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No Limits Diving

Thomas Nielsen
Thomas is founder of No Limits Diving and is a current renewed PADI Master Instructor and DSAT Trimix Instructor.
 
Diving educational background
Thomas began his SCUBA diving career in 1984 where he was certified as a CMAS 2 STAR Diver. In 1996 Thomas continued his diving career in the PADI system where he became a PADI Divemaster. The journey up the ladder continued and today Thomas is a current renewed PADI Master Instructor, PADI Specialty Instructor, and an Emergency First Response Instructor.
 
Technical Diving and DSAT
Thomas was one of the first divers in Denmark who adopted nitrox and technical diving, and he has enjoyed nitrox and technical diving on many dives since 1996. In 2005 Thomas became one of the first DSAT Tec Trimix, and DSAT Nitrox/Trimix Gasblender Instructors in Denmark.
 
PADI Instructor experience
As a PADI/DSAT instructor Thomas has (at the moment) certified approx. 300 divers on all levels from PADI Open Water Diver to PADI Assistant Instructor, DSAT Trimix Diver and DSAT Gasblender. In 1998 Thomas worked as a PADI Divemaster in Sicily at a PADI Dive Centre (R#9847). In the period of 1999-2006 Thomas worked as Managing Director for his own diving centre (S#5215), and he has also been affiliated with the PADI CDC Diving Centre (S#5115). Currently Thomas is working with PADI Platinum Course Director SF Chong on the road to successful CDTC acceptance.
 
Wreck Diving
When not teaching PADI diving students or PADI instructor candidates, diving wrecks and researching their background, has always been Thomas’ primary field of interest. Today Thomas has performed more than 700 wreck dives (10-116 msw) on approx. 150 different shipwrecks around the waters of Denmark, Sweden and Norway. This special interest results in many hours of research in historical archives and surveys at wreck sites at sea every year. The work has so far resulted in the positive location of 184 different shipwrecks. A large part of the work is done in advance, based on extensive archival research, by consulting other divers and private persons. Information about the wrecks is gathered in a proprietary developed database. The database currently contains information from the publication “Dansk Søulykkesstatistik” (years 1893-2007), the “Danmarks Skibsliste”, the weekly publication “Efterretninger for Søfarende” (years 1885-present day) and information from private persons, fishermen, museums and other divers.
 
Wreck Diving Projects
Thomas has been responsible for the planning and execution of some of the most challenging technical wreck diving expeditions in Denmark and Europe. Among these are the Project SS Pionier 1999, Expeditions to the Battle of Jutland, the Flying Enterprise 2002 Expedition and the Expedition SS Norge 2004. In 2005 Thomas performed an initial analysis and request for a project in Korea, with the objective to search for the Russian Zar's Lost Fleet at Tsushima - The Battle at Tsushima 1905. Currently Thomas is involved in the planning of two new wreck diving expeditions.
 
SCUBA Club Experience
Thomas has been a member of the Copenhagen based SCUBA Club "Frømandsklubben Helgoland" since 1982. During the period of 1988-1990 he was chairman for the Marine Archaeology Group. Between 1996 and 2001 he was Vice President and member of the Board.
 
Marine archaeology
Thomas has participated in numerous marine archaeology projects. Selected project experience: Excavation of the Danish battleship "Indfødsretten" (project span 1984-1986),  excavation of an unknown historical wooden wreck called "Ven Vest” (project 1991),  survey and identification of a German Junkers 88-A12 aircraft wreck (project span 1995-1996). Besides project participation, Thomas has dived the historical wrecks of "Dannebroge" (1710), "Birger Jarl" (1813), "Cronborg" (1801), "Wagrian" (1801) and ”Crescent” (1808).
 
Cooperation with Maritime Museums
By participating on various wreck diving projects, and in the capacity of leader of wreck expeditions, Thomas has co-operated with and established network to, a number of official museums in Denmark and Scandinavia. Among these are Nationalmuseets Skibstekniske Laboratorium, Denmark; Orlogsmuseet, Denmark; Vikingeskibsmuseet in Roskilde, Denmark; Strandingsmuseet in Holstebro, Denmark; Sjöhistoriske Museum, Sweden and Malmö Museer, Sweden. 
 
