Technical diver training completed in the Gulf of Thailand

Koh Tao, Thailand -

Big Blue Tech celebrates the graduation of Magnus Baer form a TDI Extended Range course after completing his final 4 training dives on our wreck the “Big Blue Wreck” which is a sunken ferry discovered earlier this month.

Over the last 4 training dives we cleaned up the wreck removing obstacles and fishing nets to make it more attractive and safer for divers to penetrate and enjoy in the future. Not only were the tasks challenging it was also a great chance for Magnus to experience working underwater and keeping track of his environment and responsibility as the dive progressed.

The TDI Extended Range course is the pinnacle of deep air diving where the technical diver learns to explore to a depth of 55m using mixes of oxygen to handle the decompression stops.

Certain areas of the world provide spectacular dives at depths deeper than 39m/130 feet but you will not have access (or very limited access) to helium. The TDI Extended Range course teaches you the proper techniques for utilizing compressed air as a breathing gas and with a maximum depth of 55m/180 feet you won’t have to miss those dives. The Extended Range course will cover topics and skills such as

• Equipment requirements and configuration
• Decompression options
• Use of surface marker buoys
• Buddy rescue
• Narcosis checks and management

Although this is the end of the course it’s not the end of his diving and will continue to join us on trips and expeditions in the future to gain valuable experience as a certified technical diver which is essential after certification.

Scuba Schools International (SSI) Technical Extended Range (TXR) prgrams come to Thailand

Koh Tao, Thailand -

Big Blue Tech will be hosting a SSI TechXR instructor and diver course starting on Monday the 15th of March until the 23rd of March.

This event will be conducted by SSI TechXR Instructor Trainer Ben Reymenants who is best known for his work for the chamber works in Thailand, developing technical diving in Maldives and holding world records for different diving activities from depth to environments including caves.

During this event Ben will be training Helen Artal (Big Blue Tech) Yvonne Fries (Big Blue Tech)  and Mikko Paasi (Koh Tao Divers) to become SSI TechXR Instructors. The instructor training portion is combined with the SSI TechXR diver level course for 2 students from various backgrounds.

SSI’s TechXR is a well founded Technical Diving program and it was created to take the recreational diver to an extreme level for their diving adventures.  Whether you are looking for the excitement of deep reef diving or the thrill of exploring wrecks located well past 40m (130 feet), SSI TechXR is a way to learn the training and experience necessary for you to complete every new adventure with confidence and skill.

Whatever your current diving ability, extended range diving will challenge you with environments, depths, bottom times, procedures, and equipment not commonly encountered by recreational divers. You will be experiencing advanced levels that require extensive knowledge, enhanced diving skills, and considerable experience.

SSI has developed these specific learning tools: a manual, interactive CD-ROM, Technical DiveLog and Technical Dive Slates. In addition, you rinstructor may also require you to have a personal copy of an advanced dive planning software program.  The courses available for you to take are: Advanced Nitrox, Technical Foundations, Decompression Procedures, Normoxic Trimix, and Advanced Decompression Procedures. You can take each of these courses individually or all at once.

You will develop confidence and comfort with these new skills through repetition and supervised experiences. Training will be designed to match your goals and objectives. SSI′s signature training method′s the “SSI Diver Diamond “and “Comfort Through Repetition” have been applied to keep the programs consistent and provide the same high quality education as other SSI products.

Big Blue Tech will be publishing updates and news as the course progess and plans to release SSI TechXR Programs to the general public at the end of the month.

Technical divers and deep divers descend of famous dive site.

Koh Tao, Thailand

Today, in combination with the graduation of a TDI Decompressions Procedures course was the graduation of 12 dive master candidates who completed their Deep Diver and Nitrox Diver course with Big Blue Tech Instructors Thomas Hallstrom and Andy Cavell.

Over the 3 dives on the full day trip the students were exposed to 40m and the use of nitrox for the first time. This training is required for anyone wishing to join us on wreck diving trips coming next week.

While Andy and Thomas were in technical diving gear for safety the students, being recreational dive master interns, were in a single cylinder.

The course was combined with several different agencies which was based on the students preference.

