4 tough days since we last spoke...
No day off for me... it was straight into a 7 person Open Water course... A mixture of UK and Aussies...
It was a tough starter, but by today they finally nailed it... They even bought me 2 bottles of wine to thank me!
In the meantime Jenny has been chilling out! Lucky mare!!
I found the following link on youtube today of Jenny's last group... doing the Harlem shake!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AatcM3IuhDA
xxx
SD
Monday 25 February 2013
Thursday 21 February 2013
21st February 2013
Its over!
The last 3 days the candidates have been taking part in multiple exams and presentations.
They sat their theory exams on the first day... all looking super nervous.
They came some open water tests, and this morning it was time for the pool stuff..
They all passed and now are new Padi Instructors. They have all gone to get drunk, while I get on with other work... I shall join them for a drink or 2 later before managing the video stuff in the bar, and then heading home as I start Open Water courses tomorrow.
No rest for the wicked!
Oh, and now I am a Staff Instructor.... 1 or 2 months and I shall be a Master Instructor... the best of the best..!
xxx
The last 3 days the candidates have been taking part in multiple exams and presentations.
They sat their theory exams on the first day... all looking super nervous.
They came some open water tests, and this morning it was time for the pool stuff..
They all passed and now are new Padi Instructors. They have all gone to get drunk, while I get on with other work... I shall join them for a drink or 2 later before managing the video stuff in the bar, and then heading home as I start Open Water courses tomorrow.
No rest for the wicked!
Oh, and now I am a Staff Instructor.... 1 or 2 months and I shall be a Master Instructor... the best of the best..!
xxx
Saturday 16 February 2013
17th February 2013
Nearly there,
The candidates begin the 3 days of examinations the day after tomorrow... Final preparations are in place... My stuff is pretty much done and dusted... but I shall be there for moral support...
In the meantime... the Suicide Wing challenge from a couple of weeks ago...
https://vimeo.com/59395380
x
SD
The candidates begin the 3 days of examinations the day after tomorrow... Final preparations are in place... My stuff is pretty much done and dusted... but I shall be there for moral support...
In the meantime... the Suicide Wing challenge from a couple of weeks ago...
https://vimeo.com/59395380
x
SD
Tuesday 12 February 2013
13th February 2013
Still in the IDC Staff Instructor course.
I received some video from a videographer of another dive school rescuing a turtle...
https://vimeo.com/59394315
Very well done to the dive school saving the young turtle.... it would have died in the debris if they had not intervened.
Emma's service was yesterday, and a very intense day.. We shot some video and photos for the family... It won't be much fun editing I am sure.
After the service, we returned to the dive school for a bbq and a slideshow of photos of Emma's life, and releasing some lanterns.
It was a long, hard, emotional day... but a great memorial to Emma..
Jenny is off today, having some rest... while I slave away with this course... 1 more week!!
x
SD
I received some video from a videographer of another dive school rescuing a turtle...
https://vimeo.com/59394315
Very well done to the dive school saving the young turtle.... it would have died in the debris if they had not intervened.
Emma's service was yesterday, and a very intense day.. We shot some video and photos for the family... It won't be much fun editing I am sure.
After the service, we returned to the dive school for a bbq and a slideshow of photos of Emma's life, and releasing some lanterns.
It was a long, hard, emotional day... but a great memorial to Emma..
Jenny is off today, having some rest... while I slave away with this course... 1 more week!!
x
SD
Saturday 9 February 2013
10th February 2013
Its been a while since we have had time to update this blog.
I am in the middle of my IDC Staff Instructor training. A course which is 2 weeks of training and evaluating new instructor candidates to get them to a high standard.
Half the time, we are in the classroom having lectures or doing presentations, and half the time in the water having skills presentations.
Jenny had a few days off to relax and deal with the last 10 days of sad times, but now is back into a 4 person Open Water course.. They are German and their English is okay, but not perfect... Jenny seems to be having fun with the course.
