Andy- There are my goals, would love some advice on where to start and how to get to my end result.
As Lynne alluded to, my post wasn't intended to be negative.... it's just that "I want to be a tech diver" is really quite vague!
An interest in deeper wrecks, now that is something I can get excited about! :cool2:
I too have plans to visit both Truk and the Solomans to do some deep, cool wrecks soon.... how can photos like this not be inspirational??
So the question is, what skills or knowledge would you need to do those dives??
For me, I have a personal depth limit for penetration dives of and END (equivalent narcotic depth) of 35m.... so for some of the wrecks at Truk, you will definitely be breathing trimix. Because of the depth of some of the wrecks, you are also going to need a lot of gas - so you need to be adept at managing stage tanks. You also don't want to spend hours doing deco on back gas, so you need some knowledge of rich O2 mixes.... and the skills of carrying and using at least one deco tank in addition to your stage tank.
There are plenty of course options to learn these things - I am a TDI instructor, and TDI offer Advanced Nitrox/Decompression Procedures and a Normoxic Trimix course that should give you those skills. But one of the problems with TDI courses is that they are jam packed - just getting through the skills in a typical course timescale is hard, getting any finesse is even harder.
I much prefer teaching Deco Procedures to someone who has done GUE Fundies. There are so many things in the Deco Procedures course that can be superficially dealt with because they will have already been mastered by a Fundies graduate. It just means that I can focus on extending a diver, rather than teaching them basics. Part of the problem is that if someone comes into DP, there is a lot of change at once.... changes in kit, changes in emphasis on buoyancy control, new skills. Doing Fundies will allow you to break that transition up into smaller manageable chunks.
The problem now is that to get to the end goal of being trimix trained and having the skills to manage multiple stage bottles.... is that there is an extra course in their. So my suggestion would be to skip courses like TDI Deco Procedures (or the many equivalents) and just do a normoxic trimix course as your first real tech course. GUE Tech 1 is a fabulous course - I did 16 dives on my T1 course (a total of 22 if you include Fundies), where as if you go the TDI classes you could generally get 10 training dives to get to normoxic trimix. More dives = more time in the water = more feedback = better skills.
The only drawback of Tech 1 is that it is a single deco tank course, whereas the TDI course teaches you how to manage two. Realistically, though, with a bit of experience you can extend what you learn in Tech 1 and apply that to two stage/deco tanks.
Pretty much all that Tech 1 (or alternative) prepares you for is to do a deep dive, and ascend safely - but in a way that you know that you can manage problems during that ascent. As they say, diving deep is easy.... it's the coming back that is hard! But it will give you no wreck specific skills.
Wreck diving isn't quite as formalised or consistent as cave diving. You really have to hunt around and find a good wreck instructor - some completely eschew line use, relying instead on teaching progressive penetration techniques. Others teach just the line and only the line. Personally, I feel that a combination of the mental mapping and situational awareness skills that you gain from progressive penetration *combined* with the use of a line is the most appropriate way to dive a wreck. But whilst you are guaranteed an awesome instructor for GUE Fundies & Tech 1, doing basic wreck from any agency and the available advanced wreck courses (e.g. TDI) is a lot more pot luck. But a decent wreck course should teach you about the protocols of surveying wrecks in order to determine a safe entry point, how to manage your penetration and how to respond if something went wrong - along with a healthy dose of understanding what can go wrong and what the hazards of diving wrecks are.
Some people advocate cave diving courses to gain some of these skills - that is certainly an option, particularly given your proximity to Florida. But there are some subtle dangers in that approach - wrecks are very, very different from caves. But you will pick up some skills that are useful.
There are a couple of important things to remember:
1. Take your time - rushing through loads of courses is not a recipe for success! Let everything you learn on a course consolidate to the point where it becomes second nature before moving on.
2. Go diving - courses all day make Jack a dull boy, and will probably remove some of your passion for diving.
3. Go diving - and do the diving that is exciting! Yes, the deep wrecks of the Solomans and Truk are great, but that doesn't mean that shallow wrecks are no fun! Practising wreck skills separately from deep skills is always a good idea, do deco dives that don't involve wrecks until you've got the process of doing them safely nailed. Do wreck dives shallow until you've got the penetration skills nailed.
4. Know your limits - and more importantly, know when you are nearing them as opposed to passing them! Don't get aggressive with your diving too soon.
5. Know the risks - and decide whether you are prepared to accept them. It is almost inevitable that you will be involved in some form of DCS incident, whether it's you or someone you are with. You may not even realise when you do get bent - those little niggles, feeling tired, slightly itchy.... relate those post-dive feelings to the dives you are doing to help you determine your limits.
6. Go diving..... always go diving, it's no good learning the skills. You need to keep them fresh as well.
Good luck! Feel free to ping any questions to me in a PM.
all they are concerned with is taking cattle boats to the reef. Even though I enjoy just being underwater its not moving me towards my goal. Aside from general underwater experience.
