SSI XR Technical Wreck Diver
SSI XR Technical Wreck Diver at a glance
- SSI XR Technical Wreck at a glance:
- Prerequisites
- Min Age 18
- Proof of 75 logged dives
- Recreational Wreck Diver
In addition to TDI standards, Big Blue Tech requires divers to have Sidemount or Twinset training and be a certified Decompression Diver.
- 4-5 Days - Confined session and 6 Dives
- Cert Level: Dark Zone Wreck
- All course equipment, gases and dives included
The dark zone, it’s the next step for divers already trained in light zone penetration and the SSI XR Technical Wreck Diver course is going to take you further than you’ve been before and push you harder as well. The excitement of exploring areas of the wreck that last saw light when the ship was on the surface is undeniable whilst this needs to be tempered with caution because the consequences of mistakes are also elevated, so accordingly the training is elevated as well.
What would you do if you lost the line or a team member in the Dark zone? How much gas would you need? and how long would you have? Join us on this great Technical Wreck Diving course and find out.
SSI XR Technical Wreck Diver gallery
Itinerary
Your SSI XR Technical Wreck course starts with meeting your Big Blue Tech Instructor, grabbing a coffee from our beachside restaurant and settling in for the morning, initially we complete paperwork and commence Instructor lead academics which will be conducted every morning. Topics covered include, Hazards of wreck diving, procedures, line laying, contingency planning and equipment requirements
Following a lunch break we head out on our boat for shallow confined water skills dives. In these dives we will practise line laying, emergency procedures, out of air and blind exits as well as working on buoyancy and finning techniques.
With coffee in hand and enjoying the gentle sea breeze your instructor will continue academics and make any equipment adjustments required from the previous day. Land drills will also be conducted including primary line laying, gas analysis if deco diving and practical dive planning.
After lunch it is off to our wreck the HTMS Sattukut a World War 2 veteran troop carrier where are first 2 penetration dives will be conducted. After laying the primary line air share and blind exits will be practised (Dives 1 and 2)
Back to land and with a cold drink in hand a debrief of the afternoons activities will be conducted.
Today’s morning activities will continue academics with the focus on completing the final exam. Land drills will also be conducted, including lost line drills and lost diver drills
After lunch it is out on the boat for dives 3 and 4 again at the HTMS Sattukut. Following on from the skills conducted the previous day we will also practise lost diver and lost line drills.
As always back on land sunsets are admired whilst your debrief is conducted.
By now our academics should be completed and we will plan our final dives along with contingency planning. Land drills will also be repeated as required.
In the afternoon it is back to the HTMS Sattukut for dives 5 and 6. This time our skills will include air sharing and blind exits through restrictions, experiencing silt out and other emergency scenarios.
Back on land after a debrief from your instructor you can reflect on your SSI XR Technical Wreck course and after successful completion have a celebratory beverage while watching the sunset.
This is a flexible day that can be utilised as required e.g. as an additional training day or to gain further experience.
FAQs
What can I expect to learn about?
This is an intensive course and students arrive at different stages of their dive career so our instructors tailor each course, below are some of the main topics we cover.
- Use of advanced wreck diving equipment
- Wreck penetration procedures
- Equipment selection
- Guideline use, deployment, following, retrieval
- Team awareness and communication
- Emergency procedures for equipment failures
- Catastrophic gas loss,
- Omitted decompression
- Entrapment/entanglement
- injured/unconscious diver
- Silt Out
- Injured/unconscious diver.
Will I be able to dive this certification with Big Blue Tech after the course?
Absolutely, We encourage all of our newly certified students to get back in the water and enjoy their new certifications. With a healthy number of Technical divers on the staff and a dedicated Tech boat, we offer unequaled Tech fun diving opportunities here on Koh Tao.
What's included (or not) in the course?
Included
All materials and certification costs on successful completion
Sidemount or Twinset (Regs, Harness & Tanks)
Fins (Students are required to have boots if they wish to use our open heeled tech fins)
Exposure suit
- Back up mask / light / bottom timer / cutting device
SMB and primary line
Pri,mary penetration reel and safety reel
Not Included – Divers taking a course at this level should have some of their own primary equipment (any of which can be purchased on arrival):
Primary Mask
Primary Dive computer
Wrist slate
Boots (If you wish to use our open heeled tech fins)
Compass
Primary cutting device
Primary Light
Cookies and directional arrows
Can I see the SSI XR Standards for this course?
SSI Standards
OK, let's do this... How do I book?
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