I am pleased to advise that Edwin Kwan has successfully completed his PADI Instructor Exam in Sydney today.

Edwin undertook his PADI Instructor Development Course with me at United Divers Wollongong.  He attended a part time IDC over 5 weekends, which allowed him to become a PADI Instructor without having to take time off from work.

As with all of our Instructor Candidates, Edwin undertook a FREE PADI Emergency Oxygen Provider Specialty Instructor Course as part of his IDC program.  Not only will Edwin now be qualified to teach a range of core PADI diving courses, he will also be qualified to teach this important safety related specialty.

Congratulations to Edwin on successfully completing the PADI IE and becoming a PADI Instructor!

The June/July 2008 PADI Instructor Development Course at United Divers Wollongong is now complete!

This program was conducted as a part-time IDC, running over 5 weekends.  There were two candidates, Edwin and Phil on the program, with Phil being a former PADI Instructor returning to the fold, and Edwin a long time PADI Divemaster.  There was also a PADI IDC Staff Instructor Course candidate, Richard, who will complete his training on the next program as his schedule didn’t allow him to attend every session on this course.

Phil and Edwin both showed a lot of attention to detail throughout the program, and I am confident that both will make excellent dive instructors.   Each put a lot of effort into preparing well structured presentations, and both showed an ability to inject a sense of fun into everything they did.

Edwin will attend the PADI Instructor Exam in Sydney next week, and I am sure he’ll do very well and move into the ranks of PADI Instructor.  Phil has met all his requirements now to regain PADI Instructor status.

During the IDC, Edwin, Phil and Richard also completed the PADI Emergency Oxygen Provider Specialty Instructor Course, a free inclusion in all IDCs conducted at United Divers. Undertaking this during the course means that they can now teach this important specialty to their future students.

Good luck to Edwin for the IE, and to both for their futures as PADI Instructors.

According to the PADI Northwest Newswire blog, the multilevel version of the PADI eRDP is set to be released imminently in the US.

This long anticipated device will replace both the eRDP and the RDP Wheel as dive planning devices that can be used in a variety of PADI courses.  Essentially an Open Water Diver will learn dive planning using either the traditional RDP table version, or the new eRDPML.

The RDP Wheel, introduced in the mid-80s, is a fantastic device that allows a great deal of precision in diving planning, and allows for multilevel dives to be planned.  Unfortunately it is relatively costly as it is a calibrated instrument.  It also takes a little getting used to, and can be harder for some to learn than a straight forward table design.

The eRDP and now the eRDPML take advantage of the reduction in costs of production of electronics, and give a tool that is a fantastic aid in dive planning.  Although some believe that people should learn on a submersible dive computer from the start, I believe that there is a lot to be said for learning how to plan a dive ahead of a dive.  This way, people get to know what good profiles look like, and then will be more ready to deal with the situation that occurs when a computer fails.

I have not heard anything from PADI Asia Pacific to this point about the release of the eRDPML, although I expect it won’t be too much after the US release.  I for one am looking forward to candidates in my PADI Instructor Development Courses being able to use this device instead of the Wheel and the standard eRDP.

For more information, visit the PADI Northwest Newswire blog.

The PADI Emergency Oxygen Provider specialty course, launched earlier in 2008, has now been aligned to the unit of competency SRXEMR003A (Administer Oxygen in en Emergency Situation), under the Sports and Recreation Training Package.  There is a modified version of the course called the PADI Administer Emergency Oxygen Distinctive Specialty.

The standard PADI Emergency Oxygen Provider Specialty is perfect for every diver who wants to learn the fundamentals of emergency oxygen provision, a vital skill in the treatment of an injured diver. The PADI Administer Emergency Oxygen Distinctive Specialty takes the program a little further, meeting the workplace requirements for oxygen provision that may be beneficial for a divemaster or instructor.  As the program is aligned with a Nationally Recognised Training Unit of Competency, this program is accredited throughout Australia to meet workplace requirements.

To teach this course, a PADI Emergency Oxygen Specialty Instructor needs to gain the additional Specialty Instructor rating for the PADI Administer Emergency Oxygen Distinctive Specialty, and then apply to be able to teach the program through PADI Asia Pacific’s RTO.  Additional requirements include the holding of a Certificate IV is Training and Assessment.

I conduct the PADI Emergency Oxygen Specialty Instructor Course regularly throughout the year.  In fact, it is included as a free additional rating in all PADI Instructor Development Courses and PADI OWSI Programs conducted at United Divers Wollongong.  On completing this course, the qualified individual will then be able to complete an application for the the PADI Administer Emergency Oxygen Distinctive Specialty Instructor rating.

For more information on the PADI Emergency Oxygen Provider Instructor Course, please feel free to contact me.  For specific information on the PADI Administer Emergency Oxygen Distinctive Specialty and the aligned Unit of Competency SRXEMR003A, please contact PADI Asia Pacific.

July is the month for the Deep Diver course to take its place as PADI Specialty of the Month.

One of the most popular specialties in recreational diving, Deep Diving is a rewarding activity that allows the diver to expand the number of dive sites they can access.

The PADI Deep Diver specialty teaches the diver to plan and conduct recreational no decompression dives to a maximum depth of 40m.  During the course you learn the techniques to undertake these dives, while maximising safety.

I’ll be conducting the PADI Deep Diver Course at United Divers Wollongong commencing on Saturday 26 July.  An action oriented program, we’ll 4 boat dives at various deeper locations around Wollongong, possibly including the wreck of the SS Bombo, and sites around the Five Islands.

The use of enriched air (nitrox) can have significant benefits for some recreational deep dives, and the PADI Enriched Air Diver Course and the PADI Deep Diver course can be easily combined. As an option, you might consider undertaking both specialties in one integrated program.

For more information, contact Suzanne at United Divers on (02) 42285962, or contact me.