3mm sock. I fall back behind the group at the Second Arch, Rippled Sand Valley, take off the prosthetis shaft, replace the 3mm sock with the 2mm one, much better. All this under water...
Lessons learned: Even slower! Take time to point at fishes and creatures, take time to explain the wreck, ask for ok more often, affirm they are doing good, ask for air after 20 min. Buy time! We know the site but for them it’s all new!
In the evening I talk to Ale that I want to order the Mares XR Psycho Calavera Jacket, because I like that pro BCD very much. No pockets at all, so the cargo shorts are necessary, but very smalland streamlined.
Tue 28.7.
Morning fill stump a bit, go to weekly market buy two polos and two swim trunks, buy groceries and cigarettes, at cafe del mar a nice focaccia farcita (cooked ham, tomato, salad)
DM#19 Ratteghe with Chiara, the Holland kids plus Matteo Piccolo.
Zaza has to cancel again for ears, Wolf and Storm dont get their buoyancy right, Faye and Floyd are really into it. The two boys always try to push the girls in front of them forward, because they cannot hold their position when swimming slow.... When Storm surfaces for the third time I talk to him on the surface. Only small amounts of air for the BCD. Down again I lost the group and continue with him on my own. Later Chiara finds us and we all surface together.
Wed 29.7.
11am DM#20 Ratteghe with Chiara and two French boys Scuba Diver course. They have zero buoyancy skills. One of them surfaces with ear problems, wants to go back to boat. I descend again, inform Chiara.
On our way back he wants to try again, I take him to the boat adjusting his buoyancy myself ;-)
Vincenzo received him on the boat I go down again, Chiara returns, also Filippo with Vittoria and Lara. I bring up the anchor, and off we go. Doing the best we could do, but these two Frenchies are no divers.
Love the mares xr jacket more with every dive. Hope mine arrives this week...
For the leg: Walking with 3mm, and diving with 2mm Neopren works good.
I have an Evening Negroni at cafe Del Mar
Buy some stuff at Pam
Thu 30.7.
DM#21 Ratteghe with Chiara and the Holland Kids.
It’s like a miracle, they obey, stay in formation, get their buoyancy under control, do well with the exercises clear mask half, clear full, regulator recovery, stationary air share. When Chiara does the skill take off mask and replace, I can see the difference in teaching style between her and Vincenzo.
Chiara is super happy to work with me as divemaster, because she can fully focus on the one student during skils.
Scheduled for Monday, when there are fewer people at the DC
Sun 26.7.
i make the first anchorman video with Luca’s yesterday’s movie. Never had a chance to do it again, so here is the video:
Updated Chiara Pezzolis Video with her footage.
Read my notes about Skill Briefing and Skill Fin Pivot.
Leg is very bad.
DM#17 Ratteghe Instructor Filippo, the Holland Kids plus Matteo Piccolo.
Bad viz, the two bigger boys make jokes again, no focus, no discipline.
Filippo assigns me to take extra care of Matteo Piccolo, because he has some ear problems. I have to take one of the boys down two times, he also doesnt give a fuck for his buddy, swims around, leaves the group.
Zaza has to go up early, ear problems on the right side.
pretty chaotic dive.
Leg is very bad. At the DC I fill the first 8 tanks, then Chiara sends me home.
Mon 27.7.
Morning with leg off, make skin recover and fill stump to make it bigger
DM#18 Ratteghe
Guiding two german buddy teams, father and son, father and daughter. Vincenzo closes. After 30 minutes i have to ask Vincenzo to take over guiding, have to fix my leg which is far too tight with the 3mm sock. I fall back behind the group at the Second Arch, Rippled Sand Valley, take off the prosthetis shaft, replace the 3mm sock with the 2mm one, much better. All this under water...
Lessons learned: Even slower! Take time to point at fishes and creatures, take time to explain the wreck, ask for ok more often, affirm they are doing good, ask for air after 20 min. Buy time! We know the site but for them it’s all new!
