Sidney's Journal

8. Dry Suit Course and DM Day 1

Both the first day of diving at Horn and the dry suit course were a great success. I had imagined diving in a dry suit to be much more difficult and complicated than it actually is. Once you dive, the only thing that really changes is the buoyancy, which is now managed by the suit instead of the jacket. However, the additional weight from the lead and the somewhat bulkier equipment is not to be underestimated. Nevertheless, I’m happy to take that on if it means I can dive in Switzerland all year round.

The first day of the Dive Master program was also very diverse and educational. We repeated some exercises, such as buoyancy control from the Open Water Diver course, and practiced a search and recovery scenario. Given the current visibility in the lakes, this is a real challenge. Despite that, we were able to find our objects using the correct search patterns.

Visit to Bern

Last week, as part of my internship, I had the opportunity to work and observe in Bern for a day. Although both are TSK shops or schools, there are some differences. Additionally, Bern has significantly more space, which allows for more extensive revisions and repairs. Our regulators from Zurich are also completely disassembled and reassembled in a small workshop there. I was fortunate to observe some of these revisions and learn a lot about the mechanical setup. I also gained new insights in the shop, such as how the entire online shop is managed from Bern. To cap off the day, I witnessed how the Tuesday diving in Bern, which is the counterpart to our Sunday diving, unfolds. That was another great experience – many people, good vibes, and anticipation for diving.

6. Between Dive Tanks and Neoprene Suits

Back in Switzerland, I got straight back to work. There's a lot going on right now with all the courses and summer as well as school vacations. Of course, it's also possible to dive in the lake during the winter – it’s supposed to be truly worthwhile. Although I’ve never tried it myself, I can imagine it being very beautiful when the water is as clear everywhere as it is normally only below the thermocline – although also very cold. Fortunately, the weather and temperature are not an issue at the moment, and pretty much everyone, young and old, is heading into the water. On my first day back from vacation, I mainly helped out with the dive equipment rental, preparing everything for the holiday activities. By the end of the day, our rental area looked more like a game of Tetris than a dive shop – diving also turned into a climbing experience to reach the remaining neoprene suits. It was tiring, but definitely worth it in my view. I also gladly accepted the muscle soreness from moving the gas cylinders. Especially for great events like the holiday activities, it’s all about getting newcomers excited about diving, which I find to be a major benefit. It motivates me to see more and more people developing a connection to water (and hopefully also an awareness of our environment). At the same time, working with the diving equipment gives me more confidence in handling it – an important aspect of my internship, considering the approaching Divemaster certification. Besides gaining practical knowledge about diving on the surface, I am also diligently working on my dive log – at least that’s the plan. Unfortunately, my ear is throwing a wrench into the works – a classic ear canal infection, which is well-known among divers. So, keep your fingers crossed that it clears up soon and I can get back into the water.

4. Citizen Science in Sanremo 

I had already planned two weeks of volunteering in Sanremo before I started at TSK. Contrary to my fears that the internship might fall through because of this, my plan to spend two weeks on a ship actually has added value and was very compatible with my plans at TSK. Also, during this time, I'm not on just any ship, but on the 21-meter-long sailing boat "Pelagos". Every day, we sailed out to sea into the area known as Pelagos. (Pelagos = areas of 2000m and deeper). There, participants search for and count dolphins and whales and record their behavior together with a small group of researchers. A unique experience to get closer to the submarine world in a completely new way and a meaningful alternative to the usual whale watching. 

Sadly, my first week and weekend are already behind me and all that remain are memories to tell you: The weather was on our side the whole week, so we were able to go out every day. We encountered the blue and white dolphin (Stenella Coeruleoalba) particularly often and, to everyone's surprise, the somewhat rarer sperm whale (Physeter Catodon). It was simply unbelievably impressive to encounter such a huge animal in the middle of the ocean. 

But being on the water wasn't enough for me. So for the weekend I traveled to the neighbouring town of Imperia and explored the underwater world there with scuba equipment. During five dives, I a lot of animals "swam across my path". The underwater landscapes of the Mediterranean are so unique. If you are looking for a diving location by the sea, a little closer to home and easily accessible by train, you should really consider the Ligurian coast. - You'll save yourself a flight, do something good for the environment and even have more money left over for the dives themselves.

2. Equipment Trial Day

My second assignment was a big anual TSK event: the equipment trial day / summer fest on June 30th 2024. Did you join too? If not, here's a brief summary for you: As the name suggests, the equipment test day is a day on which a selection of diving equipment can be tried out and tested. The whole TSK team and various diving brand representatives travelled to the event to counsel customers on gear choices. For me, this was the perfect opportunity to find out more about a wide range of diving equipment and its suppliers. It was very exciting to find out more about the benefits of the various diving products, like for example what different regulators are available.

All in all, I really liked the setting and the whole atmosphere. The TSK team prepared and displayed all the diving equipment in advance. The set-up and dismantling were a little more time-consuming, but it was definitely worth it. Seeing so many divers in one place was a completely new and exhilarating experience for me. The day went by very quickly as I always had something to do: I chatted to divers or listened to the counselling sessions. What I particularly liked about this day is that I already feel like I start to know a lot about diving equipment and I am very motivated to continue filling thisbag of knowledge.