Cavern vs. Cave Diving

[jupitermermaid]

I've followed this thread from the beginning, and I have to say that it disturbs me a great deal that someone who has taken a cavern class would seem to be so unperturbed about diving with someone who is described the way the OP has described her buddy: "Risk taking", "self destructive behavior", "inattention", "lack of communication".

On the contrary, I AM concerned, which is why I asked for advice. When I took all my courses, they were one-on-one, and I've only had this one particular buddy to dive with every time I dove. Even the recreational ones were done with just him off shore in Bonaire; never with a group or other people (other than my instructor). I wanted to know what other people knew about the area and type of dives that my buddy planned to make an informed decision on what to do. I have decided that I am not going to do anymore dives with him unless there are other
people along. I just found this site the day I opened the thread and have learned a lot. I'm blessed to belong to a community of people willing to share their ideas and opinions and offer suggestions to help others.

 

[Doc Intrepid]

Sometimes it requires a thick skin to ask questions on a site such as this one. Hopefully, however, the answers and comments are ultimately beneficial.

People on the board are weary of reading about dead divers, there have been quite a few deaths this season, and they truly want you to be safe.

Sounds to me like you've taken the responses to heart, and I hope you enjoy your future dives and stay within safety limits. If cavern and cave diving seem like activities you'd like to do more of, I also encourage you to find an instructor who you feel you communicate well with and continue taking courses. Courses are by no means authorization to perform more complex dives, but they will certainly offer a foundation for safer decision-making.

Best in your future diving,

Doc

 

[jeepchick]

The best advice I could give to you.....never dive at all unless your head is in it. It sounds to me from your previous posts that you may have some underlying "issues" with your buddy to begin with. A cavern or cave is not the place to be with those things in mind. I myself am intro to cave and am working my way up to taking full cave. I have learned that even though I enjoy diving with certain people on a regular basis, there are times when we have had a disagreement or other factors which may have an impact on the safety of our dives together. Because of this...we have opted not to dive together on several occasions. I have never had a problem finding a buddy who is willing to make the kind of dive I am comfortable making. I'm sure if you look around, you will have no problem doing the same. Just my opinion.......

 

[Caver95]

I myself am intro to cave and am working my way up to taking full cave.

So are you going to cater kelsey and my wedding???

 

[Meister481]

I have learned that even though I enjoy diving with certain people on a regular basis, there are times when we have had a disagreement or other factors which may have an impact on the safety of our dives together. Because of this...we have opted not to dive together on several occasions. I have never had a problem finding a buddy who is willing to make the kind of dive I am comfortable making. I'm sure if you look around, you will have no problem doing the same. Just my opinion.......

Hey look.... I'm famous!

On another note, when your buddies tell you that they aren't sure you are ready to make a dive, trust them!

If everyone feels like it's the right thing to do and you are properly equipped and trained, then it's your choice at that point. Never let someone bully you into making a dive you're not 100% comfy with.



Was that two full cave classes for catering?

 

[Caver95]

Hey look.... I'm famous!

On another note, when your buddies tell you that they aren't sure you are ready to make a dive, trust them!

If everyone feels like it's the right thing to do and you are properly equipped and trained, then it's your choice at that point. Never let someone bully you into making a dive you're not 100% comfy with.



Was that two full cave classes for catering?

if you provide the booze for 100 people

 

[SparticleBrane]

I will also point this out:
I see a lot of 'too far too fast' going on in all sorts of diving.

Why not forget diving in caves for a bit and get some more experience elsewhere? There's a ZILLION places to dive in Florida that aren't caves and don't require doubles. Go get a lot more experience -- improve your trim and buoyancy, get a regular dive team, then come back and take more overhead classes if that's still where your heart is.

I just don't see the point in recommending a cave class to someone with <50 dives. There's so many other opportunities at this level of diving that caves should be way in the future.

 

[jeepchick]

So are you going to cater kelsey and my wedding???

OK.....I will cater the wedding....you buy the food.....I make it and serve it in trade for full cave.........for me............Meister is on his own!

 

[jupitermermaid]

Why not forget diving in caves for a bit and get some more experience elsewhere? There's a ZILLION places to dive in Florida that aren't caves and don't require doubles. Go get a lot more experience -- improve your trim and buoyancy, get a regular dive team, then come back and take more overhead classes if that's still where your heart is.

I see your point completely! My initial intention was to get more diving experience, and "somehow" my former buddy translated it into wanting to get in an overhead environment before I realized what was happening. Where I do eventually want to move on, I feel I need more experience in OW before taking on a cavern and/or cave (a cave will Never enter the picture until a qualified instructor has trained me proficiently). Just because I earned a Cavern card doesn't mean I have any right to be in one unless my skills are up to par. I feel I need to listen to my inner voice and take my lead from that after listening to all the differing suggestions offered. I thank each and every one of you for your input. I like to hear what other people's opinions are, take what I deem valuable and see the rest as others personal opinion, then make a decision I feel is best. Unfortunately, I don't always follow that goal, but I try......lol I guess we never stop learning until we stop breathing; and I'm not interested in that happening anytime soon.

 

[Major Restriction]

My wife and I love diving the reefs off of Jupiter (lots of big critters); you have some of the best OW diving in FL right in your backyard (well, probably not literally).

Since you are trained for cavern, find another (safe, responsible) cavern-trained buddy and take a trip up to C/N FL and dive Paradise Springs, Blue Grotto, and, yes, even the cavern at Ginnie. There's no reason you can't dive cavern given you have the training. You need to 'keep up the chops' you've learned from your cavern training, since they differ somewhat from OW diving. (You don't need doubles, AL80s will do). Get lots of different experience, get to where you feel comfortable in lots of different diving environments, THEN tackle cave.

Good luck diving.

The best place for your first 2-3 doubles "dives" is a pool, with someone else there to attend. But that's just my opinion. Baby-steps.