Technical Diving

 

Deep Cavern

Price: $850

The Course
The Deep Cavern Course is the amalgamation of skills and knowledge necessary to safely dive in Cavern and Sinkhole rated sites. Training covers areas that may have zero visibility and the potential for unlimited visibility. A maximum depth of 40m is recommended.

Cavern Site
Defined as body of water which has a maximum depth of 20 metres, slight overhangs, near vertical ascents and where daylight is always visible (eg limestone caverns, dams, flooded quarries, lakes etc). The maximum penetration allowed is 40 metres from the surface.

Sinkhole Site
Defined as a body of fresh water which can have large passages (no restrictions too small for two divers to swim adjacent to each other) and which exceeds 20 metres in depth. The maximum linear penetration allowed is 60 metres from the surface. The CDAA recommends a maximum depth of 40m on air.

Prerequisites
Before commencement of a CDAA Deep Cavern diver training program the candidate must:

  1. Hold an Advanced Open Water level recreational SCUBA diver award and be qualified as an Open Water diver for a minimum of 12 months.
  2. Have logged a minimum of 25 dives (post Advanced Open Water level) totalling a minimum of 20 hours, including at least two night dives and five dives deeper than 25 metres.
  3. Minimum age 18 years.
  4. Successfully complete a diving medical statement.

Theory
To include CDAA history, natural history, equipment considerations, buoyancy and anti-silting, communications, reel and guideline use, gas management, physiological considerations, decompression, access procedures, dive planning, emergency procedures, hazards, accident analysis.

Equipment
Minimum requirements include:

  1. Suitable exposure suit
  2. Mask and fins
  3. Small sharp cutting device
  4. Watch or bottom timer or computer
  5. Depth gauge if not using a computer
  6. BCD
  7. Twin cylinders minimum capacity 2200 litres
  8. Two regulator first stages each with one second stage attached, one of which has a hose that is at least 1.5 metres in length (recommended length 2m)
  9. One primary and two back up lights
  10. Submersible decompression tables if not using a dive computer
  11. Pencil and slate
  12. Two submersible pressure gauges (SPG) if using an independent system (only 1 required if using an isolation manifold)
  13. Primary cave reel with a minimum of 100m of line

Skill Sessions
To include reel use, line placement techniques, reel locking and abandonment, blackout line following, air sharing while following a line, buoyancy and anti-silting techniques, communications, emergency management, climbing and belaying techniques.

Supervised Dives
Six dives in CDAA rated Caverns and Sinkholes.

Cave

Price: $550

Cave Site
Defined as an enclosed body of water containing overhangs, silt, darkness zones, and passages that are at all times large enough for two divers to swim adjacent to each other and turn around together. Cave sites allow a maximum penetration of 1/3 of a twin cylinder gas supply.

Prerequisites
Before commencement of a CDAA Cave Diver training program the candidate must:

  1. Hold an entry level SCUBA award for a minimum of 12 months.
  2. Hold a CDAA Deep Cavern or Sinkhole Diver award.
  3. Have logged a minimum of 30 cavern dives totalling a minimum of 15 hours, or 15 sinkhole dives totalling a minimum of 7.5 hours.
  4. Minimum age 18 years.
  5. Successfully complete a diving medical statement.

Theory
To include equipment, anti-silting techniques, dive planning, decompression related to cave diving, line techniques, underwater communications, emergency / problem solving, cave conservation, air consumption, physiological considerations, access protocols, accident analysis.

Equipment
Minimum requirements include:

  1. Suitable exposure suit
  2. Mask and fins
  3. Small sharp line cutting device
  4. Second knife or cutting device
  5. Watch or bottom timer
  6. Depth gauge with MDI
  7. Compass
  8. BCD
  9. Twin cylinders of equal capacity
  10. Two regulators
  11. One primary and two back up lights
  12. Submersible decompression tables
  13. Pencil and slate
  14. Tether clip
  15. Reel and guideline

Skill Sessions
To include line laying and reel use, reel locking and abandonment, air sharing while following a line with mask blacked out, line entanglement and cutting, buoyancy and anti-silting techniques, communications, gas management.

Supervised Dives
Six dives in CDAA rated Cavern and Cave sites.

Penetration

Price: $950

Penetration Site
Defined as an enclosed body of water containing silt, darkness zones, and passages that at times are not large enough for two divers to buddy alongside. Penetration sites are of unlimited penetration distance.

Prerequisites
Before commencement of a CDAA Penetration Diver training program the candidate must:

  1. Be 18 years of age.
  2. Hold a CDAA Cave Diver award.
  3. Have logged a minimum of 25 cave dives (outside of course dives) totaling a minimum of 18 hours with no more than 3 dives to be logged per day.
  4. Hold a current diving medical.
  5. Have experience in at least 5 different dive sites preferably in two different areas eg Nullarbor, NSW, Mt Gambier, overseas

Theory
To include equipment, guideline procedures, communications, restrictions, access procedures, dive planning, DPV use, decompression review, mapping, accident analysis, conservation.

