Edd Sorenson's KISS Sidewinder Rebreather Training VLOG

What is it like to be trained by Edd Sorenson? It's safe to say that Edd is a tough instructor! Jonathan and Todd discuss their KISS sidewinder training with Edd the very evening after finishing the week-long class.
#rebreather #cavediving #scubadiving

[@shawnbdr.5770]

There is not many legends left in the world I'm afraid but Ed Sorenson Is definitely a legend. What an honor to learn from him. He's so strict in his class because he doesn't want to have to go recover any of his students bodies one day. So he makes sure you are competent.

[@cavediver2579]

I have 200+ hours on my winder, I just did some changes to my setup. I spent an hour swimming Edd’s loop in the cavern just to make sure it was dialed in how I wanted it. The more you dive it the more you’ll like it.

[@BlueWorldplus]

I agree. I'm addicted to the thing now.

[@mihaelam8339]

"You gotta be f**king kidding me" OMG 😅 A humbling experience. At least there's only going up from there.

[@BlueWorldplus]

Let's just say that was not the only time during the class we heard that one!! LOL

[@markfrantz4612]

Like the military, he broke you down to near tears so he could build you up as divers. Great job you guys!

[@timothykelley832]

I’ve been watching both you guys and Ed a lot I just started diving about two months ago. I would love to visit Ed’s shop just to meet him. Btw Todd I heard you say you have been diving for 39 just for the record you don’t even look that old. Stay safe guys and keep diving.

[@BlueWorldplus]

He got certified at 12 years old.

[@davidmontgomery1016]

When I got certified back in the back on the early 90s my instructor would joke with us all the time in the classroom or on the pool deck. When we got into the pool at the shallow end he got a little more serious. When the regulator went in your mouth all jokes were off and he was deadly serious. Some of the best times I've had. Glad I learned how to scuba dive because I have so much fun doing it. I've gotten very comfortable with my gear so I can relax and really enjoy the dives.

[@ophyjgjhnfn]

Glad you passed your Diver’s Edd!

[@BlueWorldplus]

Ha! I see what you did there!

[@Dandeb19]

Hysterical. Love it. Edd, amazing. Thanks guys.

[@cynthiafarris1051]

I love that you guys can look back & laugh, and you appreciate the gravity of the situation. Lol

[@brianc5212]

Great vlog. Loved the dialogue and honesty about your training experience.

[@davisebbert4835]

I had a flight instructor who reminds me a lot of Edd, and specifically your experience with his teaching style. He was about Edd's age as well. The first flight I did with him I nearly broke down into tears. Today, I am so incredibly grateful for everything he taught me, and he's like a grandfather to me. Why do I think that this is exactly how you all feel about Edd? What a great mentor to have. It was really cool seeing this parallel in your training video with Edd, along with this vlog update.

[@BlueWorldplus]

When you are in Edd's class you don't want to screw up because you don't want him to be disappointed in you and think you are incompetent. But later when you are diving the rebreather, you realize how great his training was because you 100% know what you are doing.

[@davisebbert4835]

@@BlueWorldplus That's too cool, wild how your diving vlog would have brought me back to that, but I'll take it! Your comment back from mine is exactly how I felt after I passed a check ride as I started my career and was so thankful for the hard lessons etc from my mentor. It was awesome seeing this parallel. Thanks Jonathan!

[@jackjackattack9137]

Congradulations !!!! Great video, great instructor !!!!

[@hitchjay]

You guys crack me up. Thank you for the awesome information and entertainment

[@tuckmw5537]

Thanks for sharing both videos!

[@BlueWorldplus]

Glad you like them!

[@theideaofclips5481]

ED never DIES THO

[@stevedenruyter4902]

This is an awesome video, like how you explain what it takes to become a ccr diver. Awesome

[@sammoyers905]

Love the Vlog. Congratulations on passing Sidewinder Training. Looking forward to meeting you in Cozumel. 😊

[@BlueWorldplus]

Can't wait for Cozumel!

