Tech

Using helium and oxygen based mixes to explore deeper then conventional air diving.

Koh Tao, Thailand

Big Blue Tech is proud received the authority to conduct the BSAC Sports Mixed Gas and BSAC Explorer Mixed Gas diver courses as BSAC Thailand launch their extended technical diver programs.

Big Blue Tech is a BSAC Technical Instructor Trainer Facility giving the ability to train divers up to the Level of BSAC Explorer Mixed Gas Diver Instructors, this is a first for BSAC Thailand and BSAC Centers outside Europe.

BSAC Sports Mixed Gas Diver
Educates BSAC Sports Divers with Advanced Nitrox training on how to conduct dives to a maximum depth limit of 50 metres. The dives will be conducted utilizing breathing a gas mixture of oxygen percentage greater than or equal to 20% and a helium percentage of up to 30%, for example, 20/30. This will teach you how to plan and conduct dives requiring mandatory decompression and normoxic trimix.

BSAC Explorer Mixed Gas Diver
Aimed at BSAC Sports Mixed Gas Divers who wish to extend your depth. This will allow dives to a maximum depth limit of 60 metres and conduct dives breathing a gas mixture of oxygen percentage greater than or equal to 18% and a helium percentage of up to 35%, for example 18/35.

BSAC Advanced Mixed Gas Diver (*To be released in October of 2010)
Aimed at Explorer Mixed Gas Divers looking to expand your training and extend experience to dive to a maximum depth of 80 metres. The training includes the use of any suitable combination of gas mixtures, gas planning, dive planning and dive considerations.

These courses will be run primarily in conjunction with expedition style liveaboards off the coast of Singapore to the HMS Repulse and HMS Prince Of Wales which is a popular destination for BSAC Divers. However the course is open to all qualified divers regardless of prior certification for diving off the coast of Koh Tao or any other favorite destinations where Big Blue Tech hold office.

Big Blue Tech is the only center outside of Europe authorized to offer these courses.

Fore information you can read more at www.bsacthailand.com

Study, Research, Biology are all part of the underwater study tech program.

Koh Tao, Thailand

Big Blue Tech, in cooperation with Big Blue Conservation releases a new program to give marine biology or people interested in scientific diving the training and tools to conduct their studys or research safely.

While a lot of underwater impact and research can be done in shallow water up to 30m on normal conventional recreational scuba there is a growing demand for deep water research on coral and marine ecosystems in the 50m range where extended time at the depth is needed.

According to Jen Mathews who graduated from Bath University with a Bsc in Biology there is a huge gap of people who are already divers and want to conduct professional level surveys and research but are limited by the confines of recreational scuba with both time, logistics and gas supply.

Big Blue Tech plan to amalgamate the SDI Solo Diver, SDI Research Diver, SDI Full Face Mask Diver , TDI Decompression Procedures Diver and SDI Marine Eco Systems Awareness into one package which will be conducted by both the director of Big Blue Tech and Big Blue Conservation.

British Suba Aqua Club Thailand awards the title of Open Water Scuba Instructor to a lucky student.

Koh Tao, Thailand

Big Blue Tech celebrates the graduation of Colin Tompson from his BSAC Instructor course conducted over a period of 2 weeks on Koh Tao Island off the coast of Thailand by BSAC Advanced Instructor James Thornton-Allan and examined by BSAC National Instructor Les Skelton.

In addition to his training course and instructor exam Colin also had the benefit to assist on a BSAC Ocean Diver and BSAC Sports diver course before taking his TIE (Theory Instructor Examination) and PIE (Practical Instructor Examination) which he passed successfully.

Colin had previously been working for 2 years as a full time divemaster at Big Blue Diving and decided it was time to join the dark side and by becoming a certified scuba diving instructor.

Big Blue Diving is a BSAC School of excellence meaning it offers the top level of training up to the prestigious Advanced Instructor rating.

Technical Diving school adds the worlds most popular closed circuit rebreather to its collection.

Koh Tao, Thailand

Big Blue Tech recently aquired a new rebreather to it’s collection to provide support to it’s european customers and training opportunities through the BSAC and TDI system of education.

The rebreather is a the AP Inspiration Classic which has sold more units than any other closed circuit rebreather in the world. The Inspiration Classic was the first production rebreather and conctinues to win awards from many diving agencies and magazines.

This also allows Big Blue Tech to provide three models for training of rebreathers with the Drager Dolphin and ISC Megaladon and now Inspiration Classic as options.

With 3 litre cylinders, easy maintenance and simple preparation – the Inspiration brought the benefits of optimal gas consumption and gas mix at all depths to the forefront of diving.

Quickly becoming the choice of expedition divers, film makers and sports divers alike, ranging from beach diving to RIB diving. right up to 100m expedition dives.

To achieve CE certification; the first (and only) CCR to feature dual independent oxygen controllers (Patented), the CCR to set the standard in PO2 control accuracy and scrubber duration; the first to achieve minimal breathing resistance in all diver positions and attitudes, the first mass produced and affordable CCR on the market.

The first to achieve worldwide distributorship with all that entails, including the development of the first unit-specific training courses by the major training agencies; and not least, the innumerable individual firsts that have been achieved by the many thousands of INSPIRATION CCR divers in the world today – from the discovery of virgin wrecks to personal depth and exploration records.

Entry level scuba divers choose BSAC as their certification during their holiday.

Koh Tao, Thailand

Big Blue Diving instructors Yvonne Fries and Hele Artal recently completed a BSAC Ocean Diver course conducted over 3 days on Kok Tao Island off the coast of Thailand. This was the first BSAC Ocean Diver Course conducted by the diving school which followed a successful cross-over program a few days earlier.

