Not to long ago (2020) I started my journey into technical diving. After my basic technical training (DTSA TEC Basic 2020) and my training for mixed gases (DTSA Nitrox** 2021) I also did a Trimix certification (DTSA Trimix* 2021) and a gas blending course (DTSA Gasmischer* 2021). So I had a very busy few years.
The eventual goal has always been, to also become a technical dive instructor. Although I already had a Nitrox TL* certification, the Nitrox TL** is the real entry into technical diving when it comes to the instructor side. This year, the course finally was offered and luckily for me, right at my doorstep. So on the 14. of April I made my way to Hemmoor to be “judged” by a Team of Nitrox TL*** in regards to my capabilities and skill level. Because this assessment is necessary and has to have a positive outcome in order to take part in the exam at all, I was understandably nervous.
On the 14. of april, the weekend began with a demonstration of the different techniques (frog, back, heli and flutter kicks, Valve drill and surface marker placement), continued on the Saturday with us pupils showing our stage skills (Bottle rotations, gas changes, re-storage of the stage) and culminated Sunday in a deep and long decompression dive with multi-gas changes. Even though most of my dives went quite well, when we where called into the room with the TL***s one by one to get out evaluation, I was still nervous. Luckily the instructors did have the same impression as I and were quite satisfied with what they saw. The final exam was to be in June, so I had at least a little time for a bit of practice.
Other then previous exams, especially the instructor courses, this exam was to be a little bit different. Because our job, after proving on the Friday of this weekend that we had gotten our stuff together, we were supposed to actually lead a DTSA Nitrox** course with real pupils. Basically proving our instructor capabilities on the subjects 😀 . Luckily for me, I knew most of my pupils from previous courses, so it wasn’t to hard to establish a rapport in the group. Other then the TEC Basic courses, there is no preparation weekend for the DTSA Nitrox** course. So the pupils immediately jump into the exam and have to prove that they were able to improve on their TEC Basic experiences from the past.
All in all, the weekend went rather well. Us instructors managed to keep the pupils alive and they managed to keep us happy. So after some challenging weekend, we all went home happy and with new capabilities (and responsibilities). This basically concludes my dive instructor training, as a Trimix TL* or Trimix TL** is out of reach by now due to insanely high helium prices. Maybe someday I’ll add the dot to the i and become a CCR instructor? But that is very far in the future.
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