Technical & Transition Courses 

TRANSITION COURSES: These courses are the entry level programs for technical divers.  The full technical courses follow in this listing.

Cavern Diver – A cavern is defined by divers as the entry area of an underwater cave system where natural daylight is clearly visible, the depth is shallower than 100 fsw/30 msw and there are no restricted areas where two divers cannot comfortably swim side by side.  This course requires one open water dive and at least 4 cavern dives.   Prerequisites:  Certified Advanced Open Water Diver or an Open Water Diver with at least 25 logged dives.   

Limited Penetration Wreck Diver – This course has limits very similar to the cavern diving course but is conducted on shipwrecks.  Divers will also be allowed to do simple linear swim through areas of the wreck providing that sunlight is clearly visible from the entry point of the swim until the diver exits.  The course requires one open water dive for line drills and equipment rigging and 4 wreck penetration dives.   Prerequisites:  Open Water Diver, Wreck Diver and at least 25 logged dives. 

 Advanced Nitrox Diver – For divers pursuing the deep technical programs this is the first course in that progression.  Unlike the basic nitrox course this program focuses on using the actual math formulas to calculate exposures and complete dive plans.  Divers will also obtain a more complete understanding of the requirements for oxygen clean/compatible equipment and how to maintain their equipment in that state once it has been cleaned for oxygen use.  Divers will use nitrox mixtures with up to 40% oxygen for bottom gas and a small stage (pony) bottle with mixtures of up to 100% oxygen will be used for ascents and safety/simulated deco stops.  This course requires 4 dives and is limited to a max depth of 140 fsw/40 msw.  Dives requiring actual decompression stops totaling a maximum of 15 minutes will be completed.   Prerequisites:  Nitrox, Advanced, Deep, Stress & Rescue Diver and at least 50 logged dives. 

For Technical Divers we teach:

Decompression Procedures or Technical Diver – These are 4 dive course that continues the training offered in the Advanced Nitrox level courses and expands the divers depth range to a maximum of 55 meters/180 fsw with full decompression dives using up to 100% oxygen as a staged decompression gas.  Prerequisites:  Advanced Nitrox depending on agency. 

Diving the USS Curb in 190 fsw

Normoxic Trimix – Allows divers to use helium based gas mixtures (with at least 18% oxygen) to manage narcosis for dives in the 180 to 200 fsw range.  A 4 dive course with at least two dives on trimix to depths between 170 and 220 fsw using a separate stage gas for decompression.   Prerequisites – Adv. Nitrox, Technical Foundations.  

Full (Hypoxic) Trimix – Expands the Normoxic Trimix Divers capabilities to include helium based breathing gases with less than 18% oxygen to dive depths up to 330 fsw / 100 msw.  Divers will use two staged gases including a travel gas and a decompression gas containing 80% to 100% oxygen for the training dives.  Prerequisites: Normoxic Trimix. 

Closed Circuit Rebreather Diver (technical) – at the technical level we train several electronic closed circuit rebreathers including the Cis Lunar Discovery MK VI, the CCR 500 & 1000 and the Mk 15/16 series units.  The details of these courses vary somewhat depending upon the unit but all of these technical courses include the use of helium based diluents for full decompression dives to down to 100 msw / 330 fsw.  

Intro to Cave Diver – An expansion of the cavern diver course, the intro student will transition to either twin cylinders with dual outlet manifolds or a high capacity single cylinder with an H or Y valve to accommodate two regulator systems.  Intro students will dive beyond the light zone into cave systems with a maximum penetration of 1/3 of a single cylinder gas supply or 1/6 of a twin cylinder gas supply, divers are also restricted from passing through areas where two divers cannot pass side by side.  Penetrations are also limited to simple linear navigation patterns. Prerequisites: cavern diver. 

Cave Diver & Technical Cave Diver – Also referred to as full cave courses, this course requires 8 full cave penetration dives in full cave (twin cylinder) gear.  If the course is integrated with the Intro to Cave Course the diver will complete 12 cave penetration dives totaling 480 minutes of dive time.  Successful divers will be qualified to complete more complex navigation in caves, including restrictions, gaps and other complex cave routes.  Prerequisites: Cavern Diver, Advanced Open Water or equivalent and Intro to Cave (Intro may be combined with this course).  Technical Cave Divers must also have technical diver or decompression procedures certifiactions.   

Technical Wreck Diver – This is Mike Ange’s area of specialization and he is the author of both the Technical Wreck Diver and Technical Wreck instructor guides used by the largest technical agency since 2001.  During this course, divers will complete 6 extended penetration dives and learn the methods for navigating the complex structures contained inside shipwrecks.  Prerequisites: Deep Diver and Limited Penetration Wreck Diver; Advanced Nitrox or Decompression Procedures are strongly recommended.   

Other specialty courses – we offer a number of other specialty courses including advanced stress and rescue, advanced wreck survey and other courses.  If you have a specific request, contact us, even if we do not offer the specific course you want we can probably refer you to an instructor.  

Technical Divemaster or Technical Diving Supervisors:  We train Technical Divemasters for all of the courses shown above.  Courses vary in length and content based upon the certification area pursued.  Divers must have in excess of 100 logged dives, be certified as a recreational divemaster, divecon or instructor and be certified at the diver level consistent with the DM certification sought.  IE a trimix supervisor candidate must be certified as a trimix diver before commencing the supervisors course. 

TECHNICAL INSTRUCTOR CERTIFICATION COURSES – see these courses on our Turning Pro Page!