Recommendations for tech training in Florida or Akumal?

Hello there,

I am newbie, both to the forum and to tech diving. I finished a PADI TecRec 40 course, I know this is just the beginning of the beginning and I would like to go more seriously into Tech Diving.

Our local tech training spot has recently been closed, due to the death of two recreational divers who dove beyond their limits. It was the only spot deeper than 40m around. Since I will have to look for faraway possibilities of tech diving from now on, I'm considering going abroad for training. I thought about Florida and Akumal, since my final goal is cave diving.

Any suggestions of tech instructors in these areas? I don't care the agency, if training is good.

Or any suggestions of other places where to get cave-aimed tech training, besides Florida and Akumal?

Thank you in advance!

welcome! either place is great - you can't throw a rock in either without hitting an excellent instructor. do some class report reading & you'll come up with several names to start researching.

Rob Neto in Marianna is good. His website is chipoladivers.com. He is pretty no nonsense and when you finish one of his classes, you know you truly met the sandards of the course because he will not pass you of you don't.

I would absolutely recommend Paulo Lopes of PL Divers in Arraial do Cabo. He takes it very, very seriously. I live in SP and got my tech training with him. Absolutely no regrets.

You are asking about technical training, but talking about caves -- which is your goal?

If you are primarily interested in cave diving, you can take a cavern class or cavern/Intro combination from any number of instructors in the Akumal/Tulum area. You do not need technical training before doing that, although, if you can find someone who will work with your buoyancy and trim beforehand, it will make your class much easier.

Did you do your Tec 40 in doubles? You will need to learn to dive them before going very far in cave diving, so if you haven't started, you should do that at home. You do not need deep water to learn to balance the tanks or manipulate the valves.

If you would like some recommendations for cavern instructors in the Riviera Maya, please feel free to PM me.

Hello!

TSandM:

You are asking about technical training, but talking about caves -- which is your goal?

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Goal = deep diving and cave diving, final goal = Trimix and Full Cave Diver certifications.

TSandM:

If you are primarily interested in cave diving, you can take a cavern class or cavern/Intro combination from any number of instructors in the Akumal/Tulum area.

Click to expand...

My idea was to take tech classes up to trimix with a cave oriented instructor, and then go for the Full Cave. Does that sound like a good or a dumb idea?

TSandM:

You do not need technical training before doing that, although, if you can find someone who will work with your buoyancy and trim beforehand, it will make your class much easier.

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I dare to suppose my buoyancy and trim are fine... I can also move very close to the bottom without suspending silt...

TSandM:

Did you do your Tec 40 in doubles? You will need to learn to dive them before going very far in cave diving, so if you haven't started, you should do that at home. You do not need deep water to learn to balance the tanks or manipulate the valves.

Click to expand...

I already dive in doubles, with one stage.

TSandM:

If you would like some recommendations for cavern instructors in the Riviera Maya, please feel free to PM me.

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Will do! Thank you!

hi anna,
not sure if you are still need some information but....here we are, tulum scuba and technical cave diving.
I truly recommand taking course with Jeff S. Clark who is one of the very few instructors here with a great passion for teachnig cave diving, an active explorer and cave diver since 97. there are instructors who only teach and never go cave diving, there are burn out instructors and businessman. There are also people who teach evryone who pays without stressing the safety and with the minimal effort, remember you get what you pay for.
jeff requires more than others, teach the good attitude for cave diving and conservation for caves. gives you as much attention and time as needed. many students, including me were in the water till 7pm.... why, cause was necessary and he does not care about extra time spending with students.
I live here and work with jeff for 2 years, we work as independent instructors, I teach rec diving , jeff tech and overhead environment.
if you are interested in coming and take some courses or just fun dives contact us tulumscuba@gmail.com and we are happy to take care about divers who truly want to expend their knowledge and skills and love diving.
gosia

Anna, since this thread was rather old, and since you never PMed me, I don't know if you are reading it any more or not.

It is my personal opinion that open water technical training and cave training are quite different, and their area of overlap is smaller than you would think. Yes, if you are going to do deep caves, you need to be able to manage decompression and understand the theory and practice of it; but the procedures are quite different. And honestly, most of what is critical in cave training is not covered in open water technical training at all.

My recommendation would be to do your cave training, starting with cavern/Intro, then some cave experience, and then what you need to go to Full -- and then do some cave diving, and if you get into caves you want to do that are deep enough to need deco/trimix, do a technical cave class, or do a trimix class with a cave instructor then. I think you would find a trimix class easy after Full Cave -- and there is a LOT of cave diving to be done before you need trimix, and it SHOULD be done, because cave diving presents its own unique set of challenges. One really ought to begin with beginner caves, and move along as experience is built. JMHO.

If you want an instructor who can do both, contact Heather Armstrong in Pensacola. See what she says about how you ought to order things.

Imo, you need a fair bit of shallow cave experience before moving on to deep caves (if that's what you're interested in). The game changes a bit when gas goes extremely quick and the deco clock is ticking. That's not the place you want to be in to learn some of cave divings more serious lessons.

IMO there does not exist a class that teaches what you need to dive deep in caves. unless the instructor is setting something up special for you.