The Instructors were thrilled with the differences in theory and commented that they were allowed to teach what really matters in diving and not so much “fluff and sales”. This was also combined with skills that were based on repitition ensuring that the essential foundation skills were mastered before progression of depth could be achieved.

Looking back on the course the Instructors, who are also technical diving instructors, described the course as a challenge that unless the instructor is passionate about teaching divers then it wouldn’t be the course for everyone.

As for the 7 students, they loved their course but without anything to compare it to who knows. Several decided to continue their education and progress on to the BSAC Sports diver course as they found the course work to be challenging and gave them a sense of working for their certification.

The BSAC diving programs reflects diving in realistic conditions ensuring that once the student has completed the course, that they can dive these conditions with safety and enjoyment.

Learning to scuba dive with the BSAC is easy. BSAC adopts a progressive teaching method; breaking down the dive skills into small manageable steps making it very easy for the student to reach the required standard of competence. The theory knowledge is also very easy to understand by using effective teaching aids and issuing you with a comprehensive support materials and student pack.

Theory knowledge lessons are conducted by your Instructor who will use simple small manageable steps. Using simple and understandable terminology makes the theory lessons easy to grasp. On the open water dives; again we use progressive training building-up your open experience and depth experience dives, gradually.

Our BSAC Instructors have been trained to high standards and are highly experience people, Yvonne Fries is a triple certification instructor and won the SSI Most Certifications Issued Award, Helen Artal is also a triple certification instructor and is also one of the first female SSI Technical Diving Instructors in the world.

Big Blue Diving will continue to offer BSAC programs along side their PADI and SSI ones giving our customers more options and choices to chart their diving hobby. But be forwarned it’s not a certification gained easily but when you get your card it’s well worth the effort!

New technical diving computer promotion for trimix and rebreather divers.

Koh Tao, Thailand

Vr Technology the British manufacturer of the VR3 Computer, Sentinel Rebreather, Ouroboros Rebreather and the VRx Computer have released a ecologically friendly promotion to recycle and trade in your old model for a brand new one at a fraction of the price.

Big Blue Tech, a technical diving school in Thailand took advantage of this program when one of their old Monochrome VR3 computers was damaged and needed to be fixed, after discussing the repair options of around 200 pounds (400$) it was decided that getting a brand new one for only a few hundred pounds more was wiser and would give us a better product in the long run.

Vr Technology provides the option of either the VRX Computer or the VR3 HD computer. We decided to go with the VR3 HD computer. Both options featured the full unlocked algorithms,closed circuit trimix and colour without any extra costs, this was essential because many of the features in our old VR3 were used daily.

This program was made possible with the support of the UK W.E.E.E (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment) scheme which provides funding and support to companies who dispose of electronic devices in a responsible way.

We’re big supporters of ecological developments, we’re an award winning ecological diving school and resort, which is why it’s great to see companies in the technical diving support field taking notice of responsibility to our environment as well.

The stress on your mind, body and soul from deep ocean diving can be eased with the proper level of fitness.

All sports today benefit from 
physical training; this is especially 
applicable to technical diving. You don’t have to be an anatomy chart or a body builder, but being in better condition does help you handle the stress of the extreme sport to be a more efficient and confident technical diver.

When recreational diving a diver uses one tank but on some of the dives performed technically up to six could be required; different tanks with different gases. A much more cumbersome weight to carry whilst on the boat, particularly when it’s time to attempt standing up!. Once a technical diver enters the water they will normally add a couple more tanks for decompression.

All of these extra tanks and equipment take up more space causing the diver to use more energy. So streamlining your equipment is very important. Your gear should be close to your body to help reduce drag, this is the same scenario as with racing cars. The less drag you have the more efficient the vehicle making it faster. Along with being streamlined you need to ensure that you are able to access everything quickly, just in case of an emergency.

The more energy a diver uses underwater results in a the higher Partial pressure of oxygen and carbon dioxide levels within the body which can be very dangerous if not monitored and kept within safe levels. Carbon dioxide controls your breathing rate and if your breathing gets out of control is what usually causes a diver to panic. Oxygen can cause a diver to go into convulsions if the partial pressure gets to high which can come about without any warning. On the surface this is not much of a problem but underwater if the diver experiences convulsions they may spit out the regulator which can obviously result in drowning. This could happen more easily to ‘out of condition divers’ where poor physical condition reduces stamina, with the increased exercise increasing the CO levels. Excessive amount of Carbon Dioxide also increases the likelihood of ‘Decompression Illness’.

Some predisposition factors for Decompression Illness
- Loss of body fluids; Dehydration is one of the main causes of DCI; this can be caused from urination, perspiration, breathing dry gases, alcohol or drug consumption.
- Poor or impaired circulation, which can arise from prior operations, accidents, old age, previously suffering from DCI and obesity.
- Carbon Dioxide build up
- Equipment not properly maintained or prepared, poor physical fitness or heavy exertion.
- Physical Labour- heavy lifting or task loading resulting in over use of joints and muscles.
- Ignorance – not knowing how to use, or adhere to dive tables.

All of this is taught in our courses, where you will learn about equipment configurations, oxygen and nitrogen levels and much more. 

The above predisposition factors for decompression illness show that you can reduce the risk in three out of the five points by maintaining a reasonable level of fitness: And your overall health will improve!

Nobody benefits from being overweight, so lets start talking about diets. Simply put, a diet is what you eat. A common misconception is that when you diet, you’re only eating things like boiled eggs and pineapple, (just an example). Following a fad diet like that will never achieve any goals.

