Question Too early to consider tec?

[Wreck(ed)Diver]

Hi guys!

My lofty goal is to get my first tec certification in a year or so. I dive a lot and already have a solid understanding of the math behind my dive computer, GFs, and decompression theory in general. However I only have about 30 dives and AOW/Nitrox L2. In between now and then, I will be taking an AAUS underwater science class, working a research diving job, getting my drysuit cert, TAing a scuba class, and of course more diving.

Now my plan for getting into tec is to get my rescue diver cert, then take a technical foundations class, (maybe sidemount) and then finally take my first XR class.

Am I rushing things too much? I feel comfortable at my level and of course will stop if I noticeably get ahead of myself but I would greatly appreciate advice from more hardcore divers who have already been through this.

Thanks for the advice!!

 

[AmbientPressure]

Count me in with the people who say "do Fundamentals as soon as possible". Not only does it set you up nicely for everything after, it also tells you where you stand. If you get a tech pass, you know you're definitely ready for Tech 1 or Cave 1 if you want to pursue the GUE path (at least from a technique standpoint). After Tech 1 and/or Cave 1, you definitely need more practice before you progress further IMHO.

 

[Wreck(ed)Diver]

Count me in with the people who say "do Fundamentals as soon as possible". Not only does it set you up nicely for everything after, it also tells you where you stand. If you get a tech pass, you know you're definitely ready for Tech 1 or Cave 1 if you want to pursue the GUE path (at least from a technique standpoint). After Tech 1 and/or Cave 1, you definitely need more practice before you progress further IMHO.

Well thats good becuase I'm all signed up! class starts on the 25th.
Edit: A friend is doing his currently through NADE but I'm going to be going to florida to do mine at Cave Adventurers and then I'll probably be doing the next few through NADE

 

[rx7diver]

Hi guys!

My lofty goal is to get my first tec certification in a year or so. I dive a lot and already have a solid understanding of the math behind my dive computer, GFs, and decompression theory in general. However I only have about 30 dives and AOW/Nitrox L2. In between now and then, I will be taking an AAUS underwater science class, working a research diving job, getting my drysuit cert, TAing a scuba class, and of course more diving.

Now my plan for getting into tec is to get my rescue diver cert, then take a technical foundations class, (maybe sidemount) and then finally take my first XR class.

Am I rushing things too much? I feel comfortable at my level and of course will stop if I noticeably get ahead of myself but I would greatly appreciate advice from more hardcore divers who have already been through this.

Thanks for the advice!!

TA-ing a scuba course under the watchful eyes of the course instructor and his/her assistant instructors will pay huge dividends! Will you be doing review/recitation sessions for the lecture/classroom part of the course? Will you be TA-ing on the open water check-outs, too? If so, even better!

Absolutely, do your Dive Rescue cert. And your DAN Emergency Oxygen Provider cert, too. Do both in either order. Do these next.

Okay. What is your motivation for tech? Go deeper? Stay longer? Penetrate caves? Penetrate wrecks? Something else?

rx7diver

 

[Wreck(ed)Diver]

TA-ing a scuba course under the watchful eyes of the course instructor and his/her assistant instructors will pay huge dividends! Will you be doing review/recitation sessions for the lecture/classroom part of the course? Will you be TA-ing on the open water check-outs, too? If so, even better!

Absolutely, do your Dive Rescue cert. And your DAN Emergency Oxygen Provider cert, too. Do both in either order. Do these next.

Okay. What is your motivation for tech? Go deeper? Stay longer? Penetrate caves? Penetrate wrecks? Something else?

rx7diver

Well I have some updates since I last posted this and you are totally right. TAing was great and I'm going to continue through next year too. I get to TA pool sessions and sit in on class sessions but once a week the head instructor holds a session just for the TAs for refining all kinds of skills. I do also get to go on all the checkout dives and such with is great. It also lead me to join that dive club, run by an instructor which has been great fun. its perfect since its on the opposite days on the weekend from my other dive club.

As part of the training for the summer work as an AAUS diver I'm in the process of taking the DAN First aid and O2 for dive professionals course (not sure if there is a difference).

I also am headed down to Florida in a few days to do my sidemount and intro tech at cave adventurers.

My motivation is really just a love of diving and learning. I want have a bucket list of shipwrecks to see, I hang out a lot with super experienced tech divers who I'd like to dive with some day, I love the science, and I want to be a better diver. Those are at leas some of my motivations.

Thanks to all this avice I feel I am heading down the right path and have found a good and wide range of divers to be around.

Thanks all!

 

[rx7diver]

Well I have some updates since I last posted this and you are totally right. TAing was great and I'm going to continue through next year too. I get to TA pool sessions and sit in on class sessions but once a week the head instructor holds a session just for the TAs for refining all kinds of skills. I do also get to go on all the checkout dives and such with is great. It also lead me to join that dive club, run by an instructor which has been great fun. its perfect since its on the opposite days on the weekend from my other dive club.

As part of the training for the summer work as an AAUS diver I'm in the process of taking the DAN First aid and O2 for dive professionals course (not sure if there is a difference).

I also am headed down to Florida in a few days to do my sidemount and intro tech at cave adventurers.

My motivation is really just a love of diving and learning. I want have a bucket list of shipwrecks to see, I hang out a lot with super experienced tech divers who I'd like to dive with some day, I love the science, and I want to be a better diver. Those are at leas some of my motivations.

Thanks to all this avice I feel I am heading down the right path and have found a good and wide range of divers to be around.

Thanks all!

Excellent, all of this! Thanks. Keep doing what you're doing! Slowly, though.

When I was a TA, I learned to operate the university's compressor and cascade system, too. And I learned to repair/service (the university's) gear, especially regulators. Any chance of you doing this, too?

Also, I gave lectures/presentations on scuba topics during the classroom session from time to time. At the time, I was a doctoral student (Statistics), often a Graduate Instructor or a GTA, so doing scuba lectures was no big deal for me. But it was fun! And teaching really hones your own learning/knowledge. If you get a chance, do this, too. Don't worry: Your professor/instructor will correct your mistakes. It's his/her butt, too!

Sounds like you're doing everything right.

One thing: If those "super experienced tech divers" you hang out with are super conscientious, they'll be careful to NOT take you diving beyond your training/experience when you begin diving with them. However, beware: Some experienced divers can take a relatively new diver too far too fast!

rx7diver

 

[caveandreas]

Just remember that diving is about the dives, NOT the classes. There is absolutely no reason to rush into the next class. Take your time and develop and refine the skills you learned in the previous class while enjoying the environment you're certified to.

If you feel you truly have mastered the level your currently at and really want more challenges and can honestly say you have already experienced those challenges your current level allows for, please go ahead with tech classes.

But there is really NO rush. The only thing that really makes you a better diver is diving. You can use classes to "level up" but the only way to keep those skills after the class is actually practicing them regularly.

If you are at or near the minimum skill levels required for a class please consider if your skill-sets truly are exceptionally good for the numbers of dives you have and you should continue with the bare minimum. Or if you would benefit from doing more than the minimum amount.

Again just remember its about the dives you do, not the classes you take.