Looking back on 2009 Big Blue Tech remembers the people that came to our little island in Thailand and left such a profound impact on us we couldn’t forget them.

Big Blue Tech was very active in 2009 and helped shape the growth of technical diving in the region. It seemed wherever we went many would follow which exposed technical diving to more divers than ever before a success seen clearly by the creation of technical diving sections in many other recreational diving schools on the Island further solidifying Koh Tao as a major diving destination in the world.

This year Big Blue Tech issued over 200 technical, rebreather and cave diving certifications. We became a TDI and BSAC Technical Diving Facility and began teaching technical diving instructor courses to our interns.

But we couldn’t of done all this without our customers, staff, divers and friends who helped us along the way. We need to thank specifically Cory Lewis, Oskar Sjöström, Christos Kardana, Tim Klein, Andy Holdaway, Darran Jones and Matt Rolph for their support.

We also remember those of the technical diving community who are not with us anymore. This year had too many technical diving accidents around the world and with that our hearts go out to the families of these divers who are without their loved ones this holiday season.

Looking forward to 2010 Big Blue Tech is expanding and growing at the same rate for the past 3 years. We finally broke ground on the expansion giving us twice more space for our staff and equipment to work. We will also be offering TDI, SSI and BSAC technical diving instructor courses issuing the most respected certifications in the technical diving community, this is a result of our staff becoming instructor trainers for each certification agency.

Additionally in 2010 Big Blue Tech will be taking on another senior instructor to accommodate our expansion and hoping to have a third new instructor to help with our peak season in May. We got a bigger compressor for all our cave and cavern diving in Khao Sok because the Bauer Junior just isn’t big enough. And finally we’ll have our continuous flow trimix system working hopefully by the end of January.

Unfortunately we say goodbye to Guillaume Fargues who leaves Big Blue after 6 years as an instructor to join a different dive school in his goal to become a PADI Course Director. We wish him all the luck in the world and would like to remind him it’s only a 5 minute walk to come see his friends so no excuses!

So happy New Year, save diving and we hope to see everyone again in 2010!

Our technical training team is comprised of skilled and experienced individuals who excel in their own field of expertise across the technical scuba diving industry in Thailand. No one can train divers to do everything, with that we have specialists who focus on their own personal interest in the area they’re responsible for.

Our team work and live in a very small community of technical scuba diving explorers who’s main goal is to train and expose divers to this ever growing style of technical deep water exploration and advanced scuba diving education in Thailand.

We provide technical diving leadership and education in English, French, German, Spanish, Swedish, Thai and Japanese.

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James Thornton-Allan

Director Technical Diving Operations

James is responsible for the day to day operations of Big Blue Tech and the on going quality assurance of technical diving operations including the expanding selection of dive sites and training courses for Big Blue Diving branches across Thailand.

James provides contact and liaison through all facets of technical diving at big blue and provides on going consultation for other technical diving companies and agencies. For all course and diving bookings please contact him directly.

Contact: James@bigbluetech.net

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Yvonne Fries

Manager Technical Diving Operations

Yvonne is responsible for supporting the Director of Technical Diving Operations by managing the finances, scheduling and accounts along with all other related activities for Big Blue Tech in Thailand.

Yvonne has been working for Big Blue Tech for several years and is one of the more senior and respected members of the team.

Falls Sie Interesse haben am technischen Tauchen, Hoehlentauchen oder Rebreather Tauchen in oder um thailand herum, bitte kontaktieren Sie mich per Eunter

Wir bieten alle Kurse auch in deutscher Sprache an.

Contact: Yvonne@bigbluetech.net

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Ash Dunn

Diving Facilities Manager

Ash is our Advanced Gas Blender, Equipment and Oxygen Service Technician and Technical Divemaster. On top of these skills, Ash is responsible for the logistics and delivery of suppot services for all diving with Big Blue Tech.

Ash provides logistic support and serviced equipment for all our technical diving expeditions across Thailand.

Contact: Ash@bigbluetech.net

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Andy Holdaway

Technical Divemaster

Andy is our technical divemaster. He is responsible for leading certified technical divers and conducting skill workshops for divers who have not been current with their diving.

When not diving Andy can be found travelling between Thailand and England or enhancing his education and skills to become a technical diving instructor in the future.

Contact: Andy@bigbluetech.net

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Sonia Scott

Hyperbaric Services Manager

Sonia is responsible for the health and safety of all our divers as a dive medic and hyperbaric chamber operator.

Sonia supports technical diving by being an onsite representative for all diving related health concerns while working with other medical facilities and professionals in the region.

