Question Looking at ITT and Cavern

[MacDuyver]

I’m planning out my next year and am looking at ITT and Cavern this spring. There’s a TDI instructor well regarded in the local dive community on my list of possible candidates to do DM through and figure this would be a good way to feel him out.

I’ve done a recreational dive with him before and like his attention to detail and communication style. I’ve been very deliberately working on my fundamentals for the past 6 months, namely buoyancy, trim, and gas consumption, and have been having a blast in wrecks and strong currents.


So I have n00b questions
What should I know before I get into the world of tec?

Am I right assuming i need to reconfigure my BPW for doubles?

Would you have any concerns about a BPW diver just saying “hell w doubles” and using ITT to learn side mount?

 

[BoltSnap]

I’m planning out my next year and am looking at ITT and Cavern this spring. There’s a TDI instructor well regarded in the local dive community on my list of possible candidates to do DM through and figure this would be a good way to feel him out.

I’ve done a recreational dive with him before and like his attention to detail and communication style. I’ve been very deliberately working on my fundamentals for the past 6 months, namely buoyancy, trim, and gas consumption, and have been having a blast in wrecks and strong currents.


So I have n00b questions
What should I know before I get into the world of tec?

Am I right assuming i need to reconfigure my BPW for doubles?

Would you have any concerns about a BPW diver just saying “hell w doubles” and using ITT to learn side mount?

Check this organization for training in Okinawa. They are top notch for technical training. Their top technical diving instructor is Doug Bennett, @japan-diver. He is the guy I'd do training with if I go there.

www.reefencounters.org

 

[Manatee Diver]

If you are doing any cave training (and cavern is part of cave training even as a single tank safety course), it really should be done in a place known for cave diving otherwise you are probably just wasting money. As you instructors really should be active cave divers.

 

[MacDuyver]

If you are doing any cave training (and cavern is part of cave training even as a single tank safety course), it really should be done in a place known for cave diving otherwise you are probably just wasting money. As you instructors really should be active cave divers.

Good call, in the short term I’m more interested in ITT, cavern is more of a “next step” I can wait on. Considering this I might hold off on that one bc the Japanese put ALOT of restrictions on overhead dives.

Do you think it would be more reasonable to use the time that would take to focus more on learning drysuit? In a couple years I’m going to be primarily diving in PNW US/Canada, and am looking to develop my skills (and enjoy diving in a gorgeous area) in the mean time

 

[crofrog]

Good call, in the short term I’m more interested in ITT, cavern is more of a “next step” I can wait on. Considering this I might hold off on that one bc the Japanese put ALOT of restrictions on overhead dives.

Do you think it would be more reasonable to use the time that would take to focus more on learning drysuit? In a couple years I’m going to be primarily diving in PNW US/Canada, and am looking to develop my skills (and enjoy diving in a gorgeous area) in the mean time

Vote for fundies. Think of it as itt/drysuit training even if you decide to go a different way.

GUE Instructor resumé

www.gue.com

 

[japan-diver]

A ITT course is a great first step to developing skills and ensuring you are practicing the correct skills for type of diving you are planning on doing. I would not suggest a Cavern/Cave course on Okinawa as that is not a specialty of any of the tech instructors on island- nor do we have a really good location to teach it properly. I would suggest learning backmount first and then transitioning to sidemount if the diving you end of doing calls for that set-up.
Dry suit can be easily mastered while here in Okinawa and the best season for that is coming up as the water cools a bit now but is normally fairly easy and quick to master with a few dives if buoyancy is already a bit dialed in.

 

[VikingDives]

Transition to a dry suit asap. Learning to manage the bubble in a suit is generally going to take you a bit of time, say 20 dives before you start feeling comfortable.

If you want to go tech, don't do ITT in a single tank—the same for fundies.

Instead of taking ITT in sidemount, take the tech sidemount course. There are more required skills... There's nothing wrong with learning tech in sidemount, but it will be harder to master.

If you're heading to cave diving, take sidemount/ITT from whomever you think you want to do cave training from - I'd recommend going to Mexico or Florida if you can. Having the ability to get in the water every day and nice weather is nice, and the odds of picking a good instructor are much higher. At a minimum, look for a cave-trained instructor.