Equipment
Minimum requirements include:

  1. Suitable exposure suit.
  2. Two masks. Taped straps or neoprene/Velcro strap.
  3. Fins. Straps taped or use springheels. Preferably no split fins
  4. Two small sharp line cutting devices.
  5. Watch or bottom timer or computer.
  6. Compass.
  7. Depth Gauge or computer.
  8. Buoyancy Control Device (must be in addition to the exposure suit)
  9. Appropriate weighting. v weights or weight belt if required.
  10. Twin cylinders (minimum combined capacity of 2200 litres) of equal capacity, securely held in an acceptable configuration with DIN valves.
  11. Two DIN regulators with
  12. One primary and two back up lights, each capable of lasting the duration of the dive.
  13. Submersible decompression tables
  14. Pencil and slate (or wet notes).
  15. Approved reel and guideline.
  16. 2 spools/jump reels each with minimum of 15m of line
  17. Minimum of 2 directional markers ie line arrows
  18. Minimum of 4 non-directional personal markers, eg cookies or pegs
  19. Helmet and harness for climbing
  20. Stage tank minimum capacity of 1200 litres with suitable attachment clips (eg bolt snaps) and a stage regulator with single regulator on a suggested hose length of 60cm, SPG on a short hose eg 12cm

Skill Sessions
To include equipment critique, S drills, jump reel use, lost line search, black out drill, gear removal / restriction exercise, mask and regulator change over, valve shutdowns, entanglement removal / line cutting, stress management exercise, air sharing through restrictions, stage tank use/remove/replace.

Supervised Dives
Six dives in CDAA rated Cavern, Cave and Penetration sites.

TXR Technical Foundations

Price: $450

Outline
Technical Foundations divers will be trained to utilize singles with H-valves or twinsets, and stage cylinders or pony bottles. They will be introduced to advanced dive planning and make training dives as deep as 42m (140 ft). Students will also learn oxygen procedures and may use up to EAN50 for contingency decompression and to improve off-gas efficiency at safety stops.

Prerequisites
Minimum 18 years old, minimum 50 logged dives, certification in Deep, Stress & Rescue, Enriched Air Nitrox and additionally certification in Navigation or Cavern, Advanced Open Water Diver

TXR Advanced Nitrox

Price: $395

Outline
Students enrolled in the Advanced Nitrox course will develop the fundamental knowledge, equipment familiarity, and skills needed to participate in extended range diving activities. Even for divers who do not plan to make decompression dives, this course will increase confidence and enhance diving abilities. It is for every diver who wants to dive deeper, longer, or in more challenging environments.

Prerequisites
Certification in Enriched Air Nitrox, minimum 18 years old, minimum 24 logged dives out of which a minimum of 6 need to be Enriched Air Nitrox Dives

TXR Extended Range Decompression

Price: $950

Outline
During this course you will learn to function as a member of a deep dive team and to plan and execute dives requiring stage decompression. You will make training dives as deep as 165 fsw while breathing air or optimized Nitrox and learn the proper procedures for making decompression stops utilizing a single decompression gas - EAN50.

The course includes hands-on experience with decompression planning software. You will gain the ability to prepare primary, contingency, and bailout plans. You will become experienced at evaluating conditions, anticipating potential problems, and applying the appropriate dive technique to achieve dive objectives.

The course also examines strategies for accelerated decompression. You are presented with the option of multiple Nitrox blends and the use of 100% oxygen. You will learn advanced ppO2 management procedures to control CNS toxicity dose. Training dives are conducted to depths as deep as 180 fsw and two gasses are used for stage decompression.

Prerequisites
Decompression Procedures:
Minimum 18 years old, minimum 75 logged dives, certification in Deep, Stress & Rescue, Enriched Air Nitrox and additionally certification in Navigation or Cavern, Advanced Open Water Diver, Oxgen Provider, certification in Technical Foundations or equivalent or Technical Foundations certified plus 10 logged Extended Range dives in the SSI Technical Logbook in a range of 24 – 42m with Stage Tank or Pony Bottle
Advanced Decompression:
Minimum 18 years old, minimum 75 logged dives, certification in Deep, Stress & Rescue, Enriched Air Nitrox and additionally certification in Navigation or Cavern, Advanced Open Water Diver, Oxgen Provider, certification in Decompression Procedures or Normoxic Trimix plus 10 logged Air- or optimized EAN Nitrox Dives or normoxic Trimix Dives which were done by the use of a Stage ( EAN50 ), these dives should have been in depth ranges from 24m to 54m

TXR Normoxic Trimix

Price: $1250

Outline
You will learn the procedures for using Normoxic Trimix blends with helium concentrations as great as 30%. Training dives will be conducted to depths of 180 fsw and EAN50 will be utilized to complete stage decompression stops.

Prerequisites
minimum 18 years old, minimum 75 logged dives, certification in Deep, Stress & Rescue, Enriched Air Nitrox and additionally certification in Navigation or Cavern, Advanced Open Water Diver, Oxgen Provider, certification in Decompression Procedures or equivalent plus 10 logged Extended Range Decompression dives

TXR Hypoxic Trimix

Price: $ POA

Outline
On Application

Prerequisites
On Application

Rebreathers

Price: $ POA