DSAT Tec Deep students can now use normoxic trimix on their final course dive under a change announced today by PADI’s technical diving arm. The change in standards is the first result of a series of conferences DSAT is holding around the world to map the future of the Tec Rec program. (more…)

The famous “Samesan Hole” was featured recently on stylish blog WebEcoist in a feature on some of the world’s deepest and most dangerous dive sites. It’s a bit of a misnomer, as the site notes the sites are only dangerous if you don’t have adequate technical dive training.

Similar to Valhalla Missile Silo, the Samaesan Hole in Thailand is a 90-meter-deep former military ammunitions dump. Technical divers come here to practice on trimix. It’s called an ‘explosive dump ground’ on marine charts because it contains unexploded bombs.

Ballsy divers have to bring multiple lights since sunlight doesn’t penetrate the depths, and the currents are extremely strong. It’s said to be fascinating but unfortunately, no one seems to have taken any photos.

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In the previously mentioned article on the development of technical diving in Thailand, the Tourism Authority of Thailand gives a good, if basci, overview of not only reef and wreck diving, but the increasing prominence of cave and cavern diving in the Land of Smiles.

Divers experienced in the use of tri-mix can enjoy some major challenges here. Indeed two of the largest caves so far discovered in Asia are in the vicinity of Krabi province, on the mainland near the island province of Phuket.

Sre Keow was one of the first to be explored. It is accessed through a pond of about 15 metres in diameter that was once mainly used for washing elephants. A small entrance at a depth of ten metres leads into one of the deepest caves so far discovered in Thailand. (more…)