Malapascua Island's

The Best of Philippines Diving

Technical Diving Courses

Technical diving at TSD - Why, What and Who?

Why Tec Diving?

• Have you ever felt that your dive ended too quickly?
• Run low on air or bottom time too soon?
• Seen something below you that was too deep?

Sure you have! Almost every diver feels some or all of these things on a regular basis.

Technical diving is a way to go deeper and longer, in the safest way possible. You will learn to use additional equipment, more complex dive planning procedures and new skills underwater.

Tec diving not for everyone - it presents more risk and it requires significantly more effort, discipline and equipment. But some people just want to visit places underwater that relatively few people can and for them it is well worth the effort. Many spectacular, untouched wrecks lie at depths well below 40 meters. Deep reefs have marine life you don’t find in the shallows. Some people enjoy the challenge and focus tec diving requires. Still others love being involved with cutting edge technologies. These reasons make tec diving rewarding.

On Malapascua Island we have plenty of opportunities for great tec dives including our wrecks and the thresher shark, manta ray and hammerhead dives.

What is Technical Diving?

Tec diving is defined as diving other than conventional commercial or research diving that takes divers beyond recreational scuba diving limits. It includes one or more of the following:

• Diving beyond 40 metres
• Required stage decompression
• Diving in an overhead environment beyond 40 linear metres of the surface
• Accelerated decompression and or the use of variable gas mixtures during the dive

In technical diving the surface is effectively inaccessible in an emergency, so tec divers use extensive methodologies, technologies and training to manage the added risks. Even with these, however, tec diving admittedly has more risk, potential hazard and shorter critical error chains than does recreational scuba diving.

You will become familiar with new types of diving equipment including twin tanks, stage cylinders, BCD harnesses and backplate, and new regulator configurations. On your dives you may use enriched air (nitrox) and/or trimix (with helium) and the dives involve more complicated dive planning. It is also likely that you will use more than one gas mixture on a dive, so you will learn gas switching procedures. When doing a dive that requires decompression you have a 'ceiling' and should not come to the surface until you have completed required decompression stops.

Tec diving is not for everyone, so before you decide on it, think carefully if it will be for you. Technical diving will push your limits but can be extremely challenging and fulfilling. If you are not sure, you can try an intro to tec with the PADI DSAT Discover Tec Experience or similar. But for those who hear its challenge call, we have a selection of courses to get you started!

Who teaches Technical Diving?

TSD TEC is run by Trevor Holmes, IANTD and PADI DSAT Technical Instructor and owner of Thresher Shark Divers & TSD TEC. Trevor was trained by some of the most experienced tec divers in South East Asia and technical diving is his passion.

Courses are usually taught one-on-one and so Trevor will take you through your course at your own pace. You will do as many dives as are necessary to master the skills and Trevor will be sure to work patiently with you as you gain your confidence in this exciting new sport!

Our Philosophy

As IANTD Instructors we believe in the IANTD philosophy that "individual diver responsibilities are developed through rigorous skill refinement and experience in the water. Vigorous instruction with a strong student/instructor relationship and enhancing a transfer of the diving responsibility to the student, is the essence of our teaching philosophy."

Safety is our main priority. When taught and performed correctly, technical diving is very safe. You can be sure you will get a thorough training from Trevor.

A favorite saying of Trevor's is

"Diving courses are paid for, certification is earned."

Everyone who passes a technical course at Thresher Shark Divers has earned it and we will work with you until you are worthy to and can be proud to call yourself a "technical diver."

Tec Courses

There are a variety of IANTD courses and PADI DSAT Courses with different course pre-requisites and different aims and goals. Please contact us for help on deciding which course is best for you.

We have regularly scheduled courses but can usually schedule courses on request. Please be sure to book all technical diving in advance to ensure availability.

Some of these courses can be taught in combination with each other, contact us for more information.

IANTD Recreational Trimix Diver

Recreational Trimix is a great intro to Trimix, much like the first level Nitrox course

IANTD Deep Diver

Deep diving on air to a maximum depth of 39 meters. You will use either twin tanks or a single tank with stage tank. 4 dives

IANTD Advanced Nitrox Diver

This program qualifies divers to do dive to 42 meters and do decompression stops up to 15 minutes. You will use twin tanks and a stage decompression tank. 4 dives

IANTD Advanced Recreational Trimix Diver

Advanced Recreational Trimix is an extension of the Advanced Nitrox Course and qualifies divers to dive to 48 meters and perform decompression stops up to 15 minutes. You will use twin tanks and a stage decompression tank. 4 dives

More about IANTD courses

PADI DSAT Tec 40 Course

Also available, PADI's brand new DSAT Tec 40 Course