138 replies to this topic

[TraceMalin]

Who's Going?

1. Trace aka TraceMalin & Course Instructor (Sat&Sun)
2. Kamala aka Wreck Wench (Sat & Sun)
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.


Check in the mail:

1. Doris aka Ariesno1 (Sat only)
2. Marci aka Babyduck (Sat & Sun)
3. Bruno aka brun1226 (?)
4. Keith aka tpits1 (Sat only)
5. Gene aka ScubaGene (Sat & Sun)
6. George aka Tolly (Sat HH & Sun)
7. Vinny aka VA Diver (?)
8. MelissaB (Sun & Gear Redux)
9. Brian aka Cincyman (Sat & HH & Sun am?)
10. Steve aka Geek (Sat?)


Contact kamala@singledivers.com or tracemalin@singledivers.com for further details.

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Hey Gang!

As you know, recreational diving often only gives you a one hour bottom time. The same is true for a Happy "Hour", but ONLY here at SD, Kamala and I have worked out a way to bridge the gap between the recreational divers and the technical divers, in which everyone no matter what their skill level or experience can meet and enjoy MANY HAPPY HOURS together over the course of a weekend!!!

Kamala and I were talking about a really unique SingleDivers.com event!

How many of you would be interested in getting together for a weeekend in November (either Sat./Sun. 12/13 or Sat./Sun. 19/20) for a "FUN"Shop Weekend that would include a Gear Clinic & Equipment Specialty Certification Course, a SCUBA Skills Workshop (diving!!!), a Night Diving Clinic (optional diving!!!), a Nitrox Certification Course (optional nitrox diving!!!), a Tech Prep Clinic (optional diving!!!) PLUS food and all the SD folkes we can get to raise a ruckus at Dutch Springs in Bethlehem, PA?

What's in it for the recreational diver?

How about learning how YOUR equipment works and how to better streamline yourself and to manage all that stuff you bought so you look C L!!! by having a one-on-one personal evaluation of your scuba configuration and learn how to modify and care for your gear from "pros in the know"? What if you could leave with an EQUIPMENT SPECIALIST specialty card? How about if we threw in a Night Diving Clinic in which you would learn the tech approach to night diving, learn better hand and light signals, and how to play in the dark with the kewl kids! What if you got to become one? Yes, you, a NITROX CERTIFIED technical diver! What if we went a step farther... what if we ran a buoyancy and skill set workshop so you can improve your scuba and then gave you a sneak peek at the skills you'll need for more challenging diving... maybe I'll even let you beat up on me a bit? (The way he was just hanging still in the water, I thought he was a pinata!) Oh, and put it all on video!

Equipment Specialist Course Prerequisite: Open Water Cert
Nitrox Specialty: 50 logged dives

What's in it for the technical diver?

LISTEN, YOU MOTHERF! -- ::clears throat:: Sorry... habit. Guys and gals, I could really use your help. I'd really love it if we could get more perspectives on gear configurations and see more tech toys, compare notes and be a think-tank toward making safer adjustments to our life support systems. Not only would it help us be safer, but it would give the recreational divers an understanding of what we think about when adjusting for each change or modification. Would you come and help me out and meet some new or experienced recreational divers, awesome SD folks and play nice? You will? AWESOME! As a reward, I'll beat the living crap out of you and show you what awaits you in courses like that infamous entry level hell called... Oh, no! We dare not speak its name... Dee... Eye... no, I can't even spell it! Or, what happens when you begin cave training! I bet some of you are dying to know what lies beyond Hogarthian before you go. How about if we challenge ourselves underwater in a team contest (providing we get enough people) to handle various situations and see who the ultimate team will be? If you win, you'll get... I don't know yet... respect? A cookie? More beatings? I know! You'll get to keep the video! The techies know what this means! The rechies will find out what the codes are if they show up! If we get enough generous technical divers willing to share, maybe we can play with all kinds of neat toys? Can anyone say scooters? Actually, we can rent them if enough people sign up in advance!

I stress this is for everyone! If you want to be a fly on the wall, you're welcome to join us. If you want to take courses, you are most welcome. Kamala's plan is for everyone to get something out of the weekend -- especially get together & have FUN! We just need to know how much of an interest we have and how many people would like to take advantage of this last minute idea of ours. This will help us to know how better to plan for your needs regarding what you'd like to participate in and attend and also reduce pricing to rock bottom. The more the cheaper.

