87 replies to this topic

[Cold_H2O]

To *me*, a diver becomes a technical diver when the cease diving for the sheer enjoyment of diving, and begin to dive with a purpose and is willing to purchase equipment and training to fulfill that purpose.

Example:

Recreational Diver:  "I want to dive the reefs off Key West"

Technical Diver:  I want to study the behavior of XXX fishes that have a habitat on the reefs outside of Key West.


Recreational Diver:  "I want to swim over to that wreck and have a look around"

Technical diver:  "I need to research that boat, learn it's history, and then try to dive it and survey it.


If a particular reef, or fish, or wreck, or whatever is in 150ft of water, the recreation diver says, "it's too bad that xxx is so deep, I wish I could see it".  The Technical diver says, "If I take recreational trimix, and Adv. Nitrox, I could dive and see xxx.


More than the training, the gear, etc., to me technical divers are deliniated by their attitude.  I guess one could draw an analogy to golf, and I'll line a friend of my said to me when I suggested we go play a round but that I wasn't very good...

"Perrone, I've grown up around golf.  I've known some hacks and some pros.  Let me tell you, what you and I do is play the GAME of golf.  What THEY do is play the SPORT of golf!"  In the same vein technical divers pursue the goal they WANT with equipment, training and practice.  Recreational divers put the DIVE first, and the exploration a distant second.  or so it would seem.


Of course this is just my ramblings.  Some people think there is no difference between the two genres of  diving.  But I think once you strap on a set of doubles, are planning deco (and I don't mean a safety stop) and are using gases other than air or nitrox below 40%, you're squarely in the real of technical diving.

Perrone,

WOW, I guess I would then fall into the ranks of a Technical diver. Thanks.. I have always thought of myself as a Rec diver with the desire to learn more and head into the tech areas.

I do not dive to see the cute fishies.. I dive to learn more about their behavior and environments.

I do not want to view a wreck from 20 feet above and say whoooo pretty boat..
I want to learn about the wrecks before I head to into the water. How they were used, why they are now at the bottom of the ocean etc...

I have never looked at a dive plan and thought too bad it is so deep, cold, dark..
I deside where I am going to dive, research the site and then come up with a plan to determine what skills I need to get there.

Is it deep ~ What gas blend will it take, how many deco stops along the way, what special equipment do I need. etc..
And then I determine if I currently have the required skills and knowledge to do the dive. If not.. back to the classroom for more learning. If the skills are lacking, more time spent diving to improve the skills to do the dive safely.

I guess it all depends on what you want out of your diving. For me it is all about learning and growing. I don't just dive to see what is there. I dive to learn all that I can.
That set of double is calling my name and I am ready to move forward with my diving experiences.

DEEPER, DARKER, COLDER. WRECK PENETRATIONS ARE ONLY A FEW TRAINING SESSIONS AWAY...

[Walter]

I have really enjoyed this thread, but why all the contempt for Ken and Barbie Diver? If all one ever wants to do is dive once a year at a Sandals resort on a twenty foot reef with his/her kids why do we scoff at them?

I guess that depends on how one defines a Ken or Barbie diver.

Someone who wants to dive from time to time and just look at the pretty fish is just as valid as someone who wants to explore 300 feet into a wreck. They also have a right to instruction that will enable them to look at those pretty fish safely. My impression of the concept of Ken & Barbie divers are those who really aren't safe. Unfortunately, they are way too common.

I never scoff at divers. It's usually not the fault of the diver if his skills are lacking. In most cases, they are doing exactly what they were taught. How would they know any better? They simply trusted an incompetent instructor.

[TraceMalin]

DEEPER, DARKER, COLDER.  WRECK PENETRATIONS ARE ONLY A FEW TRAINING SESSIONS AWAY...

:Swoon:

Now, if you'd only be willing to dive under 200 feet of cold deep black water because it's fun...

Trace

[Dive_Girl]

Form an instructional standpoint I do find use in the general terms recreational diver and technical diver. I am trained to teach "recreational" divers. I am not trained to teach divers to exceed the recreational dive limit of 130' or to make dives exceeding the nodecompression limits at any depth. If divers are interested in diving beyond 130' or making decompression dives, I send them to a "technical" diving instructor.

As for me? I call myself a "sport" diver! Currently a recreational diver with a wild side.... :anna:

[Walter]

Nicolle,

I was teaching before the term was coined. I taught people not to exceed the limits of their training then in the same manner as I do now.

[Dive_Girl]

Again, when divers express an interest in exceeding the limits of which I am able to train, I send them off to what is commonly (post coined term era) referred to as a "technical" diving instructor. But I am only speaking for me. I am by no means implying that the term "technical" somehow affects how you train divers.

And when was the term coined? I'd be interested in that history - pull out the books Walter and give us a story!

Internet research yielded multiple sources crediting Michael Menduno, the former editor and publisher of the ‘aquaCORPS’ magazine, for first coining the term (in 1991).

[PerroneFord]

::Swoon::

Now, if you'd only be willing to dive under 200 feet of cold deep black water because it's fun... 

Trace

NO WAY HOSER!! I saw her FIRST! She was talking to ME!

[Cold_H2O]

::Swoon::

Now, if you'd only be willing to die under 200 feet of cold deep black water because it's fun... 

Trace

Trace ~ You had me at the "swoon"

200' sounds doable and if your along how could it be anything but fun.

I have seen 147' already, 200 is just another 53'.

My water or your's?

[ddierolf]

Michael Menduno

Hey, didn't he start that latin kids band back in the 80's with Ricky Martin????


I know it was Menudo! Oh well maybe they were cusins?

Edited by ddierolf, 18 October 2005 - 07:59 PM.

[maninthesea]

You can tell a "real" tech diver easy enough. They will be the one with the "bad back" getting someone else to move their doubles around.

Cheers Jim

[WreckWench]

So the interesting nugget I've gleaned so far is...

any diver diving a mixed gas is a technical diver! Interesting...that makes all us nitrox divers certified under 40% still tech divers.


And for those that think the word 'tech' has no meaning nor proper place in diving venacular....

what would you call someone who either dives beyond recreational/sport diving depths aka 130ft or someone who takes a mixed gas class say over 40% or a rebreather class or even a decompression class?

[ScubaHawk]

And for those that think the word 'tech' has no meaning nor proper place in diving venacular....

what would you call someone who either dives beyond recreational/sport diving depths aka 130ft or someone who takes a mixed gas class say over 40% or a rebreather class or even a decompression class?

A diver?

[PerroneFord]

what would you call someone who either dives beyond recreational/sport diving depths aka 130ft or someone who takes a mixed gas class say over 40% or a rebreather class or even a decompression class?

Apparently we'd be called "insane"! LOL

[EdmDiver]

what would you call someone who either dives beyond recreational/sport diving depths aka 130ft or someone who takes a mixed gas class say over 40% or a rebreather class or even a decompression class?

Broke

[Dive_Girl]

any diver diving a mixed gas is a technical diver! Interesting...that makes all us nitrox divers certified under 40% still tech divers.

regular compressed air (21% O2) is "technically" mixed gas...