On top of the 3 great dives it was also Martin birthday which he spent celebrating at the front of the boat from seasickness. I’m sure he’ll have a repeat performance tonight for his birthday party.

Big Blue Tech are one of the few schools who frequently conduct full day trips and this was the first one of the season after a pause from strong winds. Although the conditions at sail rock weren’t ideal it was different with soft and hard coral not seen on koh tao and an abundance of marine life not seen elsewhere.

In other news Technical Diver Nick was being lead by Technical Divemaster Ash Dunn around the site gaining more experience and continuing his fun diving with us after a day off wreck diving.

Technical divers progress to decompression diving techniques.

Koh Tao, Thailand
Big Blue Tech celebrates the graduation of Magnus Baer from the TDI Decompression Procedures course conducted over 3 days and 4 dives. This course continues from the TDI Advanced Nitrox course and trains the diver on the skills, procedures and methods for mixed gas decompression using enriched air nitrox to accelerate the natural process of decompression.

As sport divers planned decompression is not something that we do or have been taught. The TDI Decompression Procedures course prepares you for planned staged decompression diving. With a maximum operating depth of 45m/150 feet, this course is your first step beyond the normal sport diving limits. Your TDI Instructor will provide you with valuable information and skills, among the topics covered are

• Kit set-up
• Equipment requirements
• Decompression techniques
• Decompression breathing gases
• Gas management
• Contingency planning

The TDI Decompressions Procedures course combined with the TDI Advanced Nitrox course form the foundation of all other technical courses.  After these two courses and some additional experience, the stage has been set for you to move onto additional technical levels. Some of the materials you will be using include the TDI Divers Guide to Decompression Procedures, US Navy or Buhlmann Air Decompression Tables (made of vinyl for easy in-water use and storage)

Over the 4 dives Magnus was exposed to different conditions including overhead, current, large swells, chimney formations which all concluded on a full day trip to Sail Rock, a local favourite dive site.

After a few days off Magnus will continue to his TDI Extended Range course which will take him to 55m.

Recreational divers take a try dive in technical gear.

Koh Tao, Thailand

Big Blue Tech hosted a technical “try dive” this afternoon for some of our eager divemaster interns. BSAC Extended Range Instructor Andy Cavell conducted the afternoon which included ocean dives in the gear.

While many might of seen this already in a swimming pool at your local dive shows we thought it would be better to invest the time and energy to take the divers into the environment they would be diving in. Some skills include buoyancy and trim which would only be really experienced in their familiar surroundings of salt water.

Typically a try tech dive includes basic safety skills of equipment setup, self rescue, out of air and isolating problems. After the first skills the interns had the longest (albeit shallowest) dive every with some diving over 1 hour in some of our secluded bays.

Assisting Andy was BSAC Instructor and Technical Divemaster Ash Dunn and Technical Divemaster Thomas Halstrom who were all out for the afternoon with the 4 interns who were Johan, Tom, Martin and Jennifer.

Certified TDI technical diver explores Thailand’s wrecks

Koh Tao, Thailand

Big Blue Tech has been providing experience dives to Nick Andrianov, an experienced TDI Trimix Diver who joins us from Hong Kong on a brief holiday and diving trip. Nick has been diving with us all week getting dives in some caves, caverns and most recently on our small wreck in one of the confined bays on Koh Tao.

During his week stay Nick will be exploring all the dive sites Koh Tao has to offer and taking a trip to the Unicorn Wreck on a wreck wednesday trip hosted by a local technical liveaboard.

Nick received one on one leadership from our in house technical divemaster team. This is the first time Nick has dived in Thailand and enjoyed diving without large crowds, which made us wonder how it must be diving where he’s been!

Recreational scuba divers discover the benefits of Nitrox

Koh Tao, Thailand

Big Blue Tech celebrates the graduation of Ana Pinto and Mark Barham from the TDI Nitrox Diver course.

The TDI Nitrox Diver course is the most complex and difficult Nitrox course of all those on offer. It’s mandatory that students understand SAC rates, complex dive planning with tracking of both CNS Oxygen Toxicty and OTU’s, the use of equipment for oxygen systems, safety measures and many more topics that have long been discarded in the process of making Nitrox diving more accesible and easy to do.

