Wreck Diving Apprenticeship

[No9]

Ok so this might not be the place for this post but I want to here from people who have the experience that is represented within this section.

I have been diving open circuit for 10 years. The only certification I have is my Open Water Certificate. I have decided that I want to dive the wrecks of the world starting with my local wrecks (New Zealand) and then onto greater things like Truk, Bikini Atoll etc etc.

What I would like advice on is how people think I would be best to go about it. My plan at this stage is to use one of the local tech dive shops and progress through their training system and ending up with the CCR courses run by Pete Mesley here in NZ. Below is the order of courses I have so far that I plan on completing over the next three years.

- Advanced Open Water Course (including)

Dry Suit Diver
Rescue Diver
Deep Diver
Enrich Air Diver​

- Emergency First Response
- Emergency Oxygen Provider Course
- Equipment Specialty
- Wreck Diver
- GUE Funamentals Part 1
- GUE Fundamentals Part 2
- TDI Advanced Nitrox/Decompression Procedures
- TDI Trimix
- TEC REC 40 CCR
- Advanced Wreck Diver Course (Pete Mesley)
- TEC 60 CCR (Pete Mesley)
- TEC 100 CCR (Pete Mesley)

I am also going to start swimming in the pool a few times a week and entering local open water swim races just to help with my breathing efficiency and improve the safety of my diving.

I would appreciate any input from people with experience and if there is anything you would add.

Thanks guys.

 

[wedivebc]

Why don't you ask Pete this question since you know that is your ultimate goal? He may have a better trajectory for you than random people on a dive forum.

 

[No9]

Why don't you ask Pete this question since you know that is your ultimate goal? He may have a better trajectory for you than random people on a dive forum.

I did think about that but the honest answer to why I haven't contacted him directly it that I just don't feel worthy of his time yet. I was going to wait until I had more certification before contacting him. Just as proof that I was serious about my goals.

 

[DevonDiver]

Advanced Open Water Course (including)
Dry Suit Diver
Rescue Diver
Deep Diver
Enrich Air Diver

Which agency AOW course? If you intend PADI, then there is no 'rescue diver' adventure dive. Also, the enriched air adventure dive wont qualify you as a full EANx diver. You will need to do EANx as a separate,stand-alone, course. Then, after/with EFR and O2 Provider, you will need to do the full Rescue Diver course.

I'd suggest removing EANx (and there is no Rescue) and replacing these with S&R and/or PPB. If your long-term goal is wreck diving, it's worth looking at sidemount to see if you like it....so why not try a Sidemount Adventure Dive as part of AOW? Lastly, the Navigation dive is a mandatory for the course.

See my notes on AOW training: http://scubatechphilippines.com/padi-scuba-diving-courses-subic-bay/#aow

Your choice of instructor is really critical if you are to get any real value out of AOW. This is a good time to start your journey towards tech... so you need an AOW instructor who can theme and tailor the course to those ends. Find a tech instructor who will run AOW to provide those early foundations.

Articles:
>A Guide to Expert Scuba Skills Development
>Are Some Scuba Diving Courses More Equal Than Others?
>The Value of Progressive Scuba Training

Also.... at an early stage, must read Steve Lewis' book "The Six Skills".

- Emergency First Response
- Emergency Oxygen Provider Course

+ Rescue Diver, as mentioned. If you were serious about getting top-level knowledge then you might consider either a Dive Medical Technical or Remote Area Medical Technician course. Example: IMCA Diver Medic Technician (DMTBK) Bangkok - DDRC Professional Services

- Equipment Specialty

Not sure the reason to spend time/money on the equip spec course. The basic course is really just a glorified "how to wash and hang up your kit" affair. Some instructors do more, but it's still not any sort of in-depth training.

If you want to really learn equipment, consider an ASSET Technician course. Steve Burton, a very knowledgeable diver, runs these courses out of Pattaya in Thailand.

- Wreck Diver

Most of these courses are pretty much junk. You need to find an instructor who dives/teaches at a level above (i.e. technical wreck) the course you will do.... and who actively technical wreck dives as their main diving focus. Either that, or do a serious Cavern Diver course to learn proper reel and guideline use... and the necessary emergency protocols. Article: The Anatomy of an Effective Wreck Diving Course

- GUE Funamentals Part 1
- GUE Fundamentals Part 2

Nothing wrong with getting a Fundies pass en-route to tech. If your medium-term goal is a fundies pass, then you need to do prior courses with instructors who understand the nature of your developmental aspirations and will help you by shaping their courses to assist your preparation. In particular, you need to be in a BP&W BCD and using long-hose etc from an early stage. You need every instructor you pass through to contribute to your fundamental skill development - and that'll mean tech qualified instructors with sterling skills of their own.

- TDI Advanced Nitrox/Decompression Procedures
- TDI Trimix

Before you start your technical training, do read Mark Powell's "Deco for Divers'.

Next... search any thread here on Scubaboard about learning technical diving and you will see that the instructor matters, not the agency. Spend your time researching a really good tech instructor, regardless of agency.

