Hey you!
So exciting that you came across my "so to speak" summer logbook. My name is Sidney and I can proudly call myself the first intern of TSK Zurich. Throughout the summer, I get to literally immerse myself in the world of SCUBA diving and everything that goes with it. I'm allowed to have a look around the dive school, rental gear, the dive school backoffice and the huge TSK dive store, as well as continue my own dive training.
To start, a little more about me: for as long as I can remember, the underwater world has fascinated and inspired me more than anything else. That's why I did the PADI Open Water Diver course in Malta in October 2022 as part of a language study trip. Not having to constantly return to the surface, being supplied with air by a cylinder on my back and being able to concentrate fully on the animals and plants in the water almost took my breath away - fortunately not completely, and I got used to the regulator quite quickly. After this language study trip, I had made up my mind: I wanted to continue diving and, above all, get better at it!
This summer, I'm finally putting this decision into practice at TSK and in our Swiss lakes. Wondering what's in store for me on this journey? Then stay informed and follow me through my summer in this blog :)
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.
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7. Logging Dive Trips
Fortunately, my ear healed quickly, and I've been back underwater for a few days now. Charlotte from the TSK team and I, for instance, did a morning dive – as the saying goes, "The early bird catches the worm." Or in our case, the early diver finds the fishing rod. Unfortunately, we encountered some remnants from anglers at the dive site, which we removed from the water. So, we ended up doing a little “Dive Against Debris.”
Additionally, I had the opportunity to join two Open Water Diver (OWD) dives – once as a backup buddy and the second time as an observer. These experiences also gave me a glimpse into my upcoming months as a Divemaster Trainee.
I also participated in this week’s Tschiggi Diving event and reconnected with two of my dive buddies from the Advanced Open Water Diver (AOWD) course. The evening was wonderful and relaxed. Despite the many people at the WZT, we were fortunate to find a spot, set up everything, and plan our dive. Upon surfacing, we were greeted by a beautiful sunset. The atmosphere was just perfect, and I am already looking forward to the next dive with the Tschiggis on September 11. Here’s the Tschiggi Calendar for 2024.
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.
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5. Another week at sea
My second week on the boat was just as spectacular. With a new team, a mix of participants who were only on the boat for a week and a few familiar faces, we were able to go out to sea every day in the second week as well. In addition to the blue and white dolphins, this week we also encountered the bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus), known to most as Flipper or the classic dolphin. However, the highlight of the week to all of us was not these dolphins, but above all, the incredibly rarely seen Cuvier's beaked whale (Ziphius cavirostris). Due to its tendency to make long and extremely deep dives (up to 3000m), it is rarely seen on the surface. This also explains the rare sightings and is one reason why we know so little about this species.
The two weeks were an extraordinary experience for me and have reinforced my enthusiasm for the underwater world. I want to do my part to protect this world and also help in the future (for example as a diver and diving instructor) to make people aware of the fragility and incredible value of sub-nautical ecosystems. Whether in the sea or in the lake - it's worth protecting this world!
Now I have already started my journey home. Despite knowing that I will miss the sea incredibly, I am looking forward to my return and continuing my work and diving courses at TSK. Just because there is no ocean in Switzerland definitely doesn't mean that I won't have to be fished out of the water again soon - it is all about scuba diving - everywhere and anytime!
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.
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3. PADI Rescue Diver Course
Why not dive with TSK Bern as well? That's exactly what I got to do for the Rescue Diver course. On the first day, the way into the water was very short, we basically got to stumble from the Quick Review straight into the pool located right behind the TSK dive shop. The two lake days for this course were spent a bit further away at the Robinson dive site on Lake Neuchâtel - the perfect place for rescue exercises. The water remains shallow for a long time, it only gets deeper much further back - very pleasant for such a course setup thus. The exercises themselves, however, were challenging! It's not just about learning your physical limits, but also - and this personally impressed me the most - understanding psychological boundaries in stressful situations. Safety, both mine and of others, is very important when diving. Experiencing how to behave when safety is compromised was impressive. I now feel much more confident in handling emergency situations and feel I know how to act in case of need. The course was a full success for many reasons. Additionally our group bonded quickly and worked together excellently. The exercises were demanding and required trust in others, which was achieved thanks to the excellent instruction from Stephi and Chlöisu. Thanks to all involved!
Find more information about the PADI Rescue Diver course.
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.
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1. PADI AOWD and my first official day at work
Even before my very first day at work, I was able to start right away with my first TSK diving course. I completed the PADI Advanced Open Water Diver in a small group of girls. With Niggi, Luki, Maik and Diego as our instructors, divemasters and DM trainees, the course was a real success despite the rain and cold. Cold and wet (not just in the lake - thanks to the narly weather for that), it was still so worth it. However I'm definitely looking forward to adding the dry course in August to my skillset so I won't be as cold during my dives.
After the final night dive on Wednesday evening, things really got going the next morning. My first day at work was on the agenda - so it was time to get up and head to the TSK center. I was allowed to help out straight away and saw where all the rented and returned materials (including those from our own night dive) were stored and how to pack and prepare new equipment for the next courses. Annick (the big boss of the TSK ZH diving school and my mentor for the next few weeks) also showed me around the whole shop. What was also very cool was that I was able to join a few gear consultations with real customers already. All in all, the day went by really quickly and I learnt a lot of new things about diving and, above all, everything that goes with it outside the water.
Do you want to become a PADI Advanced Open Water Diver? Click for more information about the course.
Sidney's final project
At the end of her summer internship, Sidney will be working with TSK Zurich Diving School to put on a first-class PADI AWARE course evening.
When: on 10.September 2024 at 19:00hrs
We will introduce you to two super great NGOs that work tirelessly for our blue planet and join the decade of marine conservation - PADI AWARE Week 2024.
How to Become a PADI PRO?
Annick, dive school management TSK Zürich:
"Your first stop on the way into the PADI Pro world is the PADI Divemaster course. You may register for this once you are a certified Rescue Diver and have at least 40 logged dives. An exciting training programme awaits you, including detailed diving theory, workshops with a mentor, skills trainings and an internship where you accompany real diving courses and divers. You get to inspire people daily to take better care of our blue planet and share your passion with them. The PADI Divemaster programme is the most popular and widely recognised professional diving course in the world. As a PADI Divemaster, you have countless career opportunities, get paid to dive and can share your passion for diving with others. Contact us at any time for personalised advice on your options. Or apply now for the next From Zero to Hero summer internship at TSK."
#PADI #PADIpro2be