Cavern class

[ucfdiver]

My wife and i are thinking about taking the cavern class, so we can come down to northern florida to enjoy the springs. I'm guessing we would get more enjoyable diving the caverns vs just diving the o/w of the springs. Can anyone head us to a good place to take a cavern class? We donot want to go all the way to full-cave. We would like to get some more training on overhead environment. Just looking for some feedback?

I would say to contact these guys if you're in the Gainesville area.

• Dan Patterson
• Rich Courtney
• Jim Wyatt

This is just IMO, so take it as that, but I don't support taking cavern alone. 2 days (often 1 diving, 1 classroom) isn't enough time in the water to begin diving overhead environments. I would seriously look at taking a GUE/NAUI Fundamentals of Technical Diving course and then taking either C1 or Cavern+Intro combined. That way you're getting 4-5 days of skills, then 4-5 days of overhead procedures.

 

[kanonfodr]

I'm putting in a recommendation for Shirley Kasser. She teaches both Cavern and NAUI Cave1, and while I haven't dived with her personally one of my great dive buddies in Hawaii was trained by her and he is an awesome diver.

Peace,
Greg

 

[DA Aquamaster]

This is just IMO, so take it as that, but I don't support taking cavern alone. 2 days (often 1 diving, 1 classroom) isn't enough time in the water to begin diving overhead environments.

I am also not a fan of just taking cavern alone.

The bulk of the basic skills are developed in Cavern and are then applied further in the cave in Intro to Cave. Taking both gives you twice the training, twice the practice and twice the feedback, and at the end of both courses, (assuming you pass) it gives you the basic skills and cert to begin to dive on your primary reel or on mainline past the cavern zone.

Being certified to dive in a Cavern alone is a bit like having the training and license to drive only in a parking lot. Sooner or later you're going to get tempted to take the car for a spin on the street and you won't be properly prepared.

The difference in terms of time and committment if taken through NACD or NSS-CDS is a 2 day/4 dive course versus a 4 day/8 dive course and in the cost will double with a cost, in N FL of about $350-400 for the Cavern course and the same amount for the Intro course.

Another reality is that the number of interesting caverns is pretty limited. Most caverns are small and are quickly walled out by a diver and boredom sets in.

 

[ScubaSam]

I would say to contact these guys if you're in the Gainesville area.

• Dan Patterson
• Rich Courtney
• Jim Wyatt

This is just IMO, so take it as that, but I don't support taking cavern alone. 2 days (often 1 diving, 1 classroom) isn't enough time in the water to begin diving overhead environments. I would seriously look at taking a GUE/NAUI Fundamentals of Technical Diving course and then taking either C1 or Cavern+Intro combined. That way you're getting 4-5 days of skills, then 4-5 days of overhead procedures.

Agree with James' post about the instructors he recommends and in taking Cavern + Intro combined. I did that last month with Rich Courtney and would highly recommend Rich.

 

[Capt Jim Wyatt]

Below the line is what is printed on the NSS-CDS website regarding the cavern program. I still view the cavern program as a highly valuable course for a couple of reasons. Some are outlined below. One other reason is that it allows folks who *think they might* want to start cave diving to give it a try at the cavern level. Standard open water gear with minor modifications can be used.

In my experience a few people have enrolled in these classes & come to find out on day one in the cavern its not for them. I had a student tell me that just last week. He had bought cave gear, lights, reels etc on the advice of someone else. Traveled down here for the cavern/basic cave class. He made it through cavern, barely. He knew after that he did not want to go any further with this training.

He did leave with a lot of knowledge about cave diving, the dangers of cave diving and will, because of this training be able to tell folks to stay out of the caves unless trained.

He also carries with him for the rest of his life additional skills such as anti-silting techniques, reel running and has been exposed to increased task loading.


_____________________________________________________________________
As originally conceived, the Cavern Diver course was a recreational diving course, taught to recreational divers using basic recreational diving equipment. It was assumed most participants had little interest in penetrating caves beyond sight of the entrance.

Today the need for that sort of a program has diminished. With readily available cavern diving sites in north Florida, such as Ginnie Spring and Blue Grotto, and the system of guided cenote tours in Mexico, recreational divers don’t necessarily need to take a complete, two-day course in order to enjoy a safe cavern experience.

What is more common now is to use the Cavern Diver program as the first step in the complete eight-day Cave Diver curriculum. It is where we introduce students to basic cave diving skills, such as equipment configuration, guideline and reel use, and specialized buoyancy control, body position and propulsion techniques. It is also a way to screen students to make sure they possess the necessary abilities before allowing them in the fragile cave environment.

 

[Kevin Carlisle]

IMO, very few divers who do combo courses are ready for intro level dives after. They need time in the cavern to gain experience and have a few " oh s#@t " moments to learn from. Every diver doesnt, but most do. If a diver is too good to go and enjoy a cavern dive they might be doing this for the wrong reason anyway.

 

[Peter Guy]

I am a firm believer in learning as much as you can where you are and that is particularly true when considering something like a Cavern class. In a Cavern class, you are going to be taught skills that make you a safe diver in an overhead environment. Some of those skills, such as the "non-silting kicks" and pin-point buoyancy control, are NOT strictly overhead environment skills, but, really, good diving skills.

If you can, learn those skills where you are from a technical diving instructor (or a good OW instructor) and have them solid. Then, when you get to North Florida (and I second the recommendation to train with Rob who is a friend) you will be able to concentrate on the Overhead Specific skills which will make your training much more efficient.

BTW, this is my experience talking. When I took Cavern, I had those basic skills and my Cavern instructor mused that he didn't know what to do with me! We spent a lot of time on the Overhead skills that otherwise would have been spent on the open water basic skills.

 

[w ripley]

If you can, learn those skills where you are from a technical diving instructor (or a good OW instructor) and have them solid. Then, when you get to North Florida (and I second the recommendation to train with Rob who is a friend) you will be able to concentrate on the Overhead Specific skills which will make your training much more efficient.

I agree; That's might good advice.

The problem usually is unless your instructor has been cave trained he or she may not understand the skills you are trying to learn. I see instructors who aren't cave divers and the way they train their students, and then I see instructors who are cave divers - and it's like night and day.

So, I would add to your excellent suggestion: "If you can, learn those skills where you are from a diving instructor who is also a cave diver and have them solid.

 

[OHIO DIVERS]

Capt jim wyatt
are you saying we can come down to northern florida and dive the caverns of ginnie spring and the blue grotto without having cavern or cave cert?
I'm sure this is not true. Why would we want to that?

 

[Capt Jim Wyatt]

Capt jim wyatt
are you saying we can come down to northern florida and dive the caverns of ginnie spring and the blue grotto without having cavern or cave cert?
I'm sure this is not true. Why would we want to that?

You can dive Ginnie & Blue Grotto with no cavern or cave cert. They don't ask. I did not state nor imply you'd want to. I simply copied & pasted from the NSS-CDS website. Read my post carefully.