In the evening I talk to Ale that I want to order the Mares XR Psycho Calavera Jacket, because I like that pro BCD very much. No pockets at all, so the cargo shorts are necessary, but very smalland streamlined.
Tue 28.7.
Morning fill stump a bit, go to weekly market buy two polos and two swim trunks, buy groceries and cigarettes, at cafe del mar a nice focaccia farcita (cooked ham, tomato, salad)
DM#19 Ratteghe with Chiara, the Holland kids plus Matteo Piccolo.
Zaza has to cancel again for ears, Wolf and Storm dont get their buoyancy right, Faye and Floyd are really into it. The two boys always try to push the girls in front of them forward, because they cannot hold their position when swimming slow.... When Storm surfaces for the third time I talk to him on the surface. Only small amounts of air for the BCD. Down again I lost the group and continue with him on my own. Later Chiara finds us and we all surface together.
Wed 29.7.
11am DM#20 Ratteghe with Chiara and two French boys Scuba Diver course. They have zero buoyancy skills. One of them surfaces with ear problems, wants to go back to boat. I descend again, inform Chiara.
On our way back he wants to try again, I take him to the boat adjusting his buoyancy myself ;-)
Vincenzo received him on the boat I go down again, Chiara returns, also Filippo with Vittoria and Lara. I bring up the anchor, and off we go. Doing the best we could do, but these two Frenchies are no divers.
Love the mares xr jacket more with every dive. Hope mine arrives this week...
For the leg: Walking with 3mm, and diving with 2mm Neopren works good.
I have an Evening Negroni at cafe Del Mar
Buy some stuff at Pam
Thu 30.7.
DM#21 Ratteghe with Chiara and the Holland Kids.
It’s like a miracle, they obey, stay in formation, get their buoyancy under control, do well with the exercises clear mask half, clear full, regulator recovery, stationary air share. When Chiara does the skill take off mask and replace, I can see the difference in teaching style between her and Vincenzo.
Chiara is super happy to work with me as divemaster, because she can fully focus on the one student during skils.
After the dive we set up my new BCD, The Mares XR Psycho Calavera, which arrived today!
Then I go home and repeat the Theory of Assistant Instructor completely
Fri 31.7.
I deliver my final exam for assistant instructor, 1 wrong. Until now nobody wanted to see my fin pÃvot briefing.
Ratteghe with Ale, Giorgia and the guys from Nautico
First time diving the Calavera BCD! 4 kilos, maybe add one for safety on the tank...
When Ale teaches the Mask off skill, Giorgia can’t stand it and goes up. Ale signals me to come up too and tells me to take her to the boat underwater and exercise breathing without mask at the ladder. I take my time with her, she is becoming more confident. We have spent a lot of time together at the DC, so she trusts me. Dive time 14 minutes, so it doesn’t even count as a dive. Not logged.
Later at the DC I change the strings on Ales guitar, a 35 years old Yamaha, straighten the neck a bit to make it more playable, and clean it. I put on Elixir custom light, my favorite strings. Giorgia and Ale also pluck the guitar a bit. This service is meant as a thank you for the nice price for my new bcd, 500,-
We go to Spinnaker beach and have a drink, Ale invites me for a beer.
Francescos girlfriend says goodbye to me, she leaves tomorrow after the morning dive. Says she admires me as a person full of life and she wants to be like me when she gets older. I have heard that one before, in Spanish: Cuándo sea mayor quiero ser come tu... I must be doing something right here...
Then Groceries, and a Negroni prepared by Veronica at Landini.
Sat 1.8.
Cleaning and chilling
Then at 3pm DM#22 and XRTraining#1 with Ale and Francesco at Ratteghe. We take Stage Tanks and do XR exercises with them. Take off stage tank and put it back on BCD. Do the same with mask off. Exchange stage tank with Buddy. Swim backwards. Hover 3 min in neutral position.
