I completed my PADI Tec 50 course in September 2015. My next step would be a trimix course, to comfortably get me to the depths required to dive some of the wrecks I was interested in. I didn’t feel confident enough with the little experience I had on Tec Diving to continue onto Trimix in 2015. I joined a local club in Gibraltar, and soon found a few people that did Tec Dives. I ended up investing in a twinset and stages. In 2016 I visited Cyprus and Malta, and did all my dives as Tec configuration. By the end of last year, I had done enough Tec Dives in Gibraltar and Spain, and I felt confident enough to sign myself up for the PADI Tec 65 Trimix course.
From experience now, I decided to do my Trimix course in a Technical Dive Centre such as in Malta, where they also have Tec Dive Sites. I did my Tec Deep Courses (Tec 40 to 50) in recreational dive centres which are not specifically dedicated to Tec Diving. Some centres had the dive sites appropriate for the training, but others didn’t. Malta was perfect!
Again, just like last year, I had to do a 7 hour drive from Gibraltar to Madrid Airport in Spain. Got to Malta by midnight, and the next morning we were ready to start out Tec Courses! We started with a check dive and kit configuration on the first day. The second day I did all the skills required on the course at their house reef in the morning. That afternoon I did a simulated Tec Trimix dive, and the instructor agreed I was ready to go out to do real Trimix Deco Dive on the boat the following morning.
The 3rd day, we did our Trimix Dives on the HMS Stubborn Submarine, well the seabed because the boat had missed the wreck by a few metres and there was a bit of current to swim towards it at 50m +. The second dive was on the Imperial Eagle Wreck. I took some nice GoPro footage of the wreck. When I had completed my Tec Trimix Course, I went onto doing the Tec Trimix Gas Blending Course and when all this was complete. I had 2 days left for pleasure diving. I got to dive and photograph the Rozi and P29 wrecks and then scooter the Um El Faroud Wreck the next morning.
I am already planning to go back next year to complete my full Trimix course, and I would love to photograph the HMS Stubborn submarine wreck and Imperial Eagle! Hopefully next time.