[@karawest5269]

I just completed my GUE Fundamentals and this reminded me so much of that! The task loading was far more intense than a standard OW course. It's so nice to hear that other, far more experienced divers, feel like this too :)

[@stevedenruyter4902]

Congratulations on the fundamentals ☺️ but you cannot compare the courses. Fundies is OC and you need to pass this before even thinking about gue. This ccr course with Edd would be 🤔 I would say as a certified JJ rebreather diver, and GUE C2/T1 and dpv cave diver. Pfffff close to impossible getting certified from the 1st time 😂 the same as passing fundamentals with a TEC pass. If you receive it from the first course? Yr skill are f***** amazing ☺️☺️☺️☺️ and I’m pretty sure that Edd’s required standards are waaaaaaay above the normal 😂

[@karawest5269]

Thank you. I wasn't in any way implying the classes were similar. I'm fully aware they are miles apart. It was more a comparison of the feelings they had during the course as compared to how I felt during my course. Comparison of my instructor who also had high expectations and it sounds like a similar demeanor 😂. I will have to go back for my tech pass!

[@stevedenruyter4902]

@@karawest5269 oh yes. Had the same feeling, I cried during my C1 ☺️

[@BlueWorldplus]

Congrats on your GUE class! They are the most rigorous OW classes available. Taking a class like that will make you a way better diver than the average diver!

[@stevedenruyter4902]

@@BlueWorldplus yeah it is, it’s hard work getting passed the first time doing a fundamentals or even the ones after that are hell, much like you class with Edd 😂

[@TheRealGrimmfury]

Jonathan & Todd, I loved this vlog. It was fun and entertaining. I'm a non diver myself. I started watching Dive Talk with Gus & Woody over a year ago only because they were reacting to a Mr. Ballen video and I was hooked on them. That's how I came across your channel, is by one of their videos and their suggestion. Gus & Woody have a special place in my heart. Late August of 2022 I attempted suicide. Once I got back home, they were the first people that made me laugh since my attempt. I get a lot of peace and laughs watching videos from all of you. You, Dive Talk, Edd, Mike, Brian and others have become like an extended family to me. So, again, congratulations on passing Edd's class and thank you for what you do. I cannot wait to see where your new training brings you in the Blue World.

[@BlueWorldplus]

I'm glad you are still with us. Gus and Woody make me laugh almost non-stop when we dive together. They are just fun and cool. I'm glad you found them and us! Maybe you should think about getting scuba certified? Seems like you are into it. Basic scuba isn't really that difficult!

[@TheRealGrimmfury]

@@BlueWorldplus Thank you and thank you again for what you do. I love your videos.

[@TheRealGrimmfury]

@@BlueWorldplus As much as I would love to, I can't swim and I have enough health problems and a low enough income that diving of any kind is just a dream for me and I just have to live vicariously through you guys. I just hope that Ancient Caves comes to the Tulsa, Oklahoma area, so I can see it.

[@Toade21]

Good stuff!

[@johnmorgan392]

Great vlog

[@BlueWorldplus]

Glad you enjoyed it.

[@truthslight866]

I remember the dive talk folk did some scorpion fish hunting on rebreathers in the gulf. Maybe look into that?

[@mikesonntag7698]

You guys are so lucky! What you got to do is my dream! Maybe same day but Ed will probably be retired by then...

[@BlueWorldplus]

Do not worry....Edd trained Mehdi, who is the new head instructor. In fact, Edd doesn't teach that many sidewinder classes anymore. He is so busy.

[@scottjohnson4032]

You should do Ft. Lauderdale wrecks for a CCR experience and a good video.

[@deepprey2776]

I did my class in JB with Edd and I am not cave certified. I went to Edd because I wanted to rise above my skills and be better.

[@tee5210]

Great video! Congrats on your sidewinder cert!!🎉

[@BlueWorldplus]

Woo hoo!!

[@TomT12345]

Great Video! Jon, you haven't changed a bit since back in college.

[@BlueWorldplus]

OK, who is this!?

[@TomT12345]

@@BlueWorldplus Hi Jon. I am Tom. I was a friend of your roommate, Chris S. I am happy to see that you are doing well and that you love what you do. Glad you still have your sense of humor. Thanks for all you do.

