MY journey into tec diving

[Lorenzoid]

Is the "local quarry" Kraken Spring (with Dive Georgia)? Have you considered road tripping down to FL and doing tech courses with one of the many tech instructors down there? You're spoiled for choice in FL.

 

[jlcnuke]

Is the "local quarry" Kraken Spring (with Dive Georgia)? Have you considered road tripping down to FL and doing tech courses with one of the many tech instructors down there? You're spoiled for choice in FL.

My work and personal schedule doesn't support doing tech classes in Florida as a general rule. I did my cavern class down in cave country, but that was a pain to try and make happen. I'll be doing my self-reliant (and tec40/45 if all goes well) with Matt from Dive Georgia at Kraken. Obviously if I don't care for his instruction (or he doesn't care for me as a student etc) then I'd find a different instructor, but I don't anticipate that having talked with him and some people who have taken courses from him previously.

 

[stuartv]

Just an FYI for you to think about.

My local quarry allows solo diving with an SDI Solo card, but not with a PADI Self-Reliant. There was another thread about this, here on SB, a while back and IIRC a couple of people from other places chimed in and said they had seen the same thing at a few other places they had been.

I have not heard of anywhere that would accept a PADI S-R but not an SDI Solo. In other words, it seems like SDI is accepted everywhere that PADI is. But, there are places that accept SDI and do not accept PADI.

I'm not sure what the reasoning is for the local quarry. I never have remembered to ask the management. I can say that it's a local shop that runs the quarry and they teach SDI and PADI (and NAUI and SSI), so it's not just them discriminating against PADI. It may be as simple as the specific terminology and how insurance companies will interpret the cert. I.e. "he was trained to be able to rely on himself, but that doesn't mean he was qualified to dive without a buddy." I don't know.

Anyway... obviously your local quarry accepts PADI and if that's the only place you're worried about diving solo, then it doesn't matter. But, it seems like if you want to be able to dive solo anywhere you go, your best chance would be doing SDI Solo, instead of PADI Self-Reliant.

 

[tursiops]

Just an FYI for you to think about.

My local quarry allows solo diving with an SDI Solo card, but not with a PADI Self-Reliant. There was another thread about this, here on SB, a while back and IIRC a couple of people from other places chimed in and said they had seen the same thing at a few other places they had been.

I have not heard of anywhere that would accept a PADI S-R but not an SDI Solo. In other words, it seems like SDI is accepted everywhere that PADI is. But, there are places that accept SDI and do not accept PADI.

I'm not sure what the reasoning is for the local quarry. I never have remembered to ask the management. I can say that it's a local shop that runs the quarry and they teach SDI and PADI (and NAUI and SSI), so it's not just them discriminating against PADI. It may be as simple as the specific terminology and how insurance companies will interpret the cert. I.e. "he was trained to be able to rely on himself, but that doesn't mean he was qualified to dive without a buddy." I don't know.

Anyway... obviously your local quarry accepts PADI and if that's the only place you're worried about diving solo, then it doesn't matter. But, it seems like if you want to be able to dive solo anywhere you go, your best chance would be doing SDI Solo, instead of PADI Self-Reliant.

LOL. There you go, trying to be logical about dive operations and insurance companies and lawyers.
SDI Solo says "solo." PADI S-R is basically the identical training but does not say "solo." Doh.

 

[stuartv]

LOL. There you go, trying to be logical about dive operations and insurance companies and lawyers.
SDI Solo says "solo." PADI S-R is basically the identical training but does not say "solo." Doh.

I thought about just posting "forget PADI and do SDI Solo instead. Because it says Solo." But, I was afraid people might read that and just get the impression I'm a self-important know-it-all. LOL

ps. if you don't know me, that's a joke (or maybe not...) on me, not anything about tursiops.

 

[Marie13]

I'm in a similar situation. Recently I decided to start diving solo, so I asked a local instructor about it. I don't really need the card (solo diving in my country is not legal and having a card doesn't help :S ) but I need the knowledge and the skills.
When I told him I prefer to do it with a pony/stage (instead of the minimum required h valve), he proposed to do an "Intro to Tech" course instead. It is practically double of everything: price, time, no of dives but according to him all the fundamental skills required for solo will be covered (plus much more of course), and at the end we can further discuss particular things needed for solo.

I really like this, although I don't see myself going much further into tech. I don't find much interest going too deep for too long nor in caves etc at least for now, although I do like to have the skills required. Not to mention that my physical condition is far from what I would consider good for tech diving.

I really wish I could have a choice of instructors, as suggested above, but practically he is the only option for me.

I'm about to start the training early next week and hope to be finished by Thursday - weather permitting.

BTW if anybody could share any related reading material (solo and/or intro to tech manuals) I would be grateful.

Thanks a lot and all the best with your training!

Buy the SDI Solo manual. As for ITT, the new book by Mark Powell is excellent. It’s titled Technical Diving: An Introduction.

 

[stepfen]

Buy the SDI Solo manual. As for ITT, the new book by Mark Powell is excellent. It’s titled Technical Diving: An Introduction.

Thanks for the info. I have read Powell's book and to be honest I didn't find much new info in it (mainly thanks to SB) but that's a different story.
Right now I'm reading (and strangling to understand) deco for divers which I find much more dense.

 

[Doby45]

@stuartv the quarry and shop that @jlcnuke is talking about is all PADI. I agree with you regarding the word SOLO on the card seems to have an affect at some places, but he is totally safe with PADI Self Reliant at "Kraken Springs".

 

[Diving Dubai]

There's definitely some people on their knees in the manual...

Here's the question.

The first time you lean valve shut down skills, in confined water that is probably less than 10' deep. Do you think?

A You should be fully horizontal, in trim with little or no movement in the water column

B The first time you lean valve shut down skills you're in a stationary position concentrating on your hand movements and the actual drill, and then transition to completing it horizontal, in trim with no vertical movement?


Yes not great pictures but you need to think about context

 

[taimen]

A You should be fully horizontal, in trim with little or no movement in the water column

B The first time you lean valve shut down skills you're in a stationary position concentrating on your hand movements and the actual drill, and then transition to completing it horizontal, in trim with no vertical movement?

I'd say reaching valves is easier in horizontal position than upright on knees. The hand movement would also be different upright. Minimal value in learning valve drill on knees. Why not start horizontal on a platform that supports correct trim? Slightly negative in the beginning, if needed?