A Week with Rick Simon
I just got back from a great week in Connecticut with Rick Simon and his wife Erin. Â Unfortunately, the weather was not on our side, and it rained for most of my trip, so we did not do a lot of diving, but we did have a great dive in Ft. Wetherill. Â I tried out my new DUI drysuit!
Rick and I did some work on dive planning and dive safety, using the mnemonic O D I G T M L (Oxygen, decompression, inert gas narcosis, gauges, temperature, mission, logistics), and we talked about tech diving. Â He showed me his rebreathers, and how to set them up, and he taught me about the different kinds of rebreathers, and the situations each was best used in. Â We discussed the advantages and limitations of the different styles.
Despite the rain, Rick and I spent a lot of time in the Manta Industries shop.  I learnt a lot about how to run a manufacturing business.  Rick showed me how to make a reel, and then we practiced with it on land.  I really got to see all sides of Manta Industries, from the raw materials to finished goods.  It was amazing to see how carefully each item was made.
On our last day together, we made pants to protect the legs of an exosuit on a deep dive. Â I’ve never done anything like that before. Â My sewing skills were not that impressive, but luckily Rick was there to show me how it was done.
I had a great time with Rick and Erin, and I came away knowing a lot more about running a manufacturing business, the dive industry, and diving itself. Â Thanks Rick!
