Learn to Scuba Dive in Scotland
Blue Hippo Diving is a friendly dive school, based in South Lanarkshire, who teach PADI diving courses in Glasgow and the West of Scotland. As well as the Discover Scuba Diving taster experience, we offer the full range of PADI diver training from the world's most popular scuba course, Open Water Diver, through to the professional level of Divemaster. We are also able to offer a wide range of Specialty Courses to help broaden your skills across different areas of diving, as well as the full range of TecRec Courses, to cater for the more experienced divers who want to learn how to safely venture that bit deeper.
We offer a friendly, professional service providing first-class tuition with the emphasis on safety and fun.
TecRec courses
Click here to watch a video about
PADI Tecrec, or for an overview of what technical diving is, and what it entails, please click
here.
- Discover Tec
- Tec Basics
- Tec 40
- Tec 45
- Tec 50
- Tec Trimix 45/Trimix 50
- Tec Trimix 65
- Tec Trimix
- Tec Gas Blender
- Trimix Gas Blender
Tell me more
The PADI Discover Tec program sets out to give you a taste of the equipment, skills and procedures used in Technical
Diving. It embraces the Dive Today philosopy, allowing you to begin your training in the water, and lets you try
technical diving equipment and procedures without the cost, or commitment, of a full technical training course.
The minimum prerequisite certification for the Discover Tec course is Open Water Diver,
with a minimum of 10 logged dives, and you must be at least 18 years old.
How long will it take?
The experience is held at a local swimming pool and starts with an overview of technical diving equipment. Then it's into
the water where we will introduce you to some of the basic skills you need underwater when tec diving. You will then have
the rest of the session to practice the skills and get used to the equipment you are wearing. This course uses the same
equipment configuration that you would use for technical diving and courses at Tec 45 and beyond.
How much does it cost?
The course costs £45 including equipment hire. As Discover Tec is an experience program only, it does not in itself
lead to a diver certification.
Where can I go from here?
Your further education would continue with the Tec Basics or
Tec 40 courses.
Tell me more
The PADI Tec Basics course is a bridge from recreational to technical diving. It exposes you, as a recreational diver,
to tec diving and entry level tec diving skills and equips you with the information you need to decide whether or not to
accept the additional risk and commitment that PADI Tec courses demand. The PADI Tec Basics course runs within
recreational limits, using segments from PADI Tec 40 Dives 1 and 2, and allows you to practice fundamental tec skills
before enrolling in the PADI Tec 40 program. The course also recognises students who choose not to continue their technical
training. The minimum prerequisite certification for the Tec Basics course is
Advanced Open Water Diver, although Rescue Diver is
recommended, and you must be at least 18 years old.
How long will it take?
The course involves approximately 8 hours of Knowledge Development where you will learn about tec diving lingo, emergency
procedures, decompression/stage cylinder handling, decompression software, oxygen tracking, equipment considerations and gas
planning. You'll complete this primarily in your own time, using the Tec Deep Diver manual and slates, and 2 Knowledge Reviews
confirm you've picked up the information you need. You will have 2 Confined Water Dives, in a local swimming pool, during which
you will learn and practise the Tec 40 dive procedures and skills. Thease are followed by Training Dives 1 and 2, in the Clyde
Estuary or Scottish sea lochs, where you will repeat the skills you learned in the pool. The Training Dives can be completed in
1 day.
How much does it cost?
The course costs £250 including equipment hire, pool fees PADI Tec Basics certification card. The Tec Deep Diver crewpack is
required for this course and is available for an additional £50, if you do not already have one.
Where can I go from here?
Your further education continues with Tec 40, which is the entry-level of the Tec Deep Diver course,
and your Tec Basics can be credited towards it. You can upgrade to Tec 40 at a cost of £175.
Please note that gas costs and equipment hire are not included in this upgrade.
Tell me more
The PADI Tec 40 course is the entry-level to technical diving and, as the first subdivision of the PADI Tec Deep Diver course,
consists of four dives. Throughout the course you’ll learn how to use decompression software and dive computers to plan and make
decompression dives with no more than 10 minutes of total decompression and not deeper than 40 metres. You’ll also learn to use
a single cylinder of decompression gas, with up to 50% oxygen (EANx 50), to add conservatism to the required decompression. This
course can be completed using a single cylinder with a dual outlet valve (eg H-valve or Y-valve), a single cylinder with a single
outlet valve and a pony bottle or, preferably, back mounted doubles with an isolator manifold. If you plan to continue with
Tec 45 and, possibly, Tec 50 we strongly recommend using back
doubles, otherwise you may need to complete the Twinset Diver course to gain the relevant
experience prior to continuing your education. The minimum prerequisite certification for the Tec 40 course is
Advanced Open Water Diver, or equivalent, Enriched Air Diver,
or equivalent, Deep Diver, or proof of at least 10 dives to 30m, with a minimum of 30 logged dives, of which at least 10 have been made with
enriched air nitrox deeper than 18 metres, and you must be at least 18 years old and have a
medical form signed by your doctor.