With Martin, Craig, and Bonnie leaving 2 days ago to head to Australia for Emma's funeral, I have taken over the management of the video company.... with freelance videographers on their first day yesterday it was a long day.... starting at 7am with IDC staff, and not finishing until 11pm dealing with video issues.... Hopefully things will smooth out once the freelancers get used to the way we do things here.
Emma's funeral is being held on the 12th, and we are going to time a memorial service here for her. Details are still to be finalised, but we intend to have photography and video purely for the parents to see what she meant to so many people here.
xxxx
SD
I am in the middle of my IDC Staff Instructor training. A course which is 2 weeks of training and evaluating new instructor candidates to get them to a high standard.
Half the time, we are in the classroom having lectures or doing presentations, and half the time in the water having skills presentations.
Jenny had a few days off to relax and deal with the last 10 days of sad times, but now is back into a 4 person Open Water course.. They are German and their English is okay, but not perfect... Jenny seems to be having fun with the course.
With Martin, Craig, and Bonnie leaving 2 days ago to head to Australia for Emma's funeral, I have taken over the management of the video company.... with freelance videographers on their first day yesterday it was a long day.... starting at 7am with IDC staff, and not finishing until 11pm dealing with video issues.... Hopefully things will smooth out once the freelancers get used to the way we do things here.
Emma's funeral is being held on the 12th, and we are going to time a memorial service here for her. Details are still to be finalised, but we intend to have photography and video purely for the parents to see what she meant to so many people here.
xxxx
SD
Saturday 2 February 2013
2nd February 2013
Its been a few days since the last post... and a lot has gone on.
The full moon rush kicked in and Jen started a course on the 29th with 6 people. I started the next day in the afternoon after already doing several early morning dives.
On the 31st was when some bad news came. I was conducting academics and was due to go into the pool for the afternoon with my 6 students whereas Jen was heading onto the boat for afternoon. A couple of hours before the boat left, I was called into the office by the General Manager and Operations Manager. When I asked if everything was ok, I got a very distinctive "no". Thinking back, I thought that I had done something serious and I was going to be asked to leave... I was racking my brain as to what I could have done so bad, I certainly didn't expect them to inform me of the sudden death of a staff member and friend.
Emma Van Burke had been at Crystal for about a year, coming here to do the Divemaster course and eventually getting a much sought after position in the Divemaster Team. Over this time she made many friends, including Jen and I, with her bubbly personality and zest for life. A easy source for a laugh of a smile and an fantastic customer service seemed to lift spirits even on the hard days.
She left Koh Tao in December to return to Australia and see her folks, not wanting to be here while Jen and I were back in the UK. She returned early January, and caught Dengue only a few days after getting back on the island.
She seemed to recover during the 2 week period of horrible Dengue (which people often suffer here) and eventually was well enough to return to work. Only a couple of days later, she twisted a nerve in her knee and went home.
After a few days, she was admitted to the clinic, complaining of vomiting and was put on a drip for her dehydration. During the night she complained of chest pains, and the decision was made by the doctors to evacuate her to Samui where facilities are much better. Unfortunately the weather was too bad to take a speedboat over, so the doctors had to delay the evacuation until the weather improved. Once it did, around 6am on the 31st, they attempted again, but as she was leaving Koh Tao, she suffered a cardiac arrest and was unable to be resuscitated.
I was informed first, so that I could tell Jen, and change instructors for her course. I was also offered the same thing. I took Jen for a little walk and told her... it was hard... still in disbelief myself... she had the same reaction..
After a couple of hours, Jen wanted to continue her course and keep busy (as did I).... I think both of us found this a real struggle, especially being in separate areas and not being able to speak or see each other for all the afternoon.
At 6pm, when they were sure all her family and close friends had been told, the rest of the staff were told of the situation. I came out of the pool to many people sitting around the bar and office in tears. It was really hard to keep my game face on for my students... and then I finally sent them home. We then met in the classroom to be told of the details of her death, and what the next steps were. We then all went to the temple where she was being held until repatriation.
