UTD Tech 2 Victoria B.C.

Tech 2 : Location Victoria B.C.
Well we didn’t seem to get enough during Tech 1. Three of the four signed up for another go around with Mark. The players in this drama or comedy (depending on whose eyes you’re viewing it though) are Kim B, Richard P and Dave H. Mike K was our cameraman and of course Mark Gottfried as our fearless leader.
We went through the same routine of valve drills, s-drills but now with the added excitement of a stage bottle. You wouldn’t think that one extra bottle would change much, but it does add an extra level of complexity.
We did line running, and when you start to feel comfortable you lose a mask. Now the team works together to get me back to the ascent line.
With the stage bottle as well as the deco bottle, procedures have a little added attention being paid to what is going on. If it doesn’t go well you can end up with 3 regs hanging around your neck not sure what’s supposed to go where.
We also introduced a leash to the mix. We didn’t spend a lot of time on this but we did go through it to let us see the proper procedure for taking a bottle from a buddy.
The dives continued with valve failures both fixable and non fixable. Stowing of the stage, deploying the stage, gas switching. I’m not totally sure of the others opinions but I believe on this course we were a tighter team and our situational awareness was much improved. At least I hope so.
On one of our dives as we are following the line Kim loses a fin, he starts to figure out swimming with only one then he is given the signal that he is out of air. Once he was donated to he switched to his back gas. Dive continues.
As scenarios continue Richard loses a mask and now we are into ascent drills. Runaway inflator. On another dive I lost my mask again and the team rallied together to bring me safely to the gas switch and then to the surface. (apparently my trim improves when I can’t see).
I can’t forget to mention that every dive ended sitting down with video review, I would like to say that we were at demonstration quality with all out skills and drills, but I can’t as long as copies still exist.
We then got together to do our experience dives, 2 dives 150ft for 20 min. This is what we do this for. I would like to end by saying it was another great course with a great team. And I would like to thank everyone involved. Now we dive, dive, dive. Never stop with trying to improve.