How long will it take?
The course involves approximately 5 hours of Knowledge Development where you will learn about the Tec Deep Diver course and
subcourses, decompression/stage cylinders, technical dive kit considerations, oxygen tracking, gas planning, decompression
software, emergency procedures, tec diving lingo etc. You'll complete this primarily in your own time, using the Tec Deep Diver
manual and slates, and 3 Knowledge Reviews and an exam confirm you've picked up the information you need. You will have your
first dive in a local swimming pool, followed by 3 dives in the Clyde Estuary or Scottish sea lochs, where you will complete
your Tec 40 training. The open water dives can be completed in 2 days.
How much does it cost?
The course costs £350 including pool fees and the PADI Tec 40 certification card. The Tec Deep Diver crewpack is required
for this course and is available for an additional £50, if you do not already have one. Please note that gas costs and
equipment hire are not included.
Where can I go from here?
Your further education continues with Tec 45.
Tell me more
The PADI Tec 45 course is the second subdivision of the PADI Tec Deep Diver course, consisting of four dives and it introduces
you to the first stages of full, technical, deep decompression diving. You'll learn how to plan and make multistop, decompression
dives using a single cylinder of decompression gas, with up to 100% oxygen, for accelerated decompression. The expectation is
that a Tec 45 diver intends to continue on in technical diving. Accordingly, the course not only develops the knowledge and skills
to make open circuit technical dives as deep as 45 metres, but also begins developing the knowledge and skills you will need at
the Tec 50 level and beyond. The minimum prerequisite certification for the Tec 45 course is
Tec 40, or equivalent, Rescue Diver, or equivalent, with a minimum
of 50 logged dives, of which at least 12 have been made with enriched air nitrox deeper than 18 metres and at least 6 (with or
without EANx) have been deeper than 30m, and you must be at least 18 years old and have a
medical form signed by your doctor.
How long will it take?
The course involves approximately 5 hours of Knowledge Development where you will learn more about technical diving kit
considerations, multigas dive computers, gas planning, accelerated decompression, deep stops etc as well as enhancing knowledge
learned earlier. You'll complete this primarily in your own time, using the Tec Deep Diver manual and slates, and 3 Knowledge
Reviews and an exam confirm you've picked up the information you need. You will have your first dive in a local swimming pool,
followed by 3 dives in the Clyde Estuary or Scottish sea lochs, where you will complete your Tec 45 training. The open water
dives can be completed in 2 days.
How much does it cost?
The course costs £350 including pool fees and the PADI Tec 45 certification card. The Tec Deep Diver crewpack is required
for this course and is available for an additional £50, if you do not already have one. Please note that gas costs and
equipment hire are not included
Where can I go from here?
Your further education continues with Tec 50, which is the final step of the Tec Deep Diver course.
You may feel that diving to 45 metres is sufficient for your needs, in which case you could continue with the
Tec Trimix 45 course where you will experience the ease of breathing and reduced nitrogen
narcosis which are benefits of using Trimix.
Tell me more
The PADI Tec 50 course is the third, and last, subdivision of the PADI Tec Deep Diver course, consisting of four dives and it
introduces you to the further stages of full, technical, deep decompression diving. You'll learn how to plan and make multistop,
decompression dives using two cylinders of decompression gas, with up to 100% oxygen, for accelerated decompression. The
Tec 45 diver comes to the course with a strong knowledge and skill base. The Tec 50 course
extends these by expanding existing skills and adding emphasis on mission planning and execution. The minimum prerequisite
certification for the Tec 50 course is Tec 45, or equivalent,
Rescue Diver, or equivalent, with a minimum of 100 logged dives, of which at least 20 have been
made with enriched air nitrox deeper than 18 metres and at least 15 (with or without EANx) have been deeper than 30m, and you
must be at least 18 years old and have a
medical form signed by your doctor.
How long will it take?
The course involves approximately 5 hours of Knowledge Development where you will learn about gas sharing considerations,
keeping your skills honed and up-to-date, decompression sickness, an introduction to trimix etc as well as enhancing knowledge
learned earlier. You'll complete this primarily in your own time, using the Tec Deep Diver manual and slates, and 2 Knowledge
Reviews and an exam confirm you've picked up the information you need. You will have your first dive in a local swimming pool,
followed by 3 dives in the Clyde Estuary or Scottish sea lochs, where you will complete your Tec 50 training. The open water
dives can be completed in 2 days.
