Extended Range courses via SSI

[Marie13]

I’m partway through AN/DP/Helitrox (will finish next year - unavoidable scheduling issues). I used 20/20 for all class dives. I get narced BAD starting about 110ft. The first dives I did were to about 115ft or so. 20/20 gave me an END of 85-80f. OMG. Fabulous. Clear head. Worth every penny of the $4.60/cft ($90 per LP85 filled to 3000). I was diving 40F water. I recommend everyone do recreational Trimix/Helitrox with their deco class.

 

[Kaneda13]

I definitely don't plan solo tec diving, I honestly don't see an instance where I would even solo rec dive, I am looking at that course strictly for the skills learned in it, not for the "ability" to dive solo. Having only been exposed to that rec diving side thus far, I don't have a network to pull upon to tec dive with, once I get to that point (a ways off), but for the same reason I want to get used to what will be my tec diving gear, I want to look forward to try and build my roadmap.

 

[Marie13]

Even being able to solo at my local quarry while working on skills on a platform has been invaluable to me.

Where do you want to dive? The Great Lakes? There are a lot of people in MI and OH. I’m in IL, so while I’ve got buddies in MI and OH, I often go over the border to WI as it’s simply closer. My tech/cave instructor is in WI, so I’ve met a lot of folks up there. Start building your network NOW. If you’re not on FB, hold your nose and embrace the suck. The Great Lakes Wrecking Crew FB group is a place to start. You will likely get introduced to other through your instructor/dive shop and go from there. You have to put in the effort to build up a network of buddies. I know others who simply will not put in the effort and then they say they hardly dive.

 

[Kaneda13]

My new harness and backplate came in today. VERY happy with it (got some good looks wearing it around in the shop for a few minutes. I got the inevitable joke that "it's made for Americans", as I'm able to wrap the waste belt around me almost twice. I'm going to play around with it tonight some, and then I'll head over to my LDS and look at getting my wing picked out, and my tank mount. From there I'll need to hold on on anything else until I'm ready to switch over to a long hose primary, and get my octo setup for neck mounting.

 

[Kaneda13]

Even being able to solo at my local quarry while working on skills on a platform has been invaluable to me.

That's TOTALLY valid, I guess I could see working on some skills while solo in a quarry. I still look at that as a semi-open water dive. My local quarry bottoms out at 27 feet. There are certainly skills to be learned/perfected in that environment.

 

[ginti]

Point 1: ... While I plan on working up to my independent diver, I don't plan on actual solo diving (much, if at all). I look at it as a training step to get me a safe, reliable and confident in myself as possible.

There is a massive difference between self-reliant and solo-diving, and the best way to become self-reliant isn't necessarily to go for solo training. However, this is something you may want to clarify now.

Point 4: I have extreme confidence in my LDS...

The point here is another one. Where does this confidence come from? If you have experience with A LOT of other (possibly tech) instructors and if you have experience with A LOT of (possibly tech) divers who did NOT train with your LDS, maybe you have some terms to compare the LDS with something else, and to evaluate it. But if this isn't the case, how can you say whether your LDS is good or not? If you have these terms of comparison, that's perfect!