I can't recall when or why it was that I decided to take the Sidemount course. Like most of my diving decisions it was just a matter of "oh, that looks cool", and I was willing to give it a try. Sidemount would have been a valuable certification that I could use for future training. Sidemount certification would also be helpful if I wanted to go cave diving.
Sidemount diving can be fun, especially if your are a tec diver. Learn how to adjust your rig and how to get in the water with it.
New gear means new techniques. Sidemount diving, even if it's simple, requires some new skills (easily learned).
New gear means new techniques. If you are able to dive sidemount, it is easy to acquire new skills.
To dive, you must have a minimum of fitness and good health. Before diving, you may need to be cleared by a doctor if your health is not in good condition.
Decompression divers may add Helium into their cylinders to make deep dives over 130ft. Sometimes they are less likely to visit wrecks or reefs than astronauts to reach the moon every year.
The sidemount rig was initially created for cave diving. This allows the diver through small cracks (tiny holes) more quickly than the back mount rig.
The entry-level tech diver will learn to optimize their gear to avoid drag and dangling objects. This allows for maximum propulsion efficiency and awareness.
Sidemount diving is a form of sidemount diving that originated in cave diving but has been incorporated into recreational and non-overhead diving over the years. Simply put, your tanks will be worn on your side instead of being attached to your back. The tanks attach to a Sidemount BCD with clips or bungee chords, allowing for maximum flexibility. It was this flexibility that cave divers used to be able to lift their tanks from the bottom underwater, making it easier to pass through tight spaces.
1. Your personal informations (name, email, etc). 2. Pick your prefered date. 3. You can ask question/inquire then just Submit.
Technical divers explore reefs and wrecks at depths below the 40 meter/130-foot recreational limit. With specialized training, they can explore underwater caves and other places well beyond the reach of mainstream recreational diving.
Decompression divers can dive to depths of 130ft. They can add Helium to their cylinders, and then they will be able to explore the world of the rare. They often visit the wrecks and reefs less often than astronauts to Mars every year.
Skills (specific): Throughout tech programs, the dive skills specific to that category are practiced until they become flawless. Line skills and navigation are perfected for overhead diving. Decompression divers can execute stops and manage gas without blinking an ear. Rebreather divers take great care in building, testing and disassembling their equipment to ensure its optimal functionality. The first level of certification lays the foundation for each course, with further training as necessary. Each step takes you deeper, or makes these skills more difficult. It is a way to become a better diver.
Sidemount can provide a number of benefits for any diver, but is especially well suited for cave diving. (It was, after all, cave divers who invented sidemount.) Among these benefits:
To begin a technical diving course, you must have completed the following prerequisites: a PADI Advanced Open Water Diver certificate or equivalent, a PADI Enriched Air Diver certificate or equivalent, and a PADI Deep Diver certificate or proof of at least 10 dives to 30 metres/100 feet.
The depth range of oxygen rebreathers (simple closed circuit) is limited to approximately 6 m, beyond which the risk of acute oxygen toxicity rises to unacceptable levels very quickly.
2-3 hours
Even with small cylinders, you can usually dive for 2-3 hours (rebreathers typically have two 2/3l cylinders or one 3/5l cylinder).