Doppler! Good lord, that would be me; Steve Lewis. I am a dive-industry professional who makes his living as director of marketing and corporate communications for a group of training agencies, and as a marketing and product consultant for dive equipment manufacturers.
In addition, I am an active cave and wreck diver and hold an advanced trimix instructor-trainer rating with TDI. I’m lucky enough to teach all over North America and further afield when the opportunity presents itself. Those diver and instructor education programs focus on best practices for optimal dive planning and execution. What that means is that the real emphasis is on common sense and not teaching Muppet tricks.
In about 20 years of doing this stuff, I have logged more than 1600 staged decompression dives, 500 plus cave dives, and approximately 860 deep trimix dives. The cool thing is, I can still get enthusiastic about a bimble on a wreck or a reef in 20 metres because being underwater is way more fun than anything else.
Take care and dive safe.
My book, The Six Skills and Other Discussions, deals with many of the topics that are touched on in this blog. Read more about it here…
To connect with me about training programs, or just to talk about diving, you might try emailing doppler@techdivertraining.org or you can visit my website by going to www.techdivertraining.org
November 20th, 2008 at 20:53
Steve,
Nice blog. You are moving into the 21st century much better than me. Can’t wait to see the book come out. Take care.
Bobby
January 6th, 2009 at 18:14
Really like you blog. Very good information. I’ll bookmark it.
October 6th, 2009 at 21:14
Just found this site. I have been considering the concept governing “DIR” and “everything else.” I have friends who dive both and the logic presented on your site is just what I have been searching for.
January 26th, 2010 at 18:41
Steve,
Better then the Deco Stop
I’ll be checking in often !
Bob K
January 27th, 2010 at 11:09
Hey Bob: thanks a bunch; nice to see you here. Take care and dive safe
March 21st, 2010 at 13:56
Steve,
You have to empty your brain into your blog here more often. I’m still stuck working in Rochester NY and at least want to READ about diving
Bob
November 18th, 2010 at 19:54
Good Stuff Steve… great hearing about your advice, views and adventures…keep them comming!
May 17th, 2011 at 20:51
[...] DivesI just don't log dives PADI minimum standards are not that indepth when it comes to specialties like Wreck, Cavern, etc. For example, the Wreck Speciality does not include penetration into the wreck. At the instructor's discretion they can teach penetration but the total distance to the surface (depth down plus distance into wreck) must not exceed 140 feet. If you get an instructor who is going to do the minimum, you will be trained to swim around the outside of a wreck. Not too impressive. On the other hand, you can find PADI shops which teach penetration. If you are interested in serious penetration then you either go with a shop which uses IANTD or TDI. These are technical dive agencies and build on recreational diving. So you could do PADI to AOW then switch to TDI for wreck diving. Having certification from multiple agencies is actually quite common in Ontario. Lately I have seen less and less TDI or IANTD instructors and more GUE instructors around Ontario. If you want to read a blog of a respected TDI instructor in Ontario check out Steve Lewis' Blog. [...]
September 22nd, 2011 at 21:04
Although I’ve met several TDI instructors I still look forward to the opprotunity to train with you. I hope the 2012 season will allow me to find the time and money for some tech courses. Till then I’ll keep reading the blog and emails.
November 17th, 2011 at 10:19
Anytime Christian… would be my pleasure.