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.
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.
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.
Advanced nitrox divers graduate with bull sharks in Thailand
Koh Tao, Thailand - Big Blue Tech celebrates the graduation of Yvonne Fries, Helen Artal, Thomas Hallstrom and Duncan Tyler from a TDI Advanced Nitrox course conducted by TDI Instructor James Thornton-Allan and assisted by Andrew Cavell and Ash Dunn over various dive sites on Koh Tao Island in Thailand.
The TDI Advanced Nitrox course is designed to orientate the student about rich or high mixes of oxygen and their advantages while wearing technical diving gear. The use of low mixes to advance deep diving and the use of high mixes to add extra conservatism to optional stops during the dive.
The students learned about carrying a decompression cylinder, oxygen handling and analysis and vairous other skills. The final dives were conducted using nitrox to allow the diver to flow through a no-decompression schedule switching to different mixes of nitrox the shallower the dive went. This course certifies the diver to delve to 40m using up to 100% oxygen depending on the depth and if the situation is warranted.
The final dive was also held at Chmphon Pinnacle where we were met by Bull Sharks that live at that dive site creating an exciting atmosphere for learning and diving.
The students were issued certification after and exam and progress on to their TDI Decompression Procedures course tomorrow with a return to Chumphon Pinnacle for some more dive time with the sharks. You can read more about the Advanced Nitrox course here: TDI Advanced Nitrox Diver Course
Experienced dives graduate from the TDI Intro to Tech course in Thailand
Koh Tao, Thailand - Big Blue Tech celebrates the graduation of Yvonne Fries, Helen Artal, Thomas Hallstrom and Duncan Tyler from a TDI Intro to Tech course conducted by TDI Instructor James Thornton-Allan and assisted by Andrew Cavell and Ash Dunn over various dive sites on Koh Tao Island in Thailand.
The TDI Intro to Tech course is designed to introduce the foundation control skills of buoyancy and trim which will be built on during the rest of their training on the way up to TDI Extended Range which is the fourth level in the technical diver curriculum. The skills train a dive to maintain perfect control in a set of technical diving gear while keeping a constant horizontal body position in the water without the use of hands. The skills learned include unique skills like fining backwards and neutral buoyancy skills like no mask swim, regulator exchange, air sharing, long hose use etc.
While this course is not a prerequisite to become a technical diver we feel the skills learned are essential. One of the early goals in our training is to avoid contact with anything other then the equipment you carry once you enter the water. In Koh Tao there are a lot of buoy lines or permanent lines which may be tempting to hold on to during simulated stops but prevents the diver from focusing on controlling themselves in the water. In instances where the down line may not be available it’s essential a future technical diver be intimate with their diving equipment and how to use that equipment effectively.
The students were also exposed to air consumption calculations, basic dive planning without the use of a computer that tracks no decompression limits which is based on the philosophy of “Plan the dive, Dive the plan” which has fallen by the side recently with the advent of gas switching computers. Although the students will be provided with a gas switching computer later on it’s this course which teaches them how to rely and trust a dive plan which might be their back-up decompression information in the future.
In the end the students conducted 4 dives and received their certification after a final exam. The divers will progress on to their Advanced Nitrox course tomorrow. More information regarding the intro to tech course can be found here: TDI Intro to Tech Diver Course
Divers train for a expedition for the month of February over valentines day.
Koh Tao, Thailand - Big Blue Tech started the orientation and introduction for 4 new students who will be working over the next few weeks to be trained as technical divers to depart koh tao on a technical diving liveaboard and cave diving in the Similan Islands and Khao Sok National Park.
The students consist of Duncan Tyler, Yvonne Fries, Helen Artal and Thomas Hallstrom who are all diving professionals. The course is being conducted by technical diving instructor James Thornton-Allan and assisted by future technical diving instructor Andy Cavell and Ash Dunn.
The goal of the next week is to certify the students for TDI Intro to Tech, TDI Advanced Nitrox, TDI Decompression Procedures and TDI Extended Range followed by TDI Cavern Diver and TDI Trimix.
