Cave Diving Dangerous?

[boulderjohn]

I will try saying the same thing as most other people in a different way.

The phrase "cave diving" covers a broad range of levels of difficulty, and the degree to which it is dangerous depends upon the level of your training and experience relative to that level of difficulty--hence the vagueness of some of the answers.

1. If you do not have training in cave diving, all cave diving is very dangerous. A diver without cave training would be foolish to enter almost any cave and would be at great risk doing so.
2. If you have cave training equal to what many people call "full cave," are using the gear you were trained to use, and are following the rules you were trained to follow, a well-travelled and well marked cave with few complications will seem pretty safe and easy to you.
3. If you have cave training equal to what many people call "full cave," are using the gear you were trained to use, and are following the rules you were trained to follow, a cave with multiple jumps and complex navigation will be challenging to you.
   
4. If you have cave training equal to what many people call "full cave," are using the gear you were trained to use, and are following the rules you were trained to follow, a deep cave with a long penetration and tight restrictions will be very dangerous to you and should not be dived without more training and experience.
   
5. If you are a highly trained and experienced cave diver with many dives in challenging environments, some cave exploration sites can be very dangerous and should only be entered with the full understanding that there is a high potential for failure resulting in death. .

 

[arew+4]

S happens, and when it does, the harder it is to get to the surface, the higher the likely hood it will end badly. Do a guided cenote/cavern dive and decide if it is for you. I did one many moons ago, I enjoyed it, but it did not get me fired up to do it again. For me the reward was not justification for the additional risk.

 

[Black Cat]

I will try saying the same thing as most other people in a different way.

The phrase "cave diving" covers a broad range of levels of difficulty, and the degree to which it is dangerous depends upon the level of your training and experience relative to that level of difficulty--hence the vagueness of some of the answers.

1. If you do not have training in cave diving, all cave diving is very dangerous. A diver without cave training would be foolish to enter almost any cave and would be at great risk doing so.
2. If you have cave training equal to what many people call "full cave," are using the gear you were trained to use, and are following the rules you were trained to follow, a well-travelled and well marked cave with few complications will seem pretty safe and easy to you.
3. If you have cave training equal to what many people call "full cave," are using the gear you were trained to use, and are following the rules you were trained to follow, a cave with multiple jumps and complex navigation will be challenging to you.
   
4. If you have cave training equal to what many people call "full cave," are using the gear you were trained to use, and are following the rules you were trained to follow, a deep cave with a long penetration and tight restrictions will be very dangerous to you and should not be dived without more training and experience.
   
5. If you are a highly trained and experienced cave diver with many dives in challenging environments, some cave exploration sites can be very dangerous and should only be entered with the full understanding that there is a high potential for failure resulting in death. .

Excellent way of breaking it down! This pretty much sums up my initial thought process on the matter.

S happens, and when it does, the harder it is to get to the surface, the higher the likely hood it will end badly. Do a guided cenote/cavern dive and decide if it is for you. I did one many moons ago, I enjoyed it, but it did not get me fired up to do it again. For me the reward was not justification for the additional risk.

Done that. Got me hooked and fired up big time.

 

[Altamira]

Dangerous and safe are very relative terms in the diving environment, especially in regard to overhead situations. You can attempt to mitigate the risks with proper training, equipment, and experience, but you are never going to be in a safe environment while scuba diving. Never losing sight of that reality is a good step in improving your safety margin. Dangerous environments often do not afford a "do over."

 

[Nomad-Diver]

I would add buddies into the equation too.

Instabuddies in open water have led to angst for many divers.
An unreliable buddy in a confined environment:
1. Can cause you risk searching for them if they wander off
2. Take away some safety net / backup options if you get into trouble and they aren't there or up to the task

 

[Neilwood]

I have to say cave diving is not for me but I think there is a general rule as far as danger is concerned.

The further the effective distance from the surface the greater the danger as a safe ascent becomes harder and more mitigation measures are required.
OW (<30m within NDL) - surface ascent if OOG or in trouble. Can be done at any point.
OW (<30m exceeding NDL) - no direct ascent possible due to soft overhead of decompression ( any direct ascent will carry a significant risk of DCS)
OW (30-40m) - no direct ascent to surface possible if OOG. Also narcosis starts becoming an issue.
OW (40+) - no direct ascent, likely decompression requirement (soft overhead) and potentially gas switches required.
Cavern or "prepared" wreck (specifically opened up for OW divers with large open passages) - no direct ascent possible due to hard overhead.
Cave or unprepared wreck - distance to exit gets greater, possible silt issues, constrictions, all become problems that need mitigation.

The further away from the surface and unlimited air, the harder it is to make sure that, should any small problem happen, you can get back to the surface safely. What would be a minor annoyance in OW can become disastrous in a restriction or a long way into a cave. Skills and equipment have to be of a far higher standard if the surface is for example an hour away.

 

[jadairiii]

It really depends on who you pick as your cave instructor.

 

[karstdvr]

Hey guys...I'm thinking about going Cavern through Full Cave in the spring.

I have been cave diving over 20 years, and think any dive in the overhead is dangerous. When things are going well, it is fun,but when something goes seriously wrong, problems multiply and can be fatal

Not to open a can of worms,but choosing to go cavern to full cave when you have questions about the safety of cave diving may not be the best choice. Cave diving has a skill acquisition process, with opportunity to reinforce those skills with repetition, before advancing to the next level. Also, cave diving is a small part skills, and a huge part mental aspect,both skills needed for survival. The people that I have seen go from cavern to full cave in a week, and show good competency as a cave diver, are seasoned wreck divers who have been doing penetration dives for years.

 

[Schwob]

...The people that I have seen go from cavern to full cave in a week, and show good competency as a cave diver are seasoned wreck divers who have been doing penetration dives for years.

The whole post makes sense just expressing my dismay, that while it almost sounds like you speak about me, I am afraid I might not fit the criteria in just the right way if I am seasond, have been doing... for years and am a diver slowly but surely turning into a wreck...