Dive Shop Services - Blog , TrainingDive Shop Services - Blog , Traininghttps://www.diveshopservices.com/blogs/trainingWed, 25 Mar 2026 04:30:57 -0700http://zoho.com/sites/<![CDATA[Why we choose the XCCR]]>https://www.diveshopservices.com/blogs/post/Why-the-XCCRWhy do we Dive the XCCR?]]>

There are a lot of rebreathers out there and we are fortunate to live in a time where we have so many awesome, functional units to learn on. The XCCR stands out from the crowd, and is the rebreather I primarily represent. I have dove others, some only as try-dives and others for hundreds of hours. I am an instructor on other units but the XCCR is still my primary recommendation. 

Quick Connect Fittings

Quick connect fittings are a huge benefit of the XCCR for convenience and safety. Mistakes are going to be made when CCR diving. It’s paramount to be vigilant but good design and no-tool assembly makes assembling and disassembling the XCCR more like popping together legos than constructing a life support system. Units that don’t have a design like this tend to fall in to human factors traps where the user doesn’t take the time needed to properly check or disinfect their units. Even the sensors are COAX style connectors which are incredibly easier to deal with compared to molex.

Robust components

The XCCR has a lot of metal and delrin components. Those components are tough as nails. I’ve seen them break, but I’ve seen way more examples of situations where ABS units would snap or get crushed. The design and quality of parts on this unit are very tough and that’s an important part of the purchasing decision for me.

Simple Configuration

The XXCR is a simple design that ends up with clean routing and assembly. It integrates into a traditional DIR style harness with ease and doesn’t get in the way of bailout, cameras, scooters etc. The X looks like many other standard backmount units and it is - but the simple configuration and build make the unit a breeze to integrate on any level of diver.

The XCCR is not the perfect tool for every job. It is a great tool and it serves its use very, very well. There is lots of reef, wreck and cave that can be explored using this unit and until engineering and design improve it’s the unit I plan to continue to promote, sell and teach.
Learn more about CCRs
]]>Wed, 09 Nov 2022 11:09:47 -0500<![CDATA[Florida Springs Travel ]]>https://www.diveshopservices.com/blogs/post/Florida-Springs-TravelWinter time diving in the North East is not for everyone, especially for brand new divers in their open water class. Exposing divers with dreams of Ca ]]>

Winter time diving in the North East is not for everyone, especially for brand new divers in their open water class. Exposing divers with dreams of Caribbean diving to the cold and dark wintertime quarries not only mismatches their wants, but it could discourage them from diving locally at all!

Some students will prefer to travel and complete their training as a referral, but ideally the students can complete the entire course with their local dive store. Completing the course with their local shop not only keeps sales local, but also ensures they have a great experience, start to finish. Dealing with a random island instructor to complete their certification may not give the students the experience that will encourage them to continue scuba as a hobby. The Florida springs are like quarries without the termoclines and seasonality.

The North Florida Springs are excellent dive sites for NE dive centers to use as wintertime training.

These sites are:

  • Constant temperature, year round
  • Simple dive logistics (no boats or tides)
  • Little weather influence
  • Access to lodging, fills and food.


Tips on Where

We don't list all the locations, but a few of our favorites that match the easiest logistics.

Panhandle

The Florida Panhandle is an excellent choice for training and fun diving.


Dive Sites:

Vortex Springs

Morrison Springs


Lodging

Vortex lodges and cabins

Hotels in PCB, Dothan, Marianna, etc


Upgrade Tips:

Day 1 in the springs and Day 2 on a boat trip out of PCB or Destin, FL makes for a fresh+salt water weekend adventure and opens the possibility of more and different training opportunities.

Panhandle

North Central Florida is better known for cave diving, but has plenty of sites appropriate (and fun) for open water training.


