Cavern Cert

[Atomic_Diver]

thats your opinion not mine so don't critisize me...because apperantly i don't care what you guy's think about my life in diving...what is said is said...belive what you want

 

[Dive-aholic]

It's more than my opinion. But I won't argue with a 16 year old who has no overhead or technical training. I just want the OP to know where the "advice" is coming from.

 

[vinegarbiscuit]

Cavern is a fantastic course, and you will learn a LOT. I think it's a great eye-opener for some of the topics you will encounter further on in your diving education: the training you would need to successfully penetrate wrecks such as Advanced EAN/Deco Proceedures and Advanced Wreck emphasize the importance of buoyancy, trim, alternate kicking styles, reel work, gear configuration, and gas management (to say the very least) But then, as TSandM said, caverns and wrecks are extremely different environments, and training in one discipline won't automatically qualify you for the other. Wrecks are subject to the ocean's wrath, in terms of currents and visibility; moreover, they can change quite drastically each year as the ocean wears it away. Caves don't change, although knowledge of a cave system's flows are essential. Some caves have silty bottoms and can completely ruin your day (as in end it) with one careless kick; but silt in wrecks, where the water can't rush through and clear it, is pretty much a given. Rust will rain down from the ceiling due to your exhalation bubbles, further ruining viz, and the threat of entangelement in wrecks are quite different to caves: entangelemt can come not only from guidelines, but also dangling cables, deteriorating metal, and the like. Bottom line: caves and wrecks are both overhead environments, and a handful of the skills needed to dive in both environments are transferable from one to the other, but that's it. Get trained for both, if you want to dive both.

 

[ucfdiver]

thats your opinion not mine so don't critisize me...because apperantly i don't care what you guy's think about my life in diving...what is said is said...belive what you want

The last person that we all knew was doing dive waaay beyond their skill/training/mentorship level is dead.

Here's one of his posts. Yes, I'm trying to worry you by posting this.

Just have the search and recovery team on standby!

This is exactly the type of thing that I would like to address within the foundation that Mike and I are developing. This is not just free stuff to cave diver wannabees, it is my hope that as we get candidates to the dressing room we can vett them appropriately through the community. This may only convince a few, but I strongly support divers jumping down the throats of the newbies who want to test the limits of their training. I had a guy the other day approach me for some help with equipment and as we talked he backed himself into a corner, finally admitting that he had been in not only caverns, but in caves as well - he was AOW only.

Yes, it is the individuals responsibility and yes we have tons of water where NACD, GUE, NSS-CDS rules and site rules are "nyet" unless caught, but damn, these folks have to get a clue.

Odd advise for someone who died in the cave a few months later going beyond his limits, eh?

 

[BabyDuck]

i keep thinking that, too, james - thank you.

 

[Jg1]

thats your opinion not mine so don't critisize me...because apperantly i don't care what you guy's think about my life in diving...what is said is said...belive what you want

Umm if you dont care what people think or beleive then why are you here reading and posting?

I asked you a simple question a few weeks ago. Whos your instructor?

Not a bad question not a flame just a question. You refused to answer that one.

Why?

If you dont want to answer the question then dont bother participating in the discussion.

 

[wjefferis]

I am guessing since you were talking about cavern over-riding AOW that you are PADI and are trying to advance towards master diver or other level of training? There has already been a lot of good advice tossed around on this thread, but I guess I will put in my two cents. I would recommend you go and get your cavern course so that you can get the proper training to safely start out in overhead environments. Your AOW training is really dependant on what type of diving you want to do in the future. I have been on lots of offshore dive trips where the dive operator requires an AOW card to do the dive or dive with a DM. I have to agree with Superbugman’s advice that diving with other more experienced divers does really help someone to become a better diver, but it won’t however, help you meet dive operator requirements for a AOW card. So if offshore diving is in your future an AOW class may be something you may want to think about taking in the future as well.

From your original post you seemed to want to take an AOW and wreck course together (I am guessing both PADI classes). If you do an AOW class (since you already have a NITROX cert) don’t worry about taking the wreck class unless it is included in the price of the AOW class as that would be a total waste of money. This is assuming that the wreck class you are referring to is the PADI wreck diver certification, not the wreck penetration class (which are totally different classes).

As for diving to 100ft, all I can say is dive, dive, dive and get lots of practice in the water. Get comfortable with your skills and comfort level in the water, then start to increase depth slowly with experienced divers or instructors as buddies. Look at getting larger tanks as deeper (referring to deeper recreational dives) with AL80’s isn’t a good idea at all as you could probably ascertain from earlier posts.

 

[jeandiver]

interesting thread.

I am trying to finish Normoxic Trimix myself for the deeper caves.

I went from OW to AOW to Padi Cavern ...
Then to CDS Cavern , Intro to cave, apprentice , full and then Tech Cave.

Even with that , I try to keep my dives at 130 feet or above until I finish Normoxic.
Just my .125 cents worth.

Jean

 

[Dive-aholic]

That's good practice, Jeano! I start to add some squirts of helium at about 120'. Any deeper and my thinking is really impaired. Even in the 110s, I'm somewhat impaired!!

 

[ucfdiver]

That's good practice, Jeano! I start to add some squirts of helium at about 120'. Any deeper and my thinking is really impaired. Even in the 110s, I'm somewhat impaired!!

Even in the 90's at LR with the co2 buildup due to the flow, I think most people are impaired, it's just a question of where do you draw the line. LR is certainly that line for me, any deeper and it's not worth risking it, you can always work overtime to pay for trimix.