Where to start technical diving

[Frederik Brogaard]

Hey folks

So next year I'm planning to finally step into technical diving. I'm completely new to this part of diving and don't have any friends to ask.

I plan on doing it abroad and have been considering Egypt, Malta, and the Philippines for quite some time. Now obviously I care about proper training and safety but my biggest priority in terms of the location is the price difference. I'm planning on going all the way to trimix. I was hoping someone with actual experience could shed some light on the different places. I've heard that the helium in the Philippines is insanely expensive compared to Europe, but at the same time, the courses are a lot cheaper in Asia as far as I can see. I would prefer TDI. What do you recommend?

 

[Pareto]

Hello Frederik

I have decided to do my TDI courses in Switzerland and Germany. These courses are so extensive that I am happy to do it in my native language, besides my istructor has no time pressure and takes much more time than is required.

I have compared the prices for trimix courses in Europe, with the other costs such as travel and accommodation, the courses here are much cheaper and I can take more time for it (between the training dives practice yourself) and I can then use my vacation to make really nice dives.

Next year I have to decide if I want to do Cave or Trimix first, but what stresses me are the helium costs... If possible I will try to start directly with a CCR before I spend a lot of money for a compressor and gas mixing equipment.

Greetings from Switzerland
Pareto

 

[ChuckP]

What type of tec diving are you planning to do? Open ocean, overhead or wreck???? Are you planning on diving in a "team" type setting???

AN/DP and Trimix all have a lot of theory and great "book" things to learn but the concepts sometimes get applied very slightly different and with something that is meant to be a core skill, that can be difficult unlearning and relearning.

You have reached a plateu where there are a some similar lengths of road, a few forks that run close together and a few diverging forks.

My suggestion would be to look at it sort of backwards - think of what dives you want to do - Bikini Atol or Britannic or some cave. How are you going to do them - as some charter weekend thing or as a team? Then finally look for the instructor that will teach you those methods - at this point, I personally think the agency has a very slight impact with it and it is 95% instructor.

There are some things you won't know until you know - some agencies seem to have their way of deco planning - until you have a deep understanding and a better guess, you are sort of left at the mercy of the training agency - ie GUE method verses TDI method.

 

[Pareto]

I can support ChuckP's statements.

It is always advisable to know where the trip is going before attending the courses, Trimix is useless if the caves you want to dive are maximum 30m deep.... I think with Advanced Nitrox and Decompression Procedures in a first step you won't do anything wrong and learn the basics. Also, after completing these courses you will have spent a lot of time with your instructor and can benefit from his knowledge.

Afterwards you can better decide what you want (for me at the moment Extendet Range is a real alternative to Trimix because my dives don't go deeper than 50m at the moment and the walls are just as beautiful at 45m as at 60m).

What is also advantageous if you do the course with a friend, I have made the course with a work colleague by chance together, this is now my main buddy and we make really cool dives together. After the course is before the course and you have to apply the knowledge first, you will not be able to find all the time the right buddy to practice...

You have to decide for yourself whether GUE or TDI, I chose TDI because I only dive sidemount, I don't have any buddies who were diving according to the GUE standards and the TDI courses as a whole were cheaper. However, I think that GUE has a good community and you will surely find buddies to practice there

Regards
Petar

 

[Wibble]

IMHO the most important thing is to choose the best instructor as it should be a long term relationship. The instructor should be an accomplished and experienced technical diver who’s an excellent teacher of multiple courses including CCR.

The training location isn’t that relevant as you’re supposed to be learning, not enjoying it

It really helps to do the training with a friend/buddy you get on with and can spend the dozens of practice hours in a quarry/lake together. Every hour spent practising makes your subsequent diving so much easier.

Choosing the agency really boils down to your attitude towards their ethos. Some have a rather prescriptive approach which you must buy into — this definitely won’t suit everyone. Other agencies are far more relaxed about diving styles and kit configuration.

 

[Marie13]

I’m in the midst of this right now. I’m going to suggest cavern/intro to cave on OC. It’s a no deco course. Then AN/DP then look at CCR. If you do Helitrox with AN/DP on OC, it looks like it might give you a leg up on CCR, as far as I can tell from reading the standards. Then do full cave/Trimix on CCR.

Just my thoughts.

 

[rddvet]

If you do Helitrox with AN/DP on OC, it looks like it might give you a leg up on CCR, .

Having helitrox prior to ccr allowed me to be trained using helium mixes as the diluent. Even better, when I got my helitrox the max he was 20%. It moved up to 35% right around when I took my ccr course

 

[Rose Robinson]

Hey folks

So next year I'm planning to finally step into technical diving. I'm completely new to this part of diving and don't have any friends to ask.

I plan on doing it abroad and have been considering Egypt, Malta, and the Philippines for quite some time. Now obviously I care about proper training and safety but my biggest priority in terms of the location is the price difference. I'm planning on going all the way to trimix. I was hoping someone with actual experience could shed some light on the different places. I've heard that the helium in the Philippines is insanely expensive compared to Europe, but at the same time, the courses are a lot cheaper in Asia as far as I can see. I would prefer TDI. What do you recommend?

Hello Frederik,

Welcome!

I am quite familiar with the Baltic region, and personally wonder why you don't do your training there, fresh, clean, clear water, albeit cold, but I'm assuming you're dry suit trained already.

As far as agency, it's a personal choice. If I was you, I'd contact some local technical instructors, that are current, and teach technical diving regularly.

Depending on how you are diving now, you are in for a lot of gear changes. $$$$

I took all my technical training in the north Pacific off Seattle, where the gear I trained in, would be the gear I would be using at home, being the north Pacific, off British Columbia.

The last thing on your mind in becoming full tech certified should be, cheap/cheaper.

There is no cheap training, after factoring in expensive travel/lodging and gear shipping.

Get trained at home, you live in a perfect location.

Also, being tech trained, doesn't necessarily have to have anything to do with helium.

All the very best,

Rose.

 

[ginti]

Hi @Frederik Brogaard , I feel I need more info before helping you.

I plan on doing it abroad and have been considering Egypt, Malta, and the Philippines for quite some time.

Is there any possibility to evaluate other locations? For instance, at home? That would have so many advantages.

Now obviously I care about proper training and safety but my biggest priority in terms of the location is the price difference. I'm planning on going all the way to trimix. I was hoping someone with actual experience could shed some light on the different places. I've heard that the helium in the Philippines is insanely expensive compared to Europe, but at the same time, the courses are a lot cheaper in Asia as far as I can see.

Surely economics is important, but it is only the second thing to prioritize for training. The first one is quality. The right approach here is different:
- first, find a set of instructors that you are willing to work with
- secondly, you evaluate the other aspects (money, logistic, etc.)
Do you have already in mind any instructor in these places?

I would prefer TDI.

You would prefer TDI over what? And why?

What do you recommend?

Before answering, some other questions:
- do you have any specific interests? Is it only about being able to do deco in WARM waters, or would you like to learn also other things? (e.g. overhead, cold water, etc.) Or you would like to explore everything? (like me )
- what is the level of your core skills? (e.g. propulsion, buoyancy, trim)
- what kind of equipment do you have? Are you ready to upgrade it? If yes, which kind of equipment would you buy?
- CCR? SCR? OC? sidemount or backmount? Why?
- team or solo diving?
- is it easy for you to find buddies?

 

[ofg-1]

Where to start technical diving, you ask? Your bank, for a good line of credit on your house.