Cave Training This Winter?

[w ripley]

...The best place to learn? The place where you're going to do most of your diving!...

That's some pretty good advice, IMO.

If you like to do a lot of looking around on the internet before laying out any cash, here's a way you might like to find your cave instructor: Browse for cave diving instructors in ____ (Mexico or Florida, as examples), and see what pops up. Or you can go to the websites of the agencies already mentioned above and look at their list of instructors.

Most will have links that you can follow to see what they look like (age may be an important issue depending on your own age), who they are, often what their diving philosophies are, what courses they teach, where they teach (where their located), etc. It's one way to start narrowing down the list while at home.

Then email or call them to discuss what they are teaching and when, you and your diving goals, gear you will need, sleeping accomodations, and what everything is going to cost. It's also a way to see if the two of you can work together.

Recently I've been looking for instructors for my nephew and have been going thru the same excercise. He's one of the "know-it-alls" (unfortunately, much like his uncle) with over 500 ocean dives, many technical. So, I wanted someone who wouldn't cut corners. On my last trips to FL I went met instructors at the dive sites. The result is that I added another name to the list. Who he decides will be up to him, of course, but I'm confident anyone on that list will either send him home or give him the training he will need to be a safe cave diver.

I wouldn't worry too much about taking a cavern or other intro class with someone with one of the agencies already discussed. Once you get to the dive site you will meet other cave divers who can recommend instructor options for additional courses.

You've got time for research and even sending a PM or two to some of the cave divers on this tread to help you take your first step. Start the process now and you could find yourself cavern or cave diving in the next couple of months (warm water in the winter - not a bad way to go!), and being a much better all-around diver next season.

Good luck, and send me or any of the divers on this thread (or any of the cave divers on SB's Cave Divers Forum) a PM if you feel we could help you.

 

[boulderjohn]

Just responding to a couple of points made in the thread so far.

1. PADI had a cave diving certification decades ago. The curriculum was written by Sheck Exley and Jim Wyatt. PADI abandoned the program shortly after that, leaving nothing but the cavern certification. In the last year, several veteran cave instructors in Florida resurrected the program, so it is possible to get PADI cave certification again, but only if you go through one of the authorized instructors. The curriculum is consistent with the other established programs.

2. I fully agree with Lynne that it would be very wise to work on your key skills in open water before going near a cave. I started cave training after I already had several tech certifications. On the first day of my cavern training, my instructor and I were approached by someone who wanted to begin training in the near future. Later, while we were doing cavern work in the open water, we saw him clearing his mask while kneeling on the bottom. To be blunt, if you can't clear your mask while hovering in horizontal trim, you will be greatly challenged by cave training.

3. The way I chose my cave instructor was to go to several web forums, including ScubaBoard. I went to the cave diving forums and did a search for threads in which people asked for recommendations for cave instructors. In very little time I was able to read a number of recommendations. Surprisingly enough, I eliminated several choices because of what the people who recommended said about them. There are different styles of instructor, and you want to find one who matches your personality. For example, glowing reports of how someone can curse at you repeatedly and articulately through a regulator did not inspire me. Other people clearly thrive on that sort of thing.

 

[w ripley]

Here's what it looks like outside of my house today & a good reason to head south for some winter training.
View attachment SNOW!(1).bmp

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

Here's what it looks like outside of my house today & a good reason to head south for some winter training.
View attachment 87035

... well, that and the fact that the caves in Virginia don't have enough water in 'em for diving ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[Doc Harry]

Beats caving in July!

I did some caving in Florida one summer, nothing like crawling into a dry suit when it's 97 degrees and 95% humidity!

...However, you can be pretty solid on cave skills in shallow, low flow caves, and have your butt handed to you in high flow...

That was my experience exactly!