Technical Diving

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Technical Diving is the use of science, equipment, and techniques to safely perform dives beyond the scope of standard recreational limitations. This can mean exceeding depth limits of 40m, or exceeding No Decompression Limits, or both. It can also mean entering into overhead environments, and even use of equipment beyond the training limits of recreational standards.

Technical diving is diving for a purpose. Whatever that purpose may be, technical divers must understand the increased risks inherent in the activity. Considerable planning and preparation goes into every dive, additional safety requirements must be built in, and specialized emergency procedures exist that must be trained and maintained in order to perform dives safely. Just as there are an array of personality types and mentalities that are not appropriate for even recreational dive training, technical divers must have strong self-discipline, dedicated to continuous practice, improvement, and growth, be conservative in decision-making, humble, and capable of holding themselves fully accountable and responsible for their own decisions and choices.

Technical courses require a very different mentality than that of Recreational diving. Candidates must be assessed for authorization to enroll before being accepted into a course, intensive study and practice are mandatory once enrolled, standards are far higher, and so are the expectations--Just like Leadership courses. Also just like Leadership courses, candidates can not begin Technical training until after all Core Recreational courses have been completed, and even then, candidates are constantly evaluated, and not guaranteed certification.

The NAUI Introduction to Technical Diving course provides MSD or above certified divers with their first look into technical diving as a practice. It teaches equipment configuration for technical diving, standard practices and procedures, team diving practices and procedures, technical dive planning, simulated staged decompression, handling and management of higher oxygen-enriched mixtures up to 100% oxygen, and more.

Candidates are expected from day one to show up with highly developed diving KSA's. They should already have well-developed knowledge of dive science (physics, chemistry, biology), equipment (types, function, use, benefits, etc.), mastery of ideal breathing, buoyancy (within +/- 0.1m), trim (within 0-30deg AoA), and finning techniques (with emphasis on frog, helicopter turns, and back finning), a solid understanding of decompression theory, and considerable experience in a wide array of environments and conditions as a diver.

The minimum age for this course is:

• 18 years or older.

The minimum prerequisite for this workshop is:

• MSD certified.
• Nitrox certified.
• Candidates must have good swimming skills, including a good development of basic swim strokes, and pass a Class 2 Swim Test prior to being allowed to enroll in the course.
• Mastery of Core Skills for diving.
• It is STRONGLY recommended that students have at least 200 logged dives, considerable experience as a diver, and have spent time practicing basic and advanced level skills on each dive, before considering enrolling in this course. Including: neutral buoyancy, breathing, finning, navigation, dive planning, gas management, understanding dive science, use of equipment, etc.
• Candidates must have the ability to remain calm in stressful situations on shore, in the water on the surface, and underwater.

Students must supply their own equipment, and all equipment must meet safety requirements.

Course graduates will receive a lifetime internationally recognized Intro to Tech certification from the National Association of Underwater Instructors (NAUI), and they will be authorized to apply for the Technical Decompression Diver Course.

This course is to provide the diver with a working knowledge of the theory, methods, and procedures of planned staged decompression diving while using nitrox breathing gas mixtures up to 100% oxygen. As a part of the course, students will plan and conduct standard staged decompression dives not exceeding a maximum depth of 46m (150 ft.).

Candidates are expected from day one to show up with highly developed diving KSA's. They should already have well-developed knowledge of dive science (physics, chemistry, biology), equipment (types, function, use, benefits, etc.), mastery of ideal breathing, buoyancy (within +/- 0.1m), trim (within 0-30deg AoA), and finning techniques (with emphasis on frog, helicopter turns, and back finning), a solid understanding of decompression theory, and considerable experience in a wide array of environments and conditions as a diver.

Upon successful completion of this course, graduates are considered competent to plan and execute dives that require staged decompression to a maximum depth of 46m (150 ft.) utilizing a blended breathing gas as bottom gas EANx and/or oxygen for decompression without direct supervision provided the diving environment, activities, areas dived, and equipment approximate those of training.

The minimum age for this course is:

• 18 years or older.

The minimum prerequisite for this workshop is:

• Intro to Tech certified
• Candidates must have good swimming skills, including a good development of basic swim strokes, and pass a Class 2 Swim Test prior to being allowed to enroll in the course.
• Mastery of Core Skills for diving.
• It is STRONGLY recommended that students have at least 200 logged dives, considerable experience as a diver, and have spent time practicing basic and advanced level skills on each dive, before considering enrolling in this course. Including: neutral buoyancy, breathing, finning, navigation, dive planning, gas management, understanding dive science, use of equipment, etc.
• Candidates must have the ability to remain calm in stressful situations on shore, in the water on the surface, and underwater.

Students must supply their own equipment, and all equipment must meet safety requirements.

Course graduates will receive a lifetime internationally recognized Technical Decompression Diver certification from the National Association of Underwater Instructors (NAUI).

The IANTD Advanced Nitrox (EANx) Diver course provides MSD or above certified divers with their first look into technical diving as a practice. It teaches equipment configuration for technical diving, standard practices and procedures, team diving practices and procedures, technical dive planning, simulated staged decompression, handling and management of higher oxygen-enriched mixtures up to 100% oxygen, and more.

