NextGen Blog 4 - The Long Road to GUE Fundamentals Tech

🐳One Fundamentals Class Wasn’t Enough: What I Learned from The Long Road to GUE Fundamentals Technical Pass

In a world where entry-level scuba often stops at buoyancy checks, mask clears, and safe ascents, GUE Fundamentals felt like something entirely different: a deliberate reshaping of how I view diving. The course wasn’t just about learning new skills and checking off some boxes—it was a concept called a paradigm shift that ends the disconnect between dive training and passion, exploration, conservation, and research, building skillsets which ready and enable divers for “aggressive” diving, with extremely high standards, which is a concept I really liked.

From building rock-solid foundational techniques to recalibrating mindset and purpose, GUE Fundamentals gave me a roadmap for passionate, exploration-driven, and conservation-aligned diving.

But here’s the kicker: it took me three Fundamentals classes to get my technical pass.

Here’s what I learned—and why I’d take the class again in a heartbeat.

📍 Chapter 1: First Try - "The Beginning of a Shift"

January 2024 – Playa Del Carmen, Mexico
Instructor: Arthur Nguyen-Kim
Result: Provisional

Let’s be honest—some of us were GUE skeptics before becoming GUE divers. I was one of them.

As an engineer, I loved experimenting with dive gear setups, figuring out what worked best for me. The idea of strict gear standardization and protocols felt... limiting. “Why are they so serious? Why so rigid? Isn't there more than one way to dive?”

But I was hungry to improve. I knew I wanted to become a better diver—and someday, a cave or tech diver. GUE Fundamentals had a reputation: world-class instruction, brutally honest feedback, and a curriculum that challenged even experienced instructors. So I decided to give it a shot.

By pure luck (and a little bit of eBay adrenaline), I won a spot in Arthur Nguyen-Kim’s class through GUE’s 25th Anniversary Conference silent auction. At the time, I have about 40 dives under my belt and I’d never used doubles before, but I was determined to go all in. I and my dive buddy headed to Mexico with a lofty goal: crush Fundies, get a tech pass, then go home to celebrate the victory.

Arthur asked if we were sure we wanted to do the class in doubles with the experience we have, We said yes—but not with confidence, just determination.

The reality hits HARD. We were completely overwhelmed on day one—barely comfortable in our gear, still figuring out how a properly fitted backplate even should feel. Our first dive? We were turtles in the water. I remember focusing just on surviving. We didn’t even know what properly fitted backplate and wing setus felt like.

Looking back, we aimed too high, too fast. We came in ready to absorb, we learned a lot, but we were focused too much on proving ourselves. The result? A humbling Provisional pass. This only leaves me eager to continue in this path.Tthe real victory was internal. I saw diving differently. I thought differently, and I know what exactly I need to work on. That was the true beginning of this journey.

Arthur, with his Matrix metaphor on day one, summed it up perfectly:

“This course is like the Matrix. Take the blue pill and everything stays the same. Take the red pill, and suddenly, you start seeing everything—every weakness, every disconnect, everything that can be better.”

I took the red pill.

📍 Chapter 2: Second Try - "Beginning with the End in Mind"

November 2024 – High Springs, Florida
Instructor: Jon Kieren
Result: Recreational Pass

NextGen YouTube Vlog from the class: https://youtu.be/rTxzMSpH6I0?si=MyqpJqVbL4lhm03f

Just a few months and 16 dives later, I received the GUE NextGen Scholarship—a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that opened doors to further training and mentorship in the world of GUE training.

My first stop? A conversation with my scholarship mentor, John Kendall. After some research on the available classes, John encouraged me to reach out to instructor Jon Kieren for my second Fundamentals attempt for a full rating.

Jon didn’t hesitate to welcome me into his class, and what followed was a deep, refreshing dive into refinement. With a calm demeanor and massive exploration experience, especially in the field of cave diving, he shared practical techniques and detailed reasoning, never gatekeeping advanced knowledge—even though this was still just a Fundamentals class. He made me want to explore further, train harder, and eventually pass it forward.

The most lasting lesson from this class wasn’t just technical:

“It’s easy to get caught up in trying to pass,” Jon said. “But don’t forget why you started this in the first place—because it's fun.”

That hit home. Whenever I find myself stressed about performance or results, I return to that reminder: Have fun, and look cool underwater. The class went really well and I learned a lot more. This time, I earned my Recreational pass. Still not quite at Tech level, but far closer. And more importantly, I was really enjoying the journey.

📍 Chapter 3: Third Try - "Drilling Down to the Core"

April 2025 – High Springs, Florida
Instructor: Stretch Aaron Altenhein
Result: Technical Pass 🎉

With a recreational pass under my belt, I set my sights on the elusive tech pass.

This time, I came prepared—with drysuit training, 23 more dives, and months of practice across the springs, rivers, and ocean in Florida, Texas, and Mexico. I had also completed the GUE Drysuit Primer with instructor Kelly Colwell in Panama City, and GUE Rescue Primer in the cenotes of Mexico with Instructor Annika Persson.

Instructor Stretch Aaron Altenhein kindly invited me to join his Fundamentals course for a tech upgrade. Though I could only make it for the last day, I trained alongside a new team at Catfish Hotel in Manatee Springs State Park— one of instructor Stretch’s favorite sites.

Despite the short timeframe, the day was packed with value: We ran the classic Fundies drills—Basic 5, S-drills, Valve Drills, and SMB deployment, along with tech-level protocols such as secondary light deployment. Practiced multiple timed ascents and unconscious diver rescue. It was a long day of intense, focused, and incredibly rewarding training opportunity.

