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.

Technical divers travel north to dive with Manta Rays

Phi Phi, Thailand – Big Blue Tech departed from Phi Phi Island today to head back up to Khao Lak after it was decided that the island held no more interest for the team of technical divers.

Yesterday we dived in Maya Cave which was reported as a great cave worth a visit which we felt posed very little challenge and did give us a rush of adrenaline like other caves we have dived in during this expeditions.

Last night the team spoke with other divers on Phi Phi about the caves, the recreational divers who have never had any formal training in overhead referred to the other caves as “swim through”. This new information put doubt into our minds about the value of staying any longer in exchange for diving somewhere else. The decision was made to not go diving today and instead packed up and left the island.

Technical diving on this island as part of an expedition is very difficult to the point of frustration. We had major problems simply getting from one point of the island to the other with our gear let alone arranging boats and air fills. However it’s very unusual for a divers to travel through the country like this with their own equipment so it was not a surprise that we would encounter some problems.

While Phi Phi was great for a party and all normal holiday making and relaxing it’s a lot like Koh Tao in many ways but nowhere near as developed and established which could be a result of the Tsunami which wiped out Phi Phi island 5 years ago, an event which is remembered in subtle and respectful ways throughout the island.

Anyone wishing to visit Phi Phi should contact Susan at +66 0892894789 who arranged all the transport, accommodation and bookings really well over the phone and was essential to the modest success we got.

This evening the tech crew arrived back in Khao Lak where we would take out our speedboat for a couple days diving on the Similan Islands to look for Manta Rays. This is also the end of the road for Emily who returns to Koh Tao to get back to work teaching scuba diving at Big Blue.

Technical divers explore sea caves on Phi Phi Island

Phi Phi, Thailand - Big Blue Tech arrived in Phi Phi this morning to begin 2 days of sea cave diving in an attempt to clearly identify the caves in this area as potential for future expeditions.

Phi Phi island is best know for the location of “The Beach” movie starring that guy from Titanic. The story is actually based on Ang Thong Marine Park but they used Maya Bay to create the set for the beach.

Arriving on Phi Phi island we were surprised by how rural the environment is with no motorcycles or trucks to help transport equipment which meant the annoying task of humping all our gear along the pier to the small carts which would take us through the winding streets to Princess Divers who would host us for the next few days.

Once we were finally checked in to our hotels, sweating, irritated and hungry we had a small bite to eat and then set off on a long tail to Maya Cave which was reported as a stunning cave that goes in over 100m.

We found the cave quite easily with little reference and conducted one dive inside and it is not a cave it’s a cavern. It’s very hard to get into an area where you cannot see natural light. The size and design of the cave is also so vast that there’s really very little risk to call it a cave. However, you could get into a point where it’s linear depth is beyond 40m so in that respect it is a cave.

The large entrance leads to a huge cavern that is split in the middle by a pillar several metres across. The left side has a low ceiling 2-3m from the floor and has many interesting rock formations and stalactites, passing these the floor is littered with pieces of broken stalactites.

The right side past the split is more spacious with several metres from floor to ceiling but also with impressive stalactites. 100m from the entrance the two sides meet again at the back wall between huge stalactites.

There are more “caves” to check out but with the epic logistics and the utter emotional process to get to the dive site we just wanted to go back to our hotel and have a cold beer. Andy Cavell was more than happy to hear that as he was forming a speech impediment where every third word in his sentences was either “pub” or “pint”

Tomorrow’s plan would be 2 more dives at different dive sites reported to be good caves, hopefully we’ll find something to warrant the effort to get here.

Technical Divers Explore Asia’s Deepest Cave

Krabi, Thailand - Today Big Blue Tech conducted 2 dives inside the deepest cave in Asia called Sra Keow cave in the province of Krabi in Thailand. This cave is famous for recent penetrations to depths of 240m and continued expeditions are planned for further exploration.

Our goals were simply to check out the cave and see what they’re like. The surroundings are stunning and this would be a good chance to see some alternative diving and explore a system that has received a lot of attention in the past. Keeping with air depth limits we would only enter to maximum of 60m at which point narcosis and partial pressure of oxygen inspired would be too much of a risk or concern for overhead diving.

On our first dive we were surprised how the entrance to the cave begins almost immediately on descent. Clearly tied permanent lines were helpful but we ran our own initially until we knew the lines could be trusted. The cave itself is very silty and dirty; it’s basically a mud pit with limestone shapes. Every single move had to be calculated as the visibility was easily disturbed. Inside the cave itself it’s quite easy to navigate around as it’s a very large system with enough room for 2 dives to enter and exit easily. Additionally the installation of arrows are placed well except for the nasty line trap on ascent which can’t be avoided.

