Great advice my friend. I have just begun my CCR journey and I’m going with the KISS SW. I have her on order and will be starting my journey sometime in August. Once again, great advice as usual!
Glad I found this video. I’m starting the CCR journey. Only done ANDP with heliotrox, and I have some wreck goals that are deep and helium is too expensive for my tastes on OC.
Innerspace Explorers has a board sign-off process for instructora and yearly recertification built in, so there's at least one agency that actually makes sure instructors are up to snuff.
Awesome video as always!! I got a small taste on the Mares Herizon SCR and really enjoyed it. My question is what made you decide on the Liberty over the Choptima?
Great video as always! Regarding the valid comment in 12:00, GUE is one of the agencies that requires such training and evaluation process for recreational instructors.
If I was going eCCR and I had the money I'd go with the Divesoft Liberty - beautiful unit... Though there's more second hand Megladons and other units so realistically that's the way I'd go. But I'll be going mCCR. I'd like a Sidewinder 2 but my instructor is a big KISS Classic guy so I'm not entirely sure which way things are going to work out. It's possible I'll get a try-dive this year.
I guess I got super lucky picking the scuba shop I did I got trained by a #14 instructor for Sdi and her husband is now my ccr trainer and their son is my best friend who owns more rebreathers than I know rebreather divers 😂I thought it was a normal thing to dive back plate wing be taught to frog kicking right out the gate and always have good trim until I dove with ppl from other shops and I’m like dude you suck at diving 9:03
I know I clearly missed the release of this, but congrats and welcome to the group of ccr instructors! I know my class was very thorough and complete and challenging so well earned!!
I am soon to take SSI's extended range, which includes advanced nitrox. Given the opportunity of close training, I have chosen the SF2 because it is an ECCR with a manual bailout with secondary electronics. By the time I get to trimix, I will be training on that rebreather. Divesoft liberty is the next option, but I feel more comfortable with the design of the SF2. What made you decide on the liberty?
What a great snapshot of your journey, James! I have a dive buddy who only dives a rebreather and I am always jealous while watching him in the water. I hope to be there one day too!
I sailed with the Saratoga in the mid 80's, I was onboard a guided missle cruiser CG-34.... Ummm oops... I'm not that old... I sailed with the latest version of the Saratoga CV-60.
I dive a Choptima but one of my buddies has the Liberty Heavy and loves it. I picked the chop over the Liberty mainly because I’m a cave diver and the chop is better for that and for the Shearwater controllers. I’m going to Chuuk next January. Bikini is coming….
Just had a fun dive with my mentor, he’s headed to bikini very soon and needed to run the choptima in the config they are gonna use. It’s funny you mention cave diving because he’s a bigger dude, and the config the team is using for Bikini requires BM doubles with the choptima. Just added sooo much to his width 😂
@@souswes I’m pretty big too so SM for cave for sure. In the ocean it’s a toss up but for wreck penetrating I could go either way. When I do tech diving with the Choptima even in BM it’s slim cuz we use LP50 manifolded with 18/45 and sling a 40 of EAN50 and a 40 of 100.
@@mikesbigadventures194 ah that makes sense. Not sure why the team is running AL 80s but they did find a place that does helium mixes there. Honestly just happy I understood your response. I’ve been asking questions to the technical divers I meet and shadowing dives watching gas switching drills. Was cool to see the choptima set up and pre check though. Cheers, buddy.
Sounds like a fantastic plan James. I’m hoping to do some tech courses and possibly looking into a CCR course in the future. I’ll be completing my deep speciality with an instructor this year, then looking at moving into doing the ADV Nitrox & Deco course, have you got and hints / tips for the course coming from an instructor? I’m trying to broaden my knowledge of diving in general before I look into an IDC as to have as much knowledge & experience as I can before taking the course itself ( will be aiming for more than the minimum standards of an IDC & I.E ) Thanks for the great video James!
best advice i can give you is listen to what the instructor is saying, you should do. and how to do it. everything has a set way of being done . dont try and be that guy who thinks he can do it better. tec is different form rec. the difference from rec to tec is about as big as the difference form snorkeling to scuba. its a very fun card to get and diving with twins and a deco for the first time is always a blast. dont stress to much its not that difficult if you just listen. and if you really dont understand ask good questions that will help you understand.
