Lester Kwok

With the recent needs of me being back into water teaching Open Water Diver course, I started thinking of why I got burned out and did not really got into the hang of teaching Open Water Divers.

I spent 6 hours in the pool last Sunday, conducting the course… … and whilst I was doing the course, Terrence and Jean showed me something. A feeling that was long gone, a feeling that I could not remember and the very reason why I became an Instructor and generated a pool of Instructors.

Teaching diving requires alot of patience. And I do mean alot of it. Non-divers converting and doing the course are overwhelmed with a lot of activities in their mind. Doning the gear, remembering the regulators need to be on the right side, remembering which is inflate and deflate buttons, when they use them, when to breath… … man… … the list goes on and on and on.

As dive professionals, we took this for granted, and sometimes, past remarks like "how come so simple thing they also dun know how to do it?" We are often pre-occupied with the mind set of "we need to complete confined water module 1 to 5 within 6 hours"

What happened to the word "student centric"? Yes, we have our obligations to teach and complete modules 1 to 5 within 6 hours. What each instructor should focus on is how to streamline their teaching to ensure we have enough time without forgoing the very basic rule of teaching… … that is to ensure students learn well. The skills taught in confined water builds the fundamentals of how good they are gonna become divers and how much they are gonna enjoy diving.

PADI courses are very well structured, however, the delivery method is slightly different. Some of us have choose to be patient, motherly, military or like me, comical! But nonetheless, we all have to remember this, we were once open water divers, learning how to dive. Do not forget that feeling. As an Open Water Confined Water Diver, we do not know any better. Instructors asked us to breath, we breath. Ask us to move, we move….. …

I saw Terrence and Jean, from non divers, slowly moving in water gracefully, trying to follow what I was doing and mimicked me how I fin, and really wanting to learn diving, brought joy to me once again.

I hope this article on how I rediscover the joy of diving will help instructors rediscover their joy.

Now that the old Orpheus Dive is finally sold and gone. I have been tasked to take over the New Passion Scuba Dive (www.passionscubadive.com), The Scuba Boutique (www.thescubaboutique.com) and the new Gopro Malaysia (www.gopromalaysia.com)

To all jetfin lovers who also love the color red.. .. this is what each of you have been waiting for.

I will be ordering this fins directly from Japan. However, the Red Jet Fins Revo sizing is abit different from the traditional Jet Fins Sizes.

In the past, Jet Fin sizes were M (usually for ladies), Large (show size 7 to 9) and X-Large.

However, for the Revo sizes, the Japanese made the sizes as 25 to 27cm and 27 to 29cm (See this link). Based on the sizes of Jet Fins, if I am not wrong, the smaller size 25 to 27cm is actually based on the Jet Fin Size Large and 27 to 29cm is based on Jet Fin Size X-Large.

So for girls with small feet wanting this fin, hard luck. This beauty is designed for guys only :)The sale price is SGD$ 390.00. Interested parties, order before 20 March and pay only SGD$ 290.00

I will be placing a special order and for those interested in having a pair, please email to me@lesterkwok.com

I was conducting Rescue Diver course theory this week and was explaining to students about real panic situations, and how easily it can be avoided if divers actually get themselves familiar with their diving equipment and perform "BWRAF".

On a typical Saturday morning over at Pulau Dayang, I crossed over to another boat in search of 2 missing dive bags and was talking to Esmond from ScubaHub. On this boat, was another freelance professional (I think) by the name Lloyd (not our Lloyd). Under his care, there were four divers.

One of them seem to have some problems with his Seaquest BCD. He was commenting that the power inflator is not working and he can't inflate his BCD at all. At that moment, I was standing beside him and told him that he should check the connection.

"I did, and I checked it a few times" he replied. As it was not a good morning for me, that statement irritated me. I took the power inflator from him, push the lpi hose in and told him "See, told u to check the connection. it is working now".

He gave me a look and no works of thank you. This added to my irritation and I told him, why is your divemaster not doing his job checking for you? And aren't you trained as a diver to check simple things like this? When was the last time you dived?

And I walked away.

Thought that was the last time I am seeing him. Guess I was wrong.

On Sunday morning, we were about to do our deep adventures in diving over at Rayner's Rock. Wen Seang's 3 rescue divers were already in water at that point when I did my entry with my two advanced open water diver. Upon entering and just when were started descending, I notice someone on the surface calling for help. Thinking it was Wen Seang doing his rescue course, I carried on descending to about a metre, when I notice that Wen Seang and his three rescue divers were still on the surface together. Immediately, I signaled to my two students to ascend, and giving firmed instructions to wait for me on the surface, I started my swim towards the unknown diver. Along the way, which is a good 40 metres, one of our rescue diver, Janet, thinking that it was another rescue scene in her course, started pursue towards the panic victim. 

I pulled her back telling her that it is not part of her training but a actual case, I overtook her and approached the panic diver. From the rear, grabbing hold of his power inflator, I noticed that IT WAS THE SAME FUCKER that I was talking to in the morning, Mr FUCKED CAI. Well, his inflator was definitely not working this time and I had to orally inflate his BCD for him. Got him to lied back, check his air and realise that the DAMN STUPID MOTHER FUCKER did not turn on his air. I told him his air was not on and all he replied " I did on, I checked, I breath from it, got air one" Before I could see my next phrase, he started his descend to reunite with his group.

AGITATED!!!!!!!! YES I WAS, DAMN MOTHER FUCKER. IF YOU ARE READING THIS DAMN POST, MY STATEMENT TO YOU IS "DO YOUR FUCKING BWRAF BEFORE YOUR DIVE AND BEFORE YOUR NEXT DIVE TRIP, GO FOR A DAMN FUCKING SCUBA REVIEW! You are a damn stupid ungrateful bastard. I should have let you experience secondary drowning so that you know HOW FUCKING UNGRATEFUL AND DUMB AND STUPID YOU ARE. I DO not need to be reminded how many stupid divers who are cheapskate and go for cheap courses, and in return, go diving without the proper training and care and concern for their own fucking safety.

