PADI TEC SIDEMOUNT

On 24-25 March 2013 I completed my PADI Tec Sidemount course with Mark Rowe of DiveBritain at Vobster Quay. 

 

I should mention why I did this course.  Firstly because sidemount seems to be the in thing at the minute so rather than write it off as a fad (which is what I had been doing) I thought I should actually see what it’s all about.  Secondly my good friend Mark had just completed his TecRec Instructor course with TBI in Dahab and is about to move out to Dominican Republic to teach diving full time, so this was an ideal opportunity for him to iron out the creases before he delivers his first proper sidemount course.

Sunday 24 March 2013

I arrived early and was of only a few who had decided to brave the weather (coldest March since 1962 apparently).  I booked in and collected the hire kit (at £35 per day) whilst I was waiting for Mark.  I had decided to go for the Hollis SMS 50 and Hollis SMS 100 (depending on the dive) although they also had the Dive Rite Nomad, Hollis 221 Regulators and 2x 12l cylinders.  I’ll elaborate on the kit later but I should say at this point that the cylinder valves should be opposing and have a stub on the opposing side of the valve (basically a set of twinset valves but without the manifold) for mounting (other mounting methods are available). 

Mark arrived and after completing all the paperwork we started talking through various equipment configurations; single, double and technical (pros and cons) on not only the hire kit (which he also owns) but his own kit.  It is obvious Mark has a passion for sidemount diving and when I could eventually stop him talking we kitted up and headed into the water.  By this point there were a lot of people leaving Vobster Quay as both the water and surface temperatures were cold and (apparently) the visibility wasn’t brilliant. 



We jumped in the water (sheltered first then open water) and the first things that were noticeable were the shoulder d-rings were a lot more cluttered than I was used to and the majority of the buoyancy was around the waist; I was glad I left the umbilical torch behind.  We briefly ran through all the basic skills (propulsion techniques including helicopter turns and back finning, buoyancy and trim; although I found it hard to judge trim as there was no manifold/first stage to press the back of my head against so I just did the best I could) to meet the course requirements although I could do them anyway before moving onto some of the sidemount specific skills.  Using steels cylinders meant that not a lot of weight was required however when trying to reach the  rails on the butt plate it was a real effort to lift the cylinder up compared to an aluminum stage cylinder I’m more accustomed to.  S-drills and valve drills followed before we exited the water.

 

Snapshot from GoPro footage

During the surface interval we de-briefed each other (me on any areas Mark could improve his teaching of specific skills and Mark on my performance) before getting some lunch and a hot chocolate.  During the first dive as well as having no umbilical torch I carried no drysuit pocket contents (SMBs, spools, wet notes, spare mask) as I was starting to think about where I could put these items as the cylinders would restrict my access to the said pockets.  I will now say to emphasise how cold it was that during the surface interval those who were mad enough to stay had gloves, hoods and p-clips freeze but some unlucky diver had their mask freeze to the kitting up bench.  When they were trying to prize it off the lens stayed frozen to the bench and the strap and skirt came away.  Oops!

Dive 2 was more of the same but this time we left the platform and conducted the skills on the move as we explored the underwater attractions that Vobster Quay could offer.  The steel cylinders were becoming a little bit of a pain and I now realise why Mark likes to dive aluminium regardless of country or location and some of the skills were alien to my backmount diving muscle memory.  I also now know why my friend Jason refers to sidemount as widemount when unsuccessfully trying to exit the plane via the side door.

It was still early; well the dives had been short; but with the diving done for the day we headed off to Homefarm Guesthouse where we would be spending the night.  Some of the reviews on trip advisor seem a bit harsh so I decided to write one here.  The guesthouse is run by an elderly couple; it’s clean, basic and provides an excellent breakfast (cooked, cereals, fish, and porridge), has en-suite and has free WiFi.  Not only that, they let you dry all your undersuits and drysuits infron of their Aga overnight.  What more could a diver need?

We completed some theory and discussed the day before walking about 600m to The Populars Inn for dinner.  Again I was very impressed; local beers and ciders, the home cooked food was excellent and free WiFi.  The only thing I would advise would be to take a torch if you go at night; just in case.