The course includes a 50 question exam which takes approximately 1 hour. This course gave Ana and Mark who are HSE Scuba Divers a true challenge and a valuable education.

With 2 nitrox dives completed and an afternoon of theory Ana and Mark both move on to their Rescue Diver Course.

Divers advance their theory and dive skills in Thailand.

Koh Tao, Thailand - Big Blue Tech celebrates the graduation of Magnus Baer from the TDI Advanced Nitrox course which was conducted over 2 days with 4 technical dives.

Continuing from Magnus’ Intro To Tech course this course builds on those skills with the introduction of using high mixes of nitrox and using nitrox to manipulate the absorption of nitrogen. Big Blue Tech decided to introduce the use of a sling or stage cylinder to help get Magnus ready for his Decompression Procedures course which would follow the next day.

The TDI Advanced Nitrox Course qualifies divers to use enriched air nitrox from EAN 21 through EAN 100 to a depth of 40 metres/130 feet during dives hat do not require staged decompression. Often taught in conjunction with the TDI Decompression Procedures course, this can be considered the foundation of your technical diving career.  Advanced Nitrox is also a great course for those wanting to extend their bottom times in shallower depths such as scientific diver, and a must for SCR or CCR divers.   The course cover topics like

• Equipment requirements
• Dive planning
• Oxygen tracking
• Blending methods

The 4 dives was a team effort by Technical Instructors James Thornton-Allan, Andy Cavell and assisted by Technical Divemaster Thomas Halstrom.

Three months of renovation reveal new facilities for technical divers.

Koh Tao, Thailand - What started as a 2 week project in November of 2009 developed into many months of painting, building, digging and drilling to build a dedicated technical diving facility which would host all the comforts and necessities for all our diving activities and staff.

One of the major problems experienced in November of 2009 was a lack of space for all our equipment and divers which came from an increase in popularity and reputation. As the major of the work was completed while we were closed during the monsoon season in November it was the small touches that took a long time.

These small touches including the continuous flow trimix system, private bathroom with shower, out door patio and facilities to accommodate 10 fully kitted technical divers along with class rooms space, wifi internet, fridge and surround stereo to create the perfect atmosphere for our way of doing things.

With the signs finally hung on the outside of the doors and the landscaping completed today we could finally put our feet up and enjoy the end of the extension of the “tech shack” Next month begins the expansion of the administration offices which don’t effect our divers and the re-opening of our 25 room accomodation facility which received a face lift recently including new beds and surfaces.

Entry level technical diving course completed today in Thailand

Koh Tao, Thailand - Big Blue Tech celebrates the graduation of Magnus Baer from the TDI Intro to Tech Diver Course which is the first element in the 4 course technical diver program.

The TDI Intro to Tech course is designed to offer students the skills found in the GUE Fundamentals Course which focus on strict buoyancy and trim along with skills in the water without moving. While other organizations allow skills to be mastered sitting on their knees in the sand TDI Courses put emphasis on the ability to remain horizontal without making contact with anything underwater which illustrates control.

One of the more interesting skills to help you take control of your environment is the advanced propulsion techniques of backwards finning where you remain horizontal but kick in a backwards frog kick style and move away from objects without using your hands. Additionally the practice of bailing to back up mask, out of air, sharing air, gas shut downs and lift bag deployment all while neutrally buoyant gave Magnus the ability to progress on to the TDI Advanced Nitrox course which starts on Monday after the weekend.

Like all our courses, Magnus was issued with his certification because he excelled at the skills in the water and performed above expectation.

Technical divers explore underwater sculptures on Koh Tao

Koh Tao, Thailand - During technical diver training for Magnus Baer the training team explored a new feature on Koh Tao called ‘Buoyancy World’ which is a island wide initiative created with the support for Marine Conservation Koh Tao

Buoyancy world is an alternative dive site and coral nursery designed and constructed by the island’s community and dive schools through the Save Koh Tao group. This island wide project is part of a larger program being enacted by the Save Koh Tao Marine Branch in order to monitor and protect our local resources and ecosystems.

