The Depths of Dedication

Why Long-Term Technical Dive Instructors Are So Rare

Instructing technical diving is not a career; it’s a calling. Beneath the surface glamour of deep wrecks, cave diving, mixed gas dives, and high-tech equipment lies a world of immense commitment, high personal cost, and unrelenting challenge; especially for those who choose to instruct in this demanding field. While many certified divers flirt with technical training, very few cross the line into teaching it and even fewer teach it for more than a decade.

I believe I learn as much from those I instruct as they do from me. One of the reasons I am still doing it.

Rarely any last more than 20 years and less than a handful continue to teach beyond 30 which is the lifespan of most other professional careers. In Canada, where cold water, vast distances, and niche demand compound the obstacles, a technical instructor with more than 30 years under their belt is almost a mythic figure.

The Hidden Costs of Commitment

To be a technical diving instructor is to live a life of constant readiness. Equipment costs alone are staggering. Rebreathers, drysuits, bailout systems, and helium costs (especially in Canada) demand deep pockets. Add to that the cost of maintaining certifications, insurance, annual training updates, and equipment servicing, and it’s easy to see why many instructors burn out early or transition to other careers. And if you want to excel as an accredited technical dive instructor you must invest tens of thousands in on-going professional development and training tools.

Then there’s the physical and psychological toll. Technical dive instruction often means long hours in cold, dark water, while managing multiple students who may each carry multiple tanks. Every dive is meticulously planned and managed, with zero tolerance for error. We are responsible not just for student education, but for their lives—and in tech diving, mistakes can be fatal. I know from personal experience it has taken a toll on my body.

Family life and social time often take a back seat. You’re away most weekends, on expeditions during holidays, and answering emails and planning logistics long after the students have gone home. And the stress? It never leaves. Whether it’s managing weather windows for an open ocean trimix dive or troubleshooting a student’s CCR loop failure, the mental bandwidth required is all-consuming.

Reuniting with the Faas Family - Sticktoitiveness that has been passed down to the next generation.

Why So Few Stay in the Game

These challenges explain why so many technical instructors burn out after only a few years. The risk-to-reward ratio isn’t for everyone. Many instructors also find themselves working in isolation, without the camaraderie or professional community that recreational instructors often enjoy. This lack of support, combined with limited student demand in many Canadian regions, makes long-term sustainability a rare feat.

But what about those of us who do stay? Well, we are a breed apart.

The Passion That Keeps Us Going

The reward is enjoying the success of the candidates we train

A technical diving instructor who’s lasted more than a couple of decades has found something deeper than just a career: a mission. We are educators, explorers, and mentors with an unshakable commitment to advancing the science and safety of extended range diving. We are not just teaching, we are pioneering.

We are constantly refining techniques, experimenting with gas mixes, staying abreast of emerging decompression theories, and often participating in or leading expeditions that push the limits of what’s possible. For us, teaching is a form of legacy-building, passing on hard-won knowledge that can’t be found in books or YouTube videos.

Final Thoughts

So the next time you see a technical dive instructor who’s been teaching for more than 25 years, understand that you’re looking at someone who has made enormous sacrifices, endured intense pressure, and still shows up with gear on, checklist in hand, and ready to mentor the next generation.

We are not doing it for the money. We are not doing it for the fame.

We are doing it because of what we are made of.

Because the deep calls to us in a way that most will never understand.

If you meet a technical dive instructor who has been teaching for more than 25 or 30 years, stop and give us a hug, maybe buy us a coffee. I promise we will have an interesting story to tell you.

~Safe Diving

Are you a diver who’s been influenced by a long-standing technical instructor? Drop their name and a short story below. Let’s recognize the unsung heroes who make it safe for others to explore the deep.