Intro to Tech / Essentials / Basic Nitrox Diver course: 3 days, 6 dives

Why take the Intro to Tech / Essentials / Basic Nitrox course?

The Intro to Tech / Essentials / Basic Nitrox course is a gateway into technical and cave training. It is also an excellent way to experience technical diving personally. Some divers use the course to build on the less-than-optimal training they received in traditional fast-track entry-level recreational courses. Others see the course as a ticket to participate in technical and cave classes and projects. Many technical divers, and even experienced Open Water Instructors, use the course to sharpen basic skills and access advanced technical cave training programs. Divers with very diverse backgrounds often share the same class, and everyone benefits, regardless of their current certification level or experience.

Who is it for?

The Intro to Tech / Essentials / Basic Nitrox course allows all divers to advance basic diving skills. It provides a gateway into technical and cave training programs for non-technical trained divers, already certified by any recognized diving agency. The course also teaches divers the benefits, hazards and proper procedures of Nitrox mixtures. Then it shows how to plan and conduct standard staged decompression dives.

What will I learn?

• Technical equipment configuration and use (Basic 5 skill)
• Trim and buoyancy, propulsion techniques including backward kicks and helicopter turn
• Valve management (V-Drill skill) and gas sharing (S-Drill skill)
• DSMB deployment and unconscious diver rescue from the bottom
• Theory and use of basic Nitrox, up to 40% oxygen, with the appropriate certification

The course supplements any training divers may have already received. It builds confidence in their basic skills, even if they do not want to pursue more advanced training.

How the Intro to Tech course runs

• 3 days, at least 6 dives, 100 minutes of dive time. Classroom lectures, land drills and in-water work. Playa del Carmen or Puerto Aventuras area, transfer from Playa del Carmen included.
• Rate: $298 per training day in a group of two or more, $348 individually.

Included: professional Advanced Technical Dual CCR Cave Diving instructor, hotel pickup and drop-off in Playa del Carmen, doubles or sidemount tanks with EAN32, weights, and the final examination

Not included: Students must bring their own tech/cave level diving gear (requirements will be provided) or rent it, Additional sets of Doubles or Sidemount tanks with EAN32, Stages, Drysuit tanks, Sofnolime, Oxygen, Trimix or Argon fills for both students and Instructor / DPV rental for students and Instructor / Cenote entry fee / Any Rental equipment will be charged accordingly, Foto/Video service, Diving insurance, Camera fee (depend on Cenote policy), Fuel or boat surcharges for remote locations out of Playa del Carmen and Puerto Aventuras areas (as per student request), eLearning materials or/and printed manuals, Certification fee ($60 per card), Tips for instructor

Applicants must

• Be qualified in Advanced Open Water Diver or equivalent
• Be a minimum of 18 years of age, or 15 with a parent or guardian authorization
• Be physically and mentally fit. Obtain a physician’s prior written authorization for prescription drugs or any medical condition that may pose a risk while diving
• Have a minimum of 25 logged dives

Equipment

All equipment is the student’s responsibility: bring your own or rent what is missing from Cave Ha, charged on actual usage. Sidemount AL80 DIN cylinders with technical regulators or backmount doubles AL80 DIN with technical regulators. Planned gases: bottom gas EAN32. Students cover the cost of all gases and/or scrubber used by the instructor (above EAN32), cenote entrance fees or boat fees, certification card fees at $60 per card.

Required personal equipment

• 1 well-fitted drysuit with front-entry zipper, 2 pockets and 1 P-valve, plus 1 undergarment (Thinsulate 100-150 or equivalent), or 1 well-fitted wetsuit thick enough for 3-4 hours in the 25 C water daily (5-7 mm preferred) plus tech shorts with 2 pockets
• 1 thin neoprene hood; 1 pair of neoprene gloves of at least 1 mm
• 1 backmount doubles wing or sidemount BCD suitable for carrying 2 tanks
• 1 technical regulator set for backgas (2 first stages, 2 second stages, long hose, SPG, inflator hoses)
• 1 sidemount rigging set if using sidemount
• 1 primary light, canister type; 2 backup lights
• 1 bottom timer or deco computer; 1 wrist-mounted compass
• 1 pair of Jet fins; 1 primary mask plus 1 backup mask
• 1 small cutting device (for webbing harness)
• 3 to 4 safety/jump spools per person
• 1 wetnotes with pencil

Doubles or sidemount tanks with EAN32 are included in the course price. Rental: Tech SCUBA set $50 per day. Rental.

Rules of the course

• Medical: every participant completes and signs the standard Diver Medical Participant Questionnaire before the activity. A YES answer to any question in its final section requires written approval from a physician before diving. Without it the guest does not dive.
• Liability: every participant signs the standard diving General Liability Release and Express Assumption of Risk before the activity. Without the signed form the guest does not dive.

Next step

• Cavern and Intro to Cave course, 4 days.
• Technical / Advanced Nitrox / Advanced Recreational Trimix Diver, 4 days.