While the majority of the training dives will be conducted in Koh Tao the team departs early in february to the west coast of thailand to board our liveaboard the Mv Pawara for 4 days and nights on the luxury vessel diving in Similan Islands we a few days in the end for some wreck diving and cave diving which builds from last months successful “Golden Horseshoe Expedition”
Today covered equipment organizing for all 7 technical divers and a refresher of theory with the introduction of technical diving specific information, the students were also tested on their water stamina with swim tests designed to ensure they have the basic fitness for the stress of this style of diving.
Our next expedition is planned for the end of February, to join or to receive more information you can contact us at info@bigbluetech.net
Big Blue Tech have released a short video of our most recent technical diving course filmed by James Waller on Chumphon Pinnacle with Bull Sharks.
The video shows the graduation of the TDI Decompression Procedures course which was completed in December 2009. That story can be found here: “All I want for Chriistmas is TECH” During this course, underwater videographer James Waller joined us during his holiday break from working and filming in Wakatobi.
The video, filmed in High Definition (HD) shows the abundance of the marine life at Chumphon pinnacle with schools of barracuda’s and different types and sizes of sharks. James Waller being an experienced videographer and a SDI Solo Diver was able to leave the disturbance of other divers to focus on the film work on his own with a redundant breathing system or “pony”.
This is the first in a series of videos which will show more technical diving and sharks as the footage is gathered.
This morning Big Blue Tech, a technical scuba diving school, started a TDI Advanced Nitrox course on Koh Tao, Thailand. This course runs over 2 days and exposes divers to the use of nitrox to 40m and up to pure oxygen. Today the course was attended by Andy Cavell and Mark Slinn along with Ash Dunn and Emily Billingham.
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 requirement, Dive planning, Oxygen tracking, Blending methods.
You will use the TDI Advanced Nitrox Diving manual for your course, which explains in an easy to understand practical manner the complex information that Advanced Nitrox divers need to know.
The course began this morning with a dive to Chumphon Pinnacle, one of Koh Tao’s deep and best dive sites. Since the divers had experience in technical diving gear we were able to begin the dives deeper than normally. Emily had joined us to test out new equipment before joining the January expedition.
The divers had various skills to perform but we distracted by the appearence of over 20 sharks and a minke whale. Only the technical divers saw the minke whale underwater but everyone saw it on the surface as the whale cressed to show all everyone he was there.
After the two dives Andy said ” That was cracking like ” , “I’m well chuffed me”; for those that don’t speak northern english he said “What a wonderful dive i just had, i am very happy with the experience”.
The divers had drifted a considerable distance on their lift bags which attracted the large mamall who swap within touching disance of the divers. On the second dive of the morning the divers were again distracted by the swarms of bull sharks who were feeding on the abundant schools of fish. These sharks have never been interested in dives (knock on wood) and just circle around keeping a safe distance from the divers whom teh sharks are afraid of.
The divers performed really well despite all the action, unfortunately not all the same experiences can be shared by all. This week alone we have seen solo diving with shale sharks, simulated decompression with a whale and gas switching with sharks.
The course still requires an additional 2 dives which will be completed the following day.
Just a reminder, we accept new courses starting in February but spaces are filling quickly leading up till May.
Big Blue Tech completed a TDI Intro to Tech course today for Andy Cavell and Mark Slinn who began the first level in water skill development for their technical diver internship.
The TDI Intro to Tech course is the perfect course for divers who have heard about technical diving and want to find out more about this exciting branch of advanced recreational diving. This course walks students through the special techniques, planning procedures and skills that set technical diving apart from traditional sport diving. It will show them how to improve their dive planning methods, in-water skills and streamline their existing gear configuration, in a non-threatening and fun learning environment. The specific skills this course will highlight are: Advanced Buoyancy Control, Gas Management, Situational Awareness, Trim, Gear Configuration and Selection and Many More!
TDI’s Intro to Tech course is a useful stand-alone course for the diver who wants to become a more skilled, more proficient diver regardless of if he intends to move on to technical diving. The course may also be used as an introduction to the TDI Advanced Nitrox course and the TDI Decompression Procedures course. And finally, it is also a good refresher for certified technical divers who may want to refresh their skills or have them re-evaluated by a TDI technical instructor.
Although the students did not need this course to start their official technical diving series it was offered to them to have 4 additional training dives to enhance their overall skills and start with a solid foundation of buoyancy and trim before moving deeper through different challenges in the future.
The course was also completed with the assistance of Ash Dunn who is working towards his technical divemaster certification which requires assisting a variety of technical diving courses.
