I just recently finally took Tech 1 
. Since I learned about GUE on Scubaboard & in this forum, figured I'd post another class report ;-).
* * * * * * * *
Four years and nearly 800 dives since taking GUE Fundies --- curiosity is calling me deeper than my recreational certifications will allow me to dive. Burning questions demand answers: Is tech diving really so mysterious? Will the anxiety at depth really disappear with Trimix or am I just not cut out for deeper diving? Does breathing Trimix make diving deeper feel as comfortable as shallow dives? I have to find out!
I gamble the cost of Tech 1 tuition that Trimix is a miracle gas. So - a couple of dive buddies and I team up as Tech 1 classmates. Our team books the class, and spends the next several months working on skills and diving together.
3-4 years back I asked a well-loved GUE Tech instructor, Gideon Liew if he would someday introduce me to deeper diving. After many years of patience, finally the day arrives.
Gideon greets us at the airport with a hug, a radiant smile and a mischievous twinkle in his eye. His chilled-out personality immediately puts us at ease. We share a condo; a comfortable and relaxing setting for class lectures, dive debriefs and a great way to spend more time together.
Our six day course is split between Tigertail Lake (a man- made lake and scuba training site) and Pompano Beach Florida (Wrecks such as the RSB1, the Guy Harvey, and The Hydro Atlantic). We are spoiled by the exceptional service of our Southern Florida GUE facility and staff: Pompano Dive Center/Odyssey Charters.
Day 1 & 2 - Tigertail Lake, low-vis, green and murky 82F water , lots of unusual objects underwater for dive training: a slice of a plane fuselage suspended mid-water, statues, sunken boats, wooden dive platforms, and ropes running everywhere. There is no bottom reference on mid water skills and plenty of silt out potential. While not the most attractive diving, the location is our choice and a great place for training. Two full days of discussion, practice, teamwork, skills and failures, earn Gideon’s confidence to move on to deeper, clearer water.
Day 3 & 4: A couple of days on the RSB1 & 100 ft reefs to practice ascent and mid water skills come first. We hop off the boat into a rippin’ 2+ knot current! Welcome to GUE Tech 1! The water is 81-85F but we all opt to do the class in drysuits. Wearing the bulky suits, Al80 doubles and carrying Al80 stages, it takes muscle to power down the anchor line through the raging flow. As we work, I notice Gideon, effortlessly, and patiently relaxing. As if in a meditative trance, he is un-phased by the conditions; a goal to strive towards!
We manage to make it to the wreck without too much strain, pausing out of current for a few minutes for our breath and heart rate to return to a normal rhythm. Several minutes later, releasing the security of the wreck, we drift into a rapid current, with failures and ascent. Ascend. Mid water switches, Repeat, repeat.
Day 4 includes our first taste of Helium in class; 30/30, with a 50% deco gas. Back to 100 ft on the RSB1. By this time the current has subsided a bit. Descending deeper and deeper, with the addition of helium in our breathing gas, I am delighted to see a noticeable difference in my mental clarity and comfort; a very clear-headed relaxing dive. More ascent work, team work, mid water gas switches, failures, etc. We surface to smiles & excitement ;-). Team work and mid water skills are improving! Our team performance on day 4 is met with an offer from Gideon for 21/35 gas and tech diving depths!
Day 5 - After years of recreational depths, excitement and a bit of apprehension build as I mark my analysis sticker with 21/35 and hike the equipment onto our boat. Finally, a chance dive deeper than recreational depths! PDC employees/GUE friends like Bryan, Tony and Megan are on board offering much appreciated support! After 1,100+ dives of diligent compliance to my recreational depth limits – the freedom to explore deeper is incredibly liberating!
The current is delightfully mild as we hot drop with a negative entry and descend in team formation towards the Guy Harvey Wreck. We descend together holding trim and depth in pattern that resembles a perfect skydiving freefall formation -- down, down, deeper and deeper into the dark blue water. 70, 80, 90 feet- my mind is still clear, no apprehension, 100, 110. I hesitate, waiting for the anxious feeling which comes with the onset of narcosis. It does not come! 120, 130, 140 – my mind is still clear! I relax! We glide through the water - They were right! Helium is amazing! No narcotic impairment, no nervousness. We explore the wreck and its eerie unseasonably chilly 67F thermocline- enjoying the beautiful deep water, abundance of marine life and sharing the experience with each other. Dive and deco go as planned. A blissful sense of accomplishment follows our team up the line into lunch and discussion during the four hour surface interval.
It was a little surprising to hear Gideon share the afternoon dive plan: next up is a dive with 18/45 gas on the Hydro Atlantic! With full excitement, our team descends down through the dark waters to the deck at 130 ft. Together we drop to 145 ft. A beautiful and eerie natural wreck emerges. Tall cranes and towers, fishing line, ropes, dark waters, an abundance of impressively large fish, and enchanting vertical 67F haloclines. Thrilling!