Finally, on my 100th dive, it happened: I passed!!! A hard-earned, full GUE Fundamentals Tech pass :)

Beyond the skills, what I valued most in this class, and every GUE class I’ve been to, was the team diversity. Different experiences, backgrounds, and perspectives shaped the class dynamic—and that’s where GUE shines. It’s not just about personal growth. It’s about collective development, shared learning, and community-driven improvement.

📍 Chapter 4: Bonus Try - "Excellence is a commitment, and a Lifestyle"

May 2025 – Protaras, Cyprus
Instructor: Imad Farhat
Result: Tech Pass (again!)

My final Fundamentals experience came by chance. As part of the NextGen Scholarship, I was invited by instructor Imad Farhat to join the GUE DPV1 course in Cyprus. While there, I also got to jump in as a teammate during one of his Fundamentals classes in Protaras, Cyprus.

Even after three prior Fundies classes, I still learned something new.

We trained in the crystal-clear, blue Mediterranean waters of Green Bay, Protaras. Imad is incredibly passionate about teaching and giving back in every one of his classes—his courses are structured, detailed, very efficient, and built for success. He went above and beyond—not just in teaching, but in logistics, mentorship, and hospitality. He’s also a talented underwater photographer and passionate about building dream dive vans. DPV is his favorite tool, and it evidently showed in our GUE DPV1 class, but that’s story for another time, perhaps a DPV class vlog (stay tuned!)

It reminded me: no matter how many times you take Fundamentals, there’s always room to learn something new. Even though I didn’t need another Fundamentals pass, I came away sharper, more confident, and more inspired than ever.

🎓 Final Chapter: GUE Training = Standardized, but not Factory-Made

Yes, GUE training is standardized. That’s its strength. But every GUE instructor brings their unique background, expertise, teaching philosophy, and passion into the course—like different university professors teaching the same subject, but with different approaches and implementation.

I was incredibly lucky to experience that first-hand, across four Fundamentals classes on three different countries:

• Instructor Arthur opened my eyes to what GUE is really about. He helped me reshape my mindset, challenged me to slow down and stay intentional, and laid the foundation for success with practical, repeatable skills that finally clicked.

• Instructor Jon made me fully understand what it means to “begin with the end in mind.” He painted a clear picture of how everything we practice — from trim to team protocols — connects to cave diving, exploration, and long-term goals. For the first time, I saw not just a class, but a path.

• Instructor Stretch built my fluency, until repetition turned into reflex. He drilled rescue techniques, ascents, and valve drills until they became part of me — and I came to appreciate not only the high bar GUE sets, but also the powerful sense of community and mentorship that drives it forward.

• Instructor Imad embodies the full ecosystem of great diving. From logistics and team planning to mindset and presence, Imad’s focus on commitment, precision, efficiency, his passion for teaching, and his generosity to all the students left a lasting impact — not just on my diving, but on how I approach challenges in life.

Each version of Fundamentals gave me something different — something essential. A new layer of understanding, a sharper skill, a deeper connection to the global GUE community. That's why I firmly believe: if you ever get the chance, take the class again. Learn from different instructors. Meet the divers in our global community. You’ll grow in ways you never expected.

🙏 Acknowledgments

I’m deeply grateful to GUE HQ—Jarrod, Dorota, Jenn, Kady, Nico, and the GUE Board—for creating not only a world-class training system, but also a global community that lifts people up. Your support through the NextGen Scholarship and the NextGen Legacy project made this entire journey possible, and I carry that trust with me in everything I do.

To all my GUE instructors: Instructor Arthur Nguyen-Kim, John Kendall, Jon Kieren, Kelly Colwell, Annika Persson, Stretch Altenhein, and Imad Farhat — thank you for your mentorship, passion, dedication, and the generous time you’ve invested in my development. Each of you taught me more than skills — you taught me how to think, how to train, and how to become a better teammate and diver. You made me feel welcome no matter the country or conditions, and that sense of belonging will stay with me.

And to the extended NextGen community—my mentors, teammates, hosts, and dive buddies across the globe: Mig, Gordon, CP, Nicole, Tyler, Kyle, Nina, Max, Rita, Austin, Zach, Xiangfei, Scott, Like, Matt, Billy, Dani, Mike, and Marcel —thank you for being part of this wild, beautiful ride. Every conversation, every shared dive, every post-dive meal added to this journey in a way I’ll never forget.

The Fundamentals course may have ended, but the foundation it built is just the beginning. Here's to the next dive, the next lesson, and the next chance to grow—together. 🌍💙

🔗 Want to Learn More?

🎥 Related vlog:

• GUE Fundamentals Vlog: https://youtu.be/rTxzMSpH6I0?si=gMostIOO3cCHbKjd

• GUE Vlog: Becoming a volunteer diver in Spring Lake, TX: https://youtu.be/06Za91Ni0vw?si=2y63PhW877Q72CSD

• GUE Blog: https://sites.google.com/view/thanapol-tantagunninat/gue-nextgen-scholarship/nextgen-blog-3-march-2025

• GUE Vlog: Rescue Primer in Mexico: https://youtu.be/L6UlIB0cctM?si=bjTG7A95TqVHDet6

💬 DM me if you’re curious about taking your own Fundamentals journey!

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• Email: thanapol.65.15@gmail.com