Planet Scuba June/July IDC Day 1, 28/6/2011

Would you believe it? We started another IDC today, so soon after the successful end of the last!

Day 1 went very well, the Orientation and some much needed theory reviews. The candidates are getting to know each other and seem to be getting on well already.

In the introductions (part of the orientation), we found a huge variety of past occupations; armed forces, teachers, students and office workers all seeking the same goal. To live the dream and escape the humdrum of their home countries. To travel the world and see the wonders therein.

That is what we do! Change your lifestyle!

Planet Scuba IDC Preparation for the June/July IDC

A relaxed prep day covering control and delivery today. Descents and CESA workshop went very well. I managed to descend as the "student" to 6 metres and kneel on the floor. At this point I found it necessary to switch from my snorkel to my regulator as I was in need of a breath. The "instructor" showed that he needs some assistance in the positive reinforcement category, his reaction being a little less polite than what was expected.

Then off for a fun dive at Green Rock only to find a rather large, and not particularly shy turtle!

The blog is late because the telephone lines went dead. The entire island had to resort to an arcane form of communication called conversation.


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Planet Scuba June 2011 PADI Instructor Specialities

This morning we went to the new Koh Tao wreck, the HTMS Sattakrut, to conduct part of the Speciality Instructor training. She lies on her starboard side with the port guwhale at about 22m. Looking for hazards and mapping the wreck. We found the guns, one on the bow and one the stern. Cannot see the bridge at the moment as the silt has not cleared.

A few rarities like a baby bannerfish and a pipefish of some description (will have to look it up).

It looks like it will develop into a stunning dive site when the marine life and coral start to inhabit it. At this time penetration is looking unlikely but you never know, if the visibility clears we will have a better idea.


Some IDC preparation tomorrow as the next one starts on the 28th June!

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Instructor Examination Final Day for Planet Scuba June IDC 2011

As expected! All of the candidates sailed through the June 2011 Instructor Exam. A couple of very long water sessions for the examiners George and Jim. A good job by all and handshakes were the order of the day. I am very impressed with the professionalism, patience and hard work put in by all! Thanks for the effort guys.

Examiner George commented that a couple of the candidates were "perfectionists", which is nice (in my opinion).

100% satisfaction and happiness and perhaps a civilised beer or two this evening. MSDT starting soon so back to work again. Then on to the July IDC starting on the 28th of June.

Planet Scuba Instructor Exam June 2011

Instructor Examination Day 2 Complete! Everybody has done very well and passed the second day of the PADI IE.

The morning was spent presenting Knowledge Development in the classroom and this afternoon was spent in Aow Leuk (Deep bay in English), conducting Open Water skills. The usual nerves and "Oh my God, I think I missed something!" but all turned out fantastically! All good passes.

A long day for all, we started at 7:30 this morning and finished around 7:00 this evening. Thanks to George and Jim for their excellent work as the PADI Instructor Examiners.

Only tomorrow morning remains! The Confined Water section of the IE, one skill, no beer until everything is finished! We are confident that all of the candidates are more than able to get this done!

Planet Scuba June 2011 Instructor Examination

Fantastic! The first day of the PADI Instructor Examination (IE) went as expected, 100% pass!

Everyone seems to feel that their Open Water and Confined Water presentations will be simple. Nothing unusual there, they have seen and mastered them all in the IDC.

Tomorrow morning we have Knowledge Development presentations (the classroom bit) followed by the Open Water presentations (a local dive site 2 skills to present). All are confident, as they ought to be and are preparing their presentations now.

I will keep you informed of progress tomorrow.

Planet Scuba Koh Tao - IDC Mock Exam

A successful day today. The first day of the mock Instructor Examination went well, a few small hiccups, but conducted exactly as the IE is for real. All candidates passed their exams and the confined water presentations were very amusing (at least for me!).

Everybody is sufficiently strong in other areas that they have a day off tomorrow before the real Instructor Examination on the 21st through 23rd of June.

I have very high hopes and expectations for the IE and will be sneaking off early from the subsequent party!

WANT TO BECOME A DIVE INSTRUCTOR? LEARN WITH BOB AT PLANET SCUBA - CLICK HERE

Planet Scuba IDC Koh Tao Final Day

The Planet Scuba IDC is over!

Final day today, PADI Specialities and Divemaster presentations by me this morning followed by the final Open Water presentations (5+6) in which everybody showed great progress. Briefings are briefer and control is excellent.

The candidates appear to be happy and confident and are attending their mock instructor examination tomorrow and the following day to ensure they are ready for the genuine Instructor Examination on the 21^st through 23^rd of June.

Perhaps some remedial work needed, but high hopes for all.

