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Tech Diving: A Late in Life Guide

Curious about technical diving? Underwater photographer Don Silcock shares his experience of starting training in technical diving later in life.

Words:
Don Silcock
Images:
Don Silcock
UW photo by Chris Gamlin
Don Silcock with instructor Chris Gamblin and dive buddy Sab O’Hara after a successful dive on sidemount to 45m.
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Tech and Training

Like many things in life, my technical diving itch began as a small curiosity and slowly grew into something much more compelling. It all started during the pandemic with an innocent question about the GUE training a friend of mine had recently completed.

Her answer was both honest and intriguing: It had been challenging but incredibly rewarding, and it left her wanting more. Sure enough, before long, she was learning to dive with a rebreather and went on to cave diving. That got me thinking!

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Långban Mine: A Dream for Mine Divers

When you think of Sweden, IKEA, Volvo and Greta Thunberg might be the first things that come to mind. But think again, because Sweden—and more specifically Västmanland, Dalarna and Värmland—offers some of the best diveable mines in the world. Constantin Ene and Martina Utzinger take us on a tour of one of them: the Långban Mine.

Words:
Constantin Ene and Martina Utzinger
Images:
Constantin Ene
Diving in the Långban Mine
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Tech and Training

The Långban Gruva (Långban Mine) in the municipality of Filipstad in Värmland was opened in the 16th century and closed its doors in 1972. Located in Långbans Gruv och Kulturby (Långban Mining and Culture Village), the mine’s dive base is now operated by Långbans Dyksällskap (Långban Dive Club).

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Checklists: A Rebreather Safety Strategy

In rebreather diving, preparation and checklists are essential for staying alive. So, why do some rebreather divers skip their checklists? Simon Pridmore takes a closer look, offering insights and tips for diving safely in an excerpt from his recent book, Technically Speaking: Talks on Technical Diving, Volume 2: Foundations and Strategies.

Words:
Simon Pridmore
Images:
Rebreather diver
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Tech and Training

Halcyon Symbios Rebreather Obtains CE Certification

Halcyon’s new Symbios CM chest-mounted rebreather is now CE certified under EU standard EN 14143:2013.  With CE certification now in place, Halcyon is preparing for an international rollout through its global dealer network.  

 

Halcyon Symbios Rebreather
Technical gear
Halcyon

According to Halcyon founder Jarrod Jablonski, “This is a major step towards making the technology accessible worldwide.”

Halcyon has established itself as a specialist manufacturer of dive systems for technical, cave, and advanced recreational diving. The product range encompasses modular wings and back‑plates, harness systems, inflator assemblies, regulators, stage kit and mini‑scooters, designed for configuration flexibility rather than fixed set‑ups. 

New Oxygen Exposure Limits Proposed for Divers

Experts recommend extended safe times at PO₂ 1.3 bar.

New guidelines suggest divers can safely spend longer at PO₂ 1.3 atm than previously advised — up to four hours of work and four hours of decompression.
Tech and Training

A panel of diving medicine experts has recommended revised exposure limits for central nervous system (CNS) oxygen toxicity when divers breathe an inspired partial pressure of oxygen (PO₂) of 1.3 atmospheres. The changes are based on recent research and field experience, aiming to bring guidelines in line with modern technical and scientific diving practice.

Press Release
Received from: NITDS

NAUI Worldwide Announces 2025 NAUI International Technical Diving Summit

NAUI

NAUI Worldwide is proud to extend a global invitation to the international diving community for the 2025 NAUI International Technical Diving Summit (NITDS), hosted by NAUI Affiliate North Florida Cave Training, taking place Friday, October 31 through Thursday, November 6, 2025, in Fort White, Florida.

Discover Florida Cave Diving

For divers worldwide, Florida is more than just shore and boat dives; it’s also home to some of the most legendary freshwater cave systems on the planet.

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Interview With Andrea Murdock Alpini: The Difference Is in How You React

His story, as compelling as it is, reads like a film script. His work takes him to unusual and remote places. His passion, combined with technical expertise, experience and research, has made him a renowned underwater explorer and documentarian. Andrea Murdock Alpini talks to Alessandra Squarta about his undersea discoveries and endeavours.

Words:
Interview by Alessandra Squarta
Images:
Andrea Murdock Alpini, Marco Mori and Alessandro Pagano
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Profiles & Interviews

Norway: two sides of the same coin. Tell us about winter diving beyond the Arctic Circle.

Last December, in the middle of winter, I organised a dive trip to the wrecks of Narvik in Norway. There, amidst snowstorms, ice, cold and the darkness of the polar night, my team and I dived to film what remains of the warships sunk during World War II.

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Ten Commandments of Tech Diving Ops, Part II

In part one of this series, which appeared in issue #103, I suggested a few commandments to consider in order to ensure, as far as possible, that your technical dives are safe and successful. These were: First commandment: Prepare paperwork; Second commandment: Nominate a supervisor; Third commandment: Deploy safety divers. In this sequel, I deliver a few more tablets of stone.

Words:
Simon Pridmore
Images:
Andrey Bizyukin
Cave diver. Photo by Andrey Bizyukin.
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Op'eds and commentaries

Fourth commandment: Use an ascent platform and a decompression station

Every dive plan should include a fixed ascent route—whether this is a shot line, an anchor line or a reef wall. An ascent using individual DSMBs (delayed surface marker buoys), or even just one DSMB deployed by a nominated team member, should never be the primary ascent plan. That should always just be an emergency measure, used in the event that the designated ascent route cannot be followed for some reason.

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