Since I had so much fun doing ADP last year, I decided to do it again – this time around, as a “safety diver.” It’s kind of like being a divemaster, though without any official certification. There are usually a few instructors present at every class and beach dive, and the safety divers help out: setting floats, giving students one-on-one attention when they need it, doing demos, etc.

The first weekend, I had a nasty ear infection, and wasn’t able to actually dive during the SCUBA portion of the pool. I popped in some earplugs and hung out on the surface, videotaping some of the skills, and helping students with the skin diving parts of class (pike dives, swims, and such).

This past weekend we got down to business, and took the class to Redondo Beach for a checkout dive. The swell model looked totally flat, so we were a little surprised to discover 2-3′ sets when we arrived; the wind had picked up in the morning and driven up the swells. It was a good thing, though: ADP is all about teaching you to deal with surf, after all!

On this same dive last year, I didn’t even make it past the breakers. Granted, they were a little worse than this time around, but I was also just much more scared. This time, I felt totally confident about charging into the surf zone, anchor-laden float in tow.

Everyone made it in without incident, and we spent an hour or more doing skin diving skills at the floats. There are only eleven students this year, and almost as many staff on any given day, so we basically have a one-to-one ratio. I really like having the opportunity to work with a single student at a time, and pass on whatever tips and tricks helped me out last year.

My second time through the surf, I have to confess I got totally owned. Dana and I headed in together, and both came up against a WALL OF SURF: 3 -footer after 3-footer pushed us back, right when we thought we’d found a lull. I was a little embarrassed at getting so totally walloped, but also proud of myself that it really didn’t phase me – I just got up and tried again. What a difference a year makes!

Unfortunately, we didn’t have time to do the SCUBA checkout dive after all – by the time all the skin skills and surf entries were over, we were running a little late for a 1pm appointment at Sealab.

Sunday was a pool day: SCUBA bailouts and skin DNRs. If you were reading my blog this time last year, you might remember how much I loved those. I’m woefully out of practice myself, but I know that I can do it if I try – and I remember how un-doable it seems the first time you’re told to do it! So again, I really enjoyed working one-on-one with people, encouraging them to take the plunge, and helping out as needed on the bottom. (Though I admit to feeling a bit hypocritical doling out advice – but not volunteering to demonstrate myself! Time to start practicing again.)

This weekend we’ll be heading to White Point, which was one of my favorite dives last year: rocky entries and washing on/off rocks, and surfing the channels. I might have to dig up Jeff’s old underwater camera (the little one) and bring it along so that I can illustrate my next ADP blog entry!