Sidemount Instruction and Side Mount Diving from Austin, TX from an experienced Instructor. Come and try sidemount- you will enjoy it.
Recreational Open Water Sidemount, Really?
Absolutely! Read on.
As a diver, have you ever thought to yourself: 'so, I am a diver, what more can I learn now' or, 'what are those guys wearing over there' or 'there has to be a better way than this' or 'this gear is heavy' or 'this is uncomfortable' or worse, 'this diving gear hurts my back/ legs' or even 'I would dive more but it is so uncomfortable/ hurts my legs/ back'?
How about 'I like to dive with a pony bottle "for safety"? Oh, my- you are going to like this!
Then I invite you to explore Sidemount Diving. As the name suggests, sidemount takes a cylinder that would be on your back, and straps it to your side, the immediate advantages?
+ Your most flexible body part, your back, no longer has rigid metal strapped to it so it can bend again! Making diving very, very, (very) comfortable.
+ You can put the tank on IN THE WATER so no more walking to the dive site in full, heavy gear under the blazing TX sun! Put the BCD on (without tanks), walk into the water, clip the tanks on- ready to go, comfort, ease and simplicity.
+ The added safety factor of a full-sized, second cylinder is enormous, think a pony is the answer? Think again.
+Travel diving is easy. Take a lightweight sidemount BCD and that's it! Resorts all provide rental cylinders so strap those on, use their regulators or take your own and enjoy a comfortable dive with an unsurpassed safety margin and spend much, much more time diving- your dollars spent per minute diving is GREATLY reduced as a result.
+Easy, excellent trim and buoyancy control- especially great for UW photographers,
Check the FAQ for more answers. And of course, this can be technical diving too.
Okay, I like the sound of it- how do I train?
FULL GEAR IS PROVIDED for the SIDEMOUNT course including: complete sidemount rigs (Nomads) plus all cam bands and clips etc, cylinders (AL80), 2x sidemount ready regulator sets, and weights, all you need is your regular dive suit and stuff. Or come with whatever of your own gear you wish to use (eg regulator(s) etc).
The course is 4 dives over 2 days and includes: Gear rigging, hoses, trim, buoyancy, gas management, gas shut down, gas sharing, ditch and don of tanks, in-water tank management, boat and shore entry, propulsion techniques including back finning and more!
Seriously, explore this. PADI is leading the world in this at the recreational level and sidemount is set to take the dive world by storm.