I have problems with my buoyancy, trim weight on the tank slipped down from the top. Backward swimming seems impossible with my right fin always in the same position. Weight pocket slipped over left D-ring, hard to find the ring. Later fixed the weight pockets to the backplate with Bungees.. Not a nice dive, I feel disillusioned after it and leave after the 5:30 boat has departed
A Negroni at Cap Landen, in bed at 11, sleep until 8
Sun 2.8.
Scheduled for 5:30 pm, dive site Tubo DM#23 with the Holland siblings, and Matteo piccolo. Their last course dive. Chiara guides, Francesco DM. I take the stage tank with me and exercise a bit. Now use a rubber covered kilo on the tank, which doesn’t slip so easily.
Vincenzo tells me he used my bcd but could not remove the hose from the inflator. I check, impossible to remove. Alessandro says big Problem wants to try later. I put it on two days ago.
The Holland group and Matteo do their final exam, thank me again for the video. I AirDrop the stills of Floyd to Faye‘s iPhone.
Alessandro invites the staff for Pizza in Hosteria across the street. Home at 9:20
Tomorrow Ratteghe at 3.
Mon 3.8.
Full moon and weather change. woke up at 3:45 am for 1 hour. Then up at 7.
It starts to rain. Lazy morning, then DM#24 Ratteghe.
Vincenzo guides, I close, 5 guests.
When a client asks you „Do I have to check the air myself?“, you know what might come...
2 of them cannot descend at first. after 8 minutes we have everybody at the anchor. super bad viz, like 2/10. Vincenzo does a little circle then heads west towards the wreck. And back. One guest is breathing like a steam engine. After 41 minutes up again, Vincenzo does Anchor.
Gigi loses his cap at the port entrance but we are able to salvage it. Ale: Navy Seals style.
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| Another day in Paradise: Francesco, Filippo, Vincenzo, Giorgia (left to right) |
Fill tanks, Beer at chioschetto, groceries at Pam in Diano.
Tomorrow 9 to Saraghi with Alessandro and three guests.
Tue 4.8.
DM#25
Saraghi in the morning. Waves 0,5-1 meter, soft current, but surge, even at bottom. Super Viz, many barracudas. I felt like my wetsuit was sitting too tight, had the vest under it and hood on. Opened front zipper to get some water in, then better. OK after 10 minutes.
After the dive Vince and I manage to take off the inflator hose from my bcd with a screwdriver. Looks like one of the metal balls is blocking sometimes. I install the original hose that came with the bcd. At home I thoroughly clean the old hose and lubricate with Ballistol.
Afternoon dives canceled due to strong wind and waves.
In the evening I meet with Vince, Fil, and Francesco at La Grotta in Porto Maurizio for Chuck Norris burger and beer.
Instructor meeting without Trainers...
We do research on a fish with the name Slippery Dick.
Fil says they have another name here
Last drink with the boys in a bar uphill close to the Dome, where Vince lives. Nice
Wed 5.8.
Woke up at 7. Not clear if we can go out today with this wind. I’m on standby.
Check my SSI account: I am an Assistant Instructor now 🤙🤙🤙👌
Colazione at Café Del Mar, groceries at Pam
Afternoon: AI#1
First Dive with new certification Assistant Instructor.
Chiara and Vincenzo have TSD. I join them. After putting the balloon on the Anchor, I can’t see them anymore, so I swim to the wreck, following the clouds of sand in the water, and wait for them there. Doing skills, I train hovering, try to swim backwards, etc. After 10 minutes Vincenzo appears with his customer, I follow them, but the guy is speeding. I watch fishes, regretting I didn’t take the camera, nice viz. I meet Chiara and her customer and join them. From behind the second she swims out 2 min NE to the third arch and finds the octopus in the solitary rock there. We start to return after 32 min dive time, Chiara signals me not to talk about the octopus ;-)
I bring up the anchor.
Later in the DC I have to demonstrate the briefing for Fin Pivot. I make several mistakes, Chiara is not satisfied with Value and Organization.