Read: 10 Tips On How To Prepare For A Technical Diving Course

Just my opinion... but it's a waste of money doing OC Trimix if you'll be going onto CCR Trimix straight afterwards. Just do AN/DP (or Tec45 etc) and spend some time getting good deco experience on OC. Then go direct to CCR training and into trimix that way.

- TEC REC 40 CCR

Not sure why you'd opt for the TecRec CCR program, other than convenience (or is it because of your goal to train with Pete Mesley? The PADI CCR program is quite limiting in terms of CCR unit options (Poseidon and Hollis only...) and, some might say it's also over-simplistic in approaches regarding bailing-out instead of in-water diagnosis and fixing.

Research what CCR unit you want to dive eventually - because it is a huge investment; and then spend time finding a world-class instructor for that unit. Going the route of MOD1 - 2 - 3 etc can be wise. Where MOD1 is your unit qualification (air dil, no deco), then you build up from there into air dil deco and expand into trimix.

Personally, I wouldn't let the choice of instructor and/or agency fence me into a limited choice of CCR units. It's simply too much of an investment to have your options limited.

- Advanced Wreck Diver Course (Pete Mesley)

The more you understand about advanced/technical wreck from an early stage, the better you can shape your training progression to that ultimate goal. Dive with other technical wreck instructors during your earlier courses, as they will help you prepare. Do read articles and books on the subject in advance.

Articles:
>Explaining the Technical Wreck Course - Approaches To Advanced Wreck Diving
>Advanced Wreck Diving Course Notes
>Technical Wreck Penetration - A Question of Experience
>Top 10 Wreck Diving Tips For Safer Penetration Dives

- TEC 60 CCR (Pete Mesley)
- TEC 100 CCR (Pete Mesley)

As mentioned, this will depend on your initial choice of unit. Training agency isn't critical, but the instructor is. But I think to look for the best instructor for the unit you choose to invest in... is the wisest route. The instructor should not determine the CCR unit you dive.

 

[DevonDiver]

I did think about that but the honest answer to why I haven't contacted him directly it that I just don't feel worthy of his time yet. I was going to wait until I had more certification before contacting him. Just as proof that I was serious about my goals.

Start early. Don't waste opportunity on your earlier courses to shape your development.

I can't speak for Pete... but if someone has a serious long-term goal... then I'd be happy to mentor them from an early level towards achieving that. Some tech instructors don't get involved in recreational diving courses; but some do... especially if it is a long-term mentoring relationship that will result in tech training.

Personally, I'd rather mentor a student from the earlier stages than have to spend time fixing bad habits and remedy skill deficits when they arrive for training at tech levels. Besides.. it's quite satisfying as an instructor to have those mentoring, long-term developmental relationships with students.

 

[wedivebc]

I did think about that but the honest answer to why I haven't contacted him directly it that I just don't feel worthy of his time yet. I was going to wait until I had more certification before contacting him. Just as proof that I was serious about my goals.

I don't think Pete would be unapproachable at any cert level. You may save a lot of unnecessary time and effort by heading on the most direct path to your goal.

Most of Andy's points above are valid too.

 

[No9]

Start early. Don't waste opportunity on your earlier courses to shape your development.

I can't speak for Pete... but if someone has a serious long-term goal... then I'd be happy to mentor them from an early level towards achieving that. Some tech instructors don't get involved in recreational diving courses; but some do... especially if it is a long-term mentoring relationship that will result in tech training.

Personally, I'd rather mentor a student from the earlier stages than have to spend time fixing bad habits and remedy skill deficits when they arrive for training at tech levels. Besides.. it's quite satisfying as an instructor to have those mentoring, long-term developmental relationships with students.

Andy,

Thanks for your great replies. A bit of reading for me so I will look into all your advice. I had just finished reading some of your articles when I noticed you had replied to my post.

Good advice regarding the importance of the instructor.

 

[No9]

I don't think Pete would be unapproachable at any cert level. You may save a lot of unnecessary time and effort by heading on the most direct path to your goal.

Most of Andy's points above are valid too.

Dave,

Thanks for reply. I will take your advice and contact Pete directly

 

[bada3003]

To the OP: As someone famous noted, in the long run we're all dead. Stats show that many cave divers quit/become inactive after a few short years. Your interests in wreck diving may change as well as you learn/progress more.

My practical suggestion: First, take AOW from a technical dive instructor or, at least, technical diver him/herself. The perspective you get compared to an instructor who specializes in OW/AOW will be quite different. Second, take a cavern course from a full cave instructor who dives a lot. You will learn a lot that is very valuable for wreck diving as well. If, after cavern, from a competent/experienced instructor, you don't have a decent idea what further steps to take, technical diving may not be for you. Detailed planning, as you've laid out, without having experienced the very basics, is likely to be unproductive.

 

[_Ralph]

...

Below is the order of courses I have so far that I plan on completing over the next three years.

- Advanced Open Water Course (including)

Dry Suit Diver
Rescue Diver
Deep Diver
Enrich Air Diver​

- Emergency First Response
- Emergency Oxygen Provider Course
- Equipment Specialty
- Wreck Diver
- GUE Funamentals Part 1
- GUE Fundamentals Part 2...

Why not start with Fundies? It takes care of drysuit and nitrox in one go, and gives you a better platform to carry on from.


R