Tech Diving News

Modified Drager Dolphin provides perfect rebreather for recreational diving limits.

Koh Tao, Thailand

Big Blue Tech celebrate the graduation of Ash Dunn and James Foleher from their TDI Drager Dolphin Semi Closed Rebreather Course conducted over 2 days with 4 dives on Koh Tao Island off the coast of Thailand by TDI Rebreather Instructor James Thornton-Allan

The TDI Semi-Closed Circuit Rebreather course is the ideal course for photographers, cold water divers or anybody wishing to enjoy a quieter dive and closer interaction with marine life. The course is unit specific covering the Drager Dolphin SCR Rebreather. The TDI Introduction to Semi-Closed Circuit Rebreathers manual takes you through a step by step process of the history and theory of SCR’s, how the units work, and provides setup and cleaning check lists.

Our Drager Dolphin has been modified to include side by side tank system, black box and a backplate/wing mounting system removing the old/original style that wasn’t practical for our environment. With the side by side cylinder system with manifold we can increase the volume to match the scrubber life without compromising buoyancy and trim.

Both students will continue to use the unit to gain valuable hours of training in the coming weeks and months.

Divers train to 100m on helium and oxygen based diving mixes

Phuket, Thailand

Big Blue Tech celebrates the graduation of Gregs from his TDI Advanced Trimix course conducted over several days diving and theory by TDI Instructor Trainer Ben Reymenants on Phuket Island on the west coast of Thailand

The TDI Advanced Trimix Diver course is the top level of training for open circuit divers wishing to dive to depths as deep as 100 m / 330 feet utilizing hypoxic levels of oxygen (below 17 percent).  This course is perhaps one of the most informative and challenging and upon completion you are among some of the most elite divers.

During the course the team made a visit to Sra Keow Cave where Ben had previously explored up to 240m in vertical depth. Gregs had previously been certified as a CDAA Cave Diver and TDI Intro To Cave which allowed him to explore the stunning cave system in Krabi Province.

Ben and Gregs move on to Khao Sok National Park to complete his TDI Cave Diver course and continue with more deep dives around the sunken city and forest.

BSAC (British Sub Aqua Club) provides attractive alternative to other professional diver courses with a one on one internship.

Koh Tao, Thailand

Big Blue Tech celebrates the graduation of Chris Shaw from his BSAC Dive Leader course conducted over 3 weeks by BSAC Instructor Ash Dunn on Koh Tao Island off the coast of Thailand.

The BSAC Dive Leader provides a professional diving certification and ability to work in the diving industry to experienced divers who are looking to improve their personal diving skills and learn more in-depth training and methods.

We offer several professional internship courses including the PADI Divemaster Course, SSI DiveCon Course, TDI Technical Divemaster Course and SDI Divemaster Course. The BSAC one is unlike any other professional diving level in many ways, which is what made it an attractive option for Chris.

The course focused on Chris’s diving skills and ability with one on one guidance from his instructor. This was essential since the BSAC Dive Leader course includes decompression diving, certification to 50m and oxygen administration.In addition Chris had to perform in limited visibility, at night, on a drift, from a boat and marshaling in combination with mock helicopter rescue drills.

The BSAC Dive Leader course is catered to train british divers to supervise diving activities in England but the training and confidence taught through the program in less demanding conditions meant Chris could complete the course in 3 weeks and not 6 months.

During the BSAC Dive Leader Course Koh Tao had a few days of rough weather, high seas and wind giving Chris a taste of British diving conditions as he performed the last of his training dives at our deeper dive sites on a twin set. Chris made most of his training dives in technical diving gear since he completed is TDI Intro To Tech course before starting his internship.

From this course Chris can continue his professional career in becoming an instructor or on to deeper technical diving.

Technical divers experience the art and sill of decompression diving in South East Asia.

Koh Tao, Thailand

Big Blue Tech celebrates the graduation of Etienne De Beer from his TDI Decompression Procedures Course conducted over 3 days with 4 dives by TDI Instructor James Thornton-Allan off the coast of Thailand on Koh Tao Island.

The TDI Decompression Procedures Course takes the previously certified TDI Advanced Nitrox Diver and provides training for planned and staged decompression diving where the use of multiple oxygen based gasses provide an accelerated exit from depths up to 45m.

The course also provides more advanced familiarization with technical diving equipment, methods and skills including buoyancy, trim and control.

