Well, I was inspired by another poster's thread, to also share my story of moving into the world of technical diving. I've actually known that I wanted to get into tec diving since I took diving back up again a couple years ago, but I didn't know how long I would take before feeling "ready" to take that step. So here's my path so far, and what I'm planning moving forward.
I got certified first in 2005 while I was in the Navy (not with the Navy, but I was in it back then). I did my cert dives and some dives with friends after that, then moved inland. Que an 11 year break from diving.
In 2017, I convinced a friend to get certified on vacation, thinking I finally had someone to go diving with on vacations at least. Since his PADI class was ~$25 more expensive than a refresher, and I didn't have any of my old info from when I got certified, I just went and got a PADI OW cert with him. Later that year I did my AOW and nitrox certs, then did my first liveaboard by myself (my thread on that Blackbeard's trip is on this forum, but I'll summarize it by saying I'm going again next month and did the Cat Ppalu with the same company last year as well).
Since getting certified (again), I've made every vacation I take (4-5/year) either a dive vacation, or a vacation where I dive as well.
I knew in 2017, after doing my AOW in Pensacola, that I wanted to spend some time at depth on the Oriskany, and probably a lot of other wrecks out there, so tec was going to be in my future. Last year I was introduced to diving at the local quarry when I decided to do some classes to evaluate and/or expand my skills in certain areas (did PPB, dry-suit, and deep locally, as well as cavern on a trip to Florida). However, it has been tough to find buddies outside of showing up and "hoping" to tag along with someone (buddies either don't show, say they'll be there a week in advance and then stop responding, or cancel at the last minute). .Add in that the local quarry won't let a diver so much as do a weight check or test gear where they do confined water training without a solo diver cert, and the stage for me to decide to get solo/self-reliant this year ASAP.
I inquired about that with the major local dive shop (that runs the quarry), and was told to contact their tec instructor (happens to be a course director etc). Before I got around to that, they posted up on Facebook they'd be doing a "tec night" at the shop to introduce people to tec diving, with discounts on course. Long story short, I'm not enrolled for self-reliant diver as well as Tec40 and Tec45 for this year. The exact dates are still being sorted out (should have self-reliant scheduled by the end of next week), but I'm already diving into the (somewhat outdated) manual and information I can absorb before the classes actually start.
I hope my journey into tec diving from here will help to provide some information for others, and spur a conversation from others interested in this path as well as knowledge and experience from those who have gone before me.
I got certified first in 2005 while I was in the Navy (not with the Navy, but I was in it back then). I did my cert dives and some dives with friends after that, then moved inland. Que an 11 year break from diving.
In 2017, I convinced a friend to get certified on vacation, thinking I finally had someone to go diving with on vacations at least. Since his PADI class was ~$25 more expensive than a refresher, and I didn't have any of my old info from when I got certified, I just went and got a PADI OW cert with him. Later that year I did my AOW and nitrox certs, then did my first liveaboard by myself (my thread on that Blackbeard's trip is on this forum, but I'll summarize it by saying I'm going again next month and did the Cat Ppalu with the same company last year as well).
Since getting certified (again), I've made every vacation I take (4-5/year) either a dive vacation, or a vacation where I dive as well.
I knew in 2017, after doing my AOW in Pensacola, that I wanted to spend some time at depth on the Oriskany, and probably a lot of other wrecks out there, so tec was going to be in my future. Last year I was introduced to diving at the local quarry when I decided to do some classes to evaluate and/or expand my skills in certain areas (did PPB, dry-suit, and deep locally, as well as cavern on a trip to Florida). However, it has been tough to find buddies outside of showing up and "hoping" to tag along with someone (buddies either don't show, say they'll be there a week in advance and then stop responding, or cancel at the last minute). .Add in that the local quarry won't let a diver so much as do a weight check or test gear where they do confined water training without a solo diver cert, and the stage for me to decide to get solo/self-reliant this year ASAP.
I inquired about that with the major local dive shop (that runs the quarry), and was told to contact their tec instructor (happens to be a course director etc). Before I got around to that, they posted up on Facebook they'd be doing a "tec night" at the shop to introduce people to tec diving, with discounts on course. Long story short, I'm not enrolled for self-reliant diver as well as Tec40 and Tec45 for this year. The exact dates are still being sorted out (should have self-reliant scheduled by the end of next week), but I'm already diving into the (somewhat outdated) manual and information I can absorb before the classes actually start.
I hope my journey into tec diving from here will help to provide some information for others, and spur a conversation from others interested in this path as well as knowledge and experience from those who have gone before me.
I'm sorry, but I'm very amused by that (a friend loaned me the manual from his 2016 PADI Intro to Tech type class). 
Got it.