I sat through a very nice Buddist ceremony with everyone and we said our goodbyes, and then I went and got very drunk...
Nothing really else to say... we both pushed through our courses (Jenny finishing yesterday) and mine this morning.
Her body started the journey home today a. The funeral date has not been set yet but 3 of her closest friends are flying over to attend.
I am doing 2 weeks of training starting on the 5th doing my Staff Instructor course... hopefully over the next couple of days I will have time to chill and reflect on this bombshell.
All that leaves me to say, is that she will be missed.... terribly.... My condolences to her family, Martin, Craig, Bonnie, and all who knew her like we did.
Emma Van Burke - 12/06/81 to 31/01/13
x
SD
The full moon rush kicked in and Jen started a course on the 29th with 6 people. I started the next day in the afternoon after already doing several early morning dives.
On the 31st was when some bad news came. I was conducting academics and was due to go into the pool for the afternoon with my 6 students whereas Jen was heading onto the boat for afternoon. A couple of hours before the boat left, I was called into the office by the General Manager and Operations Manager. When I asked if everything was ok, I got a very distinctive "no". Thinking back, I thought that I had done something serious and I was going to be asked to leave... I was racking my brain as to what I could have done so bad, I certainly didn't expect them to inform me of the sudden death of a staff member and friend.
Emma Van Burke had been at Crystal for about a year, coming here to do the Divemaster course and eventually getting a much sought after position in the Divemaster Team. Over this time she made many friends, including Jen and I, with her bubbly personality and zest for life. A easy source for a laugh of a smile and an fantastic customer service seemed to lift spirits even on the hard days.
She left Koh Tao in December to return to Australia and see her folks, not wanting to be here while Jen and I were back in the UK. She returned early January, and caught Dengue only a few days after getting back on the island.
She seemed to recover during the 2 week period of horrible Dengue (which people often suffer here) and eventually was well enough to return to work. Only a couple of days later, she twisted a nerve in her knee and went home.
After a few days, she was admitted to the clinic, complaining of vomiting and was put on a drip for her dehydration. During the night she complained of chest pains, and the decision was made by the doctors to evacuate her to Samui where facilities are much better. Unfortunately the weather was too bad to take a speedboat over, so the doctors had to delay the evacuation until the weather improved. Once it did, around 6am on the 31st, they attempted again, but as she was leaving Koh Tao, she suffered a cardiac arrest and was unable to be resuscitated.
I was informed first, so that I could tell Jen, and change instructors for her course. I was also offered the same thing. I took Jen for a little walk and told her... it was hard... still in disbelief myself... she had the same reaction..
After a couple of hours, Jen wanted to continue her course and keep busy (as did I).... I think both of us found this a real struggle, especially being in separate areas and not being able to speak or see each other for all the afternoon.
At 6pm, when they were sure all her family and close friends had been told, the rest of the staff were told of the situation. I came out of the pool to many people sitting around the bar and office in tears. It was really hard to keep my game face on for my students... and then I finally sent them home. We then met in the classroom to be told of the details of her death, and what the next steps were. We then all went to the temple where she was being held until repatriation.
I sat through a very nice Buddist ceremony with everyone and we said our goodbyes, and then I went and got very drunk...
Nothing really else to say... we both pushed through our courses (Jenny finishing yesterday) and mine this morning.
Her body started the journey home today a. The funeral date has not been set yet but 3 of her closest friends are flying over to attend.
I am doing 2 weeks of training starting on the 5th doing my Staff Instructor course... hopefully over the next couple of days I will have time to chill and reflect on this bombshell.
All that leaves me to say, is that she will be missed.... terribly.... My condolences to her family, Martin, Craig, Bonnie, and all who knew her like we did.
Emma Van Burke - 12/06/81 to 31/01/13
x
SD
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