James, went from 0 to AOW+Nitrox+Rescue in about 2 years. Live in Chicago, but prefer to dive warm/tropical waters; so, that limits my dive numbers substantially... I get bout 50 a year in. Good mix of wreck/deep/drift/night currently. I know I am interested in CCR diving-- so, with no tech experience... any advice on how to go from where I am at to CCR... especially advice related to living in a cold water climate? I'm an engineer, and so I'd love if I could find some online course work to prep me for the required in-water instruction and experience, and then work with an instructor on-site to get the in water experience. But, the quantity of dives that most instructors (including yourself) reference as a pre-requirement make that goal pretty hard for me. Anywho, interested in any thoughts you may have. Love open circuit, love the rec diving... but, am passionate about the idea of tech diving in CCR. Someday in the distant future would love to cross that 100m mark off my dive computer ;) Thank you.
I’m getting ready for cavern and cave. With deep dives I imagine you’ll experience the same thing I will I’m with longer dives even in 70F caves you’ll get cold. I just ordered a drysuit. That’ll open up more diving for you. Trust me I hate being cold too, but I know I’ll also practice more in our local mud hole throughout the year to keep up my skills.
Zach you really dont need to be a tec diver to start with ccr. its a misconception, the unit will auto mix nitrox, so you will start off getting to know nitox and will have a dive limit just like nitrox on oc. now saying that there is nothing wrong with diving a stock ccr for 100 hours befor going to a adv nitrox. this only means you will have a set deco of 15min, after this do a REC TRIMIX (THE BABY TRI) and get use to having helium in the loop. after that do normoxic then trimix then if you want to push hard get a explorer trimix. now i will say this make 100% sure you have the best instructor you can find when doing this. the better the teacher the better and more fun you will have learning the unit. its not easy but its worth it.. one thing i can tell you about buying a unit, please dont buy the mk its a joke and you will spend more time trying to fix it than diving.
12:00 minutes in: "Instructor" training and qualification is 100% different based on agency. Only a handful of agencies use a prolonged mentorship program lasting over months or longer (in some cases) to build up instructors and prepare them for qualification, teaching them curriculum development, learning psychology, methods and principles of instruction, and more. The overwhelming majority of dive agencies, however, are all a cut of the same bottom-of-the-barrel for-profit mold, churring out [so called] "instructors" with little to no real skills and little to no real understanding of actually "how" to teach people in a worthless week-long ITC/IDC course. This is exactly where the whole "it's not the agency, find the 'right' instructor" argument pervasive across most of the industry falls apart (as their subtle way of implying "we're all the same" when the reality is, no, "we're" NOT). Agency matters just as much as the methodology used to produce qualified educators with a title of "instructor". To answer your question, yes, indeed, a few agencies do indeed train even recreational instructors to the level you're implying.
I just got certified on a Poseidon Se7en, I have to say that CCR diving felt so much better than OC. I mean there are a lot of stuff I need to learn and relearn but at the end hopefully it will all be worth it
You can't beat a CCR for deep square profile dives. When you go to Chuuk, if your group is ok with it, Blue Lagoon will let you do a 3hr runtime on the morning dive.
Dove the HMCS Yukon off San Diego last December. 10 divers on the boat and I was one of the four Not on a CCR. Slow to overtake Lake MI, but its coming. Great video, BTW 1camera angle is enough.
Can you recommend an online store to buy gear from since my local shops only carry the same three brands (cressi, akona, and sherwood)? Would love to see other options since even with those brands, the options are rather limited.
Great to hear about Abdy again, dove with him in 2014 at UDC was a great experience to watch such a great professional. Also, to see "G" again spent 3 weeks working in his shop in the basement doing all kinds of repairs. Keep up the informative content, it keeps me watching.