Admission to Dutch Springs is $22.00 per person per day. They rent tanks for $19.00 on site or $17.00 if reserved in advance. We're planning to conduct the classes in the spacious... I stress spacious... conference room of a nearby hotel (Kamala has lodging prices if you need a room) so weather won't be a factor if it rains & once we're underwater who cares right? Dutch Springs has a couple of pavilions and very clean heated changing rooms with flush toilets. Arrangements can be made in advance for anyone needing to rent gear, including heavier wetsuits or drysuits. Dutch Springs water temps will be in the 50's like the PNW and CA. Visibility probably will be 50+ feet. Depths to 105 & lots of sunken attractions! Again, diving is optional for all classes and in all cases!

Everyone is welcome! Come meet, greet, eat, and be beaten (optional, you must say, "Trace I want you to beat me," for this aspect of FUN)!!!

Contact Kamala or me if you're interested. You can email me at tracemalin@singledivers.com or kamala@singledivers.com with questions.

We hope to see you there!

-- Trace

The SingleDivers.com Dutch Springs "Techreational" Workshops (November 19/20 2005)
Instructor: Trace Malinowski

Saturday Clinics/Workshops: - $175.00 per person for Gear Clinic/Equipment Certification Course/Personal Equipment Evaluation/ & Optional Skill Dives #1 & #2

Location: Clinics: Comfort Inn Suites Conference Room: RTS 191 & 22; Bethlaham, PA Diving: Dutch Springs

6 A.M. - 10 A.M. Gear Clinic/Equipment Specialty Course - (Optional: After the course, the student may choose to be certified as a PDIC "Equipment Specialist Diver." This is an internationally recognized specialty certification. Prerequisite is an Open Water certification card from a recognized training agency. Processing Fee: $15.00)
- STREAMLINING YOUR GEAR
- modification of masks, fins & snorkels for scuba, tech & freediving
- exposure suits (wetsuits/drysuits)
- tanks, valves and bands
- regulators (primary & backup)
- wings & BCD's
- gauges & computers
- cutting tools
- weight systems
- dive lights
- recreational modifications
- technical modifications (wreck/cave)
- stage & deco bottles
- accessory items

10 A.M. - 11 A.M. Break

11 A.M. - 12 A.M. Lunch during personal equipment practical evaluations

12 P.M. - 2 P.M. Skill Demos & Practice (Dive #1)
- Team Diving Skills
- BCD/Drysuit Use
- Trim/Buoyancy
- Kicks (flutter, mod flutter, frog, mod frog, back, shuffle, scull)
- Helicopter Turns/Stillness
- Safety Drills (air shares)
- Valve Drills (single tank/double tank)
- Ascent Practice
- Evaluation of skills

or DPV Certification*:

We will now have an optional DPV class and certification. The SD special rate is $150 for the course and another $15 for the c-card. Note: The real advantage to getting this c-card is that you can now rent dpv's if you can't afford your own or don't want to travel with one. We need to know how many people wish to add this onto their personalized weekend agenda.

*the course will be taught by a Naui Tec & Padi instructor and the certification is via Padi.

2 P.M. - 3 P.M. Surface Interval (Break/Q&A)

3 P.M. - 5 P.M. Skill Demos & Practice (Dive #2)
- Use of Reels/Spools
- How to make a "sea anchor"
- Line, Team, Environmental, Situational Awareness
- No Mask Situations/Touch Contact Drills
- Liftbag Deployment (open water, drift, wreck)
- No Mask Ascents

or DPV Certification*:

We will now have an optional DPV class and certification. The SD special rate is $150 for the course and another $15 for the c-card. Note: The real advantage to getting this c-card is that you can now rent dpv's if you can't afford your own or don't want to travel with one. We need to know how many people wish to add this onto their personalized weekend agenda.

*the course will be taught by a Naui Tec & Padi instructor and the certification is via Padi.

5 P.M. - 6 P.M. Surface Interval (Break/Q&A)

6 P.M. - 8 P.M. Night Dive Clinic ($25.00 includes Dutch Springs Night Diving Fee)
- Primary Lights
- Back Up Lights
- Light Signals
- Team Communication
- Emergencies At Night
- Team Awareness
- Problem Solving
- Emergencies
- Night Dive!!!

