TECHNICAL DIVING

TECHNICAL DIVING

Overview

Technical diving is generally defined as diving past no decompression limits and/or entering overhead environments. It also implies the usage of special gear, training and procedures. Diving past no-decompression limits or into overhead environments without this equipment and training is not technical diving. It is merely stupid and extremely hazardous.

Marine Conservation Philippines has the capability to teach and to conduct deep research and survey dives. Visiting scientists and program participants may enroll in this training on certain conditions.

Technical diving is not for everyone. It is not a natural progression from the diving typically conducted at dive centres, resorts or liveaboards, nor is it a natural progression from the scientific diving we undertake at Marine Conservation Philippines. It is significantly more difficult, has significantly more risk, and requires significantly longer preparation and mental preparedness.

In technical diving, even if you do everything right, there are hazards that are either non-present in regular diving or are severely aggrevated in technical diving.

Technical Diving Requirements

We only teach program participants, who:

  • Show the required maturity for the task
  • Understand and accept the significantly greater risk
  • Accept that becoming a technical diver takes a long time
  • Can dedicate the required time to actually put the training into work afterwards.

Kindly note:

For the courses below, equivalency certifications from other scuba diving training organisations are accepted.
Note also, that some entry requirements have been omitted from below lists, if they would have been done, due to requirements for preceding courses.

We only train interns for whom the technical diving is a required tool to conduct required deep research, or volunteers who can stay for at least 4 months. To progress from a recreational diver to TEC50 or TRIMIX level typically requires 24 weeks. Please understand: These courses are usually extremely expensive. We teach these courses to you, but we teach them FOR us. They require the use (and wear and tear) of very expensive gear. We do not start this training on a whim, and neither should you.

Technical Diving at MCP

We only train interns for whom the technical diving is a required tool to conduct required deep research, or volunteers who can stay for at least 4 months. To progress from a recreational diver to TEC50 or TRIMIX level typically requires 24 weeks. Please understand: These courses are usually extremely expensive. We teach these courses to you, but we teach them FOR us. They require the use (and wear and tear) of very expensive gear. We do not start this training on a whim, and neither should you.

Tec 40

Welcome to the world of technical diving! The Tec40 course will teach you how to use equipment such as sidemounted tanks or a twinset and stage tank to extend your time spent at depth safely and responsibly. Additionally, you will learn about gas planning procedures, decompression planning, and how to handle emergency situations that may arise when tec diving. After this course, you will be qualified to conduct limited decompression (10 minutes) dives that incorporate a nitrox blend of up to 50% oxygen for added conservatism.

Participant Prerequisites

of which

  • 10 are to 30 m or deeper
  • 10 dives are with EANx, (7 deeper than 30 m.)

Tec 45

The Tec45 course builds on all the skills you learned in Tec40 and extends your knowledge of gas planning and decompression theory through knowledge development sessions and at least 4 open water dives. Tec45 also introduces using Nitrox blends for accelerated decompression. After completing your Tec45 course, you will be qualified to conduct accelerated decompression dives to a depth of 45 meters using up to 100% oxygen as a decompression gas.

Participant Prerequisites
    • PADI TEC40 diver
    • PADI Enriched Air Diver
    • At least 50 logged dives,

of which

  • 12 dives are made on nitrox

Tec 50

During your Tec50 course, you will improve your stage handling skills and learn to plan and execute mission-based dives. Additionally, Tec50 continues to build on the material learned in Tec40 and Tec45 by testing your ability to handle simulated emergency situations underwater. After completing your Tec50 course at MCP, you will be qualified to conduct decompression dives to a depth of 50 meters using two additional gases to accelerate decompression times.
Participant Prerequisites
    • PADI TEC45 diver
    • At least 100 logged dives,

of which at least

  • 20 are made with nitrox, deeper than 18m
  • 15 are deeper than 30m

Tec Trimix 65

You’ve reached your limits for diving on air and it’s time to introduce helium into the mix! The Tec Trimix 65 course is an extensive course during which you will continue to fine-tune and extend the skills learned on your previous tec courses. During your Tec Trimix 65 course, you will develop skills to handle up to four decompression gasses, and delve deeper into decompression theory and models. After completing your Tec Trimix 65 course, you will be qualified to conduct decompression dives to 65 meters using normoxic trimix.

Participant Prerequisites
  • PADI TEC50 diver
  • At least 100 logged dives

Tec Trimix

The full Tec Trimix course is the pinnacle of open circuit technical diving. The Tec Trimix course builds on the knowledge and skills learned in your previous courses and goes more in-depth on topics such as best mix, decompression models, multi-gas computer usage, and stage handling. After completing your Tec Trimix course with MCP, you will be qualified to conduct decompression dives to 90+ meters using hypoxic trimix with up to 4 decompression gases.

Participant Prerequisites
  • PADI TEC50 or TRIMIX65 diver
  • At least 150 logged dives

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