What to eat!
Gain or Lose Weight :
Protein: Try to get two grams per kilo of body weight per day from sources such as chicken, lean meats, eggs, low fat milk or fish. Also a good whey and casein protein powder is an easy way to get your protein intake up.
Carbohydrates: Get most of your carbohydrates from wholegrain bread, potatoes, rice, pasta, vegetables or oats. A few pieces of fruit every day are also good for you.
Fats: Stay away from Saturated fats which come from animal products. Good fats are Monounsaturated (olive and canola-oil) and Polyunsaturated (fish and vegetable oils).

To Lose Weight:
There are many different ways to ‘diet’. I prefer to cut down my intake of carbohydrates for between five and seven days, getting 50% of my calories from fat and the other 50% from protein. Following this with one or two days consuming as less fat as possible resulting in an intake of approximately 40% from protein and 60 % from complex carbohydrates.
The Zone Diet: Your calorie intake should be equal parts protein, carbohydrates and fat.
Low Fat Diet: Doesn’t work for me. My energy level is a roller-coaster ride; I have to eat every two hours to stay sane. Might work for you though. There’s only one way to find out! You could try to have your first three daily meals of protein and carbohydrates followed by three consisting of protein and fat. Separating carbohydrates from fat will minimize the output of insulin, which is very important when trying to reduce fat.
One thing to remember is drink LOTS of water.

How Much To Eat.
Many small meals are better than a few large ones; Aim for around six a day.
Clean up your eating habits and learn how to count those calories. 
Buy a good food scale and keep a food log so you know what works and what doesn’t. 
After a week or so of clean eating reduce your daily calorie intake to equate to 500 a week until you lose no more than a kilo each week; losing any more than that is loss of muscle mass.

To gain weight 
Increase your protein intake to exceed 2.5 grams per kilo per day. 
Increase food with approximately 500 Calories per day for a week until you see an improvement in bodyweight. There’s no point in getting to fat so pay attention to you’re waist and not just the scales! To gain muscle you will also gain a small amount of fat.

How to train
Cardiovascular fitness is very important for the technical diver as it reduces air consumption, which not only enables diving with smaller and therefore lighter tanks, but it also reduces the risk of decompression sickness.

To increase your Cardiovascular capacity you need to raise your heartbeat for 15 minutes or longer. Participate in exercises such as jogging, cycling, swimming, step machines or skipping. It doesn’t matter what you do as long as you do it!! Aim for three to four times per week. You can do the less demanding forms of exercise for longer periods or the higher ones for shorter. Varying your training makes it more fun. Try a round with a skipping rope for one minute (full speed) followed by a rest for 30 seconds. Repeat this cycle until you’ve had enough, next time try to increase the number of ’rounds’. Try the same with running and walking; it works very well.

Strength
Also important but you don’t have to look like a body builder. A well-balanced weight training program with a bit of extra work on legs, back and waist is what you need. Doing too much is counterproductive. Quality, not quantity is what matters.

45 Minute Circuit
This workout will give a combination strength and cardiovascular workout in one 45-
minute session. The key is to move from exercise to exercise as quickly as possible.
Select a weight for each exercise that leads to failure in 12-15 repetitions.

1. 5 minutes warm up on the treadmill
2. 1 set to failure of the following exercises:
• Chest Press
• Leg Press
• Lat Pulldown
• Hamstring Curl
• Biceps Curl
• Triceps Press
• Crunches
• Leg Extension
• Shoulder Press
• Calf Raise
• Seated Row

3. 5 minutes stationary bike, moderate intensity

4. 1 set to failure of the following exercises:
• Crunches
• Lunges
• Chest Press
• Biceps Curl
• Calf Raise
• Lat Pulldown
• Triceps Press
• Seated Row
• Leg Extension

5. 5 minutes elliptical, high intensity

6. 1 set to failure of the following exercises:
• Chest Press
• Hamstring Curl
• Triceps Press
• Leg Extension
• Biceps Curl
• Calf Raise
• Shoulder Press
• Lat Pulldown
• Crunches

7. 5 minutes elliptical, high intensity

8. 5 minutes cooldown on treadmill

This exercise should take you 45 minutes to complete and should be done twice a week for 4 weeks when preparing for any technical diving activity

A history of technical diving in Thailand as the new frontier in underwater exploration

Koh Tao, Thailand

Thailand has numerous world-class sites for divers of all standards, making it an underwater adventure paradise. While advanced divers are not restricted to normal recreational depth limits and many other constraints, they can only operate safely with professional support both onshore and offshore.

People have been paddling around Thailand’s numerous shallow coral sites with  and snorkels for decades, but it was not until about fifteen years ago that more serious diving with proper underwater breathing apparatus really began to take off. At that time, the majority of dive shops in the kingdom ran businesses teaching basic discover scuba and open-water courses.

As time passed, word spread of Thailand’s superb dive sites, and dive shops became increasingly competitive in the support they were able to offer advanced divers. This included offering specialized mixed breathing gases, larger volume diving tanks, double tanks, auxiliary tanks and underwater scooters. As these resources have become more readily available, seasoned divers have been able to open the door on a whole new world of exploration. An intrepid breed, they are often referred to as technical divers.

Respiration is the over-riding concern in diving. The human body is profoundly affected by the compressed gases breathed underwater. Air normally contains about one-fifth oxygen to four-fifths nitrogen gases which when breathed at surface level are perfectly normal. But once a diver passes beyond normal recreational dive limits, they become potential killers.

A diver who descends to 100 metres may be breathing in compressed form ten times as much nitrogen and oxygen as normal. Too much nitrogen at depth can cause narcosis with similar results to drinking alcohol in excess. If a diver comes up too fast, there is the risk of decompression sickness popularly known as the bends which occurs when the body is not given enough time for the gas to dissipate. This can be extremely painful and result in paralysis or even death.