Travelling
Eventhough Thomas is an avid and keen traveller who has been travelling to many fantastic destinations all over the world, Thomas has a specific preference for the South Pacific region. Thomas has visited the islands of Tahiti and Moorea in the French Polynesia, and with currently seven visits to Rarotonga in the Cook Islands under his belt, he is considering the lush and green island in the South Pacific as his second home away from home. The Polynesian culture and life style is of interest to Thomas, and he is also enjoying the very comfortable climate, and the local hospitality in the South Pacific. Over the next couple of years Thomas is planning to travel to even more remote islands in the region, including Pitcairn Island (famous for the mutiny on the Bounty), a round trip to the Cook Island outer islands, and a visit to the mysterious Easter Island.
 
Author of Publications and Books
Thomas is author of the book "Jyllandsslaget 1916 (Battle of Jutland 1916 - The largest Navy battle in history)", and is co-author of "Håndbog i rekreativ og teknisk dykning" (Recreational and Technical Diving), both published by Aschehougs Forlag (Danish publisher). 
 
Thomas has worked as a consultant during the danish translation of "Neutral Buoyancy - Adventures in a Liquid World", by Tim Ecott and "Scuba Diving" by Halls & Krestovnikoff's.
 
Thomas has also worked as a consultant for the National Geographic Magazine in Denmark. In 2004 Thomas had an article published in National Geographic Magazine.
 
During the period of 1997 to 2001, Thomas worked as a freelance writer for the Scandinavian Diving Magazine "DYK" (Dive), where he contributed with approx. 50 articles published on the topics wrecks and travels.
 
Thomas has also been involved in tv-productions depicting the No Limits Diving Flying Enterprise 2002 Expedition and Project SS Norge 2004.oden omkring 50 artikler om vrag og rejser.
Curriculum Vitae
PADI Master Instructor (2006)
PADI EFR & CFC Instructor w/AED (2005)
DSAT Tec Trimix Instructor (2005)
DSAT Tec Deep Instructor (2005)
DSAT Gas Blender Instructor (2005)
PADI EFR Instructor (2004)
PADI IDC Staff Instructor (2003)
PADI MSDT (2002)
PADI Speciality Instructor (2002)
- Digital UW-Photographer Diver (2006)
- Ice Diver (2006)
- UW-Photographer Diver (2006)
- UW-Naturalist Diver (2005)
- UW-Videographer Diver (2005)
- Wreck Diver (2002)
- Deep Diver (2002)
- Nitrox (EANx) Diver (2002)
- Dry Suit Diver (2002)
- Night Diver (2002)
- Multilevel Diver (2002)
- Cavern Diver (2002)
- Boat Diver (2002)
- Drift Diver (2002)
- UW-Navigation Diver (2002)
- Search&Recovery Diver (2002)
PADI Divemaster (1996)
 
Other certifications
IANTD Full Technical Cave Diver (1999)
IANTD Trimix Diver (1999)
IANTD Trimix Gas Blender (1999)
TDI Advanced Trimix Diver (1998)
TDI Trimix Gas Blender (1998)
IANTD EANx Diver (1996)
CMAS 3 Diver (1991)
CMAS 2 Diver (1984)
Projects
Project Battle at Tsushima 2005
Expedition SS Norge 2004
Flying Enterprise 1952-2002
Ekspedition Jyllands Slaget (2001)
Projekt Jyllands Slaget (2000)
SS Pionier (1999)
Travel- and diving experience
Maldives, Indian Ocean
Cyprus, Med
Mauritius, Indian Ocean
Cook Islands, Pacific
Tahiti, Pacific
Red Sea (Israel, Egypt)
Mexico, caves
France, caves
United Kingdom - Rockall, Atlantic
Sicily, Med
Malta, Med
Seychelles, Indian Ocean