Through this project a new dive site has been constructed which is specially designed to function as a buoyancy training site and coral/fish nursery. By increasing novice diver’s buoyancy skills with obstacles not found naturally on a reef we hope to reduce incidences of personal injury/illness and protect natural reef areas from damage. By also acting as a coral/fish nursery the project will help to restore and improve the abundance and biodiversity of Koh Tao’s reefs and help to offset local anthropogenic impacts. Additionally, this project will further increase awareness and community involvement on environmental conservation projects and improve tourist perceptions of Koh Tao.

The general plan of the site is various features built separately and then set up in close proximity to form one cohesive site. Features include:

• Training Aids
  • Swim-throughs or caves
  • Rings, hoops, and other obstacles
  • Balance beams
  • Hover weights
  • Permanent CESA Lines
  • Navigation check points
  • Search and recovery objects
  • Ecological Monitoring Program/Reef Check Belt Transects
• Coral Nursery Platforms/anchoring points
• Art & Sculptures
• Fish Nurseries/aggregates
• Diverse habitats for Marine Organisms

On this day we used the features of Buoyancy World to help improve the trim and underwater control for Magnus who started his first skills in technical diving gear. These skills will be enhanced with more training leading up to his certification dives tomorrow for the TDI Intro to Tech course.

Technical diver training begins on Koh Tao

Koh Tao, Thailand – Today Big Blue Tech starts a tec course for Magnus Baer who comes from season and has been travelling for the past 4 months on a round the world trip.

Magnus has been to Koh Tao before working on the Island as a diving instructor so this would be a familiar setting for him t o learn more challenging diving.

Magnus’ tech diving course will include the ‘Intro To Tech’ , ‘Advanced Nitrox’ , ‘Decompression Procedures’ and ‘Extended Range’ modules from TDI (Technical Diving International) which is the leading and most recognized technical diving certification agency in the world. TDI’s motto of ‘We lead, Others Follow’ is indicative of their and our style of technical diving.

While Magnus joined us for specifically TDI training it was the small touches provided by Big Blue Tech which made the difference. The equipment provided for use during the course is staggering and top of the line.

Magnus was issued the following equipment today for use for the duration of his course.
-    Boots, OMS Slipstream Fins, 3mm Wetsuit
-    OMS 60lbs Double Bladder Wing with Aluminium Back plate and Comfort Harness
-    Oms Thigh Pocket, 2 lift bags, OMS Cavern Reel, Finger Reel
-    Titanium Knife, Wrist Slate, Primary and Secondary Torch
-    Backup and Primary Mask
-    Uwatec Bottom Timer and Depth Gauge
-    Suunto Vytec Ds, Compass
-    Apeks XTX 20 back gas regulators
-    Scubapro decompression regulators
-    Personal O2 tank, personal twinset, personal lean mix tank and hardware
-    OMS deco clip hardware and rigging

This is the standard equipment issued to all our students and fun divers. The choice to use this equipment has been based on years to testing other types to fail.

In addition to equipment, Magnus was taken through a refresher of his dive theory including basic physics and physiology to help bring him up to speed with the coming theoretic knowledge needed to succeed on this course.

At lunch Magnus was also taken out by James, Ash and Andy from the team for his 800m swim test which was completed under the required time of 10 minutes.

Tomorrow would be the start of the shallow water skills with his Intro to Tech course which focuses on buoyancy, trim and water control, which is a required foundation for all future technical diving.

One of the busiest months on Koh Tao starts off with a bang.

Koh Tao, Thailand - Big Blue Tech was very busy today with the combined effort of most staff working around the clock with different activites.

Dean Jenkins was out taking the divemaster interns out for a dive on one of our local wrecks and tooks some time out for some diving in tech gear. Ash and Andrew were working together to complete a Search and Recovery Specialty for Felix including search patterns, lift bags, knot tying and scenarios. Helen is teaching advanced level courses and spent most of the day in tech gear and analyzing nitrox.Thomas was out on the rebreather. Duncan and James had the day off so played football on the beach.

This might not seem very hectic but tomorrow is the start of a tech course from beginner to extended range followed by more technical diving leading up to a trip at the end of the month.

