Week 1 – Kit allocation
Well it’s Week 1, and this week’s meeting was all about being
given your training materials and finding a kit that fits,
for you to do your training in.
First off we went through all of the materials BSAC (British Sub
Aqua Club) give you as a new diver. They give you a fair amount of things,
scuba manual, training pack, dive log, class notes and record book.
It was very interesting to hear about all the things you have to
fill out, collect, make sure you bring with you and keep safe. The record book and dive log books being the
most important things to keep safe. Reminds
me, I must get a new passport photo. This is very important as you need one of
these before anything can be signed off. It’s used to make sure that the record book
that’s getting the signature from the instructor is being signed off for the
correct person. – Plus I’m sure some of the more experienced divers use it as
proof of how long they have been diving. Or just an embarrassing photo from
many moons ago……..
After going through everything that comes in the pack it’s time to
work out what kit you’re going to get. Working
out what BCD suit fits you along with what cylinder, regulators, fins and lead
weight belt all fit correctly.
It’s mostly a case of putting it all on, and having one of the
instructors look at it, checking the fit, and adjusting it. But once you have been giving it and it fits
it’s time to give it a quick dry test. By dry test I mean, make sure the
regulators work, make sure the BCD jacket inflates, and the pressure gauge
works etc….
It’s a lot of kit and going through all the course material, the
demo of how to put it all together (done by the instructors quickly to save
time and to make sure it’s done correctly) takes the good part of 2 hours. And
then the last 20 or so minutes is Q and A. Just encase like me you want to jump ahead and
ask how to clean and store it all; basically make it all water tight and dunk
in the bath overnight.
But I have to say that the strangest part of the whole experience
is driving back home with it all in the back of your car. Knowing that you have 15KG cylinder full of
air in the back of your car, and wondering where the safest place to keep it
is. And working out how you’re going to
remember to go and get it filled up.
Having now moved the cylinder around the house to find the optimum
spot, it is still very strange to walk into the room where it’s kept and see
it. I guess I’m just not used to having it
in the house, I’m sure as my training processes it will become part of the
furniture. Good thing really, could do
with some more in my house :-)
No comments:
Post a Comment