TDI Advanced Wreck

[Manatee Diver]

John Chatterton in the Fort Lauderdale / Pompano area.

I'm probably going to go back to James at MIA Technical Diving. I did my other deco courses with him.

I would talk to @tmassey he did a couple of Chatterton courses. I'm not sure if Chatterton is compatible with the more DIR oriented cave diving mindset.

 

[Ross19966]

What's a wreck class consist of? I've been on and in many wrecks. I always had a pony if penetrating and always pull a line as not to get lost inside. Take it slow and easy and watch for sharp metal and glass. I've never been "wreck certified" but never been pulled over by the scuba police for wreck diving either.

 

[tmassey]

Advanced Wreck with John Chatterton (in 2015)

As with most things I write, this is a long story. This one doubly-so: it started four years ago and ends with an entirely different class. My thoughts on both classes are pretty intertwined, so I'm going to have to write up both reviews. This is the first one: TDI Advanced Wreck with John...

scubaboard.com

Happy to answer questions if I can.

 

[Capt Jim Wyatt]

Advanced Wreck---My $0.02 is that do not take a class from an instructor who uses strobe lights as a reference instead of running a line with a reel into the wreck.

I can run the Advanced Wreck course in Key Largo and dive the Spiegel Grove. I lived on her for about 18 months. We just need to schedule it out far enough.

 

[tursiops]

always pull a line as not to get lost inside

"pull" a line? Do you mean reel out a line? I can't imagine pulling a line past sharp edges....

 

[Robert H. Diver]

OTOH the book I did pay for I am enjoying. Been wanting Taming the Slough for a while, but the NSS-CDS never reprints it.

So you’re the one that snagged Taming of the Slough before I could

 

[lostsheep]

Advanced Wreck---My $0.02 is that do not take a class from an instructor who uses strobe lights as a reference instead of running a line with a reel into the wreck.

Chatterton does both.

I find all of the JC bashing around here fascinating. As a student of his I will confirm that almost everything you read online about his class is true. That said, a whole lot of context and additional info is missing.

I rather enjoyed his wreck class and consider it to be one of the best I’ve done. Do I adopt all of his methods or opinions? I do not. I dont adopt anyone’s opinion completely. I prefer diverse knowledge and experiences and try to roll them in with my own. To disregard his experience and knowledge with respect to wrecks is crazy.

If someone wants to offer me another advanced wreck class I’ll be happy to provide a full compare and contrast

We don’t know what we don’t know…sure , but we don’t know what the instructor doesn’t know either. JC’s exploits at least negate some of the latter.

That’s all moot though; pretty sure he has stopped teaching.

 

[BoltSnap]

pretty sure he has stopped teaching.

Why so?

 

[Ross19966]

"pull" a line? Do you mean reel out a line? I can't imagine pulling a line past sharp edges....

Yes, obviously. The reel stays with you.

 

[Marie13]

So you’re the one that snagged Taming of the Slough before I could

Yep as the books were also posted on my FB page as well as here. He snagged Taming of the Slough immediately. Another friend wanted the reg book you got, but he was too slow.