During the course the conditions were challenging and with limited visibility this provided great training grounds for becoming a comfortable and qualified technical diver. Working on the motto “Train Hard, Dive Easy” Etienne certainly covered the “Train Hard” aspect in many ways.

As a final treat Etienne was introduced to technical wreck diving with a shallow and limited penetration on our local house wreck off the shore of Koh Tao.

Technical scuba divers learn the techniques to using rich mixes of nitrox for technical diving

Koh Tao, Thailand

Big Blue Tech celebrates the graduation of Etienne De Beer and Pierre Peigne from their TDI Advanced Nitrox course conducted over 2 days and 4 dives by TDI Instructor James Thornton-Allan and assisted by Technical Diving Instructor Intern James Foleher on a small island off the coast of Thailand called Koh Tao.

TDI Advanced Nitrox training focuses on the diver’s bottom skills, ascent skills expanding on the Intro to Tech skills, and is designed to cultivate, integrate, and test these skills, which are essential for safe technical diving. This critical training will include bottom failures, midwater failures, problem identification and resolution and building the capacity for progressively more challenging diving.

In this class, students will be trained in the use of double tanks/cylinders and in the potential failure problems associated with them, the use of 100% Oxygen for extended no decompression, and the applications of single decompression stage diving with respect to decompression procedures.

This class provides an excellent foundation on which divers can build their technical diving experience in the 130′/40m range using a single decompression bottle. Following the TDI Advanced Nitrox, the diver can enter the TDI Decompression Procedures, which provides a solid basis of critical skills for the Technical Diver venturing to 160’/45m range utilizing single decompression bottle and a stage to conduct multiple technical dives in one day.

Consider the following with respect to your deeper diving pursuits.

• How fun are those deep dives if you aren’t comfortable?
• You have doubles, but do you know how to handle a failure as a team?
• Would you enjoy your dives more if you felt more confident in your diving and emergency skills?
• Would you like current and depth and darkness not to affect your diving at all?

This class is designed for those individuals who like to learn by doing, not just thinking. With an emphasis on practical, in-training through development and “simulator dives”, it’s just the thing to get your brain working while you’re finning and hovering.

And for those yearning for a better understanding of the monster of decompression, we start at the beginning, and work carefully to our present understanding. If you’re ready to take the next step into technical diving.All these elements combined equal a far safer diving experience in the 80 (24m) – 130 ft (39m) range which makes this class an excellent resource for anyone looking to make the most out of the time they have for diving.

When merged with other skills such as team diving and precision diver control, individuals are able to appreciate a whole new way of diving, having more fun while diving safer and more responsibly. Simply put, these techniques and principles enable divers to maximize their personal abilities and eliminate some of the frustrations common in conventional diving.

TDI (Technical Diving International) Intro to Tech course provides entry level certification for technical diving

Koh Tao, Thailand

Big Blue Tech celebrates the graduation of Etienne De Beer, Colin Thompson and Caroline Sale from their TDI Intro to Tech course conducted over 2 days with 4 dives by TDI Instructor James Thornton-Allan and assisted by Intern James Foleher off the coast of Thailand on an island called Koh Tao.

TDI Intro to Tech course is designed to cultivate the fundamental techniques required by all sound technical, wreck, and cave diving practice. Essentials of Tech functions as a technical entry point for all previously certified divers and as the prerequisite for all other technical TDI classes.TDI Intro to Tech focuses on the divers’ critical bottom skills. The training is centered around precise buoyancy control, team awareness, and controlled ascent procedures including surface marker buoy use.The equipment required for the TDI Intro to Tech is centered on the hogarthian configuration, which includes a backplate and wing in lieu of a traditional BC, and a long hose for the primary regulator and short, necklaced hose for the backup.

The TDI Intro to Tech class continues the students’ path as a “Thinking Diver” and brings an increased awareness of the underwater environment. While preparing the diver for more advanced, technical dive training, the Essentials of Tech student will also develop excellent diving skills for use in recreational diving situations.

Many divers find all the adventure they need in recreational dives to 100′ or less. But some feel that maybe they are missing some skills that technical divers have such as “horizontal decompression stops”. Or maybe you linger at the top of the wall, looking down into the inky abyss? Does the idea of penetrating a wreck, with only your lights and a guideline to lead you give you good goose bumps? Do you think you’ll never be happy unless you’re flying past a pinnacle at 200′ on a scooter? Technical diving is about having fun, just like any other pastime. But, like anything worth doing, it requires perseverance and hard work. This class is designed for the diver eager to learn some basic technical diving skills which can help improve their recreational diving ability or want to begin building a strong foundation to start pursuing the challenge of technical diving.