Dive shop in Thailand wins top honours for Environmental Achievement.

Koh Tao, Thailand - Big Blue Diving, the parent company of Big Blue Tech came in third for the Project AWARE International Environmental Achievement Awards for 2009 listing them as number 1 in Thailand.

Project AWARE Foundation honors dive operators around the world who display commitment and excellence in their efforts to protect underwater environments within business operations and their community. “The Environmental Achievement Award is about rewarding vision, excellence and pursuit of conservation. More importantly, this award ensures the enjoyment of underwater environments for future generations,” said Henrik Nimb, Project AWARE Foundation Director, Asia Pacific.

The following Asia Pacific Environmental Achievement Award 2009 winners operate in an environmentally responsible manner and demonstrate an outstanding commitment to conserving underwater environments through education, advocacy and action.
1. B&J Diving Centre – ABC, Malaysia
2. B&J Diving Centre – Salang, Malaysia
3. Big Blue Diving Resort, Thailand
4. Blue Season Bali, Indonesia
5. Crystal Dive Resort, Thailand
6. Deep Sea Divers Den, Australia
7. Dive Tropex Tokoriki, Fiji
8. Dive! Tutukaka, New Zealand
9. Eco Scuba, Korea
10. Gangga Divers, Indonesia
11. Kon-Tiki Krabi, Thailand
12. Malapascua Exotic Dive Resort, Philippines
13. Matava, Fiji Islands
14. NZ Sea Adventures, New Zealand
15. Ocean Elements, Malaysia
16. Plunge Diving, Australia
17. Scuba Cat Diving, Thailand
18. Sea Hounds, Singapore
19. Sea World Dive Center, Philippines
20. Subsurface Fiji, Fiji Islands
21. Thresher Shark Divers, Philippines
22. United Divers, Australia

The number of amazing initiatives and actions implemented by the Project AWARE Environmental Achievement Award Winners is inspiring. Congratulations! For information on planning your own environmental project or becoming more environmentally sustainable contact Project AWARE.

Tec divers locate and dive on a shipwreck that has been missing for over one year.

Koh Tao, Thailand - In April of 2009 a wooden overnight ferry that would transport passengers and goods from Koh Tao Island to Chumphon City sank in rough waves and strong wind. The boat sank slowly allowing all the occupants to be rescued.

In May of 2009 a group of individuals contacted big blue tech to conduct a search for the wreck in an attempt to identify it as a potential artificial reef which was completed after warm-up training. However, due to technological limitations the wreck wasn’t found at the position reported.

In Christmas of 2009 it was reported that fishermen were catching their drag nets on something big under the water. The position was logged with their GPS as an area to avoid in the future and this information was passed down to the technical divers who have been looking for information in that area.

Today staff from Big Blue Tech set out on the sea early in the morning armed with GPS and a type of sonar that shows the topography of the sea bed to find the lost nightboat. The staff members included Helen Artal. Duncan Tyler, Thomas Hallstrom, Yvonne Fries and James Thornton-Allan worked as a team relaying information from the sonar to the GPS to the captain as we got closer.

Unfortunately the information we received was not accurate again and the GPS mark was showing nothing. After 30 minutes of searching the sonar bleeped showing the depth which was a constant 40m raise up to 27m about 1 kilometer away from all reports of the sinking. This was clearly what we were looking for, after a few more sweeps the shot line was thrown in and James set off to make the confirmation.

As James descended the divers waited on the surface waiting for the signal that there was a wreck below and that the rest of the team should descend. The signal would be a bright orange air bag  that would float on the surface after filled with a small amount of air from below. After what seemed like an eternity the bag broke the surface along with cheers and applause.

The wreck is sitting perfectly upright in the silt, the stern is completely covered in fishing nets which appears to have ripped of the top roof exposing one floor. The length and width hasn’t been measured yet but it’s estimated at 30m long in length with plenty of room for penetration.

Without knowing the actual name of this boat we have named this large blue nightboat simply the “Big Blue Wreck”. More information needs to be gathered and a survey to be conducted before the wreck will be opened up to Big Blue Tech customers.