Oxygen, which is essential for sustaining life, meanwhile becomes toxic beyond 60 metres and this can induce convulsions and drowning if the regulator used for breathing through the mouth falls out.
Mixed gases are essential to extending the depth and duration of dives. Ordinary recreational divers breathe compressed air, and do not have to stop to allow for decompression on the way up. Technical divers use nitrox and tri-mix gases instead. Nitrox has extra oxygen added to the air during compression, and reduced nitrogen, which helps extend dive times and mitigate the risk of decompression sickness.Tri-mix incorporates helium into the mix, an inert gas that reduces the risk of both nitrogen narcosis and oxygen toxicity. For deep dives of more than 60 metres, technical divers use tri-mix to go down, and nitrox for decompression when they come back up.

Two of the most popular new activities in Thailand are wreck diving, mostly in the Gulf of Thailand, and cave diving, mostly along the Andaman Sea coastline. The Gulf of Thailand falls well short of being an Asian Bermuda Triangle, but is rich in sunken wrecks resulting from misadventures in trading, piracy and war. Many stories have been lost in the mists of time but, according to one list, there are at least 179 sunken Japanese ships or marus, as some divers prefer to call them.

Some of the biggest recent discoveries date from the Second World War. In mid-2005, a group of technical divers from Koh Tao came across a US submarine that had been sunk in 72 metres of water by the IJN Hatsutaka, a Japanese minelayer that recorded an anti-submarine action with depth charges at the time.

The Trident, the technical live aboard boat supporting this dive, was owned by Jamie MacLeod, a veteran British wreck diver who is one of the first people known to have dived on the old sub.

Using twin tanks and the right mix, MacLeod was able to reach the lost submarine. Special tanks were staged underneath the boat, and oxygen lines were run down to help the dive team decompress before fully resurfacing. Decompression tanks and gas lines are critical, since it is physically impossible to carry enough decompression gas tanks for the time it takes to get rid of the nitrogen absorbed into the body from such an extended dive.

The wreck turned out to be the remains of USS Lagarto, SS 371, sitting virtually upright on the seabed. The sub was completed in May of 1944 in Manitowoc, Wisconsin, on Lake Michigan a city today twinned with Kamogawa in Japan. The Lagarto was lost on 3 May 1945, taking down 86 crew. Its exact location remains a secret known to very few. A year after its discovery, however, US Navy divers from the Salvor (ARS-520) were able to confirm that the wreck was indeed the Lagarto. Relatives have been informed, and a memorial plaque and flag erected on the wreck.

Although the USS Lagarto lies well beyond the reach of almost all divers, and is a war grave that like all wrecks in Thai waters must not be disturbed or pillaged, there were at least naval records on both sides to cross reference. For many wrecks, nothing of the kind exists and curious divers often fall back on questioning local fishermen. With their special local knowledge, fishermen may have noticed that schools of fish are more abundant or behave differently in the vicinity of wrecks. Wrecks also sometimes get noticed when they snag nets.

The Gulf of Thailand has many pottery wrecks from sunken merchant vessels, some of which date as far back as 700 years. Siam, as Thailand used to be known, had a more inland capital before Bangkok at Ayutthaya that was readily accessible by boat up the broad and majestic Chao Phraya River.
It was therefore a major trading centre in its day, attracting merchants and adventurers not just from Asia but as far afield as Europe. The waterborne traffic ebbed both ways in ancient Siam, and captains often placed pottery items in the bowels of their vessels for ballast and stability. They could never have envisaged the value such items would acquire in the years to come.

Non-divers can get a good idea of the richness of these underwater artifacts by visiting the Underwater Archaeological Museum at Khai Nern Wong, an 18th century fort built by King Taksin on the outskirts of Chanthaburi on the Gulf of Thailand’s eastern seaboard. The collection, which is open Mondays to Saturdays, includes rare Sawankhalok pottery as well some ancient guns.

The museum provides a rich glimpse of the archaeological riches of Thai waters, but it is probably the kingdoms natural treasures that are proving a greater test of diving skills. Thailand has a growing reputation among cave divers due largely to the limestone caves found all along its western coast in the Andaman Sea.
Divers experienced in the use of tri-mix can enjoy some major challenges here. Indeed two of the largest caves so far discovered in Asia are in the vicinity of Krabi province, on the mainland near the island province of Phuket.

Sre Keow was one of the first to be explored. It is accessed through a pond of about 15 metres in diameter that was once mainly used for washing elephants. A small entrance at a depth of ten metres leads into one of the deepest caves so far discovered in Thailand.

Divers use rebreathers to reduce the tanks required for these dives. Rebreathers are a special type of underwater breathing apparatus that involve relatively small tanks. These filter out poisonous carbon dioxide during exhalation, enabling the diver to rebreathe exhaled gas until it is fully depleted.

A small rebreather weighs around 25 kilogrammes and allows a diver to stay underwater for three or four hours. In addition, extra tanks are staged inside the cave at about the 150-metre mark. These facilitate dives to the caves bottom at around 240 metres.

The total dive time required for such an expedition is six to eight hours. A large plastic container the size of a childrens paddling pool is inverted and submerged, and then tied off at a depth of about 4.5 metres. This creates an underwater habitat with an air pocket where the divers can decompress in relative comfort. As the nitrogen dissipates, they drink water to rehydrate and eat if they wish.

It is uncertain how many caves suited to diving exist in Thailand since new ones are being discovered all the time in the south, and also in lakes elsewhere. Another spectacular known cave, Song Hong, is shallower than Sre Keow but offers much deeper penetration into the rock formation. It is accessed through a larger 75-metre pond which sinks to a depth of 110 metres. About twelve metres down, a relatively small entrance provides access into a vast cave so large in fact that a light beam will not reach the cave wall on the other side.

Divers descending into the cave find survey lines fastened securely about every ten metres. They feel their way down along the primary line to a depth of about 120 metres, at which point the passage becomes more horizontal until it reaches a depth of about 140 metres.

The longest penetration of the cave so far from here onwards at the same depth is a remarkable 800 metres. The total dive time for such a feat is about six hours, and it requires a major team effort of typically two or three people. Extra tanks are staged along the route. The bottom diver uses twin rebreathers and a two-man diver propulsion vehicle (DPV) to carry him along.

Support divers are essential to such a dive, and equipment redundancy is a major preoccupation. Two and even three pieces of each type of equipment are often required for such a perilous undertaking. Should a rebreather flood at this depth and penetration, the only way for a diver to survive would be using an open circuit tank that has been specially staged, or a special bailout tank that must actually be carried alongside.

Breathing the wrong gas at the wrong depth can kill you in a matter of minutes, comments Henny Beeber, an American businessman resident in Thailand who is also a highly experienced technical diver.

So why do people take such enormous risks in the name of recreation? “I was the first person to reach a sunken US P-38 bomber in the Gulf, yet thousands of people have been to the top of Everest”, explains Beeber. “I am your average Joe, and the only way I could ever have got up Everest was if three sherpas carried me. Nothing can beat the sense of achievement and adventure diving gives me.”

A custom tailored selection of diving course provides the student with scuba diving industry service technician skills.

Koh Tao, Thailand

Big Blue Tech celebrates the graduation of Ian Jordan from his TDI Nitrox, BSAC/TDI Compressor Operator, BSAC/TDI Gas Blender and TDI Visual Inspections course conducted over a week by Instructors James Thornton-Allan and Ash Dunn on Koh Tao Island off the coast of Thailand.

The completed course give Ian the skills to improve his chances of employ-ability in the scuba diving industry giving him the ability to operate behind the scene in scuba diving resorts.The compressor operator course provides Ian with the ability to safely operate and conduct minor maintenance of scuba diving compressors, the gas blender add-on further gives ian the certification to make all mixes of nitrox by partial pressure or continuous flow systems. These courses were preceded by the required Nitrox Diver course and concluded with the TDI Visual Inspections Course which provides the ability to conduct repair on scuba cylinders and valves.

In will progress on to his BSAC Aqualung Repair Technician Course next week where he will learn how to service scuba diving equipment like regulators and bcd’s.

This will provide Ian with the skills and experience to be of an asset when looking for employment in the competitive and luxurious life as a scuba diving professional.

Certified scuba diving instructors cross over to become British Sub Aqua Club instructors.

Koh Tao, Thailand

Big Blue Tech celebrates the successful graduation of Yvonne Fries, Helen Artal, Beccy Simnet, Andy Evans and Eric Soderlend from their BSAC Instructor Cross-Over Course conducted by BSAC National Instructor Les Skelton and BSAC Advanced Instructor Trainer James Thornton-Allan over 4 days on Koh Tao Island off the coast of Thailand. This course was also attended by Colin Thompson who continues to complete his full BSAC Instructor Rating from the level of Divemaster over additional days of training.

The BSAC Instructor Cross-Over Course requires for attending that you are an Instructor from any agency other than BSAC and working in a centre where BSAC courses are to be offered, Big Blue Tech is a BSAC Technical Centre and Big Blue Diving is a BSAC School of Excelence.

Knowledge of other diving agencies and how they work is useful as it will give you a greater understanding of how elements fit in across the different agencies. It must be emphasized that the crossover course Instructor examiner, is not there to assess your instructing ability but rather to acquaint you with BSAC methodology and knowledge so that you will have the tools to be able to deliver BSAC diving courses; mainly Ocean Diver, Sports Diver and Dive Leader. Decompression theory and Oxygen Administration included.

These students will receive BSAC Oxygen Administration Instructor as part of the 4 day cross-over to ensure they are properly trained to handle any type of emergency which is considered essential for any scuba diving instructor.

Senior scuba diving instructor receives technical diving certification.

Koh Tao, Thailand

Big Blue Tech celebrates the graduation of Dean Jenkins from his TDI Intro to Tech course conducted over 3 days by TDI Instructor Ash Dunn 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.

Decompression diving techniques mastered on a wreck off the coast of Thailand

Koh Tao, Thailand

Big Blue Tech celebrates the successful graduation of Edward Pearl from his TDI Decompression Procedures course conducted by TDI Instructor James Thornton-Allan and assisted by SSI TXR Instructor Chris Haslam on Koh Tao Island off the coast of Thailand.

As sport divers, planned decompression is not something that we do or have been taught. The TDI Decompression Procedures course prepares you for planned staged decompression diving. With a maximum operating depth of 45m/150 feet, this course is your first step beyond the normal sport diving limits. Your TDI Instructor will provide you with valuable information and skills, among the topics covered are

• Kit set-up
• Equipment requirements
• Decompression techniques
• Decompression breathing gases
• Gas management
• Contingency planning

The TDI Decompressions Procedures course combined with the TDI Advanced Nitrox course form the foundation of all other technical courses.  After these two courses and some additional experience, the stage has been set for you to move onto additional technical levels

This course was taught in combination with a day of wreck diving further exposing the student to different elements of technical diving.

The challenge of technical diving proves to be a rewarding endeavor for new students.

Koh Tao, Thailand

Big Blue Tech celebrates the graduation of Dive Master Intern Edward Pearl from his TDI Advanced Nitrox Course conducted over 3 days with 4 dives by TDI Instructor James Thornton-Allan off the coast of Thailand on Koh Tao Island.

Edward had previously completed his TDI Intro to Tech course in June with TDI Instructor Andrew Cavell and this was evident because of Edwards Buoyancy and Trim control which was excellent from the beginning.

The TDI Advanced Nitrox Course qualifies divers to use enriched air nitrox from EAN 21 through EAN 100 to a depth of 40 metres/130 feet during dives hat do not require staged decompression. Often taught in conjunction with the TDI Decompression Procedures course, this can be considered the foundation of your technical diving career.  Advanced Nitrox is also a great course for those wanting to extend their bottom times in shallower depths such as scientific diver, and a must for SCR or CCR divers.

Edward continues his new found passion for technical diving with his TDI Decompression Procedures course to follow.

British Sub Aqua Club scuba equipment course completed for Aqualung brand.

Koh Tao, Thailand

Big Blue Tech celebrates the graduation of Ash Dunn, Rachel Linnart and Jasmin Kollinger from their BSAC Aqualung Equipment Technician Course conducted by BSAC Instructor James Foleher during a 2 day hands on workshop on Koh Tao Island off the east coast of Thailand.

The BSAC Equipment Technician Course covers the repair, maintenance and service of all aqualung brand regulators from balanced, un-balanced and environmentally sealed to BCD’s and accessories like high pressure gauges and inflation hoses.

The 2 day course gives the students hands on practice and experience using the tools and equipment necessary for servicing these regulators.

This certification gives the students the ability to conduct warranty repair, service and authorized access to Aqualung service kits, tools and schematics.

3 weeks of training brings recreational diver to the pinnacle of deep air diving.

Koh Tao, Thailand

Big Blue Tech celebrates the graduation of Etienne De Beer from his TDI Extended Range conducted over 3 days by TDI Instructor James Thornton-Allan off the coast of Thailand on Koh Tao Island.

The TDI Extended Range course is at the pinnacle of deep air diving with training and certification to 55m using multiple mixes and gasses up to pure oxygen to accelerate decompression.

Etienne came to us from South Africa with his family to take the “Tech Diver Package” which included the TDI Intro To Tech, TDI Advanced Nitrox, TDI Decompression Procedures and finally TDI Extended Range. In addition to this package Etienne received the BSAC Extended Range Diver certification when his instructor James fractured his foot and had to remain out of the water for a period of time allowing his colleague Ash Dunn to replace him.

The course taught Etienne all the qualities and skills Big Blue Tech has to offer with over 25 logged technical dives. Etienne overcame some obstacles including the backwards fin kick which he achieved on dive 19 after weeks of practice and the strength of climbing out of the water with 4 cylinders on, a weight of 100kg ( cylinders weight 14kg each before you add all the valves and regulators) which he took in stride.

We’re always proud of our students and the effort that they put in to learn and focus and this course was no exception. in the final test or challenge Etienne excelled and performed above requirements.

5 diving specialties and 50 logged dives make the master scuba diver.

Koh Tao, Thailand

Big Blue Tech celebrates the graduation of Erika De Beer, Marike De Beer and Suzanne De Beer from their Master Scuba Diver course conducted over 3 weeks with 50 dives and 5 specialties by Master Scuba Diver Trainer James Foleher on Koh Tao Island off the coast of Thailand.

The Master Scuba Diver certification is a recognition of experience and is the highest non-professional rating available. The De Beer’s completed their Nitrox Diver, Deep Diver, Wreck Diver, Night Diver, Diver Propulsion Vehicle Diver (DPV) and Peak Buoyancy Diver along with unlimited diving up to the 50 required for certification.

The Master Scuba Diver course is designed to introduce divers to a vareity of discimplines and challenges to give them a balanced exposure to different elements of what scuba diving has to offer.

The students will receive their certifications back home in South Africa including a wall certificate, iron on patch and a separate Master Scuba Diver card. Congratulations!

Thailand’s caves provide perfect fresh water cave diving conditions

Khao Sok National Park, Thailand

Big Blue Tech celebrate the graduation of Simone Schuil and Neil Gregory from their TDI Intro to Cave and TDI Full Cave Diver course conducted over 5 days in Khao Sok National Park and Krabi by TDI CCR Full Cave Instructor Ben Reymenants.

This was the first in a unique program where cave diving is combined with mixed gas (See “TDI Advanced Trimix Course in Thailand” ). This option presents a solution to the possibility of bad weather while diving during the monsoon in Thailand. Advanced divers with a weak stomach from the rocking of the open ocean boats could choose freshwater caves to fulfill their training.

This month, Blue Label Diving joined hands with Big Blue Tech in Koh Tao to run such a program. Neil Gregory from Australia and Simone Schuil from the Netherlands did their full cave course is the protected shelter of Khaosok National park. Neil Gregory, already an advanced cave diver , took the chance to combine this highest level of cave diving with the highest level of open circuit mixed gas diving; the advanced trimix course.

The cave training in Khao Sok National park was combined with an advanced trimix course run from Phuket where academics and pool-training was conducted before heading off to the depths around Racha Noi.

Once competent in both Cave and trimix, the team took their steps further to gradually explore the depths of Sra Keow cave system in Aonang, Krabi province. Two resurgences were explored over 4 days to depths of 60m & 80m. The final day, a signed arrow was placed at the 100m mark on the permanent line.
Neil Gregory went proudly home holding the TDI full cave diver cert and the TDI advanced Trimix cert.

Simone Schuil achieved her TDI Trimix certificate and buddied up with Neil Gregory to become a full cave diver as well

Blue Label Diving and Big Blue Tech are planning their next full cave course to Khao Sok starting on 9^th of July. For inquiries look here

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.

Scuba Divers take their first leap into technical diving in Thailand

Koh Tao, Thailand

Big Blue Tech celebrates the graduation of Paw and Dave from their TDI Intro to Tech course conducted by Technical Instructor Ash Dunn and assisted by Technical Intern James Foleher during 3 days of study and diving on Koh Tao Island off the coast of Thailand.

The TDI Intro to Tech course certifies the student to use technical diving equipment and methods to their own recreational diving certification depth and limited to their personal comfort level and experience. The benefit of this course gives the students redundant air supply, more gas and allows the student to gain experience in the equipment before committing to the later and more expensive technical diver training. Many of our dive master interns have completed this course allowing them to dive daily in a “twin-set”.

This course has also taken advanced propulsion techniques and an emphasis on trim and control into account giving the students a great foundation for technical diving in the future.

Technical Intern learns how to visually inspect a scuba cylinder.

Koh Tao, Thailand

Big Blue Tech celebrates the graduation of James Foleher from his TDI Visual Inspection Procedures course conducted during a one day workshop on Koh Tao Island off the coast of Thailand.

The TDI Visual Inspection Procedures course certifies the student to conduct approved maintenance on scuba cylinders and scuba valves which is an annual requirement for dive shops. The process of visual inspection involves removing the scuba cylinder, inspecting inside the tank and conducting maintenance and cleaning before re-sealing. The VIP is also a process involved with Hydro-Static Testing which is typically a 5 year requirement for scuba cylinders.

This is one of many courses James will be involved in during his technical diving internship on his road to become a technical diving instructor.

Special thanks to Dave of AquaTec for letting us use his facilities for teaching this course.

Technical divers explore dutch submarine wreck off the coast of Singapore.

South China Sea, Singapore

Big Blue Tech continued their expedition in Singapore with a day trimix diving on the K17 Dutch Submarine which was sank during world war 2 by a mine off the coast of Tioman.

The Submarine is lying upright in 55m of of saltwater with heavy damage to its starboard side.

After departing from the HMS Repulse the trip spent a day with 2 dives on the submarine. After the second dive was completed the trip departed for Singapore which was followed by a return to Thailand.

Technical divers explore world war 2 wreck off the coast of Singapore.

South China Sea, Singapore

Big Blue Tech recently returned from a technical diving expedition in singapore on the british battleship wreck HMS Repulse which included James Thornton-Allan, Andrew Cavell and Mark Slinn who were participating in a TDI Trimix Course conducted by TDI Trimix Instructor James Thornton-Allan

The expedition was hosted by the Mv Samudera Quest which is built with technical diving facilities in mind including on board trimix blending facilities and a decompression trapeze.

The trip consisted of 2 days on the HMS Repulse and 1 day on the K17 Dutch Submarine.

The HMS Repulse was sank during an Japanese air attack during the second world war making the HMS Repulse a war grave and protected site meaning penetration was not appropriate leaving the exploration of the wreck confined to the exterior. Although penetration has happened in the past we felt being former British military members it would be best to respect the war grave.

During the trip Andrew Cavell noticed on the list of casualties another “Cavell” after some research he found out that his great cousin died during the fall of the Repulse making the wreck and the rule of non-penetration even more profound.

The wreck itself is in 55m of salt water lying almost inverted on its port side with visible torpedo damage midships and stern. The large guns can be seen lying in the sand along with ammunition thrown around the exterior. Visibility was stunning with the wreck visible from the surface of the water. Although currents and swells were quite strong all the divers were trained to a caliber where the conditions posed little concern.

After the two days on the HMS Repulse the trip moved on to the Dutch K17 Submarine Wreck.

Spoof video illustrates the division between recreational and technical diving.

EXPEDITION ITINERARY

Day 1(23 Apr)
Assemble at Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal (Departure Hall) at 1700hrs. Big Blue Tech Staff will guide you through the immigration and customs clearance. By 1705hrs, you will be escorted to board the vessel for an orientation, briefing and introduction to the crew onboard.

Day 2 & 3
Rise & Shine at HMS Repulse, 0900hrs for dive 1 followed by breakfast during the surface interval. A (24 & 25 Apr) total of 3-day dives completed. Sumptuous dinner as we sail back home.

Day 4
Rise & Shine K17 Submarine. Full day on her. 4pm depart for Singapore

Day 5
Rise & Shine, Breakfast onboard, arrive at Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal by approximately 0730hrs. Straight to work or home to sleep for the day..

PACKAGE INCLUDES
4 Days / 4 Nights Liveaboard onboard MV Samudera Quest.
All Meals.
Unlimited diving onboard, use of air tanks / Weights.
Surface supplied Oxygen / Deco bar Station
Air Con accommodation on twin / Quad sharing.
Nitrox and Trimix gases
Scuba Diving equipment (BC/ Reg./Mask/Fins/Wet Suit/Twins/Stage/Comp)
TDI Trimix Certification
Flights from Bangkok

PACKAGE EXCLUDES

All carbonated drinks or alcoholic beverages onboard
Insurance

Price: 65,000 THB

Handling a compressor and mixed gasses of oxygen for scuba divers in Thailand.

Koh Tao, Thailand

Big Blue Tech celebrate the graduation of Jade, Jen and Johan from their BSAC Compressor Operator Course and TDI Gas Blender course conducted by Technical Instructor Ash Dunn over a two day hands on workshop in the Big Blue Tech resort on Koh Tao Island off the coast of Thailand.

The BSAC (British Sub Aqua Club) Compressor Operator Course allows certified students to safely operate and conduct basic maintenance of scuba diving compressors from manufacturers like Bauer or Coltri Sub. During the course the students learned basic theory of compression, filtration and frictional heating combined with different methods of filling including air bank systems, fast filling, slow filling and different types of valves. After certification the students Will be certified to work in diving facilities as a compressor operator and air fill operator.

