You’re an experienced certified diver, maybe even a dive professional – be it a divemaster or instructor – and you’re looking for your next challenge? Discovering tec diving may be just what you need!
I started tec diving while working as a recreational diving instructor in the Caribbean. I feel like this was a good time for me to start – I was a fairly experienced diver with a few thousand dives, and had good dive skills and buoyancy control.
I completed the PADI tec 40 and tec 45 training, as well as the tec sidemount course. This meant that I not only got to try out the twinset configuration but also discovered sidemount diving. My preference for the latter was clear the very first time I dived with tanks clipped in perfect balance to my sides – the sensation of freedom and perfect buoyancy was amazing. My next purchase will definitely be a sidemount wing and regulators – perfect also for exploring the cenotes of the Riviera Maya.
One of the main things I loved about discovering tec diving was the discipline required, in both the theory portion of the courses as well the practical water skills. This was hugely motivating for me as it made me realise that there are many more things to learn about diving. Now I know how much I don’t know! Studying tec also provided me with a much deeper understanding of decompression theory, which I benefit from massively in my work as a Divemaster mentor.
My immediate goal is to complete my PADI tec 50 course and get more comfortable doing tec dives with a buddy. And after that? I remember telling my tec instructor about a dream I had of diving under ice on closed circuit rebreather (CCR) – floating in crystal clear waters, with a “sky” of ice above, in perfect silence. His eyes lit up and after a love conversation he sent me away with many articles and books to read on the topic. I would love to see this dream become a reality one day!
Although as far from ice diving as one can get, I’ve come to realise after recently arriving in Xcalak that this is the perfect place to continue my tec training and do more tec dives. The on-site pool is perfect for confined sessions and there are modern and spacious facilities dedicated to tec instruction and tec gear preparation. XTC Dive Center also has an onsite facility for trimix blending – quite a treat!
Tec diving may not be for everyone – and that’s ok! But if you are an experienced diver looking for a new challenge in diving, I highly recommend checking out tec. It will open a whole new underwater world for you!