After our deco, with Gideon patiently hovering with us as part of our team, we ascend to a celebration on the boat. Awesome dive! One more day to go and another dive planned on the Hydro Atlantic!
I awake to the excitement of soon being back on the Hydro, our new favorite local dive site! Carefully planning our deco and reviewing our dive plan – Ready, set, go! Together we descend down the line, back to the magnificent Hydro! All goes as planned! It’s spectacular! 30 minutes later, a maximum depth of 160 ft, and thermocline of 68F, we start the ascent to our 30 ft stop where a pod of 4 dolphin swim right by! After our 20ft deco, we move slowly towards the surface. Pausing at the 5 ft stop, Gideon shakes each of our hands, his eyes sparkle through his mask. We surface to excitement, more lectures, our final exam and finally-- the official news that our whole team passed!
There are many exceptionally talented instructors in GUE, but I cannot imagine a better Tech instructor than Gideon! His chilled-out personality put us at ease during the class. His depth of knowledge and teaching capacity were amazing. He made the class fun, kept the smiles & energy high throughout the entire week. While teaching new skills and refining details, he focused on practical knowledge such as teamwork, critical problem solving, easy decompression tools, and greater relaxation and enjoyment in water. Much of the time it felt more like casual diving with a great diver, mentor and friend rather than a formal class – and then Blam - suddenly we were diving to depth with skill, confidence and precision J. I still have no idea how Gideon manages to keep things so fun during a Tech 1 class, but I suppose that is a sign of a true master instructor J.
A huge thanks to Gideon Liew for a fantastic Tech 1 class, to my teammates for their support and hard work, to Pompano Dive Center/Odyssey Charters & staff for the exceptional service, to my incredible GUE cave instructor Danny Riordan for a very solid foundation, to GUE for creating such a fantastic training program, and to so many supportive instructors, mentors and friends in the global GUE network and here on the DIR forum!
Looking back to my pre-fundies jitters and initial uncertainty about the GUE training path – I perceived GUE Tech/Cave divers as having skills that were unobtainable. I could not imagine ever reaching the skill level to actually attempt a GUE Tech 1 or Cave 2 class. Passing one was completely unthinkable! And passing both was entirely out of the question. I was wrong. I have learned that it is all possible with passion, commitment, determination, supportive buddies, mentors and fantastic GUE instructors ;-)!!!
Look forward to more awesome Helium dives!!! See ya underwater!
. Since I learned about GUE on Scubaboard & in this forum, figured I'd post another class report ;-).* * * * * * * *
Four years and nearly 800 dives since taking GUE Fundies --- curiosity is calling me deeper than my recreational certifications will allow me to dive. Burning questions demand answers: Is tech diving really so mysterious? Will the anxiety at depth really disappear with Trimix or am I just not cut out for deeper diving? Does breathing Trimix make diving deeper feel as comfortable as shallow dives? I have to find out!
I gamble the cost of Tech 1 tuition that Trimix is a miracle gas. So - a couple of dive buddies and I team up as Tech 1 classmates. Our team books the class, and spends the next several months working on skills and diving together.
3-4 years back I asked a well-loved GUE Tech instructor, Gideon Liew if he would someday introduce me to deeper diving. After many years of patience, finally the day arrives.
Gideon greets us at the airport with a hug, a radiant smile and a mischievous twinkle in his eye. His chilled-out personality immediately puts us at ease. We share a condo; a comfortable and relaxing setting for class lectures, dive debriefs and a great way to spend more time together.
Our six day course is split between Tigertail Lake (a man- made lake and scuba training site) and Pompano Beach Florida (Wrecks such as the RSB1, the Guy Harvey, and The Hydro Atlantic). We are spoiled by the exceptional service of our Southern Florida GUE facility and staff: Pompano Dive Center/Odyssey Charters.
Day 1 & 2 - Tigertail Lake, low-vis, green and murky 82F water , lots of unusual objects underwater for dive training: a slice of a plane fuselage suspended mid-water, statues, sunken boats, wooden dive platforms, and ropes running everywhere. There is no bottom reference on mid water skills and plenty of silt out potential. While not the most attractive diving, the location is our choice and a great place for training. Two full days of discussion, practice, teamwork, skills and failures, earn Gideon’s confidence to move on to deeper, clearer water.
Day 3 & 4: A couple of days on the RSB1 & 100 ft reefs to practice ascent and mid water skills come first. We hop off the boat into a rippin’ 2+ knot current! Welcome to GUE Tech 1! The water is 81-85F but we all opt to do the class in drysuits. Wearing the bulky suits, Al80 doubles and carrying Al80 stages, it takes muscle to power down the anchor line through the raging flow. As we work, I notice Gideon, effortlessly, and patiently relaxing. As if in a meditative trance, he is un-phased by the conditions; a goal to strive towards!
