Fundies!

[PeteSmith]

:D:D Woo Hoo! Just signed up for Fundies May 28th 2009! :D

[Jen]

Congrats!! You won't be disappointed.

[Chantelle]

W00 H00!! Way to go, Pete! Enjoy!! :)

[serge]

Fantastic Peter. I guess that means our course is full!

[Rob Smith]

Fantastic Peter. I guess that means our course is full!

Way to go Pete, guess I better get my ass in gear now..

[PeteSmith]

Way to go Pete, guess I better get my ass in gear now..

Yeah, what are ya waiting for, jump aboard!:D

[Rob Smith]

Yeah, what are ya waiting for, jump aboard!:D

With last year being my first year, taking three courses and getting all my gear in order and now diving doubles, I think I will take this season dive as much as I can, enjoy it and learn a bit more. Although I really want to jump into it, truth is at almost 100 dives I really don't feel ready for it yet. I still have alot to learn. Hopefully I will have the chance to dive with a few of the greats here and get some feed back on the things I'll need to improve on before I take the fundies. Besides you know me I'll be out every weekend, playing hooky a day through the week here and there and calling everyone looking for a dive buddy. Come next season I'll have well over 200 dives and another year of experience. I feel by then I will be ready to take on the Fundies challenge. Untill then i am going to sit back and watch you work your @ss off...lol...

[Chantelle]

With last year being my first year, taking three courses and getting all my gear in order and now diving doubles, I think I will take this season dive as much as I can, enjoy it and learn a bit more. Although I really want to jump into it, truth is at almost 100 dives I really don't feel ready for it yet. I still have alot to learn. Hopefully I will have the chance to dive with a few of the greats here and get some feed back on the things I'll need to improve on before I take the fundies. Besides you know me I'll be out every weekend, playing hooky a day through the week here and there and calling everyone looking for a dive buddy. Come next season I'll have well over 200 dives and another year of experience. I feel by then I will be ready to take on the Fundies challenge. Untill then i am going to sit back and watch you work your @ss off...lol...

To be honest, Rob, you are much better off taking fundies earlier than later, in my opinion. Fundies will show you where exactly you are in your diving, and what you need to work on , whether you drink the proverbial Kool Aid or not. It is a course that I think is very beneficial earlier on.

I took it after 50 odd dives, and although I only went for the rec pass at first, I think I made the right choice, rather than diving diving diving, picking up "bad" habits, and having to correct them later. There was even a fellow in our course with only 4 logged dives... his OW dives, and I believe he got so much out of the course.

I actually got a provisional at first, went and practiced what I needed to, went back after a month, and got the Rec pass. After getting a Rec pass, there is no limit to when you can go back for a Tech pass. I did that the following year, and Tech 1 the year after that.

If you can manage it, I would reccomend doing it sooner than later! :)

[Rob Smith]

Thanks for the insight!

What you’re saying makes total sense now that I hear it from someone who has actually been there and done it. It is truly funny now that I think of it. The people who have been telling me to wait and get experience are the ones who haven't even done it themselves. I have learned a lot in my short time here. So not getting all sappy or anything, but you guys are opening some doors I was lead to believe were shut, or so I was told. Seems I already have a few things to "unlearn". Pretty much all the other people I have been diving with are heading to the Dive Master/Instructor area and nothing wrong with that, but it's not my thing. My main goal is to dive wrecks, I want to dive deeper and longer and do my video work. I’d like to put together a video library of the many great lake wrecks. It should keep me busy..lol. So I looked for other avenues, glad I found this one. This is where I want to be and where I want to learn. So I will ask and always listen to anyone here with input on courses or areas you may think I would benefit from, just as this one.

Thanks’ again and great job everyone, I appreciate it Big Time!

Ok, so could someone pass me the info, on whom to contact so I can figure out when and where the next course is and get myself signed up?
Rob

[PeteSmith]

You can get all the course date at http://gue.com/?q=en/node/69s
Fundies at http://gue.com/?q=en/node/116

Once you register for the course($75 to register), you will be able to download the course material within about 30 mins.

Best to check with Dan Mackay FIRST, to make sure there is a slot on the dates you want.
You can PM him from Ontariodiving, or I can PM his email to you.

[Chantelle]

Glad to hear I could help, Rob. :) Let me know if you'd like any more info! :)

[Rob Smith]

I emailed Dan just a few minutes ago. Hopefully I'll get signed up in the next available class. I'll let you all know how I make out.

Rob

[JohnG]

great to hear you signed up Pete! guess we will see you there!

[Joe]

Way to go guys. You will enjoy it.

[jmya]

Good stuff Rob!

I'll second what Chantelle said. I did fundies with my wife after putting it off for a couple of years. Boy do I wish I had done it earlier (at 50 dives say)! Taking it sooner is better - it will give you some focus. My wife went from not caring, to s-drill crazy after we signed up.

It opened my eyes too - I had been practicing valve drills, s-drills, etc ad nauseum, but I hadn't really thought about the "team" aspect of things - which, as it turns out, is far more important (imho) than the details of the drills.

Jase.

[Joe]

Good stuff Rob!


It opened my eyes too - I had been practicing valve drills, s-drills, etc ad nauseum, but I hadn't really thought about the "team" aspect of things - which, as it turns out, is far more important (imho) than the details of the drills.

Jase.

Well said. ;)

[jmya]

While I'm at it, I'll put in a plug for Doug Mudry at EE - as an option if Dan doesn't work out.

