Diving instructor takes the leap into technical diving

Koh Tao, Thailand

Big Blue Tech celebrates the graduation of Eric Vinik from his TDI Intro To Tech Course conducted over 2 days with 4 dives off the coast of Thailand on an island called Koh Tao taught by TDI Technical instructor Ash Dunn. Eric is a professional diving instructor who lives in Koh Samui which is a neighboring island and traveled to Koh Tao for this course.

TDI’s intro to tech course is designed to prepare divers for diving a double tank/cylinder configuration using proper equipment and techniques. In this class, students will be trained in the use of double tanks/cylinders and in the potential failure problems associated with them. The course includes a minimum of 6 hours of academics & land drills and a minimum of four in-water sessions.

Advice was given on kit set up and choices, and focuses on increasing proficiency with double tank configuration, through proper control of the buoyancy, trim, propulsion, teamwork and other TDI principles. Buoyancy, trim and ascent practice together with problem management and gas planning adds up to a worthwhile investment in training to use the new equipment.

Congratulations Eric and we look forward to seeing you again for future training!

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.