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.

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

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!

Big Blue Tech completed a TDI Advanced Nitrox Course yesterday with the combined afternoon of skills which embodied both TDI Decompression Procedures and TDI Advanced Nitrox.

With the flexible curriculum offered by TDI it was possible for the training team to introduce interesting and valid skills which are appropriate for the diving ahead.

The students on the course were Mark Slinn, Andy Cavell and Ash Dunn who are all working towards a future as a technical diving instructor.

One of the signature skill introduced involves using a 3m marked line on the sea bed and having the divers wearing full technical diving gear start at the 1m mark and start fining, during fining the diver must remove one decompression cylinder without loosing control, upon reaching the end of the line the diver stops and begins backwards kicking, collecting his decompression cylinder while kicking backwards and returning to the start where the diver turns 180 degrees and moves away. The goal is to not use your hands and focus on perfect trim and balance while performing these skills.

Backwards finning can be quite difficult initially, to help this process we provide Jet Fins to our students as part of the equipment they will be using during the course to enhance the ease of learning. Here is a video to help illustrate the skill:

Additional to these skills was task loading with 8 cylinders removing and replacing each one while maintaining buoyancy. The training team felt the students really excelled and didn’t see them disturb the bottom, without being told to, during both 50 minute dives.

This would be the last dive until the after christmas as the students progress on to their Gas Blender and BSAC Instructor course.

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.

Big Blue Tech opens it’s doors today to start the new season after closing during the annual monsoon that hit’s the east side of Koh Tao, however the monsoon never happened. Despite diving destinations on the east coast of Thailand like Pattaya being effected by consistent rain and flash flooding; koh tao was sunny and dry.

The many wise locals of koh tao who have been on the island before beer swear that monsoon is coming and that we shouldn’t be opening just yet. So against better judgment we opened the doors of Big Blue Tech and welcomed all the new activity.

One of the more regretful events is the departure of Christos Kardana who’s leaving Thailand to go to England to delve into the plentiful job market there. Regardless we hope he’ll find nothing but misery and come back in the new year.

Today isn’t without celebration as it’s also the first day for Ash Dunn who has been training to become the new Facilities Manager for this past month and walked right into work this morning ready to get to go.

Today is also the first day for our new technical diving interns who have a very long list of courses and goals to complete over the next 3 months on their way up to becoming a technical diving instructor. You can read more about them tomorrow.

EDGE is pleased to announce an industry first:  Manufacturer support for Technical Divers using EDGE’s Highly Optimized Gear (HOG) branded Technical Diving regulators.

While other organizations strive to increase instructors selling techniques, TDI moves to educate their instructors with real skills or the professional diving environment.

In conjunction with TDI (Technical Divers International), EDGE Dive Gear is offering certified technical divers (from any agency) the opportunity to attend HOG Regulator Repair Clinics, to buy parts and get service support from their local EDGE and HOG Dealer.

Chris Richardson of EDGE, a Technical Diving Instructor since 1995, explained the decision by saying: “Technical divers trust in their skills and ability; and the performance of their equipment in extremely  demanding conditions. Yet many technical divers choose to service and maintain their own equipment. They buy parts through the grey market and teach themselves service techniques with a book bought online and internet forums.”

Richardson says that in today’s market, technical divers who want to maintain and repair their own equipment should be given the training and tools to do so, “in full understanding of the added responsibility this puts on their shoulders.”

He added that in his experience, a “significant number” of technical divers are not fully connected with their local dive store and this program is one way to reverse things. “The HOG Regulator Repair Clinics are aimed at pulling technical divers back into dive stores, and the purchase of the course can provide a strong incentive for the tech diver to reinvest in the store brand.”

Steve Lewis, Director Marketing and Corporate Communications for TDI, and an experienced instructor-trainer for TDI programs adds: “EDGE is certainly breaking with tradition. But in the real world, we have to face up to the solid fact that many tech divers are a special market segment and DO work on their own gear without training. What Richardson and EDGE propose is simply a program that will help our members maintain some control over the situation and turn a growing gray market into a profit center.”

The course will be available from EDGE Dealers starting in November 2009. Instructors can be searched for at www.edge-gear.com or www.tdisdi.com

At DEMA show 2009, on Saturday, November 7, from 9 until 11 am at the Clarion Inn & Suites, EDGE and TDI will hold the first Instructor course. To become an instructor for the HOG Regulator clinic you must:

* Have attended six manufacturer’s clinics over last 5 years from any life support maufacturer
* Be a TDI, SDI or ERDI instructor in good standing (Crossovers available at DEMA)
* Have been employed at least six months full time as a scuba repair technician during the past five years

For more details, contact Chris Richardson at edgediving@gmail.com or Cris Merz at TDI (cris.merz@tdisdi.com). Course fees for this special workshop are $125 including registration, card and wall diploma.

Today Big Blue Tech says goodbye to Andy “Candy” Holdaway who is heading back to the United Kingdom after completing his technical diving internship.

Andy is good friends with James Thornton-Allan (Director of Technical Diving) from their time together in the Royal Marine Commandos and started his internship on July 16th commemorating his 3rd trip to Koh Tao over the past few years.

Andy’s presence was felt immediately as a friendly and outgoing person and quickly was accepted both professionally and socially.

Andy’s initial goal was to complete his PADI Divemaster course but quickly found himself in love with deep as he cruised through his technical training. His training was completed when he was awarded the TDI Technical Divemaster certification.

Andy plans to return in December to tackle his technical diving instructor course and start working for Big Blue Tech. Although we’ll miss Andy, we’re sure he’ll soon find himself looking for the first flight back once he get’s to sunny old england in november.

Below is a collection of pictures from andy’s time here.

PADI have released a statement inviting qualified Cave Diving Instructors from other agencies to write and submit distinctive specialty outlines for PADI. Many in the industry believe this is a move to have experienced cave instructors provide outlines and information to support the move for the technical diving branch of PADI called DSAT to introduce a program without the nessesity of being responsible for the outcome.

In an official release PADI says:

“You can now teach cave diving under the TecRec umbrella through the TecRec Distinctive Specialties process. If you’re a qualified cave diving instructor, you may submit a cave diver course outline for consideration and approval by your PADI Office. Contact a DSAT TDD Technical Consultant for more information about qualifications and the minimum requirements for TecRec Cave Diver Distinctive Specialties.”

In true technical diver tenacity, comments from technical diving forums have been quite sceptical. In one instance “DecoBob” said:

“Why would i write a course outline, risk having my work amalgamated into their structure and pay for it when i already issue a well respected and recognized cave diving certification”

In response PADI has claimed that the benefit come from the respect of the entire brand and marketing support behind the program. In addition to this move in the vast restructuring of the DSAT Tec Rec system has been the invitation to cross over technical instructors for free (pre-requisites apply) and generally change the entire course structure to more resemble their closest competitor TDI (technical diving international)

For more information, you can find the read the DSAT Tec Rec Blog