To all divers reading this thread and I know that there are many of you reading, simple drill like a BWRAF should not be taken lightly. There is a reason why your instructor take their timing explaining the importance of BWRAF to you. Is to ensure that you are safe as a diver and you are competent enough to take care of yourself.

And for the million and one divers who are cheapskate and dun want to do scuba reviews and or purchase your own diving equipment, stop diving immediately. Diving has her own inherent risk like any other sports, if proper training is not done, you are ABOUT TO PAY A FINAL VISIT TO YOUR MAKER, GOD!

But jokes aside, enough of me being angry. This is something serious and a lesson for all. We DO NOT BELONG to the sea and pretty much, we are just visitors. We should all learn to respect the importance of proper training, proper equipment and maintenance, taking time and effort to improve ourselves as a diver to ensure 101% safety. 

I am back, feeling poorer, colder and sick. Yes, age is catching up for sure. Between 9 to 14 August, under Orpheus Dive, I brought a total of 24 divers to Bali to dive with the much talked about, much heard about and much brag about - Mola Mola and Manta Rays.

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Well, finally took a "teachable" course with them over the weekend (Deep Specialty). What can I say… The crew was friendly, accomodating but overall the whole organisation was still administratively WEAK, yet again. sigh… also, no theory, no manual, no video (something wrong here?), just a couple of seemingly silly exercises done during the dive segment (this part's PADIs requirement). Worth the money? considering it only cost less than a hundred bucks for the course, mmmmm…. not if you wanna learn something useful… I had a different objective in mind, as such for me, yes on two counts (evaluation & insurance). Did they meet all of the requirements set by Padi for the course… the jury's still out on a definite answer… In a Nutshell, if you wanna learn something well and proper, probably not the BEST place. But if you just need the certification, than possibly one of the ideal places to approach. - goodeatsfan 01/08/07

I came across the posting from a local dive forum recently. What caught my eyes is that it was posted by someone I really know and has paid LOTTSA MONEY to attend a GUE course. I have removed the name of the dive centre, just in case if anyone stumble upon this site and think that I am trying to stir up something.

Well, the above mentioned is a new PADI 5 Star IDC. One of the highest rating given to a dive centre that has met supreme standards by PADI. However, what really amazed me is "no theory, no manual, no video". According to the diver who has attended the course, he was telling them about me/Orpheus Dive and the owner went on rattling "Wah, this Lester, very evil. Only bother about watching me dying. Only want us to waste money and nah nah nah.. …"

Grow up motherfuckers. If you want people to stop bitching about you, do things right and do things good. Trying to cut corners and breaking standards are not something any instructors nor dive centres should be proud of. Like what Greg used to tell me "If you cannot even do it right here in Singapore, what makes you think that you can do it right anywhere else in the world".

Specialty courses are not to be taken lightly. It is a course where divers who are really keen in learning more, wanting to dive safely. With such records of teaching, in no time, no divers would want to attend any courses, let it be specialty courses.

For those people reading this, yes, I do understand when there are times that standards are broken, but breaking it till no point of return, this is too much. Skipping one or two, I can understand.

According to training standards for PADI Deep Specialty, the following are inclusion of the course.

Recommended depths for each dive:
Dive 1 — 24 metres/80 feet to 30 metres/100 feet
Note: The maximum depth for Dive 1 is 30 metres/100 feet
Dive 2 — 18 metres/60 feet to 24 metres/80 feet
Dive 3 — 30 metres/100 feet to 40 metres/130 feet
Dive 4 — 18 metres/60 feet to 30 metres/100 feet

Safety equipment
a. Boat or surface float with weighted reference descent/scent line.

b. First aid supplies and equipment. Recommended: First aid kit, Pocket Mask and oxygen.

c. Boat/surfboard for rapid surface transport

d. 6-metre/20-foot weighted line for safety stops and practicing an emergency-decompression stop.

e. Backup air supply attached to 6-metre/20-foot weighted
line

f. Surface signaling devices

On another note on independent study, even if a course allows independent study, candidates need to have some form of reference materials. Video, deep diver specialty manual or knowledge reviews. In this case, there is nothing. It is as good as, you come, you pay me money, i take you to 40 metres, we surface, do safety stop and get your certification. What do students learn? Nothing!

This is really sad 

As the trip to Lembeh draws closer, the urge of getting a housing for my new D200 grows stronger. So many options, at different prices, getting a housing is mind boggling.

Unlike OEM housings from brands like Canon, Olympus, Sony etc, third parties housing markers such as Ikelite, Nexus, Zillion, Sea and Sea, Aquatica, Seacam, Subal and many others all have their own unique selling points.

So how do you decide which housing to get?

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Today we covered two interesting topics for the divemasters. Assisting students in training and Risk Management.

Two very interesting topics if you ask me. (more…)

Today is the first pool for our new divemasters, consisting of Calvin, Juunlyn and Johnson. Teaching professionals has always been a joy to me. You see candidates changing along the way, learning how to become more professional and the greatest joy, seeing how bad they are and being transformed to become better divers.

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Okay, finally back from a back breaking dive trip, 26 divers!

Well, most of the divers are from NUS doing their open water diver course. As many people know, I am never fond of doing open water diver courses. Yes, the girls are hot and the guys are hunky, but the profit margins are way too thin. We only made about $40 per person! Yeah, pathetic right?!?!?!

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