The students progress on to the TDI Advanced Nitros and TDI Decompression procedures this week along with TDI Gas Blender and TDI Advanced Gas Blender with the use of helium for trimix.
Today Mark Slinn (intern) and Andy Cavell (intern) completed their TDI O2 Service Technician Course. This would be the most recent service and technician related course after completing their TDI Visual Inspections course last week.
The o2 Service Technician builds on servicing regulators and cylinders but to a “oxygen clean” level. The students began by stripping and cleaning an Scubapro Mk2 1st stage and R295 Second stage and cleaning it removing any source of hydrocarbons. After a full clean and inspection the regulators we re assembled and tested. After full assembly the regulators were marked and recorded to be used in future training when breathing oxygen underwater. You can read more about this unique course here.
As the internship progresses the interns will be required to attain the SDI Divemaster certification and later the TDI Technical Divemaster certification. Since they are already PADI Divemasters all they had to do was cross over their skills and fill the gaps in the training.
One of these gaps is the most unpleasant swim tests and “surface recovery” or “ditch and don” exercise. The swim test are similar to other organizations with slight differences and the ditch and don exercise is rarely in a divemaster program in any official capacity (although many introduce it). At lunch we hit the water to cover these skills and stamina tests. The ditch and don is described as sinking your scuba gear, freediving down to it and assembling it underwater in about 3m. There are more steps to it but that’s the general description.
All of them did really well except Mark. Mark is a former soldier from the Parachute Regiment and is considered rather tough, however a cold got in his way and he couldn’t get down. He spent the remainder of the day blowing his nose and generally moaning on the surface with the instructor. He’ll get another chance in a few days.
In the afternoon the students cleaned their lean decompression mix cylinder while Ash cleaned twin set in preparation for our epic diving adventure in January. Once the practical work was finished the students sat a written exam and put all the tools away to prepare for the TDI Compressor Operator Course (distinctive) tomorrow.
Christos Kardana, former tech crew member of Big Blue Tech has put his photo’s online on Flickr for everyone to see.
The majority of his work was composed during diving trips with us to Khao Sok and other diving destinations we ventured over the past 6 months.
On his website he describes his method by saying:
“Utilising multiple cylinders and mixed gas blends, technical diving allows you to dive beyond the standard recreational range. Characterised by extensive equipment requirements, added redundancy and decompression procedures; technical diving allows for exploration of deep water environments, wrecks and caverns.”
Today is the official start for the technical diving internship for Andy and Mark. Andy returns a year after completing his dive master course with Big Blue and later becoming a PADI instructor in the Uk. Marl completed his solo diver certification earlier in the year and has decided to just in the deep end head first to become a technical diving instructor.
The 3 month intensive internship includes everything needed to be a technical diving instructor in today’s diving climate. The following certifications will be EARNED in the coming months.
* Gas Blender
* Compressor Operator
* Visual Inspections Procedures
* Equipment Service Technician
* O2 service technician
* Full Face Mask Diver
* DAN Oxygen Provider
* Advanced Nitrox Diver
* Cavern Diver
* Unlimited diving
* Decompression Procedures Diver
* Advanced Gas Blender
* SCR Rebreather Diver
* Solo Diver
* Research Diver
* All Khao Sok Trips
* All Similans Islands Liveaboards
* Extended Range and Trimix Diver
* TDI Technical Divemaster Rating
* BSAC Extended Range, compressor operator and oxygen provider Instructor
* Aqualung Service Technician Instructor
Today started with basic gas laws, dive planning and a review of nitrox and diving terms. In the afternoon the interns started their visual inspection course by servicing their own twin set and cylinders. These twin sets along with diving gear would be their own to use for the duration of the 3 months so it was essential they learned not only how to use them but also the process to troubleshoot and service them. Even Ash joined in for a bit of a theory refresher.
Tomorrow the interns move into advanced nitrox planning along with more visual inspections before the weekend.
Our internships happen every 3 months, the next available space is march 15th.
A typical Self-Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus, or scuba gear for short, usually consists of a tank containing compressed air and a mouthpiece used to regulate the flow of air from the tank into the lungs. But breathing air in this manner is extremely inefficient, especially while considering the applications of this particular apparatus. This is because the air you breathe out still contains a fair amount of oxygen.
