In Reply to: 'Non-standard air mixture' posted by Diver Z on June 22, 2006 at 16:28:11:

<< That makes it sound like you're saying a dive to 70 feet on 32% nitrox is a technical dive. Wouldn't all the major agencies call that a recreational dive? Obviously one needs appropriate training to dive nitrox, but I wouldn't think that pushes it into the category of a "technical" dive. (Semantics? Maybe.)"

Absolutely semantics, yes.

My definition of "technical" would mean anything where you need training beyond your recreational training. Since you need training for nitrox, yeah, that makes it technical in my book, though I fully realize/concede that not everyone will agree with that definition.

"Recreational" is what you were trained to do in your basic class and (by my defintion) needs to meet three categories: (1) 130 or less, (2) within accepted no-deco limits, (3) diving on air.

When you go utside ANY of those (nitrox instead of air), by my definition, that's technical.

But yes I'll fully conceded it's an overly strict definition of the word "technical". But it also underscores that technical diving is not just something that invovles depth (IMHO).

But also . . . who cares what you call it? The important thing is to understand you may need extra training for dives that go beyond your current skill level.

Ken Kurtis
NAUI Instr. #5936
Co-owner, Reef Seekers Dive Co.
Beverly Hills, CA