PADI deep diver on koh tao

[pixiefish]

Gmorning scuba folks

I am headed to Koh Tao in a few weeks, just on a short holiday, (unfortunately!). Planning on diving with a friend at the dive shop he's been going to for years, just fun diving. However I'm also thinking about maybe doing the PADI deep speciality - the two reasons being, I'll probably be looking at doing a DM course in 2012, and I've heard the new standards recommend the deep course, and more education is never a bad thing. Also, I might go back to Malta to learn wreck diving, and a lot of the wrecks there are a bit deeper and I've been told they prefer divers to have the deep cert.

If I do the deep cert whilst on KT I'd prefer to take it with a shop that does more tech diving. Obviously I realise what a basic and non-tech course this is, but I'd like it to actually be useful to me rather than just collecting the card. I've done about 20 dives around the 20-30m mark (and a few a touch deeper) so just doing dives at that depth and marvelling at how colours change and things get squashed by pressure won't be very useful; I realise that is pretty much all the PADI standards demand, so I'd like to take the course with somewhere that will offer a bit more to the course.

Can anyone recommend particular instructors or shops to look at?

Thanks

 

[Torben]

Hi

Just to make sure that I understand it right, it's the Deep diver course to 40 meters?

The main different, to the deep diver course doing the advanced course. is the safety of diving to 40 meters. You need to perform an 8-minute simulated emergency decompression stop at 5
metres/15 feet before surfacing, while breathing from an emergency air source for at least one minute of the total time.

It is a good idea to ask around on the different dive shops, see which centre that take the course serious.

A good reason for doing the course, even if you can't find a good centre: If you dive below 30 meters (without proper training) and have an accident the insurance company wont cover you because you went beyond your training.

 

[DevonDiver]

I'd recommend that you contact Ayesha Cantrell. She's here on SB. Top tech diving lass!

 

[RussBKK]

Big Blue is another option, I can't praise them enough!

Big Blue Diving - Koh Tao - Thailand - Home

 

[ayeshacantrell]

Hi there !

As Andy said, Master Divers is a tec centre too so we do take the course seriously and we do have both diving and teaching expereince beyond this course too.

We can actually take you deep on a wreck too which would give you some grounding for your future wreck course. Further we can offer you a combination with nitrox too - which most deeper and wreck divers will tell you is vital.

If you are coming to Koh Tao - pop in and come and have a chat - see what you think ....

Our website is linked at the bottom.....in my signature.

 

[pixiefish]

Hi Ayesha
I do have nitrox cert, but only got the temp card to show (which has technically run out now) as I was a bit lax about sending off the form to get the proper card, my instructor filled in his part but gave it to me to actually post, I won't get it back before I leave for thailand now.
I had a look at your website and you do seem just like the type of set up I'm looking for. This is all my first steps towards looking at whether tec-type diving is a direction I want to go into too.
I'll def get in touch in the next few weeks!

 

[jamiemac]

have fun, they'll take you to my old boat pictured here

 

[ayeshacantrell]

If you've not sent it already then take a photocopy to bring with you...

If you've sent it then you might still be lucky....its quite possible that it will show on the PADI database (which we can check online) before you get the card. We can certainly look for you.

Depending on your diving expereince you might actually have the prerequistes to take you first tec course - which is TEC 40. We can discuss this more once you are here .....

Look forward to meeting you soon.

Ayesha

 

[pixiefish]

Well, I'm booked! Popped in to Master Divers this afternoon and spoke to a lovely lady called Charlotte, and I'll be doing the course on the 2nd and 3rd. I'll post back how it goes
I've been diving with Big Bubble today, and night dive as well tonight, so good to be back underwater!!

 

[ayeshacantrell]

Aha - we'll see you tomorow then !