Mike McKinnon

Mike is one of only seven active SSI Instructor Certifiers in Australia. This is the highest professional level you can achieve through the SSI system. Having dived in over 12 different countries and certified well over 800 people from Open Water level through to Instructors, Mike has a wealth of knowledge that puts him at the top of his profession.

TRAINING: Should you become a Decompression Diver?

February 18, 2022

How many dives have you done where you’ve noticed your No Decompression Limit (NDL) is getting below 10 and you are forced to ascend to a shallower depth to continue the dive safely? Maybe you’ve done a few double dives on the ex-HMAS Brisbane and your NDL limits prevent you from staying at depth any longer, so you miss out on a lot of cool rooms below the deck.

Does this sound like you? Well, there is a solution to the problem. You can get certified as a recreational decompression diver. Many people have indicated to me that they understand that Tech Diving is about going deeper. Sure, with Tech diving you can go deeper with the right dive planning and gases. But the reason you get into tech diving is to be able to stay down longer, provided you have the right amount and types of gas.

So, let’s go back to my original question and imagine that the NDL was removed, and you were able to go past the Zero NDL and into Deco. Imagine spending more time at the bottom of the wreck exploring those areas where you may not have been able to before due to NDL constraints. With the right training and certification, we take charters to the wreck that allow you to go into a level of decompression that is well planned and executed.

If you have completed your deep diving cert then you already know how to use a stage tank and a Deployable Surface Marker Buoy (SMB on a reel). The next step is understanding what deco stops you need to do to “off-gas” and return to the surface safely. It’s as simple as that and you don’t need to buy all the tech gear and join the “dark side”.

We have scheduled regular SSI decompression diving courses during 2022 and you can complete the course in your current system. For more information, dates and availability check out this link

I would be more than happy to discuss this further if you’re interested.

BONUS: Mike has offered a 50% discount on the Platinum Plus club membership upgrade (value $175) for the first three people that pay for and sign up for their DECO COURSE. Must be done before 31st March 2022.

Will Paterson
Scuba World Instructor
700+ dives