Dive Sites:

Orange Grove

Troy Springs (our favorite)

Royal Springs

Blue Grotto

Divers Den


Lodging

Air bnb in Gainesville/High Springs

Hotels in Williston, Ocala, Gainesville, etc


Upgrade Tips:

Hoping on a river charter is the perfect way to wrap up a fun trip to this area. Rainbow and crystal river have operators that see manatee, or just fun drift dives.

Tips on How

1. Build the need
Schedule these trips well in advance, and package them with your open water training courses. This builds the need for the trips as it pairs them with the most popular training and introduces it from the beginning of training as an option.

2. Market
Hit your newsletter list of previous students and give them the opportunity to "escape the cold" and hop underwater.

3. Specialties
Offer upgrades for specialties and continued training. This gives potential attendees another reason to join on the adventure.

4. Don't exclude
You know who may love a springs trip? Your normal international travelers! A simple, US based trip to hop in the water during the winter, especially at a low cost, might be the change they want.

Florida Springs trips are low cost trips that can easily be completed on a long weekend. They don't rely on boats, waves or many of the other hurdles that accompany an ocean based trip. If you want details on pricing and budgeting to run your own Florida Springs trip contact us!

]]>Sun, 20 Sep 2020 11:40:01 -0500<![CDATA[What to Expect: Efficiency]]>https://www.diveshopservices.com/blogs/post/WTE_EfficiencyMost accidents that happen with technical divers can be traced to lapses or stressors at the surface which snowball to problems underwater. It doesn't ]]>

Most accidents that happen with technical divers can be traced to lapses or stressors at the surface which snowball to problems underwater. It doesn't matter how good your underwater skills are if the non-technical skills are not dialed in. Predive checks, honest post dive debriefs, and a low distraction prep environment are the keys to reducing missteps at the surface that lead to problems underwater. It is impossible to overstate how important non-technical sills, (also called human factors) are for technical divers.


“Low distraction prep environment” is, at many dive sites, completely impossible. Large groups scrambling, loud boat engines, swimmers asking questions constantly, etc. So, do we only dive in small groups at quiet sites? Obviously no, however feeling “rushed” to prep equipment or get in the water is the most overlooked danger in technical diving environments.

The best way to maximize success in these situations is to be extremely efficient. Arrive to the dive site ready to rock. That minimizes the impact of distractions on equipment prep and delays. Most important, being efficient allows us to avoid being rushed, which is extremely dangerous in the technical diving environment.


How to be efficient

Proper Planning Prevents Poor Performance (the 5 Ps)

The days before diving are the ones that matter the most. Organize equipment by the order it’s used in and store appropriately for the diving environment. For example, if the last thing you use is a wetsuit, that should go at the bottom of the bag/box. When diving consecutive days set aside  time in the afternoon devoted to prepping equipment for the next day.

All the extras but none of the luggage

Every technical diver needs backups and backups for backups. Make sure these backups on backups are in the fewest bags/boxes possible. Every item having a separate container will make for difficulty loading, unloading, and finding. We suggest a few UK boxes to keep spares dry, stored inside of a milk crate or mesh bag. If boat diving, make sure whatever you have is easily stowed below the bench, in the v-berth, or wherever gear is stowed on the vessel.


Minimum trips
Your goal should be the fewest possible trips to the water to drop equipment off while staying comfortable and not over exerting yourself. This applies to loading gear on the boat as well. Making fewer trips from the car to the boat gives you more time to relax and is more organized.

Examples of efficient storage solutions.

Maybe this information is “common sense” to you, and that’s great. Being rushed or not organized can quickly snowball into stress that will affect you underwater. That’s being efficient at the surface is a critical skill as a technical diver - just as important as any underwater skill.

