Wreck Certification Caribbean

[MasterFox]

Hello,

I've got into diving because I'm interested in starting my pathway towards advanced/tech wreck diving.

I want to get my Wreck Diving Certification to start getting more penetration dives and experience.

Which destination would you recommend in the Caribbean so I can be fully focused on Wreck Diving certification? So which destination has the more wrecks so the certification can be good education

I am Padi AOW but happy to get the certification from another organization where I can get good education.

Thank you

 

[Eric802]

I’m not sure there are a ton of wrecks there (there are enough), but if I was getting my wreck cert in the Caribbean I’d look up Terry Crookes at Pro Divers St. Kitts.

 

[tursiops]

Hello,

I've got into diving because I'm interested in starting my pathway towards advanced/tech wreck diving.

I want to get my Wreck Diving Certification to start getting more penetration dives and experience.

Which destination would you recommend in the Caribbean so I can be fully focused on Wreck Diving certification? So which destination has the more wrecks so the certification can be good education

I am Padi AOW but happy to get the certification from another organization where I can get good education.

Thank you

You only need one wreck for the recreational certification.
Penetration will need technical training. The TDI Advanced Wreck course is pretty good, but you really ought to take Advanced Nitrox/Decompression Procedures first.

 

[MasterFox]

You only need one wreck for the recreational certification.
Penetration will need technical training. The TDI Advanced Wreck course is pretty good, but you really ought to take Advanced Nitrox/Decompression Procedures first.

Thanks so much for your reply. Since the normal wreck certification doesn't have any penetration, you think is better to skip it and take the TDI Advanced Nitro/Deco first to work my way up into TDI Advanced Wreck?

Any destination or shops do you recommend for this?

Thanks!

 

[tursiops]

Thanks so much for your reply. Since the normal wreck certification doesn't have any penetration, you think is better to skip it and take the TDI Advanced Nitro/Deco first to work my way up into TDI Advanced Wreck?

Any destination or shops do you recommend for this?

Thanks!

The recreational wreck class is a prereq for the TDI Advanced Wreck:

Course prerequisites:​

• Minimum age 18
• Minimum certification of SDI Advanced Adventure Diver or equivalent
• Certified SDI Wreck Diver or TDI Cavern Diver or equivalent
• Proof of 50 logged dives

If you do the PADI Wreck class, you are allowed to do a minor penetration on Dive #4, if you and your instructor agree and the wreck and conditions are suitable.
Some line and reel handling are mandatory skills; the cavern class is good for that training.
If your profile is correct, you have a lot of diving to do before you do Adv Wreck.

 

[Eric802]

I did TDI wreck, and the back of my card describes it as "Wreck Limited Penetration Diver". Honestly, while I understand the enthusiasm if the dive count in your profile is accurate I wouldn't be worrying about things like Advanced Nitrox/Deco. The wreck class (at least the TDI one I took) was a great introduction and got a few more dives under my belt. Focus on finding a good instructor - with any course, that's far more important than what agency gives you the card when you finish. The instructor for my wreck course essentially said "you're not supposed to do penetration dives with this cert, but let's be honest - you're going to do it anyway", so we went over some rudimentary line running basics.

I love the idea of going to the Caribbean and getting the cert as part of a vacation in some warm water. As Tursiops said, it's only a few dives so you really only need one decent wreck to do them. The question you should be asking is "What's a good dive op/who's a good instructor" for your wreck class, not "what's a good destination".

My 2psi.

 

[tursiops]

I did TDI wreck, and the back of my card describes it as "Wreck Limited Penetration Diver". Honestly, while I understand the enthusiasm if the dive count in your profile is accurate I wouldn't be worrying about things like Advanced Nitrox/Deco. The wreck class (at least the TDI one I took) was a great introduction and got a few more dives under my belt. Focus on finding a good instructor - with any course, that's far more important than what agency gives you the card when you finish. The instructor for my wreck course essentially said "you're not supposed to do penetration dives with this cert, but let's be honest - you're going to do it anyway", so we went over some rudimentary line running basics.

I love the idea of going to the Caribbean and getting the cert as part of a vacation in some warm water. As Tursiops said, it's only a few dives so you really only need one decent wreck to do them. The question you should be asking is "What's a good dive op/who's a good instructor" for your wreck class, not "what's a good destination".

My 2psi.

Did you do TDI wreck, or SDI wreck? Your description sounds like SDI, a recreational course that can be completed in two OW dives. Line use and limited penetration requires more dives and use of reels and lines.

 

[Eric802]

Absolutely right, I misspoke. SDI. 4 dives, and the “limited penetration“ was running a line in an airplane fuselage.

 

[schuylerclark]

I did TDI wreck, and the back of my card describes it as "Wreck Limited Penetration Diver". Honestly, while I understand the enthusiasm if the dive count in your profile is accurate I wouldn't be worrying about things like Advanced Nitrox/Deco. The wreck class (at least the TDI one I took) was a great introduction and got a few more dives under my belt. Focus on finding a good instructor - with any course, that's far more important than what agency gives you the card when you finish. The instructor for my wreck course essentially said "you're not supposed to do penetration dives with this cert, but let's be honest - you're going to do it anyway", so we went over some rudimentary line running basics.

I love the idea of going to the Caribbean and getting the cert as part of a vacation in some warm water. As Tursiops said, it's only a few dives so you really only need one decent wreck to do them. The question you should be asking is "What's a good dive op/who's a good instructor" for your wreck class, not "what's a good destination".

My 2psi.

I did the SDI course with the same "Limited Penetration" qualifier, and I agree it's more about the instructor than the wreck. My cert was in the Gulf off the FL panhandle where most of the dives are wrecks of one sort or another. (hovercrafts, anyone?)

I learned enough to know that I have a lot more to learn if I ever want to go deep into wrecks (or into deep wrecks). But swim-throughs and open cargo holds? I'm comfy with those now.

 

[dberry]

There are a lot of good wrecks off the east coast of Florida (Pompano, Boca, etc.) and it's often easier and cheaper to get there. You can probably find a good SDI/TDI instructor, too.