Monday 25 March 2013

After an excellent night’s sleep we headed down to breakfast, collected our now dry clothing and headed back to Vobster Quay.  We collected our equipment but this time we added an additional 2 cylinders; our stage/decompression cylinders.  We headed back in and went straight to the platforms.  As stage cylinder handling was not new to me we conducted cylinder ditch and retrieval on the move and this was much easier than with the steels.  Although the sidemount configuration is supposed to be streamlined I again found the area by the shoulder d-rings increasingly cluttered which I do not like.  Mark also decided to throw in some more OOG drills which were fine along with finning whilst using the long hose and ascents.  Again, nothing new so no problems.

 

By now all of the skills had been conducted so we swapped out the Hollis SMS 100 for the Hollis SMS 50 and used aluminum cylinders as our primarys which were fixed to the shoulder d-rings by chokers instead of bungee.  These were much easier to handle and would be great to use in warm weather conditions (or the UK but you’re more likely to find aluminum cylinders abroad).  I also found the butt d-rings on the Hollis SMS 50 easier to use than the rails on the butt plate on the Hollis SMS 100.  Unfortunately the dive was cut short due to a freeflow from the turret of my primary regulator so that was isolated and we ascended. 

Summary

So, is it still a fad?  Honestly I’m not sure.  It was interesting but it would take more than 4 dives for me to convert so I doubt I will be using it on my Florida cave trip in May.  However it was good to be back in a student role and some of the unfamiliar equipment allowed me to empathise with students learning SCUBA or twinsets for the first time. 

Regarding the course, Mark was a great instructor who has a passion for sidemount and I wish him all the best in Dominican Republic.  PADI still have some work to do as there is yet no official student materials or visual aids but overall it has the capacity to be a very good course.

I just need to practice a bit more!

The boring bit!

All opinions expressed in my articles are my own and may differ to other instructor’s and agency guidelines; by no means are they wrong and I would not wish to disrepute any of them.  This article is for information only and should not replace proper training.

Safe diving!

Timothy Gort

BSAC, PADI and SDI/TDI diver training
l Mob: 07968148261 l Email: tim@rectotec.co.uk l

SOUTH WEST DIVING WINTER SPECIALS

Only a week late but I thought that I should write up the diving I did with Gary on Top Gun at South West Diving.  The wife & I along with our local dive club here in Birmingham (The Dive Club) embarked on one of Gary’s Winter Specials. 

So, what is a Winter Special?  £1000 for the whole boat (based on 10 divers) for the whole weekend including:

·     Two days diving; two dives per day*.

·     Saturday evening meal at Boringdon Arms at Turnchapel (main course only).

·     Saturday night bed and breakfast at Boringdon Arms at Turnchapel.

·     Hot pasties between dives, hot sausage rolls on return, hot drinks & snacks throughout.

·     There is also the option for an extra night bed and breakfast at a cost of £25 per person.

*Usually 25m max and sites are dictated by the weather.

South West Diving

South West Diving's boat Top Gun is located at the Mount Batten Centre and is a modern 10m hard boat with a stern mounted diver lift, large benches complete with tie downs and cylinder racks underneath.  Inside the cabin is a ‘drip dry’ wet area and further towards the bow is the completely dry area.  Located inside there is a galley fitted with a microwave and hot kettle and an electric marine toilet.  In addition to all of the MCA required safety equipment there are plus medical oxygen kits and a drop tank if you should need it.  Although the boat generally takes 10 divers/non-divers they are licenced for up to 12 plus crew.

Day 1.  Unfortunately with the weather we’ve been having recently the diving was always going to be a little hit and miss, and when the report said southerly winds force 2-3 we knew it may be lumpy.  We arrived bright and early on Saturday morning to load the boat and found Gary waiting for us.  After a bit of kit prep the boat was loaded and we set off for the HMS Scylla.  Once past the shelter of the Breakwater, as predicted the sea was a little lumpy but we motored out.  When we arrived at the dive site there was another boat there (that shall remain nameless) and it was agreed that we could use their shot (as long a Gary recovered it and handed it back later as is the local etiquette).  He however neglected to tell us that his divers did a bounce dive due to nil visibility and the shot wasn’t even on the wreck.  5 minutes later we were back up and the other boat had buggered off.  Not happy.  We headed back inside the Breakwater and to be honest I was glad as I had seemed to have left my sea legs behind and was feeling a little queasy.  After a ‘light’ lunch we headed out to the Mewstone only hoping things would improve.  We duly jumped in and everyone descended expect for the wife and I as I proceeded to feed the fish as I thought they needed the food more than I.   Once I was feeling a little better we descended and actually the visibility was quite good.  The Mewstone was as you would expect, although I had never dived this particular spot so it was a mixture of sandy bottom & long kelp.  Our dive time was limited by the cold so after a gentle dive I deployed the DSMB and we ascended.  Once all divers were on board we headed back to the Mount Batten Centre, dekitted what we needed to, dropped of the cylinders at InDeep, and headed back to the Boringdon Arms for a shower and agreed to meet Gary for dinner.