Value must always start with „This is important, because…“, this is the formula expected. It's the first time I hear this, nobody ever told me before.
Organization she expected something about the Pool, whereas I chose boat dive at Ratteghe.
Briefing Formula is IDOLKS:
I Introduction - SSI Assistant Instructor
D Description (What, Why/Value)
O Organization - How we get to the training spot
L Location - who is positioned where. Introduce DM,
Then Signal! You all - wait - look at me - I - show the skill - you all - wait
K Key Points - demonstrate with signals
S Signals - the basic signals
I am not prepared for the Debriefing :-( Its something like: „Very good, students, but some of you were too positive, try to inflate only very small quantity of air. But I am happy with what you showed. Now at the DC I will fill in your training record and we all write our logbooks.“
I leave early, 5:45, aperitivo at Teccu eith a big plate of food by Jan, later Negroni sbagliato (Prosecco instead of Gin) At Cap Landen.
Thu 6.8.
Scheduled for 3 pm, but no dive. I have to guard the shop, Vincenzo is at the doctor’s, Ale is still sailing back from Mentone. OK, I dig around a bit in the Scuba Skills Update, Dirk, who has been diving here the last days, comes around to pick up his stuff and pay 3 dives, A package from Mares is delivered, I play Guitar a bit. When they come back, we fill tanks, I play guitar in the back patio while Rocco does his OWD Final Exam. I go get an icecream with Giorgia, and at 7 we all leave. After work I pass along at Teccu for a beer, Jan treats me with a plate of aperitivo that's enough for the rest of the day. Then head home, sit on the porch, have a beer and write this. Super chilled.
Fri 7.8.
Days here at the camping site start with healthy breakfast: fruits, nuts, jogurt. And a good coffee with milk.
AI#2
Ratteghe with Lotta, Finn, their Mother Kirsten, and two other guys. These two kids Lotta and Finn are marvelous, like fish in the sea. I guide, Filippo closes. Reach the wreck after 16 minutes! Filippo signals to slow down, when I myself was aware I was too fast..
Although I am guiding, I take some 4 or 5 pictures, and later send them to Kirsten, who is very happy with them. She tells me she enjoyed the dive very much after feel a bit insecure in the beginning, but that I helped her very much to overcome that. I must be doing something right here.
Later I send the two pics to Chiara, complete with Borgo Marina Diving Logo. Finally found out how to do that with my old Photoshop Elements. She uses them for a FB Post.
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| Finn |
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| Lotta |
Sat 8.8.
AI#3 Ratteghe. 4 Customers, I guide, Vince closes. 2 germans, Ela and Silvano, did their OWD on Koh Tao at Ban’s in January, no diving since then. And two Italians. Vince and I agree on a course to take, I do the dive briefing in English.
After rolling back in the water my inflator valve is leaking a lot of air as long as the hose is connected, so I decide to take off the hose and inflate orally during the dive.
Ela has the typical trouble going down after more than half a year not in the water. Descend 50 centimeters, then bolt up, reg out, gasping for air and breathing heavily. Mask completely fogged and half flooded. We clean and clear it, Vince pulls her down again. At the bottom I ask everybody if they are ok (as I said in the briefing), and we take off along the Anemone to the wreck, the shallows behind it, back to the Second Arch, short dip into Rippled Sand Valley, then I mistake another boat’s anchor for ours, Vince signals me the right direction.
Back on the boat Ela is really freezing, she is very thin and dove a Shorty. I send her and Silvano up to the DC as soon as we reach the Pier.
We repair the BCD, obviously we id something to the O-Ring on the inflator, when we took off the other hose. Easy fix.
Sun 9.8.
AI#4 Ratteghe with Rocco who just finished his OWD. He has his brand new 5 mm wetsuit on, but same weights 6kg as during the course with 3mm. Underweighted, he surfaces at the 1. Arch, 3 m deep after 25 min. I follow and tell him I will search deeper waters to make it easier for him. Back to 2. Arch we dive in almost 6m. We meet Marc and Alana navigating on their own at the anchor.