Modern scuba gear use rebreathers to filter out the exhaled carbon dioxide gas and gather the oxygen, to recirculate it until it is consumed. By doing so, the underwater breathing process becomes more efficient, allowing professional divers to remain submerged for a longer time.
Basically, a rebreather has three roles. One is to remove the carbon dioxide gas from the exhaled air. This is done by pumping it through a chamber containing sodium hydroxide, which reacts with the carbon dioxide and forms calcium carbonate. Secondly, the rebreather must complement the amount of consumed oxygen with fresh one from the tank. The oxygen tanks may contain either pure oxygen or oxygen mixed with either nitrogen or helium.
Alternatively, the rebreather must control the oxygen concentration inside the breathing loop after the exhaled oxygen is combined with fresh oxygen, for an optimal oxygen delivery sequence.
Types of rebreathers:
Currently, there are three types of rebreather systems commercially available - oxygen rebreathers, semi-closed circuit and closed circuit ones. The oxygen rebreathers make use of pure oxygen tanks as the only source of breathing gas. They are generally disadvantaged by the facts that they cannot be used in decompression depths and may pose oxygen intoxication risks.
Semi-closed circuit rebreathers on the other hand, carry tanks containing oxygen mixed with another gas - nitrogen, helium - and enable divers to surpass decompression depths without any risk of suffering from oxygen intoxication. Closed-circuit rebreathers are a combination between the two, using both pure oxygen and oxygen mixed with various gases.
Besides being highly efficient in making use of the gas carried by a diver, rebreathers are also lighter than any other conventional scuba gear. The normal concentration of oxygen inside the atmospheric air is about 21 percent, while that of nitrogen is 78 percent. Since nitrogen is not as critical as oxygen, almost three quarters of the gas carried in conventional scuba tanks is dead weight. Also, less nitrogen is circulated through the system with the help of rebreathers, thus the effects of decompression are reduced to minimum.
Because they recycle oxygen and carbon dioxide is filtered through sodium hydroxide, very little or no gas is ever pumped into the water to produce the characteristic bubbles.
Introduction: The objective of this course is to train divers in the benefits, hazards and proper procedures of utilizing custom oxygen / helium / nitrogen mixtures as breathing gases with less than 18% Oxygen, and utilize Nitrox mixtures and Oxygen for decompression to a maximum depth of 100 msw This course is for students looking at diving deeper reducing the effect of nitrogen narcosis and handling Oxygen Toxicity. This course is the highest diver rating achievable via the TDI course routes, it is extreme diving so therefore requires extreme levels of tuition. Students will master advanced planning techniques and open water skills required for this type of diving.
Student Prerequisites:
• Minimum age of 18
• Minimum certification as an Extended Range Diver or Trimix Diver (or equivalent)
• Minimum of 100 logged dives
Duration:
This course is run over five days and consists of one day of theory and four days boat diving. However, students who have already completed the Extended Range course may be credited two dives towards this course at the discretion of the instructor.
Price: From 30,000 THB (Seasonal Destinations Vary, Contact Us for Current Prices)
Course Enrollment Details: Enrollment in a technical course guarantees you excellent and complete training. However, it does not guarantee you a certification card. You must earn that. All of our training is performance based.
Introduction: The objective of this course is to train divers in the benefits, hazards and proper procedures of utilizing custom oxygen / helium / nitrogen mixtures as breathing gases with no less than 18% Oxygen, and utilize Nitrox mixtures and Oxygen for decompression to a maximum depth of 60 msw (200 fsw). This course is for students looking at diving deeper reducing the effect of nitrogen narcosis and handling Oxygen Toxicity. This course has fast become the course of choice over the TDI Extended Range course.
The Student Must:
• Minimum age of 18
• Minimum certification as a TDI Advanced Nitrox Diver and Decompression Procedures Diver (or equivalent)
• Minimum of 100 logged dives
Duration:
This course is run over four days and consists of one day of theory and three days boat diving. However, students who have already completed the Extended Range course may be credited two dives towards this course.
Price: From 30,000 THB (Seasonal Destinations Vary, Contact Us for Current Prices)
Course Enrollment Details: Enrollment in a technical course guarantees you excellent and complete training. However, it does not guarantee you a certification card. You must earn that. All of our training is performance based.
