PADI IE for January 2010 is in the bag!

PADI IE for January 2010 is in the bag!

After 3 days on Koh Tao for the PADI IE (and a few days before that so we could complete Mike's Instructor Specialities) the PADI IE finished today and Mike sailed through it with all straight fives (out of five) during the last segment this morning, the confined water presentation and the skill circuit.

Here's the whole IE group, some 30 odd candidates, with the two examiners Rob and Young and Young Hee at the side of the pool for the closing ceremony.

The 'official' picture' from left to right; Rob, the PADI Examiner, Mike and myself.

Now it's time to leave Koh Tao and go back to Samui again and ready to start another IDC in a good 9 days from now.

Camille

Camille

Mike's specialty Instructor training is done

Mike's specialty Instructor training is done

After having completed the January 2010 IDC successfully, earlier this month, we made good use of the time available, together with the fact that there was only one IDC candidate this month, which allowed for great(er) than usual flexibility, we took a ferry to Koh Tao and we completed the Instructor Specialty training before the start of this months PADI IE, also on Koh Tao.

One of the Specialties taught was Underwater Navigation, here's the white board after the briefing of this dive, a small door opening into the kitchen of knowledge and teaching . Come and see if you're interested in the full course (sounds familiar, anyone?).

On Koh Tao, during an Aware Fish ID dive at Twins, we spotted this scorpion fish in full war dress, in all of his glory, a beautiful and rather rare sight. A nice touch was that Thomas, Dijana and David of the December 2009 IDC also participated in selected dives this month in order to complete their Specialty training.

Yesterday we saw this big Titan Triggerfish (as one of many around the Koh Tao dive sites) as part of the first of the two Deep dive Instructor specialty at White Rock and I got really close up for this amazing picture. If breeding, these are not very friendly fish! Luckily for us their hormones were in check.

Today we went for another Deep dive at Chumporn Pinnacle, although we didn't get to see the much anticipated and by now famous bull sharks at this dive site, it was still a very enjoyable dive with a good 20 meters visibility. This really small jelly fish caught our attention however, near the surface, it was the size of half a fist probably.

A school of baby Barracuda at White Rock saw us finish the specialty training today, having completed DPV, DUP, Nitrox, Equipment, Gas Blending, Night, Emergency Oxygen Provider, Search & Recovery, Boat and the Underwater Naturalist specialties over the last couple of days.

Right now Mike is in the PADI IE orientation which should be finished about now, ready to kick it off with 5 theory exams and the General Standards & Procedures exam.

Soon more about this PADI IE.

Camille

PADI IDC for January 2010 has been completed

PADI IDC for January 2010 has been completed

Today Mike completed his January 2010 IDC. After already having completed the Prep and AI courses, the IDC is now complete.

Knowledge development presentations were given by Mike with the help of training aids, like his BCD.

There was also plenty of confined water training, here's Mike working on his buoyancy by means of a fin pivot.

As with every IDC, we had some lovely lunches during our breaks at World Resort, where I conduct my IDC's.

Now it's off for some more specialty instructor training and to the PADI IE on Koh Tao.

Good luck Mike, I'm very confident you're just going to fine at the IE.

Maybe time for you, my readers, to come to Koh Samui and start your IDC and/or related courses with me as well.

Camille

PADI Specialty of the month for December 2010; Enriched Air Nitrox

PADI Specialty of the month for December 2010; Enriched Air Nitrox

Just like January last year, Nitrox is the first Specialty of the year for PADI Specialty of the Month series.


It also tops the list of being the most popular PADI Specialty out of all the Specialties PADI has on offer and also for my Instructor Specialty training, Enriched Air Nitrox Instructor Specialty tops the list of being the most popular one.

If you participate in this PADI Specialty you will need the manual and a couple of slates that will help you understand the materials at hand and how you can integrate Nitrox into your diving habits in a safe way.

The new exciting thing happening in the Nitrox course is that with the new manual, coming out soon, you can learn the course based on computer diving rather than tables, if you prefer that.

Keep your eyes out for the new ADI Nitrox Specialty, soon at your local dive shop!

Camille

EFRI and Oxygen Provider Instructors in the making

EFRI and Oxygen Provider Instructors in the making

During a break in-between the current AI course and the OWSI program of this January IDC, we're completing some specialty instructor courses.

Today we tackled the EFRI course, with Little Annie, the mannequin waiting for some action in this picture. Due to Mike's medical military back ground, we could finish this course rather swiftly in a one on one training setting and we moved on to the PADI Emergency Oxygen provider course.

This course was taught by Craig, who certified his 25th PADI diver during Mike's Oxygen Provider course, under my direct supervision and hence completed his MSDT internship and is now ready to start his IDCS course during the February IDC, so we'll see a lot more of him in the near future. The picture above shows Mike, Craig and me after the EFRI and Oxygen Provider course. I went on and completed the Oxygen Instructor course with Mike as well.

As usual this was all taught at the local recompression chamber in Bang Rak.

Earlier, before the IDC started, we also looked into the Gas Blender and Equipment specialties already.

First we'll complete some Instructor diving specialties, weather permitting and later this week we will continue with the current IDC again.

Camille

Prep course for the January IDC has kicked off

Prep course for the January IDC has kicked off

Mike is the only candidate in this first IDC of the new year and decade and we're cruising through the program.

As usual there are exams involved and they were checked on day one and two of the prep course in this IDC.

Besides a couple of curriculum presentation by me, the skill circuit is also on the program and here is Mike demonstrating a giant stride for his deep water entry skill. Tomorrow the IDC kicks off with the AI course.

Keep your eyes peeled here for more updates to come.

Camille

Happy New Year 2010

Happy New Year 2010

And remember, never, ever fart in your dry suit!

Camille