What are your top tips for tech divers? Nuno Gomes
Nuno Gomes Don Shirley
Te first step for any technical diver is to complete the Advanced Nitrox course (this allows divers to dive down to 50m). Tis is the basis of all further learning. From there, a diver would embark on courses such as cave diving, wreck diving, gas blending and trimix diving, to name but a few. I feel that it is very important
Peter Timm
to understand and master all the techniques learnt in the Advanced Nitrox course. Even though buoyancy control was learnt in the basic open water courses, many divers still have problems with it, especially when dry suits and scooters are introduced. Other considerations are the
Barry Coleman
equipment that one buys – rental equipment is just not good enough. Tis equipment will probably be used in further courses, therefore it should be of excellent quality. Also important is the equipment configuration. It should remain constant for most dives so that the diver can locate the equipment in any given situation. An understanding of the
Pieter Smith
theory of decompression and a good knowledge of physiology are a must. Even though a good technical diving computer is a very useful tool, it cannot think for you. Knowledge will allow you to have confidence and enjoy the diving much more. Technical diving can be
physically and mentally stressful, so stay fit – you will need it.
Don Shirley Peter Herbst
Starting technical diving? Firstly, be comfortable in the water. Master your current diver level knowledge and skills. Start with the entry level tech course and master it before you move on – the course should orientate you to the best route. Advice given is often
Pieter Venter 78 dependant on your target, so
before you fully commit think about what your target is. First contact is important – come do the course, use my gear, and find out what equipment will work and why before you end up buying the wrong choices. There’s lots of gear to choose from, and a BC with six D-rings does not mean it is technical. I am always sad to see people waste their money on poor equipment choices that just won’t work. If you are already a tech diver,
remember that you must stay in practice with your skills and dive often to do this. Do not believe all you read
in the internet, be wary of advice, especially from those that are only recreationally orientated, or worse, are cyber-divers – their advice is given with best intentions but without ‘true’ knowledge of the ‘whole picture’ of technical diving.
Peter Timm
The best advice I can give you, is dive, dive, dive and dive some more. The big thing about deep diving is to gradually move your comfort zone deeper and deeper. You need to condition your mind to function normally at the depths you plan to dive, even while narced. A lot of expensive gear helps, but it alone does not make you a good diver. You can’t buy experience… you actually get it for free from exposure. With exposure I don’t mean telling the uninformed how heavy you are, I mean spending time underwater. Next you need to select good, experienced, active and humble instructors. Be careful of those who love to spend too much time talking about themselves and their accomplishments – they are compensating for something.
My instructor’s ten commandments were: 1. You can’t breathe water.
6. Safety is not a negotiable commodity.
7. Keep It Simple, Stupid. 8. Check, double check and recheck. 9. Don’t learn from idiots. 10. The talkers don’t do and the do’ers don’t talk.
Make sure your motivation
for tech diving is right – if it’s chicks, money or fame, rather give it up. There are much cheaper ways of eradicating yourself, and anyway, the chicks will eventually wander off with a more interesting guy while you are hanging alone, freezing on a deco for hours. The most dangerous animal
you will encounter whilst tech diving is not a crocodile or a great white – it’s the most efficient killer of all, the male ego. Don’t trip yourself up. On the lighter side, a chirp of the day from Buks; “Everything went 100% according to plan… then we went underwater.” Safe diving and go for it!
Barry Coleman
Do you push your own limits wisely or foolishly? Experienced divers push the limits with premeditated thought, building on the foundation, planning the extension with only a small push, allowing time to percolate the experience. The foolish will jump – a reaction without consequential thought or understanding. There are many times the results favour the uninformed and others follow suit, but the inevitable is unavoidable and it is simply a question of when and how serious will the injury be. The irony of it all is that the more
September/October 2011
2. You can’t swim through rocks. 3. You can’t see without lights. 4. Spare air is never too heavy to carry.
5. Don’t take chances, not even small ones, because Murphy is your most willing dive buddy.
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100