Wednesday, December 12, 2012

CCR cave and Technical cave diving

CCR Cave diver and Technical Cave diver are similar diver programs. CCR Cave involves the use of a rebreather whereas Technical Cave diver program is done on open circuit. Even though they look different the concept and preparation of these programs are really close. Let me explain...

These programs are made for people who wish to extend their cave exploration experience. With the basics being already "assimilated" with a lot of practice and experience, it is a natural route to continue the cave diving learning experience.
It should be in fact pretty "easy" for the student to be certified. As Instructors we can state that the student is ready when he/she decides to go towards advanced diving.

Some surprises may come along the way.
When we teach these more technical levels some students have not enough practice of the rebreather emergency skills, and/or no practice of the cave awareness during past cave exploration dives and, as an instructor we must review all of these basics before the course.

However, good surprises come along also when the students have been practicing a lot, they have understood that cave diving demands mental, physical and technical preparation, with a good technique and a good attitude.

I had good surprises these past months and I thank my students for the job they did. 



Monday, August 27, 2012

New IANTD Essentials Instructors in Asia

WDT dive is welcoming our new IANTD Essentials Instructors in Asia.
Please welcome:

Li Huaitsangi Huaitsang in Taiwan


Good Job and Good luck
Georges Gawinowski
IANTD Essentials Instructor Trainer

(On the picture Left to right, Li Huaitsangi, Georges Gawinowski, Tom Mount, Li Huaitsangi).

Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Cave divers and Essentials Divers from China

WDT Dive had the privilege and honor to teach IANTD Technical divers from The National Museum of China.
After 10 days of intense teaching, we are proud to announce 100% accomplishment with our Essentials divers class and cave diver program. The candidates showed a great skills, professionalism, with a remarkable attitude, even when facing stress and getting tired after long days.
I was happy to work with my fellow and respected instructors Tom Mount, John Jones, Jim Wyatt, Maxim Kuznetsov. I also would like to thank the great staff at Cave Country Diving who helped with fills. It was great to assist Tom Mount again!

In the pictures:
Tom Mount, John Jones, Jim Wyatt, Max Kuznetsov and Georges Gawinowski greeting our new certified divers.

Wednesday, June 06, 2012

CCR Trimix course

We have just finished a CCR trimix diver and Instructor course. After 7 days, 450 minutes in water training for our CCR trimix diver candidate and 550 minutes for our CCR trimix Instructor cross-over. WDT Dive would like to congratulate our new IANTD CCR Trimix Instructor in Las Vegas. Steve Schafer from Lake Mead Technical Divers has been a Trimix IT with IANTD for a long time already.
Congratulations also to our new CCR trimix diver James Killion from K Productionz who is an experienced O/C Trimix diver and Cave diver. James has developed good skills but most importantly a great attitude about training.
We never stop learning and every step guides us to new discovers everytime.
Great job guys! Looking forward to diving with you again.

Georges Gawinowski 
IANTD US South East Training Director

Friday, March 09, 2012

NSS/CDS Workshop 2012


The NSS/CDS workshop 2012 will be held this year in Live Oak, Florida.
This is good news for us since it is the home now of
our WDT Dive facility and we will be there. WDT Dive is a NSS/CDS Facility. We teach most of the NSS/CDS training programs including Cavern diver, Apprentice Cave diver, Cave diver, CCR Cave diver and we supply NSS/CDS material.

See you there!
Safe cave dives

"you dive like you train"
Georges Gawinowski
NSS/CDS CCR cave Instructor

Thursday, March 08, 2012

Gear Configuration


"Everything old is new again" Quote of the Essentials Manual by Georges Gawinowski.

One of my buddies gave me an old IANTD Technical diving configuration video from the 90s. That video was coming with the old Technical Diver Encyclopedia which was superb!

Tom Mount was presenting the basics of his technical diver gear configuration, clean, dependable, redundant, streamline, and understandable. That was good! This is realistic, everything made sense.
Billy Deans was showing his wreck diver configuration with a lot of back-up equipment for the type of diving he was doing, Lamar Hires was already showing his Sidemount configuration!! Larry Green talked about stage tanks and Jarrod Jablonski was demonstrating Hogarthian configuration.

This is simply beautiful! I share this DVD with all my Technical divers students. I think it is very important to be reminded and let people know about this tool. Thanks to you gentlemen, nowadays we have nice, dependable, redundant equipment configurations.

Georges Gawinowski
IANTD USA SE Training Director

Wednesday, February 08, 2012

CCR Megalodon Training


January 2012 was a very interesting month. I traveled to new places and had exiting dives.
Lake Mead is located in Las-Vegas in the middle of the desert, diving there feels like you are diving back into history. The water is cold, dark but very clear if you do not disturb the bottom. Advanced Teck diver level recommended. We do not want to take a lake for granted. But what a great place to train.

We had a great class. Congratulations to the 5 new CCR Megalodon divers:
- Tia
- Aaron
-Todd
-Kevin
-Xavier

Las-Vegas has now a new IANTD CCR Megalodon Instructor: Steve Schafer.

Special thanks to Steve Fannel, great diver and Photographer

You can dive Lake Mead with Lake Mead Technical Divers