[@vicentejesusdelaguardiaper8706]

Thanks for the videos👏 very instructive! Will you guys advise any other rebreather for deep water porpoise lets say (300 to 400 feet’s or 100 to 120 meters) or the Kiss sidewinder good for it to?

[@BlueWorldplus]

The KISS is good to about 300 feet. Beyond that, it gets a little tricky.

[@YukonSeanHolland]

I would totally buy a t shirt with disappointing Edd and captioned "Are F&@%ing kidding me?!"

[@BlueWorldplus]

Me too!! LOL!

[@MegaEpicLlama]

Great vlog, you guys have a very fun chemistry. Can't believe I've been missing out on this channel! What's with the weird vignetting in this video?

[@BlueWorldplus]

That is an artsy-fartsy look to disguise the boring location shot on a VRBO couch with no proper lighting. 🤣

[@MegaEpicLlama]

​@@BlueWorldplus artsy-fartsy pulsating like I'm having a stroke

[@twubbl1]

December? Just wondering the average time frame between experience and video posting? I'm assuming having a subscription gets videos quicker. Hopefully you guys have had lots of practice since training. Looking forward to those videos. Best wishes. 👊

[@BlueWorldplus]

We are generally working 3-5 months out. With the level of production value we have on our main show, you absolutely cannot turn stuff around in a couple weeks.

[@Waanderfullife]

Great story! Do you think taking the class in a drysuit would have added too much to the buoyancy component of the class when the learning curve is already so steep?

[@BlueWorldplus]

That's exactly what I was worried about and why we chose to do it wet. Also I generally never wear a drysuit unless the water is under 65° F.

[@Bane_Diesel]

When you flood a rebreather does it always cause water to get to the sorb? Did you have to then take everything apart and replace the sorb? - Non diver question

[@BlueWorldplus]

Depends on how much water. If you get a lot of water in there, some of it gets into the sorb. But if you are training, that is not a variable you need to deal with. You change the sorb.

[@vicentejesusdelaguardiaper8706]

Also can you share link or contact for Edd training? Again thanks for the videos

[@BlueWorldplus]

www.caveadventurers.com/store/index.php

[@TheSevonne]

You guys are sooooooo adorable 🥰 🥹

[@catfishnet]

What about Meg rebreathers I heard they are more reliable bar none?

[@BlueWorldplus]

The Meg is an excellent rebreather, but totally different in a number of ways. We will do a video to talk about that.

[@Teampegleg]

I feel like the KISS Sidewinder is simply more visible, than in the overwhelming choice among top CCR divers. Don't get me wrong a lot of great divers use it, but you look at major projects an overwhelming majority aren't using the KISS. Those machines simply don't quite for the same amount of attention on social media.

[@BlueWorldplus]

The vast majority of CAVE DIVERS are using the sidewinder.

[@Teampegleg]

@@BlueWorldplus Maybe it is different at the caves you visit, but a vast majority in the High Springs area aren't diving Winders. If I were to put a number of it I say about a quarter Winders, a quarter Choptimas, and the remaining half is a mixture of everything else from which includes Megs, JJs, and even the occasional Prism.

[@erikhoffmann1252]

To say the vast majority of cave divers use the sidewinder is a massive exaggeration. There’s probably still more oc cave divers than ccr world wide and even within the ccr crowd the sidewinder isn’t going to be a majority. It does however have a very vocal and very elite community

[@chisaquaticvibe6524]

How did you and Edd Sorenson become friends?

[@BlueWorldplus]

We went down to his shop to do some diving in the Mill Pond in September '21, which is a pretty famous cave diving spot. Did a segment with Edd and really liked him. I was on the fence about getting rebreather certified and Edd kinda convinced me. So we decided to go back and do our training with him.

[@jackjackattack9137]

Go to Bonaire to practise, Edd just keeping his students safe.

[@jackjackattack9137]

Iam heading there in April.

[@HouseOfMcLoughlin]

You`ve been diving for 39yrs ? I was thinking you were in your late thirties

[@BlueWorldplus]

Todd got certified when he was around 12.

[@jhanner80]

Drill instructor not drill Sargent! That's important if you are a Marine

[@BlueWorldplus]

Oops sorry!