Vince has a scuba ranger TSD, Chiara continues the rescue course with two guys.
The dive center is pretty busy at this time of the year. Good so, I learn a lot
Dive time 38 min. I bring up anchor. Rocco thanks me for the Dive.
Later I play guitar at the DC while others fill the tanks.
Ale: "Volker, as divemaster you must play the guitar. It is SSI Training standard." ;-)
Chiara records me singing Sweet Home Mabul. Later I send her the original 15MB recording from last year's home recording.
Mon 10.8.
AI#5
Ratteghe. Refresher for Federico
4 kg, needs more to get down. Filippo is long gone with his Intro. We are between 1. and 2. Arch, wreck reached in 5 minutes. Federico is bleeding from his nose, we surface, clean his mask and nose. Better now. He has excellent diving position, trim is good, almost no air in bcd, so 6 kg is good for him. Usual route, back up after 33 minutes. Vince does anchor.
Afterwards in the dive center Ale asks me if I want to join for Gorgonie tomorrow, 40 meters. Oh yes, I want.
He sends me the XR Nitrox course, so I can do decompression dives. Also the Fiat BR20 the day after tomorrow with stage tanks...46,2 meters, done once, deepest dive til now. I put my name on the board for both dives.
I had been in a bad mood already, because I only do Ratteghe in the afternoon, last time somewhere else was 6 days and 22 days ago. But now I am on the mission, and my mood lightens up.
Tue 11.8.
AI#6 and XRTraining#2
Gorgogne 40 m max depth, decompression dive
Francesco and I take the dummy stagetanks again, just to get used to it and as preparation for tomorrow, when we will really use them. Took some pics with the GoPro without light, let’s test how that comes out. (Not the best results, so no pics here...)
after exactly 10 min I drop in Deco for 14 min, return after 20 min, predictable, nice and easy, 110 bar, RMV 17,39 L/min.
Dive time 38 min. I bring up anchor. Rocco thanks me for the Dive.
Later I play guitar at the DC while others fill the tanks.
Ale: "Volker, as divemaster you must play the guitar. It is SSI Training standard." ;-)
Chiara records me singing Sweet Home Mabul. Later I send her the original 15MB recording from last year's home recording.
Mon 10.8.
AI#5
Ratteghe. Refresher for Federico
4 kg, needs more to get down. Filippo is long gone with his Intro. We are between 1. and 2. Arch, wreck reached in 5 minutes. Federico is bleeding from his nose, we surface, clean his mask and nose. Better now. He has excellent diving position, trim is good, almost no air in bcd, so 6 kg is good for him. Usual route, back up after 33 minutes. Vince does anchor.
Afterwards in the dive center Ale asks me if I want to join for Gorgonie tomorrow, 40 meters. Oh yes, I want.
He sends me the XR Nitrox course, so I can do decompression dives. Also the Fiat BR20 the day after tomorrow with stage tanks...46,2 meters, done once, deepest dive til now. I put my name on the board for both dives.
I had been in a bad mood already, because I only do Ratteghe in the afternoon, last time somewhere else was 6 days and 22 days ago. But now I am on the mission, and my mood lightens up.
Tue 11.8.
AI#6 and XRTraining#2
Gorgogne 40 m max depth, decompression dive
Francesco and I take the dummy stagetanks again, just to get used to it and as preparation for tomorrow, when we will really use them. Took some pics with the GoPro without light, let’s test how that comes out. (Not the best results, so no pics here...)
after exactly 10 min I drop in Deco for 14 min, return after 20 min, predictable, nice and easy, 110 bar, RMV 17,39 L/min.
In the evening I go to La Grotta, thought we have a fixed date meeting on Tuesdays for Chuck Norris Burger. Nobody there. Later I learn they decided not to go, but forgot to tell me.
Back home I see that my XR Certification arrives in my SSI account.
See you under water
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