8 P.M. - ??? Kamala aka "Wreck Wench's" Resuscitation Plans at:

Banana Joe's
318 W. Hamilton St.
Allentown, PA 18101

610-776-6474


Starts: 7pm to ???

For more details or to let us know you are going to join us at the NE Happy Hour click here!


Sunday Clinics/Workshops: $175.00 per person

6 A.M. - 10 A.M. Mixed Gas Clinic/PDIC Nitrox Certification Course includes book & workbook. Optional $15.00 Processing fee for C-card.)
- Narcosis & Decompression Sickness
- How nitrox solves N2 problems
- US Navy Tables
- PDIC Nitrox Tables
- Equivalent Air Depth
- Maximum Operating Depths
- Calculating Best Mix
- Switching Gas Mixtures
- Blending Nitrox
- Oxygen Cleaning
- Marking & Labeling Cylinders
- Air Diving
- Oxygen Toxicity
- Oxygen Clocks & OTU's
- Using Deco Software (V-Planner)
- Using Nitrox Computers
- Why take a trimix course?
- Mixed Gas Roundtable Discussion

10 A.M. - 11 A.M. Break

11: 30 A.M. - 4:30 P.M. Skill Demos & Tour Dives
- Skills Review
- Stage/Pony/Deco Bottles
- Surface Support/Multi-Team Diving
- Rescue for Gas Divers
- Pumphouse Tour 1 (Skill Evals)
- Aircraft & Wreck Tour 2 (Team challenge)
- Deep Tour 3 (Optional & if time allows)

or DPV Certification*:

We will now have an optional DPV class and certification. The SD special rate is $150 for the course and another $15 for the c-card. Note: The real advantage to getting this c-card is that you can now rent dpv's if you can't afford your own or don't want to travel with one. We need to know how many people wish to add this onto their personalized weekend agenda.

*the course will be taught by a Naui Tec & Padi instructor and the certification is via Padi.

4:30 - ??? Kamala aka "Wreck Wench's" Resuscitation Plans

Register for both days & night dive clinic for $300.00 total (Save $75.00! $50 for combo and $25 if SD Premier & Above Member)

Gear Clinic Redux? - Missed the Saturday Gear Clinic & want it Sunday night? We can accommodate you for $175.00.

Note: All certifications must be earned. All dives are optional and not required for either the Equipment Specialist nor Nitrox certifications.

Contact kamala@singledivers.com or tracemalin@singledivers.com for further details.

PAYMENT OPTIONS:

Please add 3% if paying via paypal or credit card.

If paying via credit card (Visa, MC, Diners) download the SD Credit Card Authorization Form, complete and fax to 214-350-2558. Click here for the form.

If paying via paypal go to www.PayPal.com and send payment to kamala@singledivers.com Be sure to include your address, contact number and screen name in the details section.

If paying via check or money order, please send payment to:

Kamala Shadduck
SingleDivers.com
3957 Gaspar Ste#200
Dallas, TX 75220
214-350-7003
kamala@singledivers.com

PAYMENT TERMS & SCHEDULE:

1. Payment is due in full at time of booking unless special arrangements have been made with me beforehand.
2. If you are a SD premier member or above take another $25 off the price of the weekend special pricing for a total of $75 off. ($50 for doing both days and $25 SD membership discount.) - sorry we can't prorate the membership fee for only one day.

HOW TO BOOK A SPOT FOR THIS WORKSHOP:

1. Post a post in the thread that you plan to join us. We'll then put your name on the 'check in the mail' list.
2. Fill out the trip/event rooming & diving survey which you'll find under "Stuff you need to know for ALL SingleDivers.com trips & activities!" IF YOU WILL BE NEEDING A HOTEL ROOM.
or click here to link to it!
3. Send your payment for the workshop(s) and certification class(es) according to the payment terms above. If you need to make special arrangements about payments with me please contact me and I'll gladly work with you.

Edited by WreckWench, 15 November 2005 - 09:10 AM.

[Diverbrian]

Let me look at my schedule. If work lets up, I may just head that direction.

For those that don't know, a Trace gear clinic is a MOST educational and fun experience.

