I struggle to see this clear line that divides tech diving and recreational diving that others seem see.
In that case, it would be smart to stay well away from the line then until you figure it out.
Question for you Tech Divers
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DocWong
Contributor
Hey Brad,
I took a long time off diving and had been only doing the occasional warm water diving for a long time. Then about 3 years ago I decided to get back to diving in the area and found that I loved it as much as diving in warm water!
It wasn't long, say about 40 dives before I got a backplate and wing. Thet was one step from a set of doubles which I got. The I saw the Diving California DVD and saw all the cool sites that were deeper and I saw what Monterey looked like underwater when I dove here 20 years ago. I decided right then and there to do tech diving so I can access more dive sites.
It wasn't long before getting a set of doubles,then did my tech training, then onto GUE Fundamentals Course and now onto another tech course called Tech One. Next year I'll do Tech 2 and Cave 1.
Beware, you may just end up having so much more fun that diving begins to take a much higher priority in your life. And of course the expense goes way up. You start getting scooters, more tanks, lights, etc. When you only dive 3 full weekends out of 4 each month, it feels just about right.
Monterey used to have SO much more fish life, it was a shock to come back to such a different scene underwater. That's why I started the efforts to sink a large ship in Monterey. It'll be a fun diver's playground, but it'll provide more habitat for fish!
I took a long time off diving and had been only doing the occasional warm water diving for a long time. Then about 3 years ago I decided to get back to diving in the area and found that I loved it as much as diving in warm water!
It wasn't long, say about 40 dives before I got a backplate and wing. Thet was one step from a set of doubles which I got. The I saw the Diving California DVD and saw all the cool sites that were deeper and I saw what Monterey looked like underwater when I dove here 20 years ago. I decided right then and there to do tech diving so I can access more dive sites.
It wasn't long before getting a set of doubles,then did my tech training, then onto GUE Fundamentals Course and now onto another tech course called Tech One. Next year I'll do Tech 2 and Cave 1.
Beware, you may just end up having so much more fun that diving begins to take a much higher priority in your life. And of course the expense goes way up. You start getting scooters, more tanks, lights, etc. When you only dive 3 full weekends out of 4 each month, it feels just about right.
Monterey used to have SO much more fish life, it was a shock to come back to such a different scene underwater. That's why I started the efforts to sink a large ship in Monterey. It'll be a fun diver's playground, but it'll provide more habitat for fish!
First, 10 years of diving, on and off, and developed enough skills to be an excellent Divemaster. Then Cavern class, because I wanted the skill set of the Cave Divers, but didn't want to be a crazy cave diver. Well, during Cavern class I fell in love with the beauty of the caves and "needed" to see what was around the corner, out of the light zone. Then, since I'm a Missouri Cave Diver, needed Trimix to do more than 1,000 ft. penetration in our local (deep) caves.
Still loving it and working on maintaining and improving my skills . . . and still love doing simple shallow rec dives as well . . . anywhere--lakes, caves, oceans, rivers, quarries . . . it rules to be underwater!
theskull
Still loving it and working on maintaining and improving my skills . . . and still love doing simple shallow rec dives as well . . . anywhere--lakes, caves, oceans, rivers, quarries . . . it rules to be underwater!
theskull
When I found out they had this "tech" label for some of the stuff we'd done for years... a bit under 30 years...
New equipment, new techniques to better get where I wanted to go.
Caves.
Rick
I started diving because I was fascinated by shipswrecks. I did not know at the time the type of diving I was persuing was called technical. By the time I realized what technical diving was I already was sporting a pair of steel 72s and a bw/wing so I guess there was not a defined moment for me.
Adobo
Contributor
Edit: I think I understand what you are trying to say. However, for me, the lines that I personally try to observe are the ones around what I feel comfortable with (what I am trained to do, experience, conditions). In some so called "tech diving" situations, I feel perfectly fine. And some "recreational diving" situations, I feel outside of my comfort zone.
I don't think I fit into any of the identified catagories. Maybe it's the engineer in me but I'm never satisfied only knowing a subject "part way".
I think that I first started diving because being able to go under water and have a look seemed like a cool thing. Once I decided to learn to dive, I wanted to know everything (or as close as I could get).
I took ALL the classes and ended up an instructor. Great, but by this time I knew that no-stop open water diving wasn't all there was to it. Can't stop here. Right? I had seen some of the Florida springs and a few wrecks and they were as good of an excuse as any to continue on.
So...I did the cave and the tech thing. I do enjoy diving in caves and I have seen some pretty neat wrecks but I have to admit that I have no real huge technical interest in caves or wrecks. I'm not a geologist, hydrologist or historian and, frankly my dear, I don't give a damn.
Looking back, I realize that my driving interest was in the diving itself. I enjoy a technical dive someplace with absolutely nothing at all to see almost as much as one on a great wreck or in a fantastic cave. I enjoy the technical aspects of the planning and execution as much as I enjoy anything I'm liable to see on the dive. I never have been much of a tourist.
As you can probably tell, I don't buy into the "newspeak" BS about it not being appropriate to diving deep "without something to see". In a recreational context, I think learning to dive deep or in an overhead environment just for the sake of learning it is as valid a reason as anything else. In business, I guage risk and cost by the expected pay back (money). Recreational diving is for fun so enjoyment is the only pay back. Seeing an old broken boat or a flooded hole in the ground is not inherently more worthwhile, or worth greater risk, than looking at a plain featureless mud bottom as long as you enjoy doing it.
I think that I first started diving because being able to go under water and have a look seemed like a cool thing. Once I decided to learn to dive, I wanted to know everything (or as close as I could get).
I took ALL the classes and ended up an instructor. Great, but by this time I knew that no-stop open water diving wasn't all there was to it. Can't stop here. Right? I had seen some of the Florida springs and a few wrecks and they were as good of an excuse as any to continue on.
So...I did the cave and the tech thing. I do enjoy diving in caves and I have seen some pretty neat wrecks but I have to admit that I have no real huge technical interest in caves or wrecks. I'm not a geologist, hydrologist or historian and, frankly my dear, I don't give a damn.
Looking back, I realize that my driving interest was in the diving itself. I enjoy a technical dive someplace with absolutely nothing at all to see almost as much as one on a great wreck or in a fantastic cave. I enjoy the technical aspects of the planning and execution as much as I enjoy anything I'm liable to see on the dive. I never have been much of a tourist.
As you can probably tell, I don't buy into the "newspeak" BS about it not being appropriate to diving deep "without something to see". In a recreational context, I think learning to dive deep or in an overhead environment just for the sake of learning it is as valid a reason as anything else. In business, I guage risk and cost by the expected pay back (money). Recreational diving is for fun so enjoyment is the only pay back. Seeing an old broken boat or a flooded hole in the ground is not inherently more worthwhile, or worth greater risk, than looking at a plain featureless mud bottom as long as you enjoy doing it.
Very cool post, as usual, Mike.
Ahhhh... a man who can appreciate our decision to dive the Oriskany site before she was sunk, 'cause we got tired of waiting
Rick
Ahhhh... a man who can appreciate our decision to dive the Oriskany site before she was sunk, 'cause we got tired of waiting
Rick
Well that and it seems to me that if what one really wanted was a good look at the Oriskany, the time to look was before she was sunk.
If you ask me, diving the site before a fake wreck is put there makes at least as much sense as going through the trouble and expense of sinking it just so you have to pay to do a dive in order to see it.
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