Contact: sonia@bigbluetech.net

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Panos Iosifoglou

Technical Dive Manager Similans

Panos is our in house technical dive managers who’s responsibility is for the west coast technical diving in the Similan Islands and Khao Lak. He provides logistics, underwater guide, supervision and liaison through our shop in Khao Lak and on our liveaboard the Mv Pawara.

Panos is also responsible for Cave Diving and Gas Blending Facilities for the west coast on Thailand.

Contact: Panos@bigbluetech.net

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Simon Garitty

Technical Instructor Trainer

Simon is our SSI (Scuba Schools International) Instructor Trainer providing instructor level course, cross-overs and general course development for the Big Blue Diving franchise. Simon is also heavily involved with the SSI-TXR curriculum of technical courses.

Contact: Simon@bigbluetech.net

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Guillaume Fargues

Technical Instructor Development Coordinator

Guillaume is responsible for coordinating instructor development courses and assisting in their application. Regardless of what level you wish to complete be it technical diving instructor or open water instructor Guillaume creates an effortless process and private tutor beyond what is already provided.

Guillaume is also our in house French instructor and is available for translation or entire courses upon request

Contactez-nous pour en savoir plus sur les formations tech, ainsi que la plongee en cavernes et grottes et avec recycleur partout en Thailande. Nous offrons des cours individuels dans de nombreuses langues dont le francais pour tous les niveaux, de debutant a instructeur tech.

Contact:guillaume@bigbluetech.net

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Dean Jenkins

Technical Internship Coordinator

Dean is responsible for the ongoing training and development of our Technical Dive Master Program. Those completing their tech dive master program will work closely with dean for all aspects from physics to water skills.

Dean overseas your entire development and insures that all student needs are addressed including accommodation and equipment.

Contact: dean@bigbluetech.net

Today Big Blue Tech completed a TDI Decompression Procedures course for Andy Holdaway, Panos Iosifoglou, and Steve Jeffs under the instruction of James Thornton-Allan. Additionally the course was joined by Nathaniel Weiss who is perfecting his skills under supervision of Technical Divemaster Christos Kardana

The TDI Decompression Procedures course, which was combined with TDI Advanced Nitrox, covers a variety of unqiue skills and training to allow the diver to complete decompression dives up to 45m using a variety of oxygen based gas mixes.

The course began with advanced buoyancy skills, equipment orientation, gas planning, task loading and handling advanced mixes of nitrox.

Today the students completed 2 accelerated decompression dives at Chumphon Pinnacle dive site in Koh Tao Thailand. The goal of all dives was to not touch the ground at any point or make contact with any object using their newly honed buoyancy skills. It was also essential to deploy a lift bag on every dive, the lift bag and reel can often lead to problems with loosing depth control or entanglement.

The students final dive exposed them to a 24 minute stop at 4.5m. Although they had already cleared their schedule according to their Suunto Vytec DS gas switching computer (provided as standard on all courses) it was essential for the students to build up tolerance to hanging in water in a controlled manner.

Tomorrow begins the start of the TDI Extended Range course which will begin with advanced oxygen handling, simulated in-water recompression procedures (full face mask), decompression buddy breathing and a variety of unique skills found only in the TDI syllabus. The TDI Extended Range course will then hit the road for Khao Sok where the students will complete their TDI Cavern Course and finish the deep dives on the sunken village in the middle of the national park. This option for training is only open to the most comfortable technical student due to it’s remote and challenging environment.

All images copyright Christos Kardana - Big Blue Tech

The Big Blue Tech family became a little bit bigger with the arrival of Andy Holdaway to start his technical dive master internship which will take him from a rescue diver to a member of staff as an instructor in a few months time.

Andy joins us from England where he has spent the past few years as a Royal Marines Commando and served with our director James Thornton-Allan over 4 years ago. Andy has been to Koh Tao before but this time he’s staying.

Being as Andy already has a relationship with the staff means there’s been quite a few late nights and shakey mornings. However the celebration of his arrival is over and now it’s time to get to work. Andy will be enrolling in the following courses.

PADI Divemaster Internship
TDI Technical Divemaster
TDI Advanced Gas Blender
TDI Service Technician
TDI Advanced Nitrox
TDI Decompression Procedures
TDI Extended Range
PADI Open Water Instructor
PADI Specialty Instructor - Deep and Nitrox
BSAC Compressor Operator

Once that’s done Andy will be joining us to take over the responsibility for all our specialty course training and freelancing for recreational diving while he builds up experience to take on the ominous role of TDI technical instructor.