After the first dive we headed to see Dave at OneStop Dive centre for air and nitrox fills. While waiting we bought too much technical diving gear from him and generally took over his store kicking the tires for a few hours.

Our second dive of the day was was completed to a maximum depth of 60m staggered with surface support and then we went for a walk through one of the surface caves in the area.

In general we thought the cave was perfect for people who like dark, dirty, silty, smelly holes in the ground (like us) but not so great for people who like pretty open caves.It was also very cold which was quite shocking in our 3mm wetsuits.

The cave is also technically difficult with the aspects of narcosis, decompression and a whole host of hazards and it’s not reccomended for novice divers.

The team moves on to Phi Phi tomorrow for some sea caves off the coast before heading back up the west coast for our final leg of our tour.

Special thanks to OneStop and Bruce Konefe for their advice and support.

Divers Alert Network (DAN) is looking for divers and/or expeditions to get involved with in 2010 and to invite participants to take part in this observational, non-interventional field study. DAN will enroll adult volunteers, certified divers or students in the process of dive training and follow them during their regular field activities.

DAN is conducting a technical diving field study that will run through 2010. The purpose of this study is to document dive exposure, conduct ultrasound measurements of circulating venous gas emboli (VGE) and evaluate pre and postdive health status in divers of various experience levels and dive modes. The goal is to study those conducting extreme dives relative to the profiles completed by most recreational divers. Field studies in these areas began with pilot data in 2008 and continued in 2009. The most recent study was conducted at Inner Space at Dive Tech, a field research station for the technical dive study.

Accepted subjects will undergo a battery of anthropometric measurements as well as strength and fitness tests. They will complete a questionnaire regarding their health status and their previous diving experience. Participants will then be free to dive according to their own schedule, but each dive will need to be documented on personal dive computers that meet the standards for Project Dive Exploration. In addition to profile documentation, each participant will undergo postdive, precordial Ultrasound monitoring using standard protocols. For technical dives, the monitoring will start between 10 and 20 minutes after the end of the dive and continue at 20-30 minute intervals until no bubbles are detected. At the end of the day, all participants will fill out a standardized Decompression Health Survey.

DAN is primarily looking for 10-12 divers planning at least six days of diving to depths in the range of 210 ft (70 m) or more. Dives using both OC and CCR are acceptable. The most important thing needed by DAN is space to work either on a boat or on a land-based site, and a willing group of volunteers to participate. The commitment can be quite time consuming. But while this study requires a lot of the volunteer diver, the data collected on bubble formation as well as diver health and fitness is invaluable.

If you are a technical diver leading a technical diving trip or expedition, or if you are a diver involved in an expedition and believe you meet the study requirements, please contact DAN Research to learn more about the Technical Diving Study and its collection protocols. You can email Donna Uguccioni at duguccioni@dan.org This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or call 919-684-2948 ext. 627.

Rich Stevenson, 39, is a professional diver living and working in Plymouth. For 10 years he has owned and run dive-boats and, until recently, a coastal dive centre. His independent company now concentrates on rebreather training, underwater film operations and commercial diving charters on his new 9m RIB Ocean Venture. Involved in technical instruction since 1995, Rich was one of the UK’s first IANTD Cave and Trimix Instructors, and is an IANTD and PSAI Instructor-Trainer

I have been privileged and lucky enough to be involved in some of the most advanced and exciting dive projects in the world. My gear has developed alongside these expeditions, and certain equipment was even designed for specific projects.Everything I use has been tested, from the extremes of flooded French caves to 160m-deep wreck dives way offshore in the Atlantic. I have to put total confidence in my kit and, while I still wonder if that kit is the best it could be for my diving, it’s probably as close as it needs to be.

REBREATHERS
I am fortunate to have access to eight units, but number one choice is the CCRB Sentinel, followed very closely by the AP Diving Evolution Plus.Both are made in the UK, which makes using them that much more satisfying. The APD unit has been involved in more expedition dives than any other unit I know, and in 2001 I took a standard Classic Inspiration on the first-ever dive on RMS Carpathia, which lies in 160m - praise indeed! The Sentinel became the solution I was looking for last March, because having a back-mounted rebreather made handling large numbers of stage cylinders so much easier. The work of breathing
and advanced features makes it a firm favourite with advanced divers. I have been known to use a Megalodon on demanding cave and/or overhead-environment dives. The lack of a CE mark makes it impossible for me to use it commercially, but it’s a formidable unit that is incredibly reliable and well-made.

