Next step / possible training to pursue

[Cdncoldwater]

Yes, there is that, but I hate math, so I use MultiDeco. Why not use the technology?

LOL, I also hate math hence the EANx tables in my case. I have a page for my tanks for psi/cf and thirds to do dive planning on my solo dives as well as SAC, dive factors etc

 

[Centrals]

The mathematics involves in trimix diving is easy and simple. Same as nitrox there is only one formula to calculate EAD.
Unless you are prone to narcosis around 30-40m. Helium is expensive and probably not readily available locally.
If you are happy with a twin tank side mount then a addition a single deco gas should not be too bad for your back(only you can tell). And you do not have to walk fully kitted.

Have fun and Truk is waiting for you!

 

[Cdncoldwater]

The mathematics involves in trimix diving is easy and simple. Same as nitrox there is only one formula to calculate EAD.

Sounds good, I'm a one trick pony lol. The hesitation I have is a lack of use after training. I generally don't dive below 80 ft and doubt I will use much helium after a course. Alternatively I think the potential for deco procedures may be more useful if I pursue wreck diving, even at the recreational level or experience a situation during a solo dive which gives me a deco obligation.

 

[MichaelMc]

If you're not going past 80, rec trimix will be less useful to you. It still could be, but I'd put it lower on the list of options. But it is not hard.

ETA: Sort of a nice to have in your pocket if a deep(er) dive comes up and you want it.

 

[Cdncoldwater]

If you're not going past 80, rec trimix will be less useful to you. It still could be, but I'd put it lower on the list of options. But it is not hard.

Yeah, it has moved lower on my list behind AN/DP and Tec40 (or similar).

 

[Centrals]

I remember my route to full tec and trimix all those yrs ago: open up the horizon a wee bit.
Do the training first. One step at a time.

 

[Wibble]

Firstly, helitrox adds no additional effort. It does remove narcosis but at a cost and is exceedingly useful if diving beyond 40m/132' (depending on your own narcosis reactions).

Simply put, it opens up opportunities. In my case, helitrox gives me access to loads of wrecks in the 40m/132' to 45m/145' range. These can be more interesting and are often further out in clearer water.

If your diving doesn’t fit this kind of profile, then it’s obviously not an enabler for you


Secondly, AN-DP.

Advanced Nitrox teaches you about rich mixes and the issues it brings. This is all to do with the effects of oxygen, including Partial Pressures, Max Operating Depth (MOD), Central Nervous System (CNS) limits and Oxygen Tolerance Units (OTUs) which are simple tables. All calculated in MultiDeco et al.

This boils down to planning your gas for the dive and correctly labelling your cylinders.

Decompression Procedures is the theory of decompression — essentially so you can take part in the endless Gradient Factors discussions (why 10:70 is silly whereas 50:80 is more effective).

In water skills are all good stuff for a competent diver, plus gas switching procedures.


What all this does is opens up opportunities for you to to safely extend your dives past the recreational diving limits. This is particularly relevant when diving over 30m/100'. Whilst this may not currently be your current dive profiles, you will appreciate it if diving elsewhere. UK wrecks shallower than 25m/80' are far less interesting and limited than wrecks down to 40m/132' (nicely achievable on 28%)

In summary, AN-DP is an enabler. What is behind that door?

 

[Wibble]

The biggest piece of advice…. Choose your trainer. You need a very good instructor that has extensive experience and who MUST regularly dive well beyond these limits. You don’t want some Open Water plonker who’s last 100 dives were teaching novices and not diving for personal enjoyment.

You choose your instructor (singular - this is a long-term relationship) and travel to them.

You must also find divers you can train and practice with locally. "Doing a course" is a small part of developing your skills. If you think you’ll come away from a 4 day course as an expert, you shouldn’t be doing that course.

 

[Cdncoldwater]

The biggest piece of advice…. Choose your trainer. You need a very good instructor that has extensive experience and who MUST regularly dive well beyond these limits. You don’t want some Open Water plonker who’s last 100 dives were teaching novices and not diving for personal enjoyment.

You choose your instructor (singular - this is a long-term relationship) and travel to them.

You must also find divers you can train and practice with locally. "Doing a course" is a small part of developing your skills. If you think you’ll come away from a 4 day course as an expert, you shouldn’t be doing that course.

The instructors I have to choose from are very experienced in this type of diving and have loads of knowledge so that is a plus. There are very few tech divers in this area or opportunities to use the skills; that being said if I travel to Ontario for wrecks and possibly Nova Scotia or Newfoundland the benefits of AN/DP or Helitrox would be an enabler for wrecks beyond 100 and 130 feet.

 

[Wibble]

The instructors I have to choose from are very experienced in this type of diving and have loads of knowledge so that is a plus. There are very few tech divers in this area or opportunities to use the skills; that being said if I travel to Ontario for wrecks and possibly Nova Scotia or Newfoundland the benefits of AN/DP or Helitrox would be an enabler for wrecks beyond 100 and 130 feet.

Have had discussions with classic recreational instructors about technical diving. Was quite revealing how they don't dive "for fun" to those depths and where they count quarry dives as experience. OK, not all instructors are like that by any means. Am wary of dive shops pushing their "Tec NN" courses as if they're just like recreational courses. Again, some dive shops will be good, but most will be so recreationally focussed that it's less likely to be a 'great' course.

ANDP+H was really beneficial as the first steps beyond recreational diving where diving standards are in a different league to recreational diving. If nothing else it really fits the self-reliance culture as you're always considering redundancy and practising failures.


As an aside, the Fundies suggestions earlier... The main thing with fundies is sorting out your core skills of buoyancy finning and trim. That alone is worth doing the course, but backmount, shutdowns and all the other guff is of dubious use if you're not diving with GUE.

Here's a thought: when you choose your instructor, see if they'll be able to do a day's coaching on core skills. ANDP is so much easier if you can demonstrate a shutdown without moving in the water.