Wow! This has got to be one of the closest polls I've seen in a long time.
Burning Question...
- Thread starter LUBOLD8431
- Start date
Please register or login
Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.
Benefits of registering include
- Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
- A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
- You can make this box go away
would be trimix first then cave.
I woud say cave diver, a caving course will make you a better diver, and trimix will make you a smarter diver.
I would go with cave and get to be a good diver with great boyancy skills prior to taking a trimix course which will then let you use those skills to plan and perform deeper diving.
I would go with cave and get to be a good diver with great boyancy skills prior to taking a trimix course which will then let you use those skills to plan and perform deeper diving.
JeffG
Contributor
I was looking at the same issues, and I will/(would) choose Cave first.
Cave diving; I could use it for Wreck diving at rec depths. Trimix diving looks like it needs alot more support (surface/boat) and ergo, it would be harder to arrange for those types of dives.
Cave diving; I could use it for Wreck diving at rec depths. Trimix diving looks like it needs alot more support (surface/boat) and ergo, it would be harder to arrange for those types of dives.
kingprawn
Contributor
The next time I find a cave 20 miles out in the Atlantic I'll let you know. Until then, Trimix.
Don't get me wrong, I've been in Cenotes.. Very Cool. But up here, Trimix.
Don't get me wrong, I've been in Cenotes.. Very Cool. But up here, Trimix.
OP
Well, with the exception of the quarry up in Vermont that has some nice tunnels, no there arent any... But in the Boston area at least, there are quite a few cave divers. ALot of these guys do trips to Florida and Mexico on a pretty regular basis. i think the idea of cave diving is way cool. I have explored the quarry up in Vermont alot, and no its really not a cave, but it sure acts like one. I do like Wreck diving, and would like to explore with a clearer mind at depths beyond the recreational limit. I sometimes think that I should be breathing a little helium at the surface too, although, I dont know if it would have the same effect. Anyways, this poll is coming down very evenly... I was hoping to get a landslide one way or the other... Oh well, we shall see...
Here's the deal: If you want to progress efficiently, take cave first. If you can plan a multilevel dive with mucho deco obligation, then you know and understand how to conduct a safe dive. Anyone can do a square profile and progress up in a staggered way. Again, I would suggest learning to dive caves first. Although you may not believe it now, if you can plan a multi-level cave dive, you can plan almost any dive that you will do. I don't know many cave divers who don't understand deco theory fairly well, so I think the two go hand in hand.
For what it's worth, I was doing deep mixed gas in cold water with strong currents and 20+ foot tidal changes before I did any cave diving. I moved to Florida to gain proficiency in a cave. Now, the dives that I used to worry about are a piece of cake. Caves necessitate an understanding of planning that goes beyond following a computer printout.
I can't say enough about the experience of the class alone, much less the learning experience of being around people who do multilevel decompression dives several times per week. I'm doing an internship to teach cave and mixed gas now. I will urge all of my students to do cave first. If not with me, with one of the many qualified instructors who are available. There is no class that disciplines divers like cave.
Cheers,
Jamie
For what it's worth, I was doing deep mixed gas in cold water with strong currents and 20+ foot tidal changes before I did any cave diving. I moved to Florida to gain proficiency in a cave. Now, the dives that I used to worry about are a piece of cake. Caves necessitate an understanding of planning that goes beyond following a computer printout.
I can't say enough about the experience of the class alone, much less the learning experience of being around people who do multilevel decompression dives several times per week. I'm doing an internship to teach cave and mixed gas now. I will urge all of my students to do cave first. If not with me, with one of the many qualified instructors who are available. There is no class that disciplines divers like cave.
Cheers,
Jamie
wb416
Contributor
What I planned and what I did were two different things. I had planned and had every intention of achieving (normoxic) trimix first, before even considering cave (after all, I live near the Great Lakes, and good wrecks are "deep").
However, plans and circumstances change. All the skills practice that was geared toward DIR-F and Tech was easily translated to a week of Full Cave training.
It wasn't the route I'd mapped out a couple of years ago, but I don't regret doing it. At least now I have something [warmer] to do with those cold winter months instead of ice diving.
If I had it to do over, I think I'd intentionally pick cave first. A dive buddy of mine is a good wreck diver, moreso because of her cave training. I'm glad she kept "suggesting" it.
However, plans and circumstances change. All the skills practice that was geared toward DIR-F and Tech was easily translated to a week of Full Cave training.
It wasn't the route I'd mapped out a couple of years ago, but I don't regret doing it. At least now I have something [warmer] to do with those cold winter months instead of ice diving.
If I had it to do over, I think I'd intentionally pick cave first. A dive buddy of mine is a good wreck diver, moreso because of her cave training. I'm glad she kept "suggesting" it.
I would say cave first. Most of the wrecks near me that are worth penetrating are deep. If you dont have the skills to penetrate I dont see a reason to go deep. I took cave before mix. Cave class was the best class I have ever taken it increased my skills 10 fold.
I think wreck diving with penetration is much more demanding then cave diving because there is way more stuff to get tangled on.
I dont think wrecks are the place to perfect your skills, trim, running lines, etc. You dont get the huge penetration dives on wrecks like you do in caves.
I think wreck diving with penetration is much more demanding then cave diving because there is way more stuff to get tangled on.
I dont think wrecks are the place to perfect your skills, trim, running lines, etc. You dont get the huge penetration dives on wrecks like you do in caves.
Ok, I said trimix first and voted accordingly. IMHO, you do not have to have cave training to be a good wreck diver and have good "cave style" skills. Some people can probably get by with a good mentor or a DIRF or something similar and work from there.
That being said, I totally consider cave and trimix to be complimentary training and think that both should be taken. Cave increases fundamental skills and provides the overhead training while trimix provides the decompression training and the background in mixed gasses needed to be a good wreck diver.
Just do both so we can stop arguing
That being said, I totally consider cave and trimix to be complimentary training and think that both should be taken. Cave increases fundamental skills and provides the overhead training while trimix provides the decompression training and the background in mixed gasses needed to be a good wreck diver.
Just do both so we can stop arguing
Similar threads
