The TDI Advanced Wreck Diver course is for experienced divers who are ready to move beyond basic wreck diving and train for advanced wreck penetration in an overhead environment. This course develops the skills, judgment, equipment awareness, emergency procedures, and team discipline needed for controlled wreck penetration dives.

This is serious overhead-environment training. Students should already have strong buoyancy, trim, propulsion, situational awareness, and gas management before entering the course.

What Is the TDI Advanced Wreck Diver Course?

The Advanced Wreck course teaches qualified divers how to plan and execute advanced wreck dives using proper procedures, redundant equipment, guideline protocols, communication methods, and emergency response skills. The course includes wreck penetration techniques and overhead-environment problem solving.

Training depth may not exceed the student’s current certification, training, and competence level. The maximum depth for this program may not exceed 55 meters / 180 feet.

Can You Train for Advanced Wreck Diving in New Mexico?

Yes. We begin the course with intensive open-water skill development so divers can master core procedures before moving into an overhead environment.

Students learn guideline following, blacked-out-mask procedures, communication, gas-sharing exits, and emergency responses in open water first. Then they apply those skills on legitimate wrecks at destination sites with appropriate training conditions.

Our objective is to make the required procedures feel practiced, controlled, and familiar before you enter a wreck. By the time you perform these skills inside the wreck, your responses should feel disciplined and repeatable.

Course Objective

The objective of this course is to train divers in the proper techniques, equipment requirements, procedures, and hazards of advanced wreck diving. The course includes wreck penetration skills and techniques, with an emphasis on safe execution under overhead conditions.

Who This Course Is For

This course is designed for divers who have already completed wreck or cavern-level training and want to learn advanced wreck penetration techniques.

It is appropriate for divers who want to:

  • Conduct advanced wreck dives using proper planning and procedures.
  • Learn disciplined wreck penetration techniques.
  • Improve guideline, reel, light, and team communication skills.
  • Develop emergency procedures for overhead wreck environments.
  • Continue toward more advanced technical diving training.

Certification and Graduate Qualification

After successful completion, graduates may conduct wreck diving activities without direct supervision, provided the dives, dive sites, and environmental conditions are similar to those experienced during training. Certification does not authorize divers to exceed their existing depth, gas, decompression, or equipment training limits.

Student Prerequisites

Students must meet the following minimum requirements:

  • Minimum age: 18.
  • Certified as an SDI Advanced Diver or equivalent.
  • Certified as an SDI Wreck Diver, TDI Cavern Diver, or equivalent.
  • Proof of at least 50 logged dives.

Course Structure and Duration

The course requires a minimum of:

  • Six penetration wreck dives.
  • At least 100 minutes of accumulated bottom time.
  • At least 8 classroom and briefing hours.

TDI allows instructors to structure the course based on the number of students, student skill level, logistics, and site conditions. Only two dives from this course may be credited toward the total dive requirements for TDI Advanced Nitrox, Decompression Procedures, Extended Range, or Entry Level Trimix.

Required Equipment

You should own your own equipment at this level of training. We have some limited equipment available for rent, but students should consult with us before making any purchases. :

  • Doubles Wing (either backmount or sidemount)
  • 2 first stages, 2 second stages with one long hose (84″/2M) with SPGs.
  • 1 decompression regulator set
  • 2 computers
  • Primary light with handle
  • 2 Backup lights
  • 400 foot reel
  • Lift bag, or delayed surface marker buoy
  • Exposure protection
  • Two line-cutting devices
  • Slate or wetnotes
  • 2 Safety spools
  • 1 Jump spool
  • Compass
  • Personal markers and holder
  • Backup double-end bolt snap

Required Land Drills

The following land drills must be covered:

  • Guideline use.
  • Guideline following.
  • Emergency procedures.
  • Proper deployment of a guideline.
  • Proper technique for following a guideline.
  • Use of a safety spool or reel for lost-line procedures.
  • Use of a safety spool or reel for lost-buddy procedures.
  • Touch-contact communication.
  • Analysis of all breathing gases used.
  • Pre-dive planning based on gas consumption, oxygen exposure, nitrogen absorption, planned depth, planned time, and actual gas mixtures.

Required In-Water Skills

Students must complete the following skills during wreck dives:

  • Demonstrate specialized propulsion techniques for overhead environments
  • Deploy a guideline while maintaining awareness of the environment and conditions
  • Demonstrate lost-line and lost-buddy drills
  • Follow a guideline with eyes open and in zero-viability conditions
  • Share gas while exiting a confined space in normal visibility and zero visibility
  • Remove and replace the mask while maintaining contact with the guideline
  • Demonstrate light, hand and touch-contact communication skills
  • Simulate primary light failure and deploy backup light
  • Demonstrate correct staging of decompression or contingency gas outside the wreck
  • Isolate and switch from a malfunctioning regulator; this drill must be conducted no deeper than 30 meters/100 feet
  • Deploy a lift bag from depth as an emergency ascent line
  • Deploy a lift bag from depth as an alternative buoyancy device
  • Execute a simulated emergency blue-water ascent with marker deployment from a staged stop below 6 meters/20 feet
  • Demonstrate understanding of basic wreck layout and wreck navigation considerations
  • Manage a simulated serious decompression sickness emergency at the surface, including emergency evacuation procedures
  • Execute planned dives within predetermined limits
  • Demonstrate proper navigation techniques
  • Demonstrate long-hose gas sharing through a restriction
  • Deploy a lift bag, DSMB, or up-line for decompression
  • Demonstrate silt-out procedures

Graduation Requirements

To complete the course, students must:

  • Complete all field exercises and open-water requirements safely and efficiently.
  • Demonstrate mature, sound judgment in dive planning and execution.
  • Satisfactorily complete the TDI Advanced Wreck course written examination.

Train with Viking Dives

Ready to train as a TDI Advanced Wreck Diver? Call, Text or Email us to discuss prerequisites, equipment configuration, training schedule, and whether you are ready for the TDI Advanced Wreck Diver course.