Cavern Class

Zen Diver · Post by **Zen Diver** » Tue Jun 05, 2007 7:48 pm

This fall I'm planning a trip to Florida for DEMA and want to do a Cavern class while there. I plan on going before DEMA, doing the class and then having some time to do post-class cavern dives.

Does anyone have an instructor or dive op to recommend? I know there are lots in the area, but if anyone had any particular recommendations, either pro or con, I'd love to hear about it.

Thanks.

-Valerie

boydski · Post by **boydski** » Tue Jun 05, 2007 8:34 pm

Hi Valerie,

I don't have an instructor recommendation (all of my contacts are in Mexico), but I am really glad to hear that you are planning on taking a Cavern Course. Cavern was truly the best dive training I ever had. It improved my diving more than all my other classes combined.

Good Luck in Florida, you're going to love it!

Tangfish · Post by **Tangfish** » Tue Jun 05, 2007 9:28 pm

I just emailed my friend in Florida and asked him. I'll let you know what he comes back with (he's not a technical diver, but he may know where to point you in the right direction).

Zen Diver · Post by **Zen Diver** » Tue Jun 05, 2007 11:27 pm

Thanks Calvin!

Scott; I've been wanting this class for years, I finally have the money, time and ability all at once. Wanted to start with Caverns first, to make sure I truly liked it, before commiting to Caves.

-Valerie

BDub · Post by **BDub** » Wed Jun 06, 2007 7:40 am

Hey Valerie-

Contact Heather Armstrong, she's a a former WKPP diver and NAUI Instructor.

I'm doing Cave 1 in January in Akumal, but my long term goal is to eventually do Cave 2 with Heather.

Her website is Chick Diver

mattwave · Post by **mattwave** » Wed Jun 06, 2007 8:45 am

Cool, another person to check out is Scooter Sellers underseaadventures.com
He is also NAUI-Tec and is the top dog with NAUI-Tec for cave training, originally trained by Jarod Jablonski, and I hear his reputation is strong in all Cave circles, which I guess can be hard to find.

Zen Diver · Post by **Zen Diver** » Wed Jun 06, 2007 2:28 pm

Thanks you guys, I appreciate the references.

-Valerie

thelawgoddess · Post by **thelawgoddess** » Fri Jun 15, 2007 8:54 am

valerie, that sounds like fun - lucky you! when we dove the caverns on the playa in december i decided i want to go back and do a cavern/cave course there. one of these days ...

btw, have you seen the planet earth episode about caves? there is some nice footage in there!

Zen Diver · Post by **Zen Diver** » Sat Jun 16, 2007 8:29 am

thelawgoddess wrote: valerie, that sounds like fun - lucky you! when we dove the caverns on the playa in december i decided i want to go back and do a cavern/cave course there. one of these days ...

btw, have you seen the planet earth episode about caves? there is some nice footage in there!

YES! It was my favorite episode of the PE series.

I did the Dos Ojos cenote a few years back and decided then the same thing. I finally have the money, timing, and buddies to do it with. I can't wait!

-Valerie

Seth T. · Post by **Seth T.** » Tue Sep 18, 2007 7:05 pm

I'd LOVE to take a cavern speciality. Is there a single cavern dive even remotely close to us?

Joshua Smith · Post by **Joshua Smith** » Tue Sep 18, 2007 7:52 pm

I'm curious about this....at first I thought "cavern diving" sounded pretty lame, sort of a "mild overhead" kinda thing. But now I realize that it's sort of an "Intro to cave diving" kinda thing. But I don't really get what you are taught in "cavern" that wouldn't apply to "Cave." I understand the difference, I think- depth restrictions, never being out of sight of daylight, and so on, but I thought this was maybe sort of a "no big deal" kind of certification-how long is a cavern class, and what do you learn in one? When a diver like Boydski says that it was "truly the best dive training I ever had, etc, etc", I sit up and take notice- what's so great about it?

My main diving goal is to see some of the deeper wrecks around here, but the idea of maybe seeing some caves someday has recently started to sound kind of cool....

thelawgoddess · Post by **thelawgoddess** » Tue Sep 18, 2007 8:12 pm

from what i understand, a cavern course just starts to teach you cave skills - i think it's sort of like taking your first OW course to teach you diving skills.

TDI CAVERN is 3 days.
TDI INTRO TO CAVE is 3 days and requires prior TDI CAVERN certification.
TDI CAVE is 5 days and requires TDI INTRO TO CAVE, DECO PROCEDURES, 150 logged dives, and 25 cave dives

or ...

if you have 350 logged dives in a variety of scenarios and conditions, you can skip those and just do the TDI FULL CAVE over 13 days

Joshua Smith · Post by **Joshua Smith** » Tue Sep 18, 2007 8:25 pm

Yeah, OK, I get it, but what do you learn in those 3 days?

Burntchef · Post by **Burntchef** » Tue Sep 18, 2007 8:29 pm

i would imagine lots and lots of line drills, sounds like a trip to ginnie josh im game for cavern.

