Talking Tech
Fundamentals Course and Tec 1 last year because he was joining performance as laid down in my instructor manual. However, there is no
an expedition to dive HMS Manchester in Tunisia. All divers on the standardisation and this creates very diff erent divers across the world.
expedition were Global Underwater Explorers. As an experienced deep
and cave diver of ten years, what did he get out of it?
Leigh wears a single bladder and the Hogarth confi guration suits
him 99 per cent of the time, but he would reconsider on a 150m-plus
‘I like to do a diving course every couple of years to keep learning. dive. Carrying eight stage cylinders he would be very ‘gas overweight’
These are entry-level courses, but for me to join an expedition it was and would switch to a double. He does believe that the absence of a
crucial to take the basic GUE Fundamentals training, so as to be on the pinch clip on the harness is a weak link in the GUE design. This is for
same understanding as the rest of the team. The approach, skills and convenience and particularly helpful for RIB divers removing the rig at the
equipment confi guration derive from cave diving, but in my opinion work surface. He was eager to learn more about the GUE ratio decompression
well in other environments and 99 per cent of all other scenarios. The strategy and has adopted the procedure since. Doing deco ‘on the fl y’ is a
GUE team ethic is rigid, again because of its cave roots, but can only add method of recalculating and altering decompression quickly in your head
additional safety to all types of diving in any environment.’ during a dive, with decompression profi ling based on an average rather
than the maximum depth. You do need a clear head for it, hence one of
I was impressed to hear that the course requires a fi tness test in the form
the reasons for GUE divers keeping their equivalent narcotic depth (END)
of a timed 275m swim. There are less than 100 instructors worldwide and
shallower than most.
Leigh says after certifi cation and membership payments have been made
you are well looked after by the training agency. So what did I learn in researching this subject? A rigid set of rules does
not need to be as restrictive as the bands adorning our harnesses. Arm
‘Each GUE instructor must be 100 per cent sold on every aspect of the DIR
yourself only with crucial equipment but ALWAYS be open to change.
philosophy. The skills and manner in which they are conducted is rigidly
outlined by the training agency, whereas other agencies do not detail to Special thanks to Leigh Cunningham. Leigh is a DSAT Tec Trimix Instructor,
the same degree. PSA Advanced Trimix Instructor Trainer, IANTD Trimix Instructor, TDI
Advanced Trimix Instructor Trainer, NSS-CDS Technical Cave diver and GUE
Other training agencies leave specifi cs to the discretion of the instructor,
Tec 1 diver.
which worked quite well a decade or so ago. However, in the modern day
of technical diving and training I think a more standardized approach GUE website: www.GUE.com
(from other training agencies) should be adopted.’
Cath Bates is part of the technical team at Camel Dive Club in Sharm el
I am privileged in my position to have a lot of choice in how I train Sheikh (www.cameldive.com).
my students, as long as I follow the required subject areas and skill
Issue 5 March - April ‘10 www.cdws.travel 37
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