Commercial Course No 58a Level one only - Week 4

Monday 7th December

Back to the Weir today for some more boat dives. Groups rotate to ensure everyone gets a go at all the hand tool tasks. Hand tool tasks included, the hand drill and hand saw. Today we made it to 24 metres. A great days diving. The end is near with only one more days diving to complete.

Tuesday 8th December

Back to the classroom today and we finish the Equipment theory module. Students will be tested on this on Thursday. This topic includes compressors including filter changes,oil types & basic operation then onto hydrostatic testing. Here Descend shines as we are a licensed test station, so students are able to see first hand how to conduct a hydrostatic test, including a visual plus & eddy current test of the neck threads on a aluminum cylinder.

Wednesday 9th December

 Dartmouth Dam, a spectacular wilderness area about 100km from Albury. The attraction is water depths of up to 140m deep. Today we are looking for only 30m the last of level 1 training. The tasks today are hand tool tasks. Separating and re-bolting a flange, diving in a cage and bolting a pipe to a big valve. Each diver completes three dives each at various levels. A big day including the travel.

Thursday 10th December

 A big day today with two exams.  First the equipment exam, then onto the final and very comprehensive level one exam. Nerves are high. Some have been studying all night and look terrible. The day finishes with a chamber dip. Now that the pressure from the exam is over the guys realise that the 50m chamber depth elevates the narcotic effect, lots of giggling is heard over the chamber comms.

Friday 11th December

All students have done really well. We CONGRATULATE and say goodbye to our level one students. Well done guys, maybe we'll see you for more training one day. After a big month of training our instructors are ready for a well deserved break over Christmas before the start of our January commercial course next year.