How much does it cost?
The course costs £350 including pool fees and the PADI Tec 50 certification card. The Tec Deep Diver crewpack is required
for this course and is available for an additional £50, if you do not already have one. Please note that gas costs and
equipment hire are not included.
Where can I go from here?
This completes your Tec Deep Diver course but you could continue with the Tec Trimix 65 or
Tec Trimix courses. However, you may feel that diving to 50 metres is sufficient for your needs,
in which case you could continue with the Tec Trimix 50 course. These courses allow you to
experience the ease of breathing and reduced nitrogen narcosis which are benefits of using Trimix.
Tell me more
The PADI Tec Trimix 45/Trimix 50 course is an introduction to trimix which develops your theoretical and practical skills to
enable you to safely use a limited range of trimix gases to dive within your current depth qualifications. In addition to
learning how to correctly and safely analyse trimix blends, you will learn how to plan and execute decompression dives
using open circuit scuba within the depth and decompression gas limitations of your existing technical diver qualification,
with a minimum of 21% Oxygen and a maximum of 20% Helium as a bottom mix, and a maximum planned decompression of 20 minutes.
The minimum prerequisite certification for the Tec Trimix 45/Trimix 50 course is Tec 45 or
Tec 50 (as this course uses these courses as a starting point no equivalent qualifications
are allowed) and you must be at least 18 years old and have a
medical form signed by your doctor.
How long will it take?
The course involves approximately 6 hours of Knowledge Development where you will learn what trimix is, how to make trimix,
the benefits and drawbacks of trimix, the risks and hazards associated with trimix diving, emergency procedures, dive planning,
gas considerations etc. You'll complete this primarily in your own time, using the Tec Trimix manual and slates. This is followed
by 2 dives in the Clyde Estuary or Scottish sea lochs, where you will complete your Tec Trimix 45/Trimix 50 training. The open water
dives can be completed in 1 day.
How much does it cost?
The course costs £225 including the PADI Tec Trimix 45 or Trimix 50 certification card, as appropriate. The Tec Trimix crewpack
is required for this course and is available for an additional £50, if you do not already have one. Please note that gas costs
and equipment hire are not included.
Where can I go from here?
If you completed the Tec Trimix 45 course you may wish to consider the Tec 50 course. After this you
can upgrade to Tec Trimix 50 by repeating dive 2 at a cost of £175. If you have completed the Tec Trimix 50 course you could
could continue with the Tec Trimix 65 or Tec Trimix courses.
Tell me more
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How long will it take?
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Where can I go from here?
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Tell me more
The PADI Tec Trimix course is intended to extend the depth range of technical divers already trained and qualified to use air,
enriched air and oxygen for technical decompression dives beyond 50m. Diving with trimix is the outer edge of tec diving and the
maximum depth for using this technology has yet to be defined. The course extends your depth range capabilities by training you
to use trimix (a blend of helium, oxygen and nitrogen). You will learn how to use decompression software to create custom dive
tables and dive plans, and how to plan and execute between three and eight dives (depending upon whether you enter the course
as a Tec 50 diver, a Tec Trimix 65 diver or with an equivalent
qualification), using EANx and trimix blends, as deep as 90m. The minimum prerequisite certification for the Tec Trimix course is
Tec 50 or Tec Trimix 65, or equivalent,
Rescue Diver, or equivalent, with a minimum of 150 logged dives and you must be at least 18 years
old and have a medical form signed by your doctor.
How long will it take?
The course involves approximately 6 hours of Knowledge Development where you will learn what trimix is, how to make trimix,
the benefits and drawbacks of trimix, the risks and hazards associated with trimix diving, emergency procedures, dive planning,
gas considerations etc. You'll complete this primarily in your own time, using the Tec Trimix manual and slates. This is followed
by 2 dives in the Clyde Estuary or Scottish sea lochs, where you will complete your Tec Trimix 45/Trimix 50 training. The open water
dives can be completed in 1 day.
How much does it cost?
The course costs £POA including the PADI Tec Trimix certification card. The Tec Trimix crewpack is required for this course
and is available for an additional £50, if you do not already have one. Please note that gas costs and equipment hire are not
included.
Where can I go from here?
Watch this space....
Tell me more
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How long will it take?
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How much does it cost?
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Where can I go from here?
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Tell me more
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How long will it take?
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How much does it cost?
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Where can I go from here? Watch this space....