]]>Sat, 04 Jul 2020 09:57:25 -0500<![CDATA[What to Expect: Tech Class Rituals]]>https://www.diveshopservices.com/blogs/post/WTE_DebreifingTaking the jump to technical training opens up the depths and far reaches of the underwater world. It's truly an adventure, and one of the coolest hob ]]>

Taking the jump to technical training opens up the depths and far reaches of the underwater world. It's truly an adventure, and one of the coolest hobbies out there. The training we offer for technical diving is unique not only in general, but also in this unique community of instruction. You will find differences in program intensity, structure and detail compared to recreational or even professional programs you may have been apart of in the past. 


Each course is custom tailored to the group, but you should expect a few things to be universal across all groups and courses. Some of the most important parts of a technical training dive are the "rituals" that happen before and after each dive. You should expect the rituals as part of your training program and fun dives afterwards. We call them rituals not only because they're universal across all groups, but also because they' performed religiously, every. single. time. 

Instructional Briefings

Before each day, activity, and dive, your instructor will run through the most important aspects of the activity. You should always have a clear understanding of the team roles, mission, and timeline. If you forget, or need clarification, always ask. The instructor's goal is to set you up for success and this information is vital for that.

Predive Checks

Before each submersion you, your team, and your instructor will go through personal and team predive checks. Personal predive checks are what each individual does to ensure all of their equipment is functioning, the dive mission is clear, and they're mentally prepared to go diving.  The minimum number of personal checks is two. The first personal check should happen before any gear is assembled. Ask the question "do I have everything I need?" If the answer is yes then ensure none of your teammates have a problem that might require assistance. If it's no, then you should solve that problem before doing anything else. The second personal predive check should take place after assembly and donning in the form of a a head-to-toe checklist. The "pre-assembly" and "post-don" checklists are minimums for every diver at the technical level.

Team Checks

Team checks are the evaluation of your equipment functionality and mental preparedness by the team. In some areas, like quarries and springs, personal checks take place at the picnic table and predive checks happen standing in the water. When diving from charter boats, the personal checks typically happen at the car and the predive happen on the boat bench. Divers give a short head to toe checklist that allows them to verbally and visually confirm the function of all items. Teammates should pay attention and provide verbal communication for each step. Once this is complete it's time to dive!

Debrief

The debriefings are always led by the team of students and are required to have a few elements. Ideally the briefing is done right after the dive. If there's a situation that prevent this, like a diver needing to use the restroom or the dive site closing, it's important to jot down notes to review later with the team. In a situation where we're rushed to leave the water or the site we may forget important elements from the dive and questions we have. 

1. What was the purpose of the dive? Did we accomplish it?

2. What is one thing you loved and should not change?

3. What is one thing that was not ideal and needs to change?

Everyone, including the instructor, will give a brief rundown of elements 2&3. 

An example of this debrief style would be something like "We reached the wreck - which was the mission. It was really cool. My trim and buoyancy felt perfect so I'm keeping the weighting just like it is. I had trouble deploying the marker because I let the line foul which took too long so I've gotta dial that in by rigging it more efficiently."


After the team concludes their debrief, which will at a minimum contain items 1-3 above, the instructor will provide feedback. This is ideally done in water and reinforced later with video feedback. The purpose of this feedback is to make changes and improvements dive-to-dive. 

1. Feedback items for the team

2. Feedback items for individuals

Attitude

During technical courses you should expect to run into situations where you struggle some and your comfort zone is extended. While we should actively try to avoid mistakes it's expected in technical training and important to identify and fix them. To facilitate this process we encourage an open platform for discussion throughout the course and especially in the debriefs. You should feel comfortable saying "I didn't do this task well" without fear of judgement from teammates. However, you should never say that phrase, or any phrase like it. The correct thing to say in that situation is "I didn't do this task well, if it happens again I will do XYZ to correct it". Diving is fun, and focusing on failures is not only lame, but it's also not productive. Success is the ability to identify and overcome obstacles. 


Technical diving courses are not inexpensive. These rituals and the open communication of the team/instructional environment are part of what you're paying for. Successful predives and postdives are tools to mitigate risk. 


]]>Wed, 17 Jun 2020 15:15:19 -0500