I originally did Fundies with Fred Devos in MX, and I came away with a provisional (lack of consistency with back-kick and trim). I did the re-evaluation six-months later at EE with Doug. Marga (my wife) did the tech "upgrade" at the same time (she was originally hesitant to do it in doubles).

It was actually quite "cheap" to do it in High-Springs ($140 flight and $50 a night at the Cadillac). No more expensive than spending the time in Kingston! Another benefit was being handed my card right there (by JJ no less) and having a good chat with Casey.

Jase.

[Rob Smith]

Ok everyone it is official...I have completed my account with GUE and have paid my money and I'll be in class June 25/09 for the fundies.....:D

[Jen]

That's great!! The second part of mine was in June and I stayed at the KOA. There are other options of course if you want a motel, but I found that it was easy since I met up with Dan for breakfast at Denny's in the mornings on the way to the shop!

[PeteSmith]

Way to go dude!!:D

[Chantelle]

w00t!! Congratulations!!

For accomodations, there is also the Bayside Motel, which is about two doors down from NTD.. BUT... you need to be a sound sleeper, as there are trains going by there throughout the wee hours of the night. The owner, Tony, is a great guy, and loves divers. If you tell him you're a diver, he'll give you a better rate. Very affordable place. 613-634-7100

For T1, I stayed at the Welcome Traveller, which is about a 5 minute drive from NTD (on Princess St.), and it's nothing special, but a decent place to sleep. If you do go there, make sure they check that the internet is working in the room. ;) Welcome Traveller (http://www.welcometravellermotel.com/) < < click link

There is also the Millhaven Inn, which are small cottages, that you can rent, with a few of your teammates. It's much more affordable that way, and is about a 15 - 20 minute drive from NTD. Millhaven Inn (http://tourism.kingstoncanada.com/en/tourism/business_details.aspx?id=273) << click link

[Joe]

Ok everyone it is official...I have completed my account with GUE and have paid my money and I'll be in class June 25/09 for the fundies.....:D

Congratulations. :cool:

[serge]

Grats that's awsome.

[Rob Smith]

Thanks for the support everyone, I am just finishing printing off all the source material and going to start reading it. Soon as the water loses the ice I am going to need to get in and practice. Man I can't wait to get diving again....cabin fever here...lol..

[Rob Smith]

I just watched a video with Dan on you tube, you guys are right, he is a big bugger!..lol....no disrespect Dan....

[JohnG]

congrats Rob!

[Rob Smith]

congrats Rob!

Thanks Bro !

[Jen]

Was it the one that Leigh did (Wooferbitch)?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nZvBO604ZFE&feature=channel_page

nZvBO604ZFE

[Rob Smith]

Was it the one that Leigh did (Wooferbitch)?
<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/nZvBO604ZFE&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/nZvBO604ZFE&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>

Yeah and i can't get that damn song out of my head...Sorry but I can't let go!!!! lol

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nZvBO604ZFE&feature=related

[Jen]

was trying to embed the thing....:mad:

[serge]

I did it for you Jen.

[Chantelle]

I have a couple of the songs as mp3s... if anyone is interested ;) We have alot more footage to be digitized, but Leigh's been a busy fellow these past few months. I think he's releasing the Daryaw video soon.... :rolleyes:

[Rob Smith]

I have a couple of the songs as mp3s... if anyone is interested ;) We have alot more footage to be digitized, but Leigh's been a busy fellow these past few months. I think he's releasing the Daryaw video soon.... :rolleyes:

Cool pics on the site Chantelle, I would really like to head up one day and dive that quarry, be a long drive but hell looks like a good dive for sure. What else would you recommend for diving if i head up that way?

[Chantelle]

Cool pics on the site Chantelle, I would really like to head up one day and dive that quarry, be a long drive but hell looks like a good dive for sure. What else would you recommend for diving if i head up that way?

Thanks very much, Rob. :)

The quarry is an excellent training grounds. It's where we dive all winter, and where we do our evening, weeknight skills during the spring/summer/fall. It's on the Quebec side, so "technically" you are supposed to have your FQAS card (Quebec diving card... don't even get me started), and the charge is $10 to dive there (or $80 for a yearly pass).

There are different shelves at different depths... to the left, a shark at 20', to the right, the plane at 25', sub at 60', and a couple of cars around 100' and 120'.

The vis is not that great in the summer months, as it is used quite alot for courses, and there are usually alot of people around on the weekends.

Here's a pic of the vis in May (I think it was May)...

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b296/Gitterdun7/Diving/Quarry/PICT0036.jpg

...and on the weekend...

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b296/Gitterdun7/Diving/Quarry/DSC_3543.jpg

Keeping in mind that I do have a much better camera now, than I did in May, but you get an idea of the milky vis.

Anyway... there really isn't much else to dive up that way. There are very few that dip into the Ottawa River, as there has been a poop load of pollution (pun intended) dumped in there, the vis. sucks, and the currents can be nasty.

If you wanted to come up after the spring thaw, we'd gladly take you for a tour of the quarry, but I would have solid plans to dive in Brockville after that! :p

[Rob Smith]

Thanks again,

once the spring time hits we will see what happens, I like trying out new areas and seeing new things. As for Brockville, i plan to hit that again for sure, see the Gaskin and Lillie, this time pull off a few other wrecks as well.

Take Care....enjoy the new toy...;)

[Chantelle]

Take Care....enjoy the new toy...;)

OO... You're good! :cool: