Divers train for a expedition for the month of February over valentines day.

Koh Tao, Thailand – Big Blue Tech started the orientation and introduction for 4 new students who will be working over the next few weeks to be trained as technical divers to depart koh tao on a technical diving liveaboard and cave diving in the Similan Islands and Khao Sok National Park.

The students consist of Duncan Tyler, Yvonne Fries, Helen Artal and Thomas Hallstrom who are all diving professionals. The course is being conducted by technical diving instructor James Thornton-Allan and assisted by future technical diving instructor Andy Cavell and Ash Dunn.

The goal of the next week is to certify the students for TDI Intro to Tech, TDI Advanced Nitrox, TDI Decompression Procedures and TDI Extended Range followed by TDI Cavern Diver and TDI Trimix.

While the majority of the training dives will be conducted in Koh Tao the team departs early in february to the west coast of thailand to board our liveaboard the Mv Pawara for 4 days and nights on the luxury vessel diving in Similan Islands we a few days in the end for some wreck diving and cave diving which builds from last months successful “Golden Horseshoe Expedition”

Today covered equipment organizing for all 7 technical divers and a refresher of theory with the introduction of technical diving specific information, the students were also tested on their water stamina with swim tests designed to ensure they have the basic fitness for the stress of this style of diving.

Our next expedition is planned for the end of February, to join or to receive more information you can contact us at info@bigbluetech.net

Big Blue Tech – Technical Diving Thailand – Celebrates the graduation of Ash Dunn, Mark Slinn and Adny Cavell from their TDI Decompression Procedures Course conducted over the past few days off the coast of Thailand on and island called Koh Tao

The TDI Decompression Procedures course is best described by the TDI/SDI website as:

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.

This course began before the christmas break with some new skills to help train the students to a level appropriate for entering the next step. The students will start their next course, TDI Extended Range, on our Similans Islands Liveaboard in the new year.

The highlight of the course was the abundant marine life on every dive. With large 2 meter Bull and Gray Reef Sharks around us during all our dives the excitement of diving was forced back into every sense we had. The sharks at Chumphon Pinnacle Dive Site seem to disapear during some months and then come back in large numbers without warning. Sharks can be seen hunting and stalking prey but always keeping a safe distance from divers. This safety is kept in part from the prevention of shark feeding so no shark has associated food with a diver.

All of the students excelled at their skills and conduct in the water and received their certification after completing a written examination.

Below are some pictures from this event. The next open space for this course is in March 2010

Big Blue Tech has been hosting a BSAC (British Sub Aqua Club) instructor and cross-over course for Ash Dunn, Mark Slinn and Andy Cavell who will be working towards their BSAC Open Water Instructor rating.

The course began with an orientation and moved through topics like academic presentations, confined water presentations and open water presentations. BSAC instructor courses are more streamlined focusing on simply the instructors ability to teach diving and doesn’t put emphasis on ability to sell which is a large portion of other instructor courses.

After 2 days Andy Cavell graduated as he is already an experienced instructor (PADI IDC Staff Instructor). After graduating Andy has to wait for the other two lads to finish before more technical training can continue so he picked up some teaching work by conducting a Deep and Nitrox Specialty starting tomorrow.

Ash and Mark continued through the program delivering more presentations and learning the BSAC way of teaching. This course is essential for their upcoming BSAC Instructor course which will be done in February and ther Compressor Operator Instructor course on the 23rd.

The course was conducted by Les Skelton who is BSAC Thailand director and Instructor Trainer.

Congratulations to all those involved and good luck teaching tomorrow Andy!

Today Big Blue Tech started a Full Face Mask course on Koh Tao. The Full Face Mask course from TDI is designed to get divers comfortable using a full face mask and understanding the benefits and advantages. The divers who joined the course was Ash Dunn (staff) and Mark Slinn (Intern). Andy Cavell was supposed to join us but instead took his girlfriend fun diving in the afternoon and then he’s leaving to take her back to Bangkok.

The full face mask we use for training is the AGA Divator mask. These masks are the most popular choice of full face mask for public safety divers around the world. One of them came from a dive in the Canadian navy who was kind enough to bring it to Thailand for us.

These masks are perfect for cold water, television or film work, low visibility or chemically sensitive water. The mask covers your entire face allowing you to breathe through your nose or mouth, additionally it helps people who have a cold or any kind of dental, nose or eye problems.

While we were working in shallow water getting used to the skill of removing and replacing the mask other staff were busy loading up for the afternoon of diving and even Emily (big blue staff) came by to give the mask a try.

In the afternoon the staff and interns were busy cleaning the Apeks regulators (xtx 200 series with environmental series) and assembling new equipment recently purchased for the upcoming busy season.

Although today is Thursday, we’ll be closing for a long weekend as Andy Cavell is away in Bangkok, Mark moves into a new flat and Ash is celebrating his Divemaster Graduation (pictures coming).

Big Blue Tech starts again on Monday with the TDI Intro To Tech and Advanced Nitrox Course followed by a trip to Khao Sok National Park for a TDI Cavern Course just before Christmas break.