Wreck Penetration Training?

[tndiveinstruct1]

It is true that it is the instructor that counts. I did the PADI Wreck Spec and the instructor had us line laying blind folded on land. He gave us an exercise in tying off the line, we were blind-folder and then told, you have 2 minute's air left, find your way back to your initial entry point.

In water, we practised laying lines and reeling them in with eyes open and then we had to do it with eyes shut (this was outside the wreck). The dive op also has an old boat on land which it uses to demonstrate hazards inside wrecks so we were taken into that and we had to make our way through it while the hazards were shown to us.

I felt that within the limitations of the course (penetration in the light zone and no more than 40m from surface) it was a good training exercise. But I guess not all instructors and not all dive ops will take this thorough approach. So you can have 2 people with a Wreck Spec Cert but with very different experiences,

Having a dry boat on land with some hazards in it would be EXCELLENT.

And yes, I agree that this is NOT the end all be all course on wreck diving. As I stated earlier it is a START, and after that it is up to the diver to expand that knowledge base we have given them.

 

[tndiveinstruct1]

At the SSI LDS I frequent, the wreck penetration course is pretty rigorous and requires you to get out of a labyrinth of a wreck (following the line you previously ran) in zero vis without a mask.

That's pretty good. I know that according to standards we cannot practice OOA situations in an overhead environment, but I don't know about no mask line following.... I'll have to check and see if that is permissible...

That also sounds like a great course.

 

[tndiveinstruct1]

So as you can Seahound, there are many options to your initial wreck training. I would suggest that you find an instructor or shop that conducts the training the way you want to be trained and go with it.

 

[Michael Schlink]

When it comes to overhead training I think of two words "baby steps"

 

[farrakhan]

I did all my overhead environment training with TDI. I was very happy with the training. I also did a CDAA (Cave Divers Association of Australia) Cavern Sinkhole course which did a large amount of reel work in zero visibility situations. I agree with the baby steps philosophy. Untrained overhead environment diving = extreme danger. With that said it is some of the most fun and challenging diving I've ever done.

 

[SeaHound]

Thanks a lot guys. I see that NAUI has a wreck survey course and a wreck penetration course. What their website doesnt say is what level of penetration are they talking about? Is it light zone penetration of deep? Or does that also depends on the instructor?

 

[jbd]

Thanks a lot guys. I see that NAUI has a wreck survey course and a wreck penetration course. What their website doesnt say is what level of penetration are they talking about? Is it light zone penetration of deep? Or does that also depends on the instructor?

My interpretation of the S&P indicates that the level of penetration will depend on what the instructor is offering.

 

[diverbrian]

At the SSI LDS I frequent, the wreck penetration course is pretty rigorous and requires you to get out of a labyrinth of a wreck (following the line you previously ran) in zero vis without a mask.

So, like the SSI shop that I work with, they also have some instructor that teaches tech through a tech agency? SSI training pretty much ends at the recreational/stress and rescue level unless you want to be a dive pro.

What our shop has is an IANTD instructor who teaches through Normoxic Tri-mix. Wreck penetration training here seems to be best accomplished by going to Florida and becoming a cave diver first (seeing that will take quite some time, the diving that you are doing the meantime will help). Then, one adapts those tactics to use inside of wrecks.

I have heard of a couple of instructors up here that teach "good" wreck penetration courses that include line work and zero vis work. But, they aren't the most assessible instructors in the world.

 

[Dive-aholic]

Thanks a lot guys. I see that NAUI has a wreck survey course and a wreck penetration course. What their website doesnt say is what level of penetration are they talking about? Is it light zone penetration of deep? Or does that also depends on the instructor?

I'm not NAUI, but wreck survey sounds like no penetration and wreck penetration at the recreational level is probably within the light zone, which is a good start. To quote a previous post-baby steps.

 

[Michael Schlink]

Seahound, as a very experienced cave and wreck diver and wreck inst. I have to ask, how much diving experience do you have? I ask because you seem VERY focused on penetration. Although that is a an excellent goal you need to first develop skills of navigating AROUND a wreck before you develop skills navigating THROUGH a wreck. As a PADI inst. I have taught my students a multitude of skills needed for wreck diving LONG BEFORE penetrating. As has been mentioned line usage, OOA's, BUOYANCY, propulsion techniques,gear config., deco, lights, etc. are skills that should be MASTERED BEFORE learning to penetrate wrecks. Here is a simple little "test" to see if your ready to go inside a wreck, and your buddy can help you determine it. Hover motionless with your mask removed and your eyes closed. Have your buddy keep an eye on you. If you can remain motionless without ANY hand movement and you're comfortable then you are ready to start training, if not, continue to practice your buoyancy until you develop the skill and then and only then are ready to penetrate an overhead. -M