Awesome video. Awesome week. I’m very grateful that you were able to be a part of it, I couldn’t have done it without the foundational knowledge and skills I gained from having you as my open circuit tech instructor, thanks James!
i can't get my head around that when you breath in to your lungs you don't ascend ie positive buoyancy just because your breathing a ccr. what does it matter what's on your back.
That sounds like living the dream! Bikini Atoll is also on my bucket list and I absolutely want to do it on a rebreather as well. I just saw there is a new KISS Sidewinder 2 and I am hoping to get one of those
Andy was an absolute legend! I did tech support diving for him at UDC back in 2007!
Great advice my friend. I have just begun my CCR journey and I’m going with the KISS SW. I have her on order and will be starting my journey sometime in August. Once again, great advice as usual!
This is one of my favorite diving channels, thanks.
Glad I found this video. I’m starting the CCR journey.
Only done ANDP with heliotrox, and I have some wreck goals that are deep and helium is too expensive for my tastes on OC.
Innerspace Explorers has a board sign-off process for instructora and yearly recertification built in, so there's at least one agency that actually makes sure instructors are up to snuff.
SOOO want to dive the IJN Nagato! Guess I'll throw the Saratoga on that list too!
excited to see more
Awesome video as always!! I got a small taste on the Mares Herizon SCR and really enjoyed it. My question is what made you decide on the Liberty over the Choptima?
A great video! Rebreathers seem so cool!
The second camera angle seems a bit weird though since it's cutting off your face.
Great video! Thank you!
I know that dive site.
Great video as always!
Regarding the valid comment in 12:00, GUE is one of the agencies that requires such training and evaluation process for recreational instructors.
Just got my Liberty Heavy the othter day. Course to take place during spring.
If I was going eCCR and I had the money I'd go with the Divesoft Liberty - beautiful unit... Though there's more second hand Megladons and other units so realistically that's the way I'd go.
But I'll be going mCCR. I'd like a Sidewinder 2 but my instructor is a big KISS Classic guy so I'm not entirely sure which way things are going to work out. It's possible I'll get a try-dive this year.
So why did you choose the liberty over other rebreathers?
probably they paid him for using it... if you go on rebreather use the most used and with ccr instructors trained on the most used unit.
I wish they paid me. But no, I paid cash for my unit. And why did I choose the lIberty will be covered in an upcoming video.
So we still getting that vid
@@technopath4119 dude give him time. He posted that 2 days ago.
He chose it because of the rubber ducky
I guess I got super lucky picking the scuba shop I did I got trained by a #14 instructor for Sdi and her husband is now my ccr trainer and their son is my best friend who owns more rebreathers than I know rebreather divers 😂I thought it was a normal thing to dive back plate wing be taught to frog kicking right out the gate and always have good trim until I dove with ppl from other shops and I’m like dude you suck at diving 9:03
I know I clearly missed the release of this, but congrats and welcome to the group of ccr instructors! I know my class was very thorough and complete and challenging so well earned!!
I am soon to take SSI's extended range, which includes advanced nitrox. Given the opportunity of close training, I have chosen the SF2 because it is an ECCR with a manual bailout with secondary electronics. By the time I get to trimix, I will be training on that rebreather. Divesoft liberty is the next option, but I feel more comfortable with the design of the SF2. What made you decide on the liberty?
What a great snapshot of your journey, James! I have a dive buddy who only dives a rebreather and I am always jealous while watching him in the water. I hope to be there one day too!
Why did you choose the dive soft liberty from all the other ones?
Oh nooo 😲😟 what happened to mikhail ? 😥
I had the same question - hopefully not something related to a rebreather failure...
I am so looking forward to this series. I’ve been contemplating making the switch
I sailed with the Saratoga in the mid 80's, I was onboard a guided missle cruiser CG-34.... Ummm oops... I'm not that old... I sailed with the latest version of the Saratoga CV-60.
are there any websites where you can see where people have dived, or logs with a satterlite map where you can see locations where people have dived
Loved the rebreather montage! The music was awesome! Looking forward for more videos!
