technical diving news and events in thailand
Technical divers discover shipwreck off coast of Thailand
Saturday, February 27th, 2010
Tec divers locate and dive on a shipwreck that has been missing for over one year.
Koh Tao, Thailand – In April of 2009 a wooden overnight ferry that would transport passengers and goods from Koh Tao Island to Chumphon City sank in rough waves and strong wind. The boat sank slowly allowing all the occupants to be rescued.
In May of 2009 a group of individuals contacted big blue tech to conduct a search for the wreck in an attempt to identify it as a potential artificial reef which was completed after warm-up training. However, due to technological limitations the wreck wasn’t found at the position reported.
In Christmas of 2009 it was reported that fishermen were catching their drag nets on something big under the water. The position was logged with their GPS as an area to avoid in the future and this information was passed down to the technical divers who have been looking for information in that area.
Today staff from Big Blue Tech set out on the sea early in the morning armed with GPS and a type of sonar that shows the topography of the sea bed to find the lost nightboat. The staff members included Helen Artal. Duncan Tyler, Thomas Hallstrom, Yvonne Fries and James Thornton-Allan worked as a team relaying information from the sonar to the GPS to the captain as we got closer.
Unfortunately the information we received was not accurate again and the GPS mark was showing nothing. After 30 minutes of searching the sonar bleeped showing the depth which was a constant 40m raise up to 27m about 1 kilometer away from all reports of the sinking. This was clearly what we were looking for, after a few more sweeps the shot line was thrown in and James set off to make the confirmation.
As James descended the divers waited on the surface waiting for the signal that there was a wreck below and that the rest of the team should descend. The signal would be a bright orange air bag that would float on the surface after filled with a small amount of air from below. After what seemed like an eternity the bag broke the surface along with cheers and applause.
The wreck is sitting perfectly upright in the silt, the stern is completely covered in fishing nets which appears to have ripped of the top roof exposing one floor. The length and width hasn’t been measured yet but it’s estimated at 30m long in length with plenty of room for penetration.
Without knowing the actual name of this boat we have named this large blue nightboat simply the “Big Blue Wreck”. More information needs to be gathered and a survey to be conducted before the wreck will be opened up to Big Blue Tech customers.
Tags: artificial reef, fishermen, koh tao island, koh tao thailand, new wreck, shipwrecks, strong wind, wreck discovery, wreck koh tao, wreck thailand, wrecks
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Rebreather Training in Thailand
Friday, February 26th, 2010
Modified semi-closed rebreather diver course completed in Thailand
Koh Tao, Thailand – Big Blue Tech celebrates the graduation of Andrew Cavell from his TDI Semi Closed Rebreather Diver Course conducted over 4 dives around various dive sites on Koh Tao Island. The TDI Semi-Closed Rebreather Diver Course is designed to teach the student the safe diving and operation of a Semi-Closed Rebreather.
The semi-closed circuit rebreather (SCR) can be manufactured without the use of batteries or electronic components in a very reliable system. It’s only moving parts are the check valves in the mouthpiece and the demand valve override for deep inhalations. It can be simple, useful, and provide many of the benefits divers seek in rebreathers. With the use of Nitrox mixtures, the benefits of EAN use are retained with the added benefits of a properly designed SCR which includes:
- Quiet, reduced bubble operation
- Extended bottom time (due to efficient use of gas)
- Lighter, more comfortable diving systems
- All the physiological benefits of EAN (Nitrox)
Other advantages of the semi-closed circuit rebreather become obvious with use in each dives chosen environment. For example, the inspired air is moist, not-dry, helping to eliminate “cotton-mouth.” Also, the gas is warmer, reducing heat loss in cold-water diving. Buoyancy needs only be set once at depth. As the diver breathes, the system acts opposite to the lungs producing no change in buoyancy from inhalation to exhalation. This takes some getting used to for experienced divers.
Diving on the rebreather is a remarkable difference to normal open circuit scuba. Andrew’s first experience in the shallow training depths was commented as “that’s weird” when referring to the control of the buoyancy using your lungs. Because the unit uses a bag of air that you exhale and inhale from the exchange of gas from lungs to unit is different than experienced in normal scuba. In scuba diving when you exhale you descend and when you inhale you ascend. In a Semi-closed rebreather the movement is opposite.
During the open water dives do depths up to 30m Andrew found the marine life came much closer then ever before and that the air was not as dry as in normal scuba.
The rebreather which was used is a modified Drager Dolphin Semi-closed rebreather which has been adapted from it’s 4 litre tank which provided 69 hours of dive time to twin 6 litre tanks to get the increase gas and dive time while utilizing a full canister of soda lime. This rebreather also features the ability to bolt on a backplate and wing so technical divers can find it more comfortable and streamlined.
Tags: check valves, circuit rebreather, closed circuit, cold water diving, diver course, diving systems, koh tao island, koh tao thailand, nitrox mixtures, rebreathers, safe diving, semi closed circuit rebreather
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Training Team Expansion
Thursday, February 25th, 2010
New staff bring diversity to technical diving school in Thailand
Koh Tao, Thailand – Big Blue Tech welcomes the addition of new staff members to our technical diving team. Over the past few months Big Blue Tech has been actively seeking new employees to help accomodate the demand for training and diving. The new staff members include Helen Artal, Thomas Hallstrom, Duncan Tyler and Andrew Cavell who have been trained in house and start work on the first of March.
Working in the technical diving industry takes a select amount of skills. Not only are customer service skills essential while working in the tourism industry it’s also required to have the skills and education to properly represent this sport in the right manner. While all the new staff are already experience diving professionals it’s their adaptation to technical diving that sets them aside from the rest.
The new team is also a youthful and energetic crowd who are all current in today’s methods and ideology of technical diving which brings a fresh and welcomed spirit to the industry.
To learn more about the new team click on the “Dive Crew” link at the top of the page.
Tags: customer service skills, diversity, diving jobs, diving school, diving team, education, koh tao thailand, scuba jobs, tourism industry
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