What is tech diving???

[Gonzo_G22]

im completly new and im not certifing for another couple of weeks... and i gots lots of questions

i tried to do a search cause i know this has to have been asked befor but nothing came up..
soo if anybody can please explain on this thread id really appreciate it...

im thinking of going ahead and paying for the coarse from open water up through to rescue diver... going to be certifieing at "Scuba Toys" in Dallas Tx does anybody know of the instructors there or tips and or advice???

i didnt see anything about Tech Diving there at Scuba Toys web site...?
i know that they are Nuai cetifications.. does that have anything to do with why they dont offer tech??

what is tech diving????

and every where i look i see Padi certifications and or divers is padi better or more commen???
any help, advice or comments welcomed, please i need data!!!

 

[fppf]

In a real quick answer, Tech diving is learning how to do everything they tell you not to do in your basics class.

It requires a whole other level of gear, knowledge, training, and skills. There are a few agencies that offer technical training.

I would not get caught up about the agency to much. That has been beat to death many times here. Its more about finding an instructor that is good and you can work with.

 

[Bonairetrip]

fppf nailed it.

Tech diving is generally about deeper dives (below recreational depths), longer deep dives (that require deco stops) or dives with an overhead environment (such as caves). Don't worry about any of it for now.

Find the best instructor -- don't worry about NAUI or PADI.

 

[Peter Guy]

"Tech Diving" which is short for "Technical Diving" is generally used to mean diving beyond "recreational limits" -- that is:

a. Diving deeper than 130 feet;

b. Doing staged (deliberate) decompression dives;

c. Diving in an overhead environment (caves and "real" wrecks); and/or

d. Using other than standard open circuit recreational gear.

This is something you might want to think about doing after you've gone through the "normal" recreational diving sequence AND you've gotten bored with the type of diving you are doing.

I believe the main difference between technical diving and recreational diving is that in technical diving, the surface is not (may not be) an option so you MUST learn how to solve your problems where you are.

 

[Gonzo_G22]

Wow... this is what i want!!... that is what i want to dive for... i mean im not getting into diving to go look at all the pretty little colorful fish... i want to explore... go find stuff... and as for Cave diving...!!! hell yeah..! where do i sign up???

i know i know i have to crawl befor i walk or in this case get in the water befor you swim..

but i guess that is what i needed to figure out...

i mean dont get me wronge i'm sure i'll enjoy all of it... heck i grew up with a pool in my back yard and all i ever did was through coins and rocks and buttons and all kinds of stuff to dive down and get them... and i enjoyed that still do..! lol..
but i really feel the call to go out there and explore stuff....
always have never done it..
hope its not to late to start..!!!

 

[fppf]

Just remember one thing, there really is not anything down there worth dieing for.

While recreational diving is relatively safe, technical diving gets less and less forgiving as you go deeper, farther into over head, rack up more deco.

I would not recommend even thinking about technical diving until you have at the very least 100 recreational dives. And even then, its up to the person. Some people never learn the skills to the level you need for tech. And keep in mind, you need a thick pocket book to empty out.

 

[LIVES4SHARKS]

fppf is spot on!

Tech/cave/wreck is not for the novice diver. It takes lots of diving, skills, education and equipment to master before adding elements of a confined space or deep depths to the mix. I would recommend becoming a proficient diver first, being in complete control of your diving then moving on to the next step. The water isn't going anywhere, it will always be there waiting for you when you are ready!

Since you are interested in exploration, etc, you may want to look at the following link. They are an amazing group of divers and I have been lucky to have met and talk to quite a few of them in High Springs and the Wakulla area in Florida.
http://www.gue.com/?q=en/About/index.html
Carolyn:shark2:

 

[CamG]

Greetings Gonzo and great to have you aboard! Awesome question that you have received some excellent advice so far. It is very very important that you slow down, take your time, master your 18 basic skills, research, study, talk to good mentors, and never ever dive beyond your training! NEVER DO IT! This has caused many fatalities in the past. Diving is a pretty safe sport with a great record when the RULES are obeyed and followed. If and when one steps into the Tech realm there are more rules, skills, gear, cost, and most of all MORE ASSUMED RISK! Not that it is a death sentence because it is not but it takes a whole lot of training and experience under water. Your responsibility as a buddy rests a lot on your own self rescue skills and having the appropriate gear for the diving you are wanting to do.
Your zeal is awesome and I want to encourage you to pursue your training with that same vigor. Eat, breath, and dream diving and continually learn. Master your skills much like a private in basic till they become reflex. Move at a progressive rate through the training classes not exceeding your individual level of comfort and mastery of the material. Bear in mind we all have strengths and weaknesses some of the training ahead will come easy and some will be tough but stick to it you can master it. The greatest obstacle anyone has is there own self, we all battle our "reptilian brain" it has been called. We master our skills, we must master our stress levels, and gain control to keep us making the decisions to ensure we diving safetly.
This takes time and honest evaluation, determination, and a commitment to see it through. With all this being said it is my opinion and experience of which I am writing. I have been diving for about 3 1/2 years and am just breaching the Tech realm into Adv. Nitrox / Deco. Procedures from TDI. It has taken this amount of time to gain experience, gear, training, and mastery over my reactions "brain"! I am still on a continual learning curve and never want to stop. When we stop learning we become complacent and neglect to see the coming disaster. I am not trying to be harsh just my OPINION and personal philosophy. Enough of that! Get out there and go for it. Dive like a mad man and always with in your limits and training. NO SHORT CUTS!
CamG Keep diving....keep training....keep learning!

 

[Pearldiver07]

First, although I'm PADI, I am positive that NAUI has tech diving instruction. But go into Scubatoys and ask yourself. Many shops have multiple agencies represented, particularly when you're talking about continuing past rec into technical.

I think you'll be very happy with Scubatoys. I've heard nothing but good, and my experiences, though limited, have been positive also.

But if you've got your sights set on Tech, take your time, learn all that you can, in class and in water, and never consider any training to be just "checking the box." When you dive, review what you've done, didn't do, and how you can learn from it. Seek out experienced divers with experience in the direction you want to go, and pick their brains and watch how they conduct themselves in the water. Learn by doing.

I can appreciate your enthusiasm, I have always had the same since my first pool session. But remember, it's the road traveled that is the great part, not the certification at the end.

 

[TSandM]

One of the best instructors I've ever worked with told me, "Do all the dives you can do with the certification you have, and when you're completed bored with those, go get more training." It's superb advice.

To the OP: Take your time. You may not like pretty fish -- perhaps diving wrecks is more your thing. But there are LOTS of wrecks within recreational range, and if you spend a couple of years diving all the ones you can, you'll build the skills and experience to take some further training, and have a bunch of fun in the process, too.

Tech diving is a different animal . . . WAY more expensive, more involved, and the stakes are a lot higher. Not for the faint of heart, not for some people at all, and not for anybody without some solid bottom time logged already.