This course then moves on to provide the diver with a working knowledge of the theory, methods, and procedures of planned staged decompression diving while using nitrox breathing gas mixtures up to 100% oxygen. As a part of the course, students will plan and conduct standard staged decompression dives not exceeding a maximum depth of 46m (150 ft.).

Candidates are expected from day one to show up with highly developed diving KSA's. They should already have well-developed knowledge of dive science (physics, chemistry, biology), equipment (types, function, use, benefits, etc.), mastery of ideal breathing, buoyancy (within +/- 0.1m), trim (within 0-30deg AoA), and finning techniques (with emphasis on frog, helicopter turns, and back finning), a solid understanding of decompression theory, and considerable experience in a wide array of environments and conditions as a diver.

Upon successful completion of this course, graduates are considered competent to plan and execute dives that require staged decompression to a maximum depth of 46m (150 ft.) utilizing a blended breathing gas as bottom gas EANx and/or oxygen for decompression without direct supervision provided the diving environment, activities, areas dived, and equipment approximate those of training.

The minimum age for this course is:

• 18 years or older.

The minimum prerequisite for this workshop is:

• MSD certified.
• Nitrox certified.
• Candidates must have good swimming skills, including a good development of basic swim strokes, and pass a Class 2 Swim Test prior to being allowed to enroll in the course.
• Mastery of Core Skills for diving.
• It is STRONGLY recommended that students have at least 200 logged dives, considerable experience as a diver, and have spent time practicing basic and advanced level skills on each dive, before considering enrolling in this course. Including: neutral buoyancy, breathing, finning, navigation, dive planning, gas management, understanding dive science, use of equipment, etc.
• Candidates must have the ability to remain calm in stressful situations on shore, in the water on the surface, and underwater.

Students must supply their own equipment, and all equipment must meet safety requirements.

Course graduates will receive a lifetime internationally recognized Advanced Nitrox (EANx) certification from the International Association of Nitrox and Technical Divers (IANTD).

This Program is designed to train divers to conduct dives to depths between 30m (100 ft) and, at the instructor’s option, up to 51m (170 ft) using custom blend breathing gas mixtures, and technical decompression techniques and procedures. It provides a greater understanding of custom blend breathing gas mixtures, a complete knowledge of the limits of any EANx mixture, and the use of EANx and oxygen for decompression diving. The knowledge and skills taught in this program are more than adequate to qualify divers to perform dives unsupervised up to 51m 170 ft).

Candidates are expected from day one to show up with highly developed diving KSA's. They should already have well-developed knowledge of dive science (physics, chemistry, biology), equipment (types, function, use, benefits, etc.), mastery of ideal breathing, buoyancy (within +/- 0.1m), trim (within 0-30deg AoA), and finning techniques (with emphasis on frog, helicopter turns, and back finning), a solid understanding of decompression theory, and considerable experience in a wide array of environments and conditions as a diver.

The minimum age for this course is:

• 18 years or older.

The minimum prerequisite for this workshop is:

• Advanced Nitrox (EANx) certified, or  Intro to Tech certified
• Candidates must have good swimming skills, including a good development of basic swim strokes, and pass a Class 2 Swim Test prior to being allowed to enroll in the course.
• Mastery of Core Skills for diving.
• It is STRONGLY recommended that students have at least 200 logged dives, considerable experience as a diver, and have spent time practicing basic and advanced level skills on each dive, before considering enrolling in this course. Including: neutral buoyancy, breathing, finning, navigation, dive planning, gas management, understanding dive science, use of equipment, etc.
• Candidates must have the ability to remain calm in stressful situations on shore, in the water on the surface, and underwater.

Students must supply their own equipment, and all equipment must meet safety requirements.

Course graduates will receive a lifetime internationally recognized Technical Diver certification from the International Association of Nitrox and Technical Divers (IANTD).

Class 3 Swim Test Standards

• 100m Swim demonstrating ability in at least three of the four basic swim strokes:
  • American Crawl (Freestyle)
  • Side Stroke
  • Brest Stroke
  • Elementary Back Stroke
• 10 minute survival swim
• 15m underwater swim on a single breath

Class 2 Swim Test Standards

• 200m Swim demonstrating proficiency in at least three of the four basic swim strokes:
  • American Crawl (Freestyle)
  • Side Stroke
  • Brest Stroke
  • Elementary Back Stroke
• 10 minute survival swim
• 25m underwater swim on a single breath
• A recovery of a minimum of 5kg weight from a designated depth
• A timed open water distance swim without fins or snorkel for a minimum of 200m
• A timed open water swim with mask, snorkel, and fins for a minimum of 400m

Class 1 Swim Test Standards

• 300m Swim demonstrating proficiency in at least three of the four basic swim strokes:
  • American Crawl (Freestyle)
  • Side Stroke
  • Brest Stroke
  • Elementary Back Stroke
• 20 minute face down survival swim
• 25m underwater swim on a single breath
• A recovery of a minimum of 5kg weight from a designated depth
• A timed open water distance swim without fins or snorkel for a minimum of 400m
• A timed open water swim with mask, snorkel, and fins for a minimum of 1,000m