GUE - TECHNICAL DIVER 1 (TECH 1) WHY TAKE THIS COURSE? Recent increased ocean exploration at greater depths has revealed a variety of hidden treasures, including deep pristine reefs, well-preserved wrecks, and valuable historical artifacts. However, venturing deeper bears inherent risks that can be mitigated with proper training, knowledge, teamwork, and gradual experience. The GUE Tech 1 course prepares ambitious divers to begin their path to technical diving safely, with confidence, and with a base of solid skills and knowledge. This course also paves the way to GUE rebreather courses, to advanced technical GUE training, and to GUE project and exploration diving WHO IS IT FOR? The Technical Diver Level 1 course requires a certification at GUE Fundamentals level with technical certification requirements and a minimum of 100 experience dives. Divers embarking on a technical path must be prepared to handle emergencies and execute dives during which they will not be able to make a direct ascent due to decompression obligations. This type of diving requires an increased level of physical fitness, as there is more equipment to handle, and decompression stress is increased. WHAT WILL I LEARN? Course outcomes include, but are not limited to: cultivating, integrating, and expanding the essential skills required for safe technical diving; identifying and resolving problems; using the double-tank configuration and addressing the potential failure problems associated with doing so; using nitrox for acceleration and general decompression strategies; using helium to minimize narcosis; and applying single decompression stage diving with respect to decompression procedures PREREQUISITES AND DURATION: Applicants for a GUE Technical Diver Level 1 program must: Be a minimum of 18 years of age. Be physically and mentally fit. Be a non-smoker. Be able to swim. Obtain a physician’s prior written authorization for use of prescription drugs, except for birth control, or for any medical condition that may pose a risk while diving. Have earned a GUE Fundamentals - Technical certification. Have a minimum of 100 logged dives beyond autonomous entry-level scuba diver. For a full list of course prerequisites, click here. The Technical Diver Level 1 course is normally conducted over six days. It requires a minimum of seven dives (including three trimix experience dives) and at least 48 hours of instruction, encompassing classroom lectures, land drills, and in-water work.
