0 to Full Cave in 150 dives?

[wetb4igetinthewater]

I happened into cave diving as part of a job on a live aboard. Most of my “beginning” cave diving was done on Andros, which most people wouldn’t consider appropriate for beginners. From then it was just a natural extension of my diving. Not to mention, Andros and other Bahamian islands with blue holes are epic.

Andros as in Greece?

 

[SMcC]

Andros as in Greece?

No, sorry, Andros Island in the Bahamas.

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

No, sorry, Andros Island in the Bahamas.

"Andros and other Bahamian islands " should have clued me in. Just got excited as I was hoping for more info. There are underwater caves all over the Kyklades.

 

[SMcC]

"Andros and other Bahamian islands " should have clued me in. Just got excited as I was hoping for more info. There are underwater caves all over the Kyklades.

If you want to get involved in places like that, check out Project Baseline. They have conservation type projects going all over the world. Also, periodically GUE offers opportunities to participate in their projects. I know a few of those have been near Greece in the past couple of years.

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

If you want to get involved in places like that, check out Project Baseline. They have conservation type projects going all over the world. Also, periodically GUE offers opportunities to participate in their projects. I know a few of those have been near Greece in the past couple of years.

That would likely require going through the GUE cave program. While I am sure it is excellent, I'm not interested as my configuration sidemount (yes, I realize that GUE does have sidemount down the road, don't want to have that discussion). Stratis Kas (Home - StratisKas) is probably the best resource for cave diving in Greece. I met him in person last November at the shop where he worked.

 

[SMcC]

That would likely require going through the GUE cave program. While I am sure it is excellent, I'm not interested as my configuration sidemount (yes, I realize that GUE does have sidemount down the road, don't want to have that discussion). Stratis Kas (Home - StratisKas) is probably the best resource for cave diving in Greece. I met him in person last November at the shop where he worked.

Yeah, ‘that’ discussion can get a bit complicated sometimes. Anyhow, safe diving! Thanks for the info on Stratis Kas

 

[Lorenzoid]

"Depends on the diver" and his training route and dedication. I envision, for example, a dry caver or scientist who decides they now want to explore submerged caves, and they won't be distracted by the lure of other types of diving. The kind of person who already has the right mindset and has already learned how to learn this kind of mentally and physically challenging, safety-focused subject matter. A seriously dedicated person with a laser focus on the goal. Physically, a runner's stamina and a gymnast's finesse would help. They get the OW cert, then take a route like GUE Fundies or a good intro-to-tech course and spend something in the ballpark of 100 dives learning--perhaps with some mentoring--to dive a cave-ready rig and honing the fundamental skills that help one stay safe in a cave. Then something in the ballpark of 50 dives as they move through the cave courses. Sure, it's theoretically possible THAT diver exists. It sure isn't ME. I'm dedicated and focused, but nowhere near talented enough.

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

"Depends on the diver" and his training route and dedication. .

Cave is a whole 'nother level (though not saying that from experience). I had one OW/AOW student go on to take GUE fundies and T1 which he earned his cert in 2 years, 230 dives from when he started diving. He was the hardest working, most focused diver I've ever seen. If there were caves around here, he'd be pursuing that. Such students are a rarity, but they do exist. I'm completely unqualified to judge how fast a compentent full cave diver can be created. I probably always will be as I'll never be qualified to teach it either.

 

[rjack321]

"Depends on the diver" and his training route and dedication. I envision, for example, a dry caver or scientist who decides they now want to explore submerged caves, and they won't be distracted by the lure of other types of diving.

There are a whole lot of dry cavers who take up diving (ok maybe its only 10 or 20 per year globally lol).
They rarely take anything like fundamentals and many actually don't take cave diving courses at all. The UK has a cave diving mentorship program, run by volunteers, and you can't even "sign up" for it. You need to be an experienced and savvy dry caver with multiple years of experience and club relationships to go down this path.

 

[tbone1004]

There are a whole lot of dry cavers who take up diving (ok maybe its only 10 or 20 per year globally lol).
They rarely take anything like fundamentals and many actually don't take cave diving courses at all. The UK has a cave diving mentorship program, run by volunteers, and you can't even "sign up" for it. You need to be an experienced and savvy dry caver with multiple years of experience and club relationships to go down this path.

any of the real UK sump divers will tell you that their definition of "cave diving" doesn't exactly translate to the normal definition of cave diving.... things like diving fundamentals don't apply in those caves, but I do agree that it's a better path to go down.