UTD Essentials - an essential class for any diver at any level - WOW!

I just finished the UTD Essentials class taught by James Mott, a UTD instructor and manager of Sea the World Scuba in Farmington Hills, Michigan. I would some up the experience with one word: Wow!

To explain, I need to give you some of my background. Although I would never have considered myself anywhere near an "expert" diver, I am 42 years old and received my Open Water Certification at the age of 16 from another agency. In 1991, after well over 200 dives, I went on to acquire my Advanced Open Water Certification. Between 1991 and the present, my diving became more limited due to family and work obligations, but I continued to dive at least yearly, took a drysuit course in the 2001 and recently got Nitrox certification. In the last 5 years my diving has been strictly limited to a trip or two a year to a warm water location. I considered myself to be a very competent recreational diver. I jumped at any chance to take 100' plus dives including limited penetration dives. I recently got the urge to advance my skills and give technical diving a try. After significant research online and numerous discussions with local trimix certified public safety divers in my area, I settled on UTD and instructor James Mott. James knew my diving experience and level of certification but strongly encouraged me to start with a UTD Essentials class. I was skeptical, believing that the course was beneath my skill level. However, I was getting back into cold water diving after a long respite and buying new and very unfamiliar equipment including a drysuit, backplate etc... so I chose to listen to his advice.

The UTD Essentials course materials were excellent, but I did not spend as much time studying the principles taught as I should have (other than ascent and decompression theory and s drills which were entirely new to me). James also suggested that I practice clipping and unclipping my primary hose and pressure gauge with my cold weather drysuit gloves on and dry land s drills. I did this, but not much. After extensive classroom drills and lecture, we ventured down to Gilboa Quarry in mid-Ohio for the open water segment. I should note that due to repair issues on the used drysuit I purchased, I had no chance to check out my gear prior to the open water course.

The first day started horribly for me. Despite Jame's recommendation that I not connect my underwater signaling device to my BC line (he suggested it go in a pocket), I attached it. I also went with an amount of weight I used 5 years before despite the fact that I have lost over 20lbs since then. The results on the first dive were, in retrospect, predictable. I was extremely over-weighted and my bc hose disconnected from the signaling device. With my heavy gloves, I couldn't reconnect it. I tried using my drysuit to compensate for the negative buoyancy, but the valve was all the way open and I was out of trim so the gas just dumped as I pumped it in. I swam to James and called the dive. I also ignored our 10 foot safety stop (we were at 20 feet). I felt like a chump and a rookie. James also reminded me that on a deep dive, the surface does not mean safety, safety stops become decompression stops. Problems need to be solved underwater. I could have easily swam to James or my buddy and noted the problems and got assistance underwater or had their assistance with a proper ascent with the planned safety stop.

Then we went into fundamentals like air shares and mask drills and I found that my trim and buoyancy (that was so good in the Caribbean with little gear and no problems) was an absolute mess with cold water gear and simple drills like these. Moreover, having swam in split blade soft fins in a lazy, go nowhere bicycle kick for the last decade, I found I had very little kicking technique with jet fins. In fact, I couldn't back kick at all. To make matters worse, I had little dexterity in the heavy gloves and found it enormously difficult to simply clip off my hoses as necessary. By the end of day 1, my ego was totally deflated. I felt (and in many ways still do) like a complete beginner again.

Day 2 went a little better with my weight issues somewhat resolved but James drills again showed me how little situational awareness I had when tasked with the simplest of issues such as an air share, s drills or a mask drill combined with another minor problem. He also stressed the necessity of good team communication and assistance.

In the end, I came away from the course humbled, but optimistic. I need much more work and training before I can be a safe and competent tech diver. I am sure many other agencies would have happily sent me through a quick trimix course for the right price. What they would have produced would have been a walking time bomb. I am tremendously grateful to James and UTD for this experience and I look forward to my continuing experience with UTD. I still want to explore the world of tech diving and will do so. But I will do it right and at the right time. This experience is a journey, not a destination. I am confident that when I do earn a UTD tech certification, I will be have the appropriate skill set and experience to come back from tech dives safely and ensure the safety of my team as well.

My recommendation for any diver (of any level) considering UTD is to start with the Essentials class. I have heard that even instructors and tech certified divers from other organizations have been humbled by this class. The main point is that you HAVE to have the essentials down pat before you can move on. Perhaps for you, the course will simply solidify the fact that you have the essentials skills down. That is not a bad thing. My guess is that you will be surprised at your LACK of mastery of essential skills. This will open your mind to instruction and growth. There is no room for growth and learning if you are not open to the message. Study the materials in depth. They are invaluable. Also, if you can, practice the essentials skills before the class. Finally, as the saying goes, "never go into battle with an untested weapon". Don't come to Essentials, or any challenging dive situation, with new, untested gear. Try it out. Dial it in. Don't try to learn your gear as you go in this or any class. I promise you, in Essentials, you will have plenty of things on your mind to deal with in addition to how your gear works or how much weight you need.