WANT TO BECOME A DIVE INSTRUCTOR? LEARN WITH BOB AT PLANET SCUBA - CLICK HERE

Planet Scuba IDC Day 11

Another great day on the penultimate day of the IDC.

Everyone is getting less stressed and more focused and we are getting down to the nitty gritty now. Great open water presentations 3 and 4 this afternoon, I was forced to hand out a few perfect fives! Well done guys.

Debriefing occurred in Safety Stop Pub, no alcohol of course. All of the candidates scored well and went home happy (with plenty of homework).

Planet Scuba IDC Day 10 Koh Tao

Now we are rocking! Everything is coming together, structure, performance requirements, specific references to when and where we can use this information and a dawning of realisation that the CDs are using the same structure as the candidates!

An easy day today, everybody performed fantastically!

Presentations in the classroom in the morning Tomorrow and some pool work in the afternoon. The sun is shining, sky is blue and we are enjoying the IDC so far.

Planet Scuba IDC day 9

Two more skills in confined water today. Some low scores, some high, which is a good thing. We only develop our skills and techniques by practice and by making mistakes. Of course we would rather make our mistakes whilst learning rather than whilst being evaluated by PADI at the Instructor Examination.

So, a beautiful learning experience today and some mistakes we will NOT make again.

Open water sessions 2 and 3 coming soon, high hopes!


WANT TO BECOME A DIVE INSTRUCTOR? LEARN WITH BOB AT PLANET SCUBA - CLICK HERE

Planet Scuba IDC Day 6: EFRI

A new batch of Emergency First Responder Instructors. "Hello, my name is your name. I am an Emergency First Responder, may I help you?". And, of course, Care For Children. Some interactions with baby Annie were a little disturbing. I think I may need counseling in the near future.

A long day, but followed by a well deserved day off. Some of the candidates are making use of their day off to practise their skills and presentations, that is commitment for you!
Tomorrow (day 8) we look forward to Open Water presentations and maybe a few fishes!


WANT TO BECOME A DIVE INSTRUCTOR? LEARN WITH BOB AT PLANET SCUBA - CLICK HERE

June Instructor Development Course Day 5

Day 5 done! More knowledge development, good scores again. Conducting Open Water presentation went smoothly and the first open water presentation complete. Then the weather turned! Wind, rain, waves: let's stay in the classroom! Postponed the open water presentations and did some more IDC presentations.

EFR Instructor tomorrow and, despite the early warning, 13 people with lots of EFR homework. Early start and a hard day for Annie tomorrow.
Barriers, barriers, barriers!

A day off after that (like you need a day off!) and back to it!
Go Pro with PADI, live the dream.

June IDC Planet Scuba Koh Tao Day 4

Day 4 done!
The first 2 Confined Water presentations of the PADI IDC today. Development is the key word for some, but then it is surely better to make your mistakes in the IDC than the Instructor Examination. So, some valuable lessons were learned and all are happy that their skills and control have developed.

Everybody achieved a passing score in at least one of the two confined skills, so no drama.
Open water presentations tomorrow afternoon. Given today, and the lessons learned, I think it should be a walk in the park.

Performance Requirements is the name of the game.

Day 3 of the PADI IDC finished!

 A few small mistakes from the Knowledge Development this morning, but nothing that worrying.
I have now met the fastest talking person ever! Having written "War and Peace" on her lesson preparation form, managed to present the whole thing in six and a half minutes. This was very amusing and very high scoring (very high) but a little disconcerting for the IDC Staff candidate who had caught two sentences in the Introduction by the time half of the body was complete.
All passed, all remarkable scores for a first attempt.


Confined water tomorrow afternoon, and their first go at briefing, demo and control. Followed by a nice debrief. Hope they use the slates and score well. Actually have very little doubt!
The June IDC is great fun so far!

Planet Scuba IDC Day 2 complete

Day 2 finished!
All looking good, exams all passed, skill circuit complete with some remarkable scores (and one or two novel demonstrations).
Looking forward to day 3 Developing Knowledge Development Presentations. The first ones are always the most entertaining!



The IDC group seem to be getting on well and bonding with one another. Keeping team spirit high is essential when it comes to the Instructor Examination starting on the 21st of this month. 100% pass rate expected even at this early stage!
Let's see who does the MSDT. Hopefully everyone will see the benefit and want the variety and employability in their dive career.

Planet Scuba June 2011 IDC

The Planet Scuba June IDC started today. A joint effort with my colleagues on Koh Tao. A very friendly class of potential Instructors who are starting on the right foot, and (I hope) enjoyed the first day of the IDC. I certainly did, Orientation, Learning, Physics and decompression theory. Roll on tomorrow, more theory and some water work.


We already have some interest in PADI Specialty Instructor training and the MSDT Internship. Emergency Oxygen Provider Instructor and EFR Instructor coming in a few days. Looking good!