Asia Pacific TecRec Forums a Success
Report by Alex Boulton, TDD Technical Consultant
D-Beach Hotel, Beach Road, Pattaya. Participants (in photo from left to right): Ralph Joerger, Roger Smith, Steve Burton, Dan Beldon, Russel Martin, David Hildreth (not in photo Bob James)
The DSAT Round Table talks in the PADI Asia Pacific region recently came to a close with the final talks being held in Pattaya, Thailand. This was the last of the series which was preceded by Round Tables in Phuket, Koh Tao, Hong Kong & Puerto Galera. The talks were chaired by DSAT Tec IT and PADI Examiner George Wegmann with the purpose of presenting and discussing the plans to subdivide the former DSAT Tec Deep & DSAT Tec Trimix Programs.
Overall the changes were enthusiastically supported and the ensuing discussions focused on the requirements relating to maximum depths, Instructor to Student ratios, teaching materials, decompression requirements, equipment configurations, deco gas selection and Instructor Cross Over opportunities.
El Galleon Resort, Puerto Galera. Participants (in photo from left to right): Kiko Quinto, Simon So, Ulrich Felix Prager, Albert Robles, Dave Ross, Sam Collet, Ralph Joerger, Gonzalo Jesus Garcia, Roy Nelsen, Mario Elumba, Tim Aukshun, Albert Robles, Warren Dixon
As trainers and instructor trainers in technical diving represent the cutting edge of diving expertise other topics were also raised by the attendants such as the possibilities for Cave Diver training, Closed Circuit Rebreather (CCR) training and course beta testing. In the wake of these talks: the PADI Marketing department have been busy creating collateral for PADI Dive Centers to used to further promote PADI/DSAT TecRec courses which will shortly be released to the Asia Pacific Membership; the PADI Technical Diving Division has been developing the course formats discussed at the Round Tables and our Members have returned to doing what they are good at – diving and teaching at depth, on mix, in wrecks, through caves and with rebreathers. Long may this continue.
PADI Asia Pacific would like to thank all those who took the time to attend and provide feedback and their professional perspective on technical diving philosophy & instruction.
