Cost differences Mexico v Florida

[kensuf]

This is definitely the truth. There I so much chest thumping and bs'ing going on around cave country in Florida. From my experience the ones doing most of it aren't really the ones doing the real dives. Very few cave instructors are the ones doing the real exploration. You don't realize this when you are a new cave diver but as you gain experience and start going to the end of the lines in the various cave systems you generally don't see their line arrows.

Personally, I hate seeing glory markers.

 

[cavepiranha]

The cost difference from my perspective....
living...vs probably living.
I spent a year trained to full cave in Mexico...and then wanted to be evaluated by a US cave instructor...
I then spent another year training in US...
Caves are MUCH easier in Mexico, and you learn to dive easy caves...
Florida caves and caves in other parts of the world are much more difficult....
I'm glad I did both...and spent the time I did...
Sorry but experience...for some reason takes time
however
I'm still alive...

 

[mdax]

I'd base the choice on where you'll do most of your diving post instruction.
If you are likely to come to Florida train here, if you predict diving mostly in Mexico train there.

 

[bamafan]

Personally, I hate seeing glory markers.

Big difference between the eol and T's leading up to the eol and just someone putting markers down on existing line. I actually think it is cool seeing some of the old markers as some of these guys are gone. I haven't been to the Millpond since Marius passed away but seeing his markers will definitely make me think about how fragile life really is.

 

[CptTightPants21]

I would agree that there is more value per dollar in Mexico, but all the places I looked at are still in the $30-$50 per night per person range which is comparable to Florida. The same goes with food, more value per dollar.

I'd base the choice on where you'll do most of your diving post instruction.
If you are likely to come to Florida train here, if you predict diving mostly in Mexico train there.

Can't really argue with this logic, but I'm still a FL fan.

 

[northernone]

I'd base the choice on where you'll do most of your diving post instruction.
If you are likely to come to Florida train here, if you predict diving mostly in Mexico train there.

In the pursuit of varied options.... I pursued my cave training in Florida for two reasons. 1. I wanted a specific set of instructors and they were in Florida. 2. I knew the majority if my cave diving would be in Mexico for the near future.

Regarding point two I wanted the broader experience offered by a variety of environments as well as the added challenge of adapting skills post training.

It isn't the easiest path, but in hindsight I feel it was a solid foundation to my cave diving.



Regards,
Cameron

 

[teknitroxdiver]

Thanks for the good info guys, this will be very useful in making a decision.

 

[The Chairman]

If you want to learn and be a better diver, pick someone not somewhere or with some agency. The instructor is the important variable.

Kudos for this post. Some of us have favorite instructors. Pam Wooten, @Capt Jim Wyatt, Ken Salot @kensuf, Jon Bernot, Jill heinerth, Reggie Ross, Edd Sorensen, Lamar Hires and a few others. You can't go wrong with ANY of these and please: tell 'em I sent you... unless you're gonna fail.

 

[The Chairman]

I don't know why so many people in Florida want to push the perception that Fl cave diving is so superior.

If you can master Little River or even just Ginnie, then you have done something. I doubt there is a cave in Mx with that kind of challenging flow. However, Mexican caves have their own challenges. We don't have to worry about decorations or constant haloclines in Florida. Oh, we have both from time to time, but not with the frequency or impact that they have in Mx. You will have to change your technique and attitude from one area to the other. There are a few instructors that I love in Mx, but not near as many. Nat Gibb (Mighty Mouse) from www.UndertheJungle.com , Alexandra Figari and Peter Boger come to mind as being exceptional. To be Frank: Mexican caves make me uneasy. There are too many non-standard line configurations in their caves and that means that there are too many instructors down there who tolerate and/or embrace that kind of strokery. I would rather learn in an area where line standards are strictly enforced, so when I see diversions from that, I recognize and mark them immediately. Nothing down there worth dying for. IJS.

 

[Capt Jim Wyatt]

Over the years I have had several cave divers who were trained in Mexico as cave divers who showed up in North Florida for guided cave dives.

As I recall - none of these cave divers were able to efficiently negotiate high flow as we experience in so many North Florida caves.

They were, for the most fine in low/no flow caves.

Cave divers trained in North Florida who went to Mexico had no issues there afaik.

All this being said: IMHO there is nothing wrong with taking cave classes in Mexico -- Just be prepared to experience conditions in North Florida caves that were not experienced in Mexico, i.e. High Flow.

The high flow caves mask buoyancy and to some degree trim issues.

On the flip side---I do agree with this comment...