DRYSUITS
I have used only one type in my career, an Otter Britannic Telescoping Torso suit. I have never been
a fan of neoprene suits. Even the crushed type all seem to suffer from buoyancy loss at depth.
Most students I come across on courses seem to be underweighted on the deco phase, and heavier at depth. The membrane variety from DUI and Otter don’t suffer from this, so I find buoyancy control much easier.
Warmth is not an issue if you layer up correctly, and with the layering system you can make the membrane suit far more flexible in temperature extremes. My Otter has been in 26°C water while decompressing on the Britannic, and 1°C water in Finland. It’s only the undergarments that change.

UNDERGARMENTS
With pants in mind, let’s move on! I mostly use Fourth Element thermals, a combination of standard Zero Therms under a set of thicker Arctics for most UK summer diving and dives up to three hours’ long.
For longer dives, a C-Bear undersuit goes over the Fourth Element gear to keep the heat in. A heated undervest may come out, but it’s got to be really cold for that! I’ve found that the Otter “double hood” system keeps my head incredibly warm, and the water trapped between each hood actually warms up during the dive, like a good-fitting wetsuit. I also use Swedish Navy dry gloves. I have holed these only once in 18 months, testament to their incredible toughness.

BAIL-OUT CYLINDERS & REGULATORS
Ally stage cylinders are the only type that work for me, and I have nearly 20 different ones of between 5.5 and 11 litres. The job dictates what I take, but every cylinder will use a Poseidon Cyklon regulator with 1.2m hose, to make emergency gas-sharing stress-free. Each regulator also has a low-pressure inflator hose, allowing me to inflate lift-bags, counter-lungs, drysuits and even my wing if necessary. There is also a 15cm hp hose with SPG on each reg set.

DIVE COMPUTERS/SOFTWARE
Since 2003 I have used a VR3 with the VPM upgrade in support of a decompression software program called GAP. Most modern rebreathers have in-built software, so the VR3s and more modern VRX from VR Technology are used as back-ups to the onboard information. Modern technology can’t be 100% reliable - though it generally is - so I still take a standard Uwatec depth gauge and underwater wet-notes for back-up deco information.

DIVER PROPULSION VEHICLE
I prefer the Silent Submersion N-37, the ni-mh-powered version of the tried-and-tested UV-26
lead-acid scooter, which is favoured by serious cave-divers worldwide. The N-37 is a compact, reliable unit giving more than 90-minute burntimes, with a proven depth rating of more than 150m - more than good enough for me! It may not be the most technologically advanced scooter, and certainly isn’t the fastest, but it has a deep wreck- and cave-diving track record that other units will never have.

ANCILLARY EQUIPMENT

Salvo and Halcyon HID torches provide primary lighting, while Halycon Scout torches provide back-up. Dive Rite reels have always been my favourites, and I use the free-flowing spools for DSMB deployment.I use the low-pressure hose inflating style DSMB in red for drift decompression, with the same in yellow in case of emergency.

Finally, forward propulsion when not using a DPV is by a pair of 10-year-old Scubapro Jetfins, and the ability to see under water is made much easier by a Scubapro frameless mask, also nearly10 years old.

Sylvia Earle, called “Her Deepness” by the New Yorker and the New York Times, “Living Legend” by the Library of Congress and “Hero for the Planet” by Time, is an oceanographer, explorer, author and lecturer with a deep commitment to research through personal exploration.

Earle’s work has been at the frontier of deep ocean exploration for four decades. Earle has led more than 50 expeditions worldwide involving more than 6,000 hours underwater. As captain of the first all-female team to live underwater, she and her fellow scientists received a ticker-tape parade and White House reception upon their return to the surface. In 1979, Sylvia Earle walked untethered on the sea floor at a lower depth than any other woman before or since. In the 1980s she started the companies Deep Ocean Engineering and Deep Ocean Technologies with engineer Graham Hawkes to design and build undersea vehicles that allow scientists to work at previously inaccessible depths. In the early 1990s, Dr. Earle served as Chief Scientist of the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration. At present she is explorer-in-residence at the National Geographic Society.

Sylvia Earle is a dedicated advocate for the world’s oceans and the creatures that live in them. Her voice speaks with wonder and amazement at the glory of the oceans and with urgency to awaken the public from its ignorance about the role the oceans plays in all of our lives and the importance of maintaining their health.

“We’ve got to somehow stabilize our connection to nature so that in 50 years from now, 500 years, 5,000 years from now there will still be a wild system and respect for what it takes to sustain us.”

Sylvia Earle