Class Report - Cavern/Intro with Rich Courtney

[drydiver]

GREAT report, ladies! Sounds like you accepted the challenge and came out better divers for it. I enjoyed reading your versions of the training, sounds like you made up the perfect buddy team.

And just in case you're interested, the Spring MegaDive will be held at Ginnie Springs the weekend of April 1, ijs...

Thanks Joyce! On the Megadive, we are womanning the SB booth at BTS that weekend I mean :bounce4:

Perrone aka Donna's SPF

:daydreaming:

Congratulations guys on your accomplishment and on a great experience. Very proud of both of you for going for it.

... and sorry for chiming in late - I lost track of this thread, "hidden" as it is in the scary cave section of SB.

Maybe some day ... but probably not

Henrik

Thanks Inspector

I have done many dives with both of you and I think Perrone chose the best word. You both are great above and below the surface. Congratulations to both of you. The cave world is lucky to have you both.

awww :blush: thanks buddy

Well, I'm sorry we won't rendezvous in March, but I will keep you guys posted as to future Mexico diving plans. I'd love to dive with the two of you!

Yes, please keep us posted :bounce4:

 

[BettyRubble]

Just saw this! Congratulations!!!! Very proud of you both. And very jealous. I too got the cave bite on those same ceynotes last year. Originally planned a 10 day trip back there for this past december to get my intro cert but alas life happens and I am still hoping to get to it soon. Your report points out how much I need to work on in the months ahead to prepare. Thank you for the thorough report!

 

[mselenaous]

Thanks Joyce! On the Megadive, we are womanning the SB booth at BTS that weekend I mean :bounce4:
:bounce4:

If I can be at both, so can you. Consecutive weekends!

 

[drydiver]

If I can be at both, so can you. Consecutive weekends!

oops :blush: you are right will have to consult with my buddy :bounce4:

 

[ScubaSam]

oops :blush: you are right will have to consult with my buddy :bounce4:

Is the Megadive event the weekend after BTS?

 

[joystershell]

Is the Megadive event the weekend after BTS?

Sam, it's the weekend of April's Fool. Now how appropriate is that?

 

[CamG]

Greetings Drydiver and ScubaSam congratulations to both of you on your certification.
As you were on your practice dive I was recalling my nightmare or should I say attempt at my first experience at OG!
I think it is a rite of passage for all northerner to go through the crushing dose of humble pie that takes place.
I know for the few I have witnessed since it has been likewise.

Great report and fun to read!
When I was training I always wanted to know what my instructor thought and after a few really foolish things on my part he made it very clear!
It takes a different approach to settle oneself to be able to handle the stress of training and absorb the material all the while maintaining trim.
What you will find is that you are a changed diver!
I can not nor will you be able to think like we used to or should I say not think?
Every dive I do I take the intensity of my cave class with me and it has served me far beyond what I ever thought it would.

We have come to appreciate and understand diving techniques that many people who dive never experience.
On a side note, Jill was great wasn't she. I have met her several times and she has always been awesome!
I have made some great friends in Cave Country and found the cave community to be a really fun group of people.
It is easy to understand why these people love their springs and caves, even up hear in Yankee land!

You both must return soon just to dive and take the scenery in.
I waited 10 months and that was 10 months to long get there ASAP!
Passing the class was one thing but making your own dives; Plan the dive, dive the plan, execute following training, do your safety drills, bubble checks, check your lights, gas planning, etc. that is where the rubber hits the road,
I learned tons in the training and the dives that have followed have revealed to me just how much more I need to learn!
Always dive within your training and be conservative!

Have fun and please post more reports!

CamG Keep diving....Keep training....Keep learning!

 

[w ripley]

Good reports and a good thread to read.

I'll second everyone's experience that after a month or two off from cave diving, even with dives at a quarry and/or in the ocean, that the first cave dive should go easy with your eye on gear, style, etc. A "shakedown" as you called it is a good description.

In addition, if you have a long drive to get to the caves (10-12 hours for us), there's also a "jet lag" factor to put into the equation. We say, "Long drive, easy dive," to remind us to take it easy on that first dive/first day.

I'll go one further, and that is I personally won't do anything in a delicate and/or very tight cave until the 3rd day of a trip. I find it takes me that long to settle down enough so that I can give the cave the respect it deserves.

Congrats, and thanks for the reports.

 

[ScubaSam]

As you were on your practice dive I was recalling my nightmare or should I say attempt at my first experience at OG!

Maybe it's OC's method of initiating or hazing "northerners".

What you will find is that you are a changed diver!
I can not nor will you be able to think like we used to or should I say not think?
Every dive I do I take the intensity of my cave class with me and it has served me far beyond what I ever thought it would.

We have come to appreciate and understand diving techniques that many people who dive never experience.

Yes, Donna and I know we are changed divers because of this training. And as our instructor Rich told us that any future dives we do... "Do every dive as if you're in a cave." Sage words to dive by.

On a side note, Jill was great wasn't she. I have met her several times and she has always been awesome!
I have made some great friends in Cave Country and found the cave community to be a really fun group of people.

Jill was humble and excited about our training. The cave community is a special group of divers.

Passing the class was one thing but making your own dives; Plan the dive, dive the plan, execute following training, do your safety drills, bubble checks, check your lights, gas planning, etc. that is where the rubber hits the road,

Always dive within your training and be conservative!

We plan to make frequent trips down to cave country and will dive within our training. We respect our instructor Rich too much as an instructor and as a recovery diver to ever put in him the position to recover our bodies from the caves. We know the caves are an unforgiving environment if you do not respect them.

Disclaimer: Not implying others do not respect their instructors nor the caves, but this is my personal feelings on why I will stay within my training.

I'll second everyone's experience that after a month or two off from cave diving, even with dives at a quarry and/or in the ocean, that the first cave dive should go easy with your eye on gear, style, etc. A "shakedown" as you called it is a good description.

Can't stress enough how important it is for anyone who has been out of the water to do a shakeout dive before doing a dive in any cave. I've never heard the term "shakout" dive until Perrone.

In addition, if you have a long drive to get to the caves (10-12 hours for us), there's also a "jet lag" factor to put into the equation. We say, "Long drive, easy dive," to remind us to take it easy on that first dive/first day.

Yes, it took 14 - 15 hours to reach our hotel and we were beat so yes to the "car lag" factor.

 

[ucfdiver]

Nice meeting you guys at Kazbors!