I dive a Choptima but one of my buddies has the Liberty Heavy and loves it. I picked the chop over the Liberty mainly because I’m a cave diver and the chop is better for that and for the Shearwater controllers. I’m going to Chuuk next January. Bikini is coming….
Just had a fun dive with my mentor, he’s headed to bikini very soon and needed to run the choptima in the config they are gonna use. It’s funny you mention cave diving because he’s a bigger dude, and the config the team is using for Bikini requires BM doubles with the choptima. Just added sooo much to his width 😂
@@souswes I’m pretty big too so SM for cave for sure. In the ocean it’s a toss up but for wreck penetrating I could go either way. When I do tech diving with the Choptima even in BM it’s slim cuz we use LP50 manifolded with 18/45 and sling a 40 of EAN50 and a 40 of 100.
@@mikesbigadventures194 ah that makes sense. Not sure why the team is running AL 80s but they did find a place that does helium mixes there. Honestly just happy I understood your response. I’ve been asking questions to the technical divers I meet and shadowing dives watching gas switching drills. Was cool to see the choptima set up and pre check though. Cheers, buddy.
We do lots and lots of cave diving with the CCR Liberty in the Classic and Sidemount configuration! Chuuk is going to be an awesome trip!
Sounds like a fantastic plan James.
I’m hoping to do some tech courses and possibly looking into a CCR course in the future.
I’ll be completing my deep speciality with an instructor this year, then looking at moving into doing the ADV Nitrox & Deco course, have you got and hints / tips for the course coming from an instructor? I’m trying to broaden my knowledge of diving in general before I look into an IDC as to have as much knowledge & experience as I can before taking the course itself ( will be aiming for more than the minimum standards of an IDC & I.E )
Thanks for the great video James!
best advice i can give you is listen to what the instructor is saying, you should do. and how to do it. everything has a set way of being done . dont try and be that guy who thinks he can do it better. tec is different form rec. the difference from rec to tec is about as big as the difference form snorkeling to scuba.
its a very fun card to get and diving with twins and a deco for the first time is always a blast. dont stress to much its not that difficult if you just listen. and if you really dont understand ask good questions that will help you understand.
To twin set dive. Do I need certificate? Is that touching on tech?
as you dive sidemount, why didn't you get a sidewinder?
James, went from 0 to AOW+Nitrox+Rescue in about 2 years. Live in Chicago, but prefer to dive warm/tropical waters; so, that limits my dive numbers substantially... I get bout 50 a year in. Good mix of wreck/deep/drift/night currently.
I know I am interested in CCR diving-- so, with no tech experience... any advice on how to go from where I am at to CCR... especially advice related to living in a cold water climate? I'm an engineer, and so I'd love if I could find some online course work to prep me for the required in-water instruction and experience, and then work with an instructor on-site to get the in water experience. But, the quantity of dives that most instructors (including yourself) reference as a pre-requirement make that goal pretty hard for me.
Anywho, interested in any thoughts you may have. Love open circuit, love the rec diving... but, am passionate about the idea of tech diving in CCR. Someday in the distant future would love to cross that 100m mark off my dive computer ;)
Thank you.
I’m getting ready for cavern and cave. With deep dives I imagine you’ll experience the same thing I will I’m with longer dives even in 70F caves you’ll get cold. I just ordered a drysuit. That’ll open up more diving for you. Trust me I hate being cold too, but I know I’ll also practice more in our local mud hole throughout the year to keep up my skills.
Zach you really dont need to be a tec diver to start with ccr. its a misconception, the unit will auto mix nitrox, so you will start off getting to know nitox and will have a dive limit just like nitrox on oc.
now saying that there is nothing wrong with diving a stock ccr for 100 hours befor going to a adv nitrox. this only means you will have a set deco of 15min, after this do a REC TRIMIX (THE BABY TRI) and get use to having helium in the loop. after that do normoxic then trimix then if you want to push hard get a explorer trimix.
now i will say this make 100% sure you have the best instructor you can find when doing this. the better the teacher the better and more fun you will have learning the unit. its not easy but its worth it..
one thing i can tell you about buying a unit, please dont buy the mk its a joke and you will spend more time trying to fix it than diving.