After the BSAC Compressor Operator course the students progressed on to the TDI Gas Blender course which builds on the skills and knowledge learned in their former course. During the gas blender course the students received hands on training for continuous flow and partial pressure blending using pure oxygen to enrich the air in a scuba cylinder to create nitrox. After certification the students will additionally be allowed to operate a gas blending facility and create nitrox for divers at recognized facilities.

The students will continue with their training on to more technical diving courses in the coming weeks as their experience grows.

Using helium and oxygen to make technical diving gasses

Koh Tao, Thailand

PREPARATION is key when planning a trip to unfamiliar waters where you want to ensure the success of your dive trip and the safety of everyone on it. This is the case with Big Blue Tech who have been preparing to the HMS Repulse Trimix course off the coast of Singapore in a few days.

Teaching a trimix course also involves the careful gas blending and planning to ensure accuracy and safety of the final mix. Recently training has been conducted to ensure the staff of big blue are at least Advanced Gas Blenders and in some instances Mixed Gas Blending Instructors.

For today the staff have been carefully mixing a blend of 18/30 (18 percent oxygen and 30 percent helium) for some trimix warm up dives on a wreck the following day.

The process taken was quite straight forward. We filled the empty twin sets with helium to a certain pressure and then filled the rest of the twin sets with nitrox to create the desired mix. This proved to be a great opportunity to use our booster pump as the pressure in the large helium tank dropped below the amount needed in the twin set. Normally our booster pump is used to increase pressure of oxygen for rebreather divers but today we used it for helium.

Typically rolling the tanks after filling helps with the accuracy of the read and the mix however being a twinset they’re left to cool down before analyzing and topping up whatever is necessary.

The purpose behind all this blending and planning is to go deeper then you can with conventional air and to be able to feel no narcosis. With a mix of 18/30 you would be at 60m but feel like you were at 36m. If you increase the amount of helium you get an effect of essentially being shallower since you’re exposed to less nitrogen.

A chance at a technical diving proves rewarding

Koh Tao, Thailand

Our Facilities Manager and Technical Instructor Ashley Dunn recently took the challenge in taking his girlfriend, Kelli Bennet, on a discover technical dive off the coast of thailand. His girlfriend is also a diving instructor but works for our recreational side Big Blue Diving.

The morning was spent teaching Kelli how to assemble technical diving equipment with a twin set and manifold along with the reasons behind how we configure our equipment. This lead to the afternoon where some basic safety skills were performed before being able to relax and enjoy a long dive.

For an even more unique experience Kelli saw her first ever sea turtle on Koh Tao. She has been working here for 3 years and never saw one before.

Only because she took the plunge with Big Blue Tech and took the challenge to discover technical diving has she now experienced one of her longest underwater wishes.

Technical divers learn how to service and clean diving equipment.

Koh Tao, Thailand

Technical diving equipment like regulators, cylinders and buoyancy aids require constant maintenance and sometimes they require a special method of cleaning called “Oxygen Cleaned”. Oxygen cleaning is where the equipment that comes in contact with high concentrations of oxygen is cleaned to be able to handle the the flammable and corrosive characteristics.

The 2 day course which started with basic awareness of the regulators we have including full service and cleaning moved into oxygen cleaning methods, testing and assembling for warranty.

Unfortunately this course isn’t open to the general public. We reserve this course for future technical diving instructors who work in the environment of pure oxygen systems.

Divers get technical with advanced skills with mixing gas and handling compressors.

Koh Tao, Thailand

Mixing different gasses to create enriched air nitrox for divers creates a lot of patience and skill. Few divers take on the challenge to learn the skills which support diving activities but many find the endeavor rewarding in learning the process of how different gasses get into our diving cylinders.

The course started with the BSAC (British Sub Aqua Club) Compressor Operator Course taught by Technical Instructor Ash Dunn for Tom Percy and Thomas Hallstrom. This course teaches the student how to properly operate scuba diving compressors including filter management, oil selection and maintenance, filling cylinders and combination with air banks. Ash recently returned from his Bauer Service Technician course and combined his knowledge of servicing compressors with the course enriching the knowledge and theory.

After completed the course and the required 3 hours of cylinder filling the students moved on to the TDI Nitrox Gas Blender Course.

The TDI Nitrox Gas Blender course teaches the students the safe method of blending nitrox using our own continuous flow system in combination with partial pressure techniques and theory for many other methods. In addition to the hands on experience the course is enriched with complicated theory giving the student a real mental work out. The last day the students had the pleasure of spending the afternoon filling 30 nitrox cylinders of different mixes which we have been keeping empty for a few days in anticipation of this course.

The afternoon filling gives the student the best quality of experience when they move into other dive shops and start working as gas blenders or compressor operators.

Technicians learn how to service scuba diving compressors from Bauer

Phuket, Thailand

Big Blue Tech celebrates the graduation of Facilities Manager Ashley Dunn from his Bauer Compressor Technician course conducted by Frank Herbert of STI over 5 days in Phuket.

The Bauer certified training course is designed to train the technician the full service and maintenance of Bauer compressors with strip down, rebuilds, trouble shooting, testing and repairs.

The work shop included several cut away compressors which illustrate the flow of the working parts to help the student understand how the compressor work taking into consideration all levels of knowledge.

Big Blue Diving nationwide have 7 Bauer Diving compressors from different ages and sizes along with 4 other brands. When compressors make up the backbone of any diving environment to fill tanks it’s essential to have properly trained staff to look after them.

Big Blue Tech take pride in ensuring that our divers get clean safe air from our properly maintained and serviced compressors on all our boats.