Day 2.  Looking out of the window the weather had worsened and we were not optimistic however we headed down to the Mount Batten Centre.  Immediately after I arrived I text Rob to say the diving was off as there was swell inside the shelter of the harbour.  However Gary arrived and managed to persuade most of us (less 2) that we should go out so being the sheep I was I followed the others and collected our cylinders.  Why wasn’t I surprised when the staff at InDeep said we were mad?  Anyway after rebuilding our kit we headed out to Devils Point.  Due to its location inside the harbour it was sheltered so in we dropped.  At depth it was VERY dark so after a quick bounce we spent the majority of the dive at around 8m and we drifted with the current.  Lots of squidge but not much spidge however I did come back with a nice glass bottle.  All back on board we stuffed our faces with pasties, sausage rolls and chocolate all washed down with a nice mug of tea.  We spent the next hour or so waiting for the submarine to come in before heading back to the Mount Batten Centre.  Everyone was happy so we all decided to only do the one dive allowing us time for a nice leisurely drive home.

  

Mount Batten Centre

The Mount Batten Centre is located just outside Plymouth and is home to many water and land based activity centres.  If you wish to know more please visit their website. 

Whilst we were diving we used the Mount Batten Centre for loading/unloading and its changing facilities.  Hot showers and changing facilities are available for paying customers and are controlled via a locked door.  However if you speak to the reception and inform them that you’re with South West Diving they will buzz you through.  The facilities provided are spacious and clean and certainly beat changing outside in the wind.

Car parking is available but only to pass holders and those using the Mount Batten Centre accommodation.  Otherwise there is a strict 40 minute loading/unloading rule which is clearly stated on the many notice boards in the area. If you overstay this time there are cameras and expect to receive a fine in the most (based on previous experience).  If you're not stopping at the Mount Batten Centre but wish to use their car park and facilities there is a £5 fee.  Once we unloaded (and time will tell if we were less than 40 minutes) there are plenty of spaces in the council car park over the road and on street parking; all free of charge and all within a couple of minutes’ walk!

InDeep

InDeep is a dive centre located within the Mount Batten Centre offering commercial diving, PADI, TDI and GUE courses.  It also boasts a dive shop and is equipped with the biggest & best gas filling system in Europe.  

When we arrived back at the Mount Batten Centre one of their staff was waiting for us with a trolley.  We were able to leave our wing, back plate and harness attached.  We only had to remove the regulators.  Unlike other dive centres I’ve been to InDeep require payment in advance of filling.  The cost of twin 12s with 32% Nitrox is £14.  The advantage of InDeep however is that they have 32% banked so your cylinders can be filled in minutes.

I witnessed the gas station being built last a couple of years ago and I have to admit it is one of the cleanest I’ve seen.  And with the walls filled with storage banks getting a fill is never a problem.

Boringdon Arms

Dating back to the 1700s, Boringdon Arms is a traditional inn is located on the south-west coastal path above the shorefront in Turnchapel.  The Boringdon Arms has a variety of rooms available from family, double and multiple-occupancy.  The family rooms are en-suite whilst the remainder share toilets and shower facilities.  The pub itself is only a 10 minute walk from the Mount Batten Centre and if you’d rather not drive into town the water taxi operates nearby. 

Due to a late finish on Friday night we decided against travelling down and opted for an early start in the morning arriving just in time for breakfast.  As you near the pub some of the streets are narrow but do not let this put you off.  As you arrive at the pub if you drive straight past there is a free car park located on the right hand side opposite the Royal Marine barracks. 

