Want to go to the next step, need advices, North California

[seb13]

Hi,
I am scuba diver with around 100 dives, mostly trained in the south of France and CMAS 3* certified. I moved to the US (North California) 2 years ago and decided to go through a PADI training to learn a different way of diving. I am now PADI rescue diver certified. My point is not to compare training/agencies and start a fire on which one is better than the other. I learned different but useful skills with both certifications. I am just looking for advices on the next steps.
When I was in France, most of my dives where deep deco dives (30m-55m, sometimes with Nitrox deco), but I realized it is considered by other agencies as technical diving.
I recently read about GUE and liked what i read, so I am considering getting GUE training as a next step. The only problem is that it's a significant commitment as I will need to change most of my gears to be DIR compliant, so i really want to be sure it's the right route for me.
I have a couple of questions for experienced tech divers:
- How are you traveling? I can't imagine taking my harness/backplate/weights in a plane... Do you have a DIR configuration for your local dives and use recreational equipment when traveling? Can you event rent DIR equipment?
- Do you need to have all the DIR equipment before starting the course?
- Last but not least, does tech diving even makes sense being in North California? Are there things worth exploring in the Monterey area beyond the limits of the recreational diving?
Thank you in advance for any advice

 

[rongoodman]

I have used DIR compliant equipment since I started diving 12 years ago, and have taken it on flights to sites around the world without issue. Tanks and weights, of course, are provided at the destination. You can look at the GUE website for details, but yes, you will be required to use gear meeting their requirements for their courses. Whether or not you go with GUE, you will have to make similar changes in your equipment as you move into tech diving, and compared to the other costs involved(travel, training, gas, etc.), equipment upgrades will be the least of your problems.

 

[RyanT]

As a non GUE and California person, I can't answer your second two questions. For your first question though, I have no trouble packing all my tech gear (except tanks obviously) and taking it with me on the plane. This requires paying the extra fee of checking two bags plus taking a carry on, but it works.

 

[PfcAJ]

Traveling is no problem. I travel with an aluminum plate for rec trips and acquire weights on-site.

For technical trips there’s so much weight anyways that the steel plate isn’t much of a factor.

 

[Billy Northrup]

Hello.

I reside in Norcal and tech dive. There isn't allot to look at deep but staying longer in the 40-50 meter range can work out. Water is cold so my fun meter edges downward on long dives. It must be all done in a dry suit. But to learn deco diving strictly for California diving I'd say no, not worth it.

The Bay Area has a strong GUE presence and a local instructor who is an amazing person. The Bay Area Underwater Explores (BAUE) runs a tec/rec boat monthly.

GUE Instructors | GUE

Let me know if you need anything

Enjoy

 

[saxman242]

My BP/w is much easier to pack up than my wife's normal bcbwhen we travel.

 

[KevinNM]

Backplate goes at the bottom of the checked bag. Weights I get at the destination. The drysuit is a lot more of a pain to pack and carry than the BP&W.

 

[Ouvea]

Bonjour Seb:

The diving in Monterey/Carmel is phenomenal when conditions permit. I personally prefer cold water diving and I grew up in the dead center of the Coral Sea. The underwater landscape changes drastically as you head deeper. To 30 meters you'll have lush kelp forest (where the urchins have not ravaged) and a mix of reefs and sand flats. Beyond 30ft, you'll still have those sandy bottoms but you'll be diving off large structures, almost like diving within small canyons and through arches. The colors are amazing at greater depth.

BAUE (Bay Area Underwater Explorers), the local GUE club, has recreational and technical charters every month. They are very nice as everyone is on the same page in terms of protocols, both topside and underwater. Getting to 150ft from shore is not impossible but no one wants to drag doubles, through the gravel at Monastery Beach. You're exhausted simply from the walk across the beach. At Point Lobos, it's quite a long swim and you need to plan a multi-level deco dive.

In regards to migrating to DIR and specifically through GUE, you will be required to purchase all your gear. At minimum, that means a backplate and a wing. Your brand and type of regulator does not matter. However, you will need a 7ft primary hose and a 22inch alternate. The majority of those that pass the GUE Fundamentals course migrate to doubles, so you might want to consider a regulator that optimizes this configuration, if you do not own a regulator yet. You spend a lot of time training in the water, which is 50F currently. While you can complete this in a wetsuit, a dry-suit will serve you well in the long run.


That's in Big Sur at a site called Sur 19. The colors and the hydrocorals there are phenomenal. Strong currents are always present so a DPV is mandatory. You'll find many photographs of sites that are decompression dives only on the BAUE web site. I can put you in touch with the local GUE instructor, Beto Nava, if you want more information about GUE and the courses.