[Latitude Adjustment]

I can make either weekend and would be interested in the equipment clinic

[CaptSaaz]

Would love to join you but I work weekends Oct-Mar.

[BabyDuck]

oh, baby, if it turns out to be the weekend of the 19-20, i'm sooo there. it's my birthday, so i get extra beatings, right? but i can't on the 11-13 weekend, that's my time with chatterton & kohler... so keep me in the loop. it's the kinder gentler side of gue.

[Cold_H2O]

If only I could sneak off to the East Coast in November I would love to be there.
But my schedule does not allow it.

Any chance of doing this again in WA or OR?

Edited by gis_gal, 19 October 2005 - 07:32 AM.

[finGrabber]

Yeah, we need a roadshow!

[toolboxdiver]

Hey Trace,
You are doing it at Dutch Springs in PA???...I may be able to make it on Sunday, my saturdays are kind of taken with my shop. I'm only about 2 hours from Dutch, and I haven't been there yet...lol...I have 15 dive sites so far within a hour of here and I'm finding more as I do more research. Is the equipment course a 2 dayer or can it be done in 1???

[WreckWench]

If this one is a success we hope to do more of them! We are extremely gifted in Trace joining our band of merry meyhammers!

He has promised to shed light on the dark side of quote/unquote 'technical' diving for us non-tech types but also has the rare ability to help the tech types 'be all that they can be'...or at least look good when they show how trim they are in the water in front of the girls!

Either way you will find something for everyone and for those of us who'd rather just socialize in ways that only SD can do...we'll have all of that as well!

Sounds like we have a few takers...anyone else? We'll need to finalize this soon if its a go!!!

[Basslet]

Hmm. Sounds interesting. How about inflating a SS? I've never done that.

[TraceMalin]

Hmm. Sounds interesting. How about inflating a SS? I've never done that.

By SS do you mean a safety sausage? Being able to deploy bags (liftbags & DSMB's) is a core skill for any diver. That skill is part of the skills challenge and demo. I'll also be showing any diver who uses a Jersey upline why that piece of gear isn't necessary to carry & how to use a liftbag & reel to accomplish the same task in securing yourself to a wreck if need be & be able to recover the bag, line & reel all at the surface. We'll cover team drifting deco procedures too.

Trace

[Basslet]

Hmm. Sounds interesting. How about inflating a SS? I've never done that.

By SS do you mean a safety sausage? Being able to deploy bags (liftbags & DSMB's) is a core skill for any diver. That skill is part of the skills challenge and demo. I'll also be showing any diver who uses a Jersey upline why that piece of gear isn't necessary to carry & how to use a liftbag & reel to accomplish the same task in securing yourself to a wreck if need be & be able to recover the bag, line & reel all at the surface. We'll cover team drifting deco procedures too.

Trace

That sounds really interesting. I would have to rent a warm suit. I never dived dry. I wonder how that would be?

[TraceMalin]

Hey Trace,
You are doing it at Dutch Springs in PA???...I may be able to make it on Sunday, my saturdays are kind of taken with my shop. I'm only about 2 hours from Dutch, and I haven't been there yet...lol...I have 15 dive sites so far within a hour of here and I'm finding more as I do more research. Is the equipment course a 2 dayer or can it be done in 1???

You've never been to Dutch Springs? You're missing the best visibility in the northeast. Early in the season and late in the season, I've seen the visibility be 70+ feet. Vis drops to about 40 - 50 for most of the year and maybe once in a while to 30 feet.

I can switch the days of the nitrox/equipment courses if there is a demand for it. We need to find out who is going to be there and what everyone wants to gain from attending. I'm flexible. I created an idea for an itinerary to accommodate all of these courses, clinics & dives. If there is no demand for such structured training, for example, if everyone attending is already nitrox certified, then rather than teaching a course, I can use the 4 hours that I'd use to go over gases for other things or devote more time to equipment modification (breaking down & reconfiguring everyone's gear) and in-water demos & practice.

My approach to diving is more DIR/Hogarthian so if you've never seen the actual skills, but have been hearing a lot of "internet talkers" bullying people on message boards, you'll probably come away with more of an insight into the advantages/disadvantages of the way they dive, learn new skills you've never been taught or seen, learn team diving, and the like.

Everyone just chime in and let us know what we can do to make this experience the best one for all who will be attending.

Trace