We manage to make it to the wreck without too much strain, pausing out of current for a few minutes for our breath and heart rate to return to a normal rhythm. Several minutes later, releasing the security of the wreck, we drift into a rapid current, with failures and ascent. Ascend. Mid water switches, Repeat, repeat.
Day 4 includes our first taste of Helium in class; 30/30, with a 50% deco gas. Back to 100 ft on the RSB1. By this time the current has subsided a bit. Descending deeper and deeper, with the addition of helium in our breathing gas, I am delighted to see a noticeable difference in my mental clarity and comfort; a very clear-headed relaxing dive. More ascent work, team work, mid water gas switches, failures, etc. We surface to smiles & excitement ;-). Team work and mid water skills are improving! Our team performance on day 4 is met with an offer from Gideon for 21/35 gas and tech diving depths!
Day 5 - After years of recreational depths, excitement and a bit of apprehension build as I mark my analysis sticker with 21/35 and hike the equipment onto our boat. Finally, a chance dive deeper than recreational depths! PDC employees/GUE friends like Bryan, Tony and Megan are on board offering much appreciated support! After 1,100+ dives of diligent compliance to my recreational depth limits – the freedom to explore deeper is incredibly liberating!
The current is delightfully mild as we hot drop with a negative entry and descend in team formation towards the Guy Harvey Wreck. We descend together holding trim and depth in pattern that resembles a perfect skydiving freefall formation -- down, down, deeper and deeper into the dark blue water. 70, 80, 90 feet- my mind is still clear, no apprehension, 100, 110. I hesitate, waiting for the anxious feeling which comes with the onset of narcosis. It does not come! 120, 130, 140 – my mind is still clear! I relax! We glide through the water - They were right! Helium is amazing! No narcotic impairment, no nervousness. We explore the wreck and its eerie unseasonably chilly 67F thermocline- enjoying the beautiful deep water, abundance of marine life and sharing the experience with each other. Dive and deco go as planned. A blissful sense of accomplishment follows our team up the line into lunch and discussion during the four hour surface interval.
It was a little surprising to hear Gideon share the afternoon dive plan: next up is a dive with 18/45 gas on the Hydro Atlantic! With full excitement, our team descends down through the dark waters to the deck at 130 ft. Together we drop to 145 ft. A beautiful and eerie natural wreck emerges. Tall cranes and towers, fishing line, ropes, dark waters, an abundance of impressively large fish, and enchanting vertical 67F haloclines. Thrilling!
After our deco, with Gideon patiently hovering with us as part of our team, we ascend to a celebration on the boat. Awesome dive! One more day to go and another dive planned on the Hydro Atlantic!
I awake to the excitement of soon being back on the Hydro, our new favorite local dive site! Carefully planning our deco and reviewing our dive plan – Ready, set, go! Together we descend down the line, back to the magnificent Hydro! All goes as planned! It’s spectacular! 30 minutes later, a maximum depth of 160 ft, and thermocline of 68F, we start the ascent to our 30 ft stop where a pod of 4 dolphin swim right by! After our 20ft deco, we move slowly towards the surface. Pausing at the 5 ft stop, Gideon shakes each of our hands, his eyes sparkle through his mask. We surface to excitement, more lectures, our final exam and finally-- the official news that our whole team passed!
There are many exceptionally talented instructors in GUE, but I cannot imagine a better Tech instructor than Gideon! His chilled-out personality put us at ease during the class. His depth of knowledge and teaching capacity were amazing. He made the class fun, kept the smiles & energy high throughout the entire week. While teaching new skills and refining details, he focused on practical knowledge such as teamwork, critical problem solving, easy decompression tools, and greater relaxation and enjoyment in water. Much of the time it felt more like casual diving with a great diver, mentor and friend rather than a formal class – and then Blam - suddenly we were diving to depth with skill, confidence and precision J. I still have no idea how Gideon manages to keep things so fun during a Tech 1 class, but I suppose that is a sign of a true master instructor J.
A huge thanks to Gideon Liew for a fantastic Tech 1 class, to my teammates for their support and hard work, to Pompano Dive Center/Odyssey Charters & staff for the exceptional service, to my incredible GUE cave instructor Danny Riordan for a very solid foundation, to GUE for creating such a fantastic training program, and to so many supportive instructors, mentors and friends in the global GUE network and here on the DIR forum!
Looking back to my pre-fundies jitters and initial uncertainty about the GUE training path – I perceived GUE Tech/Cave divers as having skills that were unobtainable. I could not imagine ever reaching the skill level to actually attempt a GUE Tech 1 or Cave 2 class. Passing one was completely unthinkable! And passing both was entirely out of the question. I was wrong. I have learned that it is all possible with passion, commitment, determination, supportive buddies, mentors and fantastic GUE instructors ;-)!!!
Look forward to more awesome Helium dives!!! See ya underwater
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