rantFUJAK

Just came back from doing deco/advanced nitrox at Blue Marlin Dive in Gili Trawangan.
Told them I'd done some cave diving and straight away they mentioned you guys.
They were extremely impressed with how well you guys dealt with the various dive issues and commented how level headed and cool under pressure Australian cave divers are.  
I had Vanessa as my instructor and although it was only her second TDI course did a great job in finding any weaknesses and pushing hard on those.
Simon and Will weren't there as they're both down with Dengue.

Overall really enjoyed the trip and more than happy with BMD, so thanks to Jarrod for talking it up last I was in Mt.
Will probably go back in another years time for extended range/normoxic trimix.

Steve H.

I hope you didn't let the team down Steve! The more people that go, the more chance of someone destroying the myth! Dave Hurst also travels there a bit, he bought Will's old Inspo (which Will bought off Simon!).
I seriously love the island. Such a good atmosphere. Simon invited us to his place on our first trip there and really made us feel like we were welcome, even in his own house.
Glad you enjoyed yourself. Although I have not really travelled much in SE Asia, I think it is an awesome training facility, backed up with an awesome place to holiday. Keep sweet with the guys there and you will have a ball next time.

JD (aka Jarrod)

Actually Steve, another tip:

Do extended range here in Aus with Gary Barclay in the mount, then you can go to Gili T and do advanced trimix straight off. Simon takes his stundents to the depth they are rated for, so a good time to go and do 100m dives! 6 dives for adv Trimix and you are done.

JD

Now that's not a bad idea, although advanced trimix might have to wait a few years. Craig's gas bill was a bit daunting and I'm aiming for advanced cave next year.   Too many courses and holidays to do and not enough time or money.

Steve

Another tip (well, one from me) don't mention your gas bill or you'll never hear the end of "gee, if only you had a rebreather", or "wow, that's a lot of tanks you have to carry"

Know the feeling. Throw in the purchase of an Inspo, and you get what I went through!

Craigs gas bill was quite large, but what Simon charges for helium is nowhere near what other shops charge. Look up what they charge in Vanuatu and you will get the picture. Simon charges about what you would get charged here in Aus, so it's not too bad. You just use a lot of it to get to 100m and beyond. Maybe you should look at buying a rebreather....  ;D

JD

Told ya  ;)

yes well a good opening pair always set the scene for a great innings!!!!!!!!!!!!!....Steve special thanks must go to JD for the weeks of research back in 2006 in finding a great OS destination for technical training with the right instructor...well done JD ;-)))))

I suppose that all depends on wether you think that being taught to pop down to 100m with no fucking idea if you can you can get back up again safely is good training.
But then again a good vibe makes up for a lot. ;)

Course you can get back up - just inflate your BC! Duh!

When were we taught that? We had some of the best trainers in the world Rick, who are very experienced. Simon alone has over 30 dives to and past 150m. Seriously dude, if you remove the GUE dildo from your arse once in a while, you will see there are great diver and trainers out there who know a shitload more than you, who do not belong to 'The Club'. Matter of fact, I met a guy the other weekend who remembers you from Tassie, and it was not for your exceptional diving skills!

JD

what for? did you take your sister Rick


by my recolections we had planned thoses dive well and knew what we were doing, but I will say this again I do not like diving that deep on twin 80's, 15's no prob... sure you can do the dive but I just don't like it, if that means Im a pussy, then come lick me!!!!

what Rick doesn't realise there was GUE trained diver tech 1 trained taken buy chopper to the alfred in the past couple of yrs over here, and another who ranout of bottom gas and had to share on another dive.....gee it must be great that gue shit


but hey lets not compare cocks this is just a hobby.....but a hobby that perhaps attracts those with small cocks

typical comments from an old bloke who has found diving late in life as part of some mid life crisis, and has no idea what he is on about unless he is told by his masters, rick I wouldn't do a dive if I didnt know what i was doing or didnt think I could get back, but mate for you to be certified to dive to 100m you need to outlay around $30k right

you done much diving over 30m in your time, you are from adelaide right

Looks like I touched a nerve. ;)

Not having a go at your dive trainers at all JD, by all accounts they are good divers and nice blokes to boot. Not to mention that I have never met them, which for me precludes    commenting on them personally.

My comments are aimed at the course content which IMHO is full of shit and inconsistancies.

As for Tassie, being the great diver that I am, for that to be true is obviously immpossible. ;D ;D ;D

Regards Rick.

Thought you didn't want to compare cocks Paul? ;)

Rick, as you are well aware, a course is only as good as the instructor teaching it. TDI advise the use of deco reg bags, but we never used them. they also advise all sorts of other rubbish, which we never did. In fact we were told about some of the stuff in the course, and why it is not advisable, and told other methods and ways of doing things. We also discussed isobaric counterdiffusion, and why it not an issue for divers diving to our depths. I discussed this with Dr Bowie also, and he sees Simon's point. I would like to have a chat with Harry or Simon Mitchell, just to clarify a few things though.

JD

now that you're a dep RB diver are these guys your new best friends??.... :D ;D

I went down the mount in Feb with Bowie, met Mike Cambell and Ian Brice from Melbourne (Prism and Inspo respectively) and had a ball. Left early, got drunk on red and scotch Friday night, went out to the Barn with Mick Q on Sat night. Got a tip from Ian to climb out of Kilsbys on the loop. 0.7 setpoint makes all the difference!
Had a great weekend away. Some dives, some good red, stopped at Zema on the way home.

JD

sounds great a RB reach around weekend..........and to thing you used to bag the gooey boys and their special hand shake!!!!

zema???? is she some warrior princess hooker in murray bridge, providing the weekends happy ending, or did Bowie give you that???


tell me does the RB crew travel with fence paling in their arses????

yes it is in my cheek!!

funny to get a response though

PH

You need Oxygen to climb the ladder at Kilsby's ? It's not climbing Everest mate ! :)

I can see JD on the nth face with his inspo on his back.........

Stopping for a durry....

and looking down towards base camp where brennan is working on his inspo!!!

But seeing as you ask so nicely

30-35  23
35-40  31
40-45  14
45-50  11
50-55  3
55-60  7
60+     1

 ;) ;)

impressive rick  ;D....thats alot of overseas trips, when did yu do tech 2