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day 2Day 2 began at 9am sharp. Well rested, Stacy and I reported to the dive center as instructed during our check-in on the previous day. There was a bit of paperwork to fill out. Medical history and ailments were noted along with general physical condition. There are a lot of things that can go wrong with a dive if the diver has medical problems. We were also instructed regarding the risks inherent in the sport.After filling out the paperwork, our instructor Pilu went through the course plan for the next several days and covered our requirements for certification. Because we were only there for a week, it was going to be really busy. However Stacy and I are great students and accelerated learners, so I wasn't really concerned with the seriously aggressive schedule we had in place. Next we received our books, a DVD, and course assignments. There would be no diving on the first day because a pressure front was moving through the area. Even though the weather remained excellent, the winds were unusually strong. So we returned to the palapa to watch the DVD. This is a picture of Stacy and me in front of the dive center with our new instructor Pilu Hermosilla. | |||||||||
Watching the DVD took most of the morning and early afternoon. We wanted to split the 2 DVDs in half and get through the whole audio visual component in 2 days. After the entire first DVD we called it a day.
We didn't go to Mexico to spend a whole day in front of the TV!
So we took the rest of the day and spent it reading the PADI textbooks on the beach. (Not a bad way to study!) Our first exam would be in the morning so it was cram time. The PADI textbook is nicely written and the subject matter isn't difficult. I would consider it an easy read in fact. None should consider the courseware to be a determent to their certification. The only thing that made it a bit challenging for us was the super aggressive timeline we had in place for covering the subject matter. The option now exists on the PADI website for completing the academic requirements on-line and receiving credit for that before going to a PADI dive school for the water training component. 
We met back at the Dive Center at 7pm to do the equipment familiarization section of our training. It was a really really long day, but at the end both Stacy and I felt that we were well on our way to becoming divers.
Here Stacy becomes familiar with all the hoses and gauges that are part of a modern day SCUBA rig, the tank, the BCD and how things attach to one another. If you come to Cabo Pulmo you have to make the acquaintance of the 2 feral dogs that have been "adopted" by the Dive Center employees. The striped dog is named "Tigre" and the dark one is "Carmelo". They are possibly the most awesome dogs ever. They hang around the dive shop and beg to get scratched behind the ears or on the belly from eager tourists. Tigre really like to chase after stuff, so if you can pry the ubiquitous ball from its mouth, its worth the toss. 
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www.cabopulmodiver.com |