Like many passions, my technical diving itch began quite small and spread slowly. It started during the pandemic with an innocent question about the GUE technical diving training a friend of mine had recently completed.
Her answer stuck with me – the training had been challenging but deeply rewarding. It pushed her further into advanced diving, eventually leading to rebreathers and cave diving.
At that point, I had already been diving recreationally for over 40 years.
My journey began with the British Sub Aqua Club (BSAC), back in the days when it could take six months of pool training before you even got near the ocean.
PADI eventually changed that model, and BSAC went through several reinventions to stay relevant.
But one thing was clear: the BSAC training was comprehensive, demanding, and incredibly effective.
I eventually became an Advanced Instructor (AI718) and served as the Diving Officer of the Awali BSAC branch in Bahrain, where I lived with my family for seven years in the late ’80s before migrating to Australia.
Becoming an Advanced Instructor was a milestone for me – the training was rigorous, and I truly felt I had earned it.
The Spark Returns…
Looking back now, it’s obvious that my conversation with my friend about technical diving training touched the same nerve that BSAC once did. The only difference? Back then, I was a young man – this time, I was approaching 70. Was technical diving really something I should be considering at my age?
To answer that question, I put myself through a full medical and diving fitness assessment. I even visited a cardiologist for a stress test. The results were clear: you’re good to go. And so I did. That decision marked the beginning of my technical diving journey – one I’ve since documented in a series of articles for Scuba Diver magazine, covering everything from training challenges to the rewards of extended range and rebreather diving.
Technical Diving – A Late in Life Guide…
CCR Training – Crossing the Rubicon
CCR Training… After decades of diving open circuit and thousands of hours underwater with scuba tanks, I finally decided to cross the line that divides recreational diving from full-on technical diving: rebreathers. Closed-Circuit Rebreathers (CCRs) have always kind of intrigued me, with their …
Try CCR – Should You Go There?
Try CCR… If you had asked me just three years ago whether I would ever consider spending five figures on a rebreather, my response would have been a resounding no. Back then, I had no idea how they worked, saw no need for one. And frankly considered them glorified death traps. And yet, just …
Diving on Air at Bikini Atoll
Diving on Air at Bikini Atoll… With any adventure, there’s almost always a pivotal moment when the hypothetical meets the reality. And the full magnitude of what you are trying to do becomes apparent. At Bikini Atoll that moment was during my first dive on the “nuclear fleet”. When, as I …
Diving Technically in the Solomon Islands
2024 was my first full year of diving technically and it involved a lot of learning. Some not insignificant “investment” (expenditure…) in new equipment and a whole new mindset around the preparation for a trip! I had planned the year carefully around three key objectives: Match Fitness For me, this …
Technical Diving Match Fitness
Technical Diving Match Fitness… As the end of 2023 approached, I made a decision to approach technical diving from a different perspective. Instead of merely hoping to engage in occasional tech dives. I decided to commit to dedicated trips where there was no option but to dive technically. I …
Getting into Technical Diving
Getting into Technical Diving… If you are into scuba diving, you will no doubt have noticed the growth of what is generally referred to as “Tech”. I certainly have and my attitude towards it evolved from somewhat dubious, to quite interested, as it became more and more mainstream. I was …