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To Tech Or Not To Tech – A Journey To The Darkside

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In 1969 Buzz Aldrin and Neil Armstrong walked on the moon. In 2006 I went into space as well. Well… inner space anyway. I only draw this reference as there have probably been more people blasted into space than there have been divers below 100 metres, and the few of us that have been probably feel more honoured.

Now I know it sounds like I am suffering from small penis syndrome, and indeed I am, but it really is not as hard as it sounds to become a tech diver. Nowhere near as hard as the training with NASA, that’s for sure.

I feel blessed in the fact that I am allowed to go to places that very few have even dreamt of going. I dive in caves, in wrecks, on rebreathers, you name it. And with some of the coolest people ever.

So, if it’s so cool to do, how come everyone’s not doing it?

Paul tech 2

Well, it’s quite simple. I believe that divers are their own worst enemies. For years, technical divers have referred to recreational diving as “an unbearable boring pastime”, and recreational divers have referred to technical diving as “pointless as you see nothing down there!”  Man, I used to feel the same.

I’ll tell you what; as long as I’m underwater I’m happy. I love my single tank, but a few years ago I needed a challenge and technical diving fulfilled that need.

Like me, most people expect technical diving to be ridiculously hard work. The questions I get asked the most are not to do with the expense but with how heavy the kit is, how hard the academics are, how difficult are the skills, too much kit, etc.

So let’s address some of these issues.  Just so you believe me, I am a very average man, six foot tall, 80 kilograms, a bit of a spare tire on my skinny frame and definitely NOT a genius at school. No Navy Seal or Special Boat Services around here.

How heavy is the kit?

Paul tech kit

Well, I have to be honest, it’s all pretty heavy. Twinsets, stages, rebreathers, all of it. BUT, and it’s a big but, we don’t climb mountains and goose step around dive sites in these rigs, we put them on and get in the water. Our rigs are designed to work perfectly in the water so that’s where we like to wear them. I teach a lot of girls for example (and this is not sexist, Celehte our Diving Dentist is a Trimix diver) and the rigs hurt, so we make a plan and get as easy an access to the water with minimal standing around as possible. In the water, a twinset is a dream, balanced, trim and most of all – cool! Once you have dived a wing, harness and twinset, I defy you to ever feel as comfortable in a BCD ever again.

How hard are the academics?

I don’t know about you but physiology, mathematics and biology were not my favourite subjects at school. I was a dismal failure so when I read my first tech manual I nearly had a heart attack. I thought lifting a boat engine for my PADI Divemaster exam was taxing enough. But something special happens when you meet a technical Instructor; we have been there, seen it and done it. We understand what you are going through and we show you logical ways to get to those elusive answers. WE can turn a whole chapter on gobbledigook into one line of pure mathematical magic. The training agencies, whether it’s RAID, IANTD, TDI, DSAT or GUE, spend a lot of time and energy making sure that their Instructors have the right tools to get the job done.

How hard is a technical skill circuit?

The answer here is really simple: It’s easy. The courses build upon each other and so do the skill sets. This means that you have time to master the skills before moving on to a more difficult set. The skills are real world too. Just like on your Open Water course where the skills had their place and were value driven, so are the technical skills. All technical programmes spend a lot of time perfecting (and I mean perfecting) your buoyancy, propulsion, trim and drag skills in water. Then we teach equipment management skills and the “what if” skills. What if I have a free flow, what if I can’t find my ascent line, what if my computer packs up, and so on.

Too much kit?

Well it’s true, we do wear a fair amount of kit, but we only wear what we need to do the job. Our aim is not to become a solo diver but to be self-sufficient. So that means two of everything that keeps us alive. Two tanks, two regulators, two computers, two reels, two surface marker buoys etc. Sounds like a lot but the way the rig is set up means it’s all tucked away neatly making the equipment very streamlined and a pleasure to wear. In fact in most cases a lot more streamlined than a single cylinder and BCD.

How do I start?

Paul tech

Now you have a rough idea of what it’s all about so the question (I hope) that’s on your mind is… how do I start?

Tech, much like recreational, is about the training agency for sure, but in technical I believe the most important decision is the Instructor you choose to work with. A good Instructor will nurture you and make the training challenging but rewarding and you will be chomping at the bit to get diving with that Instructor again.

RAID_Concepts_vFPaul is the Director of Training at RAID. To find out more about the courses that RAID offers, visit www.diveraid.com.

After living in South Africa for 23 years, Paul moved to the UK, where he discovered diving. Within months of learning to dive he had his own centre in London and rapidly progressed to Course Director before finding his passion for technical diving. Paul is an avid wreck, cave and rebreather diver, and has worked as an Instructor and Instructor Trainer for PADI, IANTD, and TDI. Paul recently held the position of Director of Technical Training for SSI, but moved on when he was offered the chance to co-own and run his own training agency. Paul now holds the role of Director of Diver Training at RAID International.

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Four opportunities to go pro in 2024 with Dive Friends Bonaire

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Dive Friends teaches the Instructor Development Course (IDC) several times a year to students who are eager to share their passion for diving with the world.

Dive Friends is known for the personal approach throughout the course. Their in-house course director will lead the students through every essential step, mentoring them to achieve their fullest potential as a dive instructor.

Applications for the following IDC start dates are now open:

  • 12 April
  • 5 July,
  • 20 September
  • 29 November

Partnership with Casita Palma

If the student opts for the IDC-Deluxe or IDC-Supreme package, their accommodation will be arranged for them at Casita Palma. This small and quiet resort is within walking distance from Dive Friends Bonaire’s main dive shop location and has everything you need to relax after an intense day of IDC training. Breakfast is included, so the student will always be fuelled and ready for their day.

Contact Dive Friends Bonaire’s Course Director Eddy for more information: coursedirector@divefriendsbonaire.com.

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SOMABAY: Scubaverse Trip Review (Watch Video)

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In a video created exclusively for Scubaverse.com, Jeff Goodman visits SOMABAY in the Egyptian Red Sea to experience the diving on offer there.

Book your next Red Sea dive adventure with SOMABAY! For more information, visit www.somabay.com.

Stay at the Breakers Diving & Surfing Lodge when you visit! For more information, visit  www.thebreakers-somabay.com.

Find out more about ORCA Dive Clubs at SOMABAY at www.orca-diveclubs.com/en/soma-bay-en.

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