For breakfast there is a selection of cooked breakfasts available along with cereals, juices and teas.  However it’s the evening meals that surpass themselves and I only wish I had taken a picture of the food.  Having order mussels to start I was given a pot full of them along with a side order of chips (as a starter!).  This could have easily been a main course at most pubs.  Then for the main course I ordered ribs.  An elongated plate came out and the ribs were at least a foot long.  Honestly.  Then there was the side orders on a separate plate.  Regardless of choice; steak, lamb shank etc… the results were the same and the price was the same as any other normal pub.  Oh, plus it tasted amazing.  Although I opted out of a desert for those that had one it was as you would expect.  I cannot rate the food enough.

The accommodation was clean and cheerful and suited our needs.  Towels were provided and there were plenty of charging points.  I would happily stay there again.

Summary

Overall, despite the weather it was a great weekend.  However much we would like to we couldn’t blame Gary for the weather or the incident on the HMS Scylla.  We had some fun dives, some excellent food and brilliant company.  At £100 per person for a weekends diving, accommodation and dinner Saturday, breakfast Sunday plus lunch both days it’s a steal.  The Mount Batten Centre has excellent facilities (although be aware of the parking restriction) and Gary is an excellent skipper; knowledgeable friendly and accommodating.  A thank you must go to members of The Dive Club for organising an excellent weekend but the final thank you must go to Martin (Janner) of Janners Mugs for being an excellent deck hand.  Always making himself busy with tea, hot food, manning the lift, rinsing masks, putting on fins etc…  We did Fundies together (report here).  Top man! 

Janners Mugs

If you’re in the market for mugs, steins or phone covers then give Martin a shout.  He has standard designs such as the one shown or can do a custom design; from a single mug to mass orders.

Go on give him a call, you know you want to!!!

The boring bit!

All opinions expressed in my articles are my own and may differ to other instructor’s and agency guidelines; by no means are they wrong and I would not wish to disrepute any of them.  This article is for information only and should not replace proper training.

Safe diving!

Timothy Gort

BSAC, PADI & SDI/TDI diver training
l Mob: 07968148261 l Email: tim@rectotec.co.uk l

HOW TO: TIE A LOOP ON A PRIMARY LIGHT

Why have a loop on the primary light?

At certain points during a dive it may become necessary to clip the light head off to free up your left hand for a skill.  Such skills include (and are not limited to) DSMB deployment (see picture), switch to deco/back gas, stage bottle rotations or even primary light failure.  Now we could clip off the torch using the P-clip attached to the right hand side of the Goodman Handle however if we did this the light would point directly into a team members’/dive buddies’ eyes.  To prevent this we clip the light off at the rear so it faces down and away from our team members’/buddies eyes.  Hence the loop; it allows the diver to temporarily clip it away with a double ender.  This also gives the added bonus that we can still use the torch for communication if required. 

People have asked me how to do this so while I had a torch in front of me that needed doing I thought I’d show everyone.

You will need the following:

1. Approximately 10cm of 5mm bungee (it needs to be 5mm, not smaller as the loop needs to be rigid enough to stand upright on its own).

2. 60-100cm of cave line (the stuff from your spool).

3. Lighter.

4. Scissors or a sharp blade. 

Tie an overhand knot into either end of the bungee…

… and form a loose loop (approx. 2p size).  Take the cave line and wrap it around the end of the light ensuring it goes over both ends of the bungee.

Take a further 2 wraps around ensuring it is nice and tight; it can get a little tricky.  Do not worry if the bungee loop is not at its biggest as we can resolve this later.  We then finish the knot in a similar manor to how we learnt to tie a boltsnap. 

To do this we cross the 2 ends over and tie an overhand knot on one side.

Next we’re going to tie a reef knot to secure the boltsnap. Remember left over right; right over left.  Tie the knot as tight as you can as it will help the loop stand upright making it easier to clip off.

If I need to I can now pull the loop to ensure it is as large as possible so each overhand knot is touching the cave line and the loop is as large as possible.  To finish, cut the ends off as close to the knot as possible ensuring you leave a few millimeters.

And melt the ends with a lighter, flattening them with the base of the lighter.  This will stop the ends from fraying and reduce the risk of the knot coming undone.

The end result should look something like this

The boring bit!

All opinions expressed in my articles are my own and may differ to other instructor’s and agency guidelines; by no means are they wrong and I would not wish to disrepute any of them.  This article is for information only and should not replace proper training.

Safe diving!

Timothy Gort

BSAC, PADI & SDI/TDI diver training
l Mob: 07968148261 l Email: tim@rectotec.co.uk l