Maybe you want to learn something new (like the Intro to Tech configuration) or you want to improve your safety by learning to do horizontal air sharing drills. Regardless of your motivation, in this class you will be introduced to the technical diver’s toolbox. You will learn to hover motionless, move forward and backward, turn around without disturbing the bottom. You will learn to air share gas with your teammate in a reasonable and efficient manner. You will learn to ascend, making appropriate stops while deploying a surface marker to alert the boat and support team of our predicament to basic use of a deco bottle. In the classroom, technical divers need to know which gas to choose and why, how to plan a dive (including Decompression techniques), from the back of the truck to a bench on the boat, and how to ensure that everyone has a great time and gets home safely. Intro to Tech isn’t about showcasing the latest equipment, or rushing you into the next class. It’s about working to develop skills that will improve your dive, and thus propel into a world of exploration. If this sounds a bit more than you had envisioned, or you are unsure about your preparation, please feel free to contact us, or see our Intro to Tech

BSAC Dive Leader intern cruises through the Oxygen Administration SDC

Koh Tao, Thailand

Big Blue Tech celebrates the graduation of BSAC Dive Leader Intern Chris Shaw from his BSAC Oxygen Administration Skill Development Course conducted over a 1 day workshop by BSAC Instructor Ash Dunn.

As a diver you’ve probably attended First Aid training, during which you’ll have learned the benefit of delivering rescue breaths to a non breathing patient. But did you know that by administrating rescue breaths together with enriched oxygen content you can increase the effectiveness of this technique? Furthermore, in the case of most diving related accidents, the administration of oxygen can also be of benefit when treating such conditions.

This course will show you how oxygen can be used as a first aid treatment for treating divers and diving related incidents, the safe guards of administrating 100% oxygen and the limitations of oxygen treatment. The course is designed for divers and people who are involved with diving activities for example; deckhands and surface support teams etc.

This is 1 day course and it consists of both theory and practical lessons. The course concludes with an evaluation in both of these areas. All candidates on completion of the course will receive a set of student notes and an Oxygen Administrator certification card.

This course is part of the BSAC Dive Leader Course as a standard component.

A workshop to deliver technical diving instructor qualities and skills conducted in thailand.

Koh Tao, Thailand

Big Blue Tech celebrates the graduation of James Foleher from his BSAC (British Sub Aqua Club) Extended Range Instructor SDC Workshop conducted by BSAC Extended Range Instructor Trainer Ash Dunn over 2 days on Koh Tao Island off the coast of Thailand.

The BSAC ERD Instructor course allows qualified technical divers and BSAC Instructors the ability to teach the BSAC ERD SDC. The course covers academic presentations, skill assessment, open water skill delivery and a stress test.

The course was accompanied by BSAC Dive Leader intern Chris Shaw who acted as a student for James to practice his skills.

As a BSAC ERD Instructor James is authorized to teach the BSAC Advanced Nitrox and BSAC Extended Range course through any BSAC Centre worldwide!

Experienced recreational divers gain the ability to dive solo.

Koh Tao, Thailand

Big Blue Tech celebrates the graduation of Etienne De Beer and Caroline Sale from the SDI Solo Diver Course conducted by Solo Diving Instructor James Thornton-Allan on Koh Tao Island off the coast of Thailand.

SDI has been the only agency sanctioning a Solo Diver certification for some time now. You may be asking, “Who is SDI”? Well, SDI (Scuba Diving International) is the open water arm of TDI (Technical Diving International).TDI is the largest technical training organization in the world. SDI is now in a dead heat for the number two position among certifying agencies for the number of divers trained annually in the US.

One of SDI’s most popular courses, the solo diver program teaches experienced recreational divers how to safely dive independently of a dive buddy or strengthen your buddy team skills. The course stresses on proper dive planning, personal limitations, accident prevention as well as the benefits, hazards, and proper procedures for diving solo.  You will also learn the additional equipment that is required for solo diving including it’s proper usage and assembly. This is the prefect course for underwater photography and underwater video divers.

