Last Thurs. and Fri. I completed my checkout dives for my NAUI Rescue Diver certification. Last semester I got scuba certified through the diving program at State and this semester I followed up with the rescue diver class. We have a really good diving program here with excellent instructors and equipment.
Fantasy lake scuba park in Rollesville, NC is a great place for beginner divers to practice navigation and basic skills. We completed skills in rescue towing, diver recovery and practicing search and recovery techniques. I don't have my own gear yet but I'm in the market. Hopefully more diving is in my future over the summer.
(Left) Alan taking a bearing on a "downed diver" simulated by a plastic bottle with rocks and holes in the sides that sinks in about 5 seconds after being thrown in. Basically the name of the game was GO FETCH!
A few of the instructors in the diving program at NC state are into cave diving. A highly technical niche in the diving community. Of course cave diving is inherently very dangerous without proper training. Guess I ought to start soon huh. (mom yelling at me now..."NO NO NO, NO CAVE DIVING!") Here is shot of an extreme cave diver using a DPV (diver propulsion vehicle) a rebreather wearing a drysuit and towing multiple safety bottles probably to restock the cave or remove the old ones. This is the most extreme example of cave diving. I wonder what this guys mom thinks.
