I am usually not going to bed that early, so it was not really a surprise to wake up with the sun around 5:00 pm. In Dumaguete I would boil water for my coffee and start the computer to go through my daily routine. Here in Siquijor I went for a walk and enjoyed the fresh breeze from the sea. I heard birds singing I have never heard before and I spend an hour or so just sucking in the energy of the young day…
At 7:00am Kiwi Dive Resort slowly woke up, and I ordered my first cup of coffee and a ham cheese onion omelet. I started the computer and prepared for Jean, my French Rescue-Diver-Student. The knowledge reviews were done fast. That guy did not only copy the book, he brought in other ideas from his experience Tracking through Nepal and other remote places of the world. At 10:00 am we finished the first three chapters and were ready to set up our gear for the first confined water sessions.
The first exercises are a review of skills each diver should have anyway, including cramp removal, alternate air-source use and tired diver tow. I had Dive-Master-Candidates who were worse. The next skills are about assessment, evaluating the situation and approaching diver on the surface. The Victim could be tired or even panicking. Being the panic diver is one of my favorite role in a rescue course. I love the face –expression of my students when 100 KG plus Equipment grasping them holding them and climbing on top of them. Followed by some underwater practice we had enough time to practice already how to surface an unresponsive diver from the bottom and had a small excursion before we returned to the resort for a lunch.
After lunch the sky became cloudy and the waves higher, so we spend the afternoon in the open air classroom and finished all Knowledge Reviews. Jean decided to go through his Final exam, and he passed it with flying colors. He was actually my first Rescue student who had 100% in the final exam. By 5:00 pm we finished the working part of the day and Jean went for another 15 km run. I was lazy like always and checked my mails ordered my dinner and went for a shower.
When I came back from the room to the restaurant I have been told that there is a strike going on at the Dumaguete Pier and many tourists are stucked on Siquijor. I did not really mind and my Chicken Curry was yummy. Two SMB and back to my room. I forgot to mention that my room is on the top and you need to climb up 56 “steps of death” … No wonder that there is not so much drinking going on at KIWI dive resort. These steps are sober a nightmare… (to be continued)