Both Caroline and Etienne progress on to the TDI Intro to Tech course tomorrow for more training and experience.

Accomodation on koh tao for technical diving students.

Koh Tao, Thailand

Big Blue Tech provides accommodation to it’s students when in training that features comfort, quiet and amenities to help you get the rest you need for technical diving activities.

Our resort features many rooms on site but these are located directly on the beach and provide a great back packer atmosphere however for our elite students we have a hotel located 100m from our main resort designed to provide a more luxurios atmosphere.

Our hotel features a large internet cafe with wireless throughout for any traveling business needs. The rooms have air conditioning, fridge and tv as standard. Our eastern facing rooms have balcony and western facing rooms have an ocean view. For safety and security the rooms also have safety deposit boxes along with a communal safe in the resort lobby.

Tucked away from the hustle and bustle of the part scene and night life you can choose to walk outside in the activity or get away from it all if you have some deep challenging dives the following day.

British Sub Aqua Club (BSAC) course, recognized by Aqualung, conducted in Thailand

Koh Tao, Thailand

Big Blue Tech celebrates the graduation of Technical Diving Instructor Intern James Foleher from his BSAC Repair Technician Course conducted over a 2 day hands on workshop by Instructor Kieron Mc Clintock.

The workshop is designed to make the technician familiar with Aqualung’s equipment including the PowerLine Inflator (TM) found on their BCD’s. The hands on workshop explores the strip down, service and repair of unbalanced, balanced and environmentally sealed regulator first stages along with a variety of second stages.

In addition to the repair included a troubleshooting and adjusting section to enhance the equipment’s performance and provide the best service to students and customers.

After completing this course James will be team teaching the next scheduled session to work toward becoming a BSAC Repair Technician Instructor.

This course is recognized and supported by Aqualung and gives the student the authority to conduct warranty repairs and service.

To enroll in this course contact us at info@bigbluetech.net

TDI Intro to Tech course completed in Thailand

Koh Tao, Thailand

Big Blue Tech celebrates the graduation of Chris Shaw and Nicholas Swyny from their TDI Intro to Tech course conducted over 3 days with 4 dives by TDI Technical Instructor Ash Dunn and Technical Instructor Intern James Foleher off the coast of Thailand on Koh Tao Island.

The TDI Intro to Tech course is the perfect course for divers who have heard about technical diving and want to find out more about this exciting branch of advanced recreational diving. This course walks students through the special techniques, planning procedures and skills that set technical diving apart from traditional sport diving. It will show them how to improve their dive planning methods, in-water skills and streamline their existing gear configuration, in a non-threatening and fun learning environment. The specific skills this course will highlight are:

• Advanced Buoyancy Control
• Gas Management
• Situational Awareness
• Trim
• Gear Configuration and Selection
• Many More!

TDI’s Intro to Tech course is a useful stand-alone course for the diver who wants to become a more skilled, more proficient diver regardless of if he intends to move on to technical diving. The course may also be used as an introduction to the TDI Advanced Nitrox course and the TDI Decompression Procedures course. And finally, it is also a good refresher for certified technical divers who may want to refresh their skills or have them re-evaluated by a TDI technical instructor.

Experienced divers take on scuba diving compressor operation and nitrox gas blending courses in Thailand.

Koh Tao, Thailand.

Big Blue Tech celebrates the graduation of James Foleher, Steven Develter, Tom Fox and Peter Buckmaster from their TDI/BSAC Compressor Operator and TDI Gas Blender Course conducted over 3 days on Koh Tao Island off the coast of Thailand by Instructor Ash Dunn.

The compressor operator course certifies the student to use scuba diving compressors for the purpose of creating clean safe divers grade air along with the addition of air bank systems to increase volume and output. Included in the course is the packing of filtration systems, basic maintenance, start up and shut down procedures and orientation to different types of compressors. The students completed 3 hours of practical filling before continuing on to nitrox gas blending methods.

The Nitrox Gas Blender course certifies the student to create all mixes of nitrox including pure oxygen using continuos flow and partial pressure filling methods. These methods include topping up, bleeding down, using nitrox as a mix gas, using filtered Grade-E air or oxygen clean air for partial pressure filling.

The students will continue to use their certification as divemasters at big blue filling their own nitrox tanks for repetitive diving in their job. James continues on his internship to become gas blender and compressor operator instructor in the future.