Sincerely, your very humbled brother in UTD, Michael Harrison

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Comment by Michael Harrison on June 4, 2009 at 7:07pm: I agree, Lauri. Each dive helps to dial it in for me too. Just did another tonight. Not too pretty, but much more solid overall. I think dialing in the gear is really an essential skill as well.

Comment by Lauri DeVore on June 4, 2009 at 1:41am: Michael,

You described my experience with the Essentials course almost to a T! Like you, I had been diving for over a dozen years and was really getting back into it after taking some time off. I live up here in Seattle, where there is a lot of team diving, and after diving with a few of these great divers, I was convinced that that was the way I wanted to take my training. I had my first Essentials class with Brian and Jeana at the beginning of April. At the end of our first dive, all of us in our class surfaced feeling like rank beginner divers! Like you said, VERY humbling!!! We did 4 dives as a class and really just started tipping the ice berg of what we needed to learn... well, OK, I'm sure Brian was bald after our class. He must have pulled all his hair out having to deal with our underwater bumbling. I can't say we were able to do any skills with even the least bit of proficiency...but the light bulbs were definetly going off in our head. We were pretty much sent off with the task of "go dive & practice and come back for more when you've got this stuff down". So that's exactly what I've been doing. I have to say, I have about 25 dives in since that first class and I am feeling much better about my funamentals, but at the same time I also am understanding how much further I need to improve. Thankfully, the local UTD diving community has been very patient with me and continues to be great mentors to me!

Comment by Michael Harrison on June 3, 2009 at 4:38am: Thanks to all of the members who have provided such great comments and encouragement. This is a wonderful community.

Comment by Don Chennavasin on June 2, 2009 at 10:46pm: Mike,

Thanks for sharing the great class report. I'm very glad you're optimistic after your Essentials class. That's what it's all about - to show you the possibilities out there and show you how to attain it.

I look forward to your additional dives and reports.

-Don

Comment by Mark Maher on June 2, 2009 at 9:07am: Hey Mike,

It was great meeting you, Al & John this past weekend. Even though I was only there Sunday to complete the Essentials class I started with James last month I felt very welcomed and had an absolute blast diving with, and learning with you guys.

Like you, one of my main reasons for taking the class was to get back into the cold water as my last couple years of diving have been strictly the warm water weenie type of dives. I had completed a similar class about three years ago and went into Essentials viewing it as an extended refresher course. I quickly learned that those skills that used to be second nature, like clipping off or trying to maintain trim (with our without task loading) really need regular practice to maintain. As you said, it was humbling but also a lot of fun.

Look forward to seeing you in Rescue. Can you believe that's less than 3 weeks away.

Mark

Comment by James Mott on June 2, 2009 at 6:14am: Mike,
Thanks for the great class report, you really did a wonderful job describing the weekend. I am looking forward to seeing all of you guys in the water again soon.
The Essentials is a humbling experience for most students, regardless of their level. Not because of the skills we ask you to do, but how we ask them to done. Rarely has anyone been challenged to perform at this level of cleanliness and awareness. Even good, comfortable divers like yourself, are going to feel beaten at first by the commitment to excellence that we are asking to be brought to the table. But it can be achieved!
Your spirit and determination will pick you up and dust you off, that was certainly your strong point. It won’t be long before you start to internalize the skills from the Essentials, and that along with your ability to remain steadfast and determined will make you a valuable asset to a dive team.
James

Comment by Lynne Flaherty on June 1, 2009 at 10:35pm: Well, we all survive the ego beating of our first brush with DIR diving ideas and standards . . . What you'll find, over the next few months, is that as you incorporate these ideas and skills, diving will become SO much more fun. And if you can put together a team of like-minded folk, diving will become a dance -- graceful, rhythmic, and enormously rewarding. I hope you have fun with it.

Comment by Chew Poh Chang on June 1, 2009 at 8:57pm: Michael, great report and congrats. James is a fine Instructor, I am sure you have gain a lot from him!

Comment by Jeff Seckendorf on June 1, 2009 at 8:50pm: Michael, You're in great hands with James and I can only encourage you to dive, dive, dive, then go back for more. We've all been there, and we've all come out the other side.

Jeff

Comment by Maciej Arkuszewski on June 1, 2009 at 6:59pm: Michael.
It takes a lot to gracefuly take a beating like this and come out with more focus. I'm sure you will make excellent technical diver with such attitude - it's just a matter of time.
Good job.