Have you done the donegal classics???
12:00 minutes in: "Instructor" training and qualification is 100% different based on agency. Only a handful of agencies use a prolonged mentorship program lasting over months or longer (in some cases) to build up instructors and prepare them for qualification, teaching them curriculum development, learning psychology, methods and principles of instruction, and more. The overwhelming majority of dive agencies, however, are all a cut of the same bottom-of-the-barrel for-profit mold, churring out [so called] "instructors" with little to no real skills and little to no real understanding of actually "how" to teach people in a worthless week-long ITC/IDC course. This is exactly where the whole "it's not the agency, find the 'right' instructor" argument pervasive across most of the industry falls apart (as their subtle way of implying "we're all the same" when the reality is, no, "we're" NOT). Agency matters just as much as the methodology used to produce qualified educators with a title of "instructor". To answer your question, yes, indeed, a few agencies do indeed train even recreational instructors to the level you're implying.
What an Amazing video! What a pleasure to have you and Dan D taging along with us. Made our mod 1 training super special and fun!
Thanks buddy!
Great job James! Now I have another reason to come back to Florida bubble free.
Finally rebreathers good vid
I just got certified on a Poseidon Se7en, I have to say that CCR diving felt so much better than OC. I mean there are a lot of stuff I need to learn and relearn but at the end hopefully it will all be worth it
You can't beat a CCR for deep square profile dives.
When you go to Chuuk, if your group is ok with it, Blue Lagoon will let you do a 3hr runtime on the morning dive.
great snapshot of your journey, Excellent snapshots of your chin..... what is that about anyways?
Dove the HMCS Yukon off San Diego last December. 10 divers on the boat and I was one of the four Not on a CCR. Slow to overtake Lake MI, but its coming. Great video, BTW 1camera angle is enough.
I was about to post in the last vidéo you did on CCR which unit you’d buy 😂
Now I know!
Same unit I was looking at for next year 😊
Can you recommend an online store to buy gear from since my local shops only carry the same three brands (cressi, akona, and sherwood)? Would love to see other options since even with those brands, the options are rather limited.
Great to hear about Abdy again, dove with him in 2014 at UDC was a great experience to watch such a great professional. Also, to see "G" again spent 3 weeks working in his shop in the basement doing all kinds of repairs. Keep up the informative content, it keeps me watching.
I'd be interested to hear your thoughts on when one should consider getting into CCR
Glad to hear you're not longer scaring the fish. I've got a YBOD myself
Bring the content and bring it quick! I’m starting CCR this year!
You’re uploading early! How do I find your guide company? I’m ready to dive with the best teacher on UA-cam!
Welcome aboard! www.miamitechnicaldiving.com
This is gona be a great new series. Looking forward to it.
Awesome video. Awesome week. I’m very grateful that you were able to be a part of it, I couldn’t have done it without the foundational knowledge and skills I gained from having you as my open circuit tech instructor, thanks James!
You're the best! Thanks Nick!
i can't get my head around that when you breath in to your lungs you don't ascend ie positive buoyancy just because your breathing a ccr. what does it matter what's on your back.
@@elephantprotector if your buoyancy isn't controlled by breaths in and out. how do you control your buoyancy
@@elephantprotector thanks i watched a video and it explained it. you swim to your depth just like you did before scuba.
🤿😎👍
That sounds like living the dream! Bikini Atoll is also on my bucket list and I absolutely want to do it on a rebreather as well. I just saw there is a new KISS Sidewinder 2 and I am hoping to get one of those
oh man, I cannot wait for all of the CCR porn that I’m gonna be exposed to on Diver’s Ready. D.S.D.O.