Joshua Smith · Post by **Joshua Smith** » Tue Sep 18, 2007 8:41 pm

Burntchef wrote:i would imagine lots and lots of line drills, sounds like a trip to ginnie josh im game for cavern.

We should do that.....but I'm gonna be doing it on CCR! I'm SO done with my doubles!

Burntchef · Post by **Burntchef** » Tue Sep 18, 2007 8:42 pm

Nailer99 wrote:
Burntchef wrote:i would imagine lots and lots of line drills, sounds like a trip to ginnie josh im game for cavern.

We should do that.....but I'm gonna be doing it on CCR! I'm SO done with my doubles!

snob!!!

Joshua Smith · Post by **Joshua Smith** » Tue Sep 18, 2007 8:58 pm

Sorry, Chef! I've been carrying heavy stuff on my back for 24 years, now!

OK, I think I answered my own questions:

From THIS LINK

Although most divers will benefit from Cavern Diver training, students who meet these recommendations will not only get more from the course, they will also be the ones most likely to complete the course successfully and receive an NSS-CDS Cavern Diver Training Completion Card.

Topics: The Cavern Diver course incorporates academic learning, dry-land exercises and in-water training. Academic topics include:

Cavern Diver training: Intent and limitations
Cave conservation, landowner relations
Accident analysis and corresponding safety rules
Cavern/cave formation and terminology
Cave and cavern entrance types
General and specific hazards of the overhead environment
Equipment requirements and modification
Cavern/cave diving techniques overview
Cavern/cave dive planning procedures
Standard cavern/cave diving communications
Psychological aspects of cavern/cave diving; stress management
Problem solving and emergency procedures.

Dry-land exercises cover:

Equipment modification
Basic reel use
Guideline deployment, including tie-offs and wraps
Guideline retrieval, including team member role responsibilities
Guideline following under adverse conditions/touch-contact communication
Gas sharing while maintaining guideline contact In-water training includes repetition of all dry-land drills, plus:
Anti-silting propulsion techniques
Simulated loss-of-visibility and loss-of-breathing-gas emergencies
Multiple practice cavern dives

Sounds pretty cool, actually- like my deco procedures class on steroids! I'm starting to see where cave diving might be kind of neat. I wasn't really very interested in that particular discipline until recently, but, yeah, I can see the appeal, now.

(edit- spelling)

LCF · Post by **LCF** » Tue Sep 18, 2007 9:12 pm

I have a feeling it's pretty much like Fundies with line-laying and lights-out drills. I'll know more once we get home from doing it!

thelawgoddess · Post by **thelawgoddess** » Tue Sep 18, 2007 9:26 pm

nailer, once you set fin in a cavern, you too will succumb to the desire to return and do a cavern/cave course. they are freakin' amazing!!!

Joshua Smith · Post by **Joshua Smith** » Tue Sep 18, 2007 9:42 pm

I'm starting to see the light.....or is it.....I'm starting to see the lack thereof! I've determined the next few evoltions of my diving education already, but I can see some caves in my future! I really would like to hear from some people who've done a cavern course, aqnd what they got out of it, though.....

thelawgoddess · Post by **thelawgoddess** » Tue Sep 18, 2007 9:51 pm

did you read boydski's full cave course report on his website? it's not "cavern" but it's a pretty interesting read!

Zen Diver · Post by **Zen Diver** » Tue Sep 18, 2007 10:56 pm

I read Scott Boyd's posts way back when he first did it, very interesting read.

Georgia and I have found our instructor, purchased our study materials, gotten our requisite gear and are now just counting down until the time comes (late October). Can't wait to get going; don't know if I'll ever get to full cave but I'll start with Caverns and see.

Once we're done I'll post a full report.

-Valerie

Grateful Diver · Post by **Grateful Diver** » Wed Sep 19, 2007 7:59 am

Zen Diver 2 wrote:I read Scott Boyd's posts way back when he first did it, very interesting read.

Georgia and I have found our instructor, purchased our study materials, gotten our requisite gear and are now just counting down until the time comes (late October). Can't wait to get going; don't know if I'll ever get to full cave but I'll start with Caverns and see.

Once we're done I'll post a full report.

-Valerie

Out of curiosity ... who'd you decide to take the class from?

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

WylerBear · Post by **WylerBear** » Wed Sep 19, 2007 12:08 pm

Grateful Diver wrote:
Out of curiosity ... who'd you decide to take the class from?

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

Johnny Richards. Do you know or know of him?

Burntchef · Post by **Burntchef** » Wed Sep 19, 2007 12:20 pm

if you want to see some very cool cave diving check out a copy of the waters journey the hidden rivers of florida. it shows jill heinerth and a few others in some amazing diving. i bought it off of diverite express . i never thought cave diving would be something i would want t oget into but after watching this video i can see the allure.

http://www.diveriteexpress.com/logowear/dvds.shtml

or

http://karstproductions.com/