Kevin Carlisle
Contributor
I have been in a few mostly looking for mudbugs.. When I went in I ran a reel. The wrecks just dont have the same allure as caves do for me.
Do I need to get certified?
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I have been in a few mostly looking for mudbugs.. When I went in I ran a reel. The wrecks just dont have the same allure as caves do for me.
Aside from the title of the post, I would say..........."There's your Sign" like Bill Engval , read it in your OP and then proceed without any training and we might read about you in another section on SB.
Why in the heck would you not get proper training before taking on another skill level in diving, to not keep yourself safe and your buddy?
Going into a rusty overhead environment that can collaspe at anytime just to see a few big grouper doesn't seem fun to me. I'll stay on the outside of the structure thank you. JMHO
Why in the heck would you not get proper training before taking on another skill level in diving, to not keep yourself safe and your buddy?
Going into a rusty overhead environment that can collaspe at anytime just to see a few big grouper doesn't seem fun to me. I'll stay on the outside of the structure thank you. JMHO
OP
I posted this mostly as a thought provoking discussion because I've seen a lot of posts where people seem to not think twice about penetrating a wreck, but are scared to death of caves. I personally think both demand a healthy respect. I wanted to see some feedback before I clarified my position though.
Chicken
Kevin Carlisle
Contributor
I posted this mostly as a thought provoking discussion because I've seen a lot of posts where people seem to not think twice about penetrating a wreck, but are scared to death of caves. I personally think both demand a healthy respect. I wanted to see some feedback before I clarified my position though.
I like the idea you have. Like a cave where technique is everything I am sure there has to be the same for wrecks. Especially the delicate ones where an errant fin kick could cause a collapse. That might be an overstatement but then again it might not. I know silt is a hazard in them just like we face in a cave.
For some reason, wreck diving has never been one of those kind of dives where I considered taking a class for.. of course, I've never found it interesting to penetrate an enclosed area without a visible swim through, so I'm with Abaco24 on a bit of his reasoning.
Having dove with several well qualified cavers and picked their brains on some of the best practices of reel usage and wreck diving safety, I will say, I won't be making those penetrations without some future training.
Having dove with several well qualified cavers and picked their brains on some of the best practices of reel usage and wreck diving safety, I will say, I won't be making those penetrations without some future training.
Kevin Carlisle
Contributor
I think the difference is the wide differencein what we call a "wreck." In some cases, it is mere "wreckage," safe for anyone. In many cases, it is a carefully cleaned and prepared specimen that is, after penetration, easily escaped by anyone with eyes and a modicum of diving skill.
People feel safe penetrating wrecks like these, and with good reason. Many operators run trips to these wrecks every day with a very reasonable expectation of safety.
As we move up the spectrum of danger, we begin to encounter more and more danger, and the mood shifts, and with good reason.
For the most part, people who dive wrecks avidly will never encounter a wreck that is really dangerous. They should always be able to find their way out without too much difficulty. If it is a wreck like the Spiegel Grove, with plenty of safe exploring and some not-so-safe, they will stay away from the not-so-safe (wisely) and still feel they have dived the wreck.
Caves are another animal. There are far fewer caves, and you don't have operators running trips to them constantly. A cave is differentiated from a cavern, so a cave is more similar to the not-so-safe sections of the Speigel Grove, which are avoided by the casual diver.
Thus, if you limit your discussion to wrecks to the ones that more closely resemble caves in complexity, you may find that it is not all that different.
People feel safe penetrating wrecks like these, and with good reason. Many operators run trips to these wrecks every day with a very reasonable expectation of safety.
As we move up the spectrum of danger, we begin to encounter more and more danger, and the mood shifts, and with good reason.
For the most part, people who dive wrecks avidly will never encounter a wreck that is really dangerous. They should always be able to find their way out without too much difficulty. If it is a wreck like the Spiegel Grove, with plenty of safe exploring and some not-so-safe, they will stay away from the not-so-safe (wisely) and still feel they have dived the wreck.
Caves are another animal. There are far fewer caves, and you don't have operators running trips to them constantly. A cave is differentiated from a cavern, so a cave is more similar to the not-so-safe sections of the Speigel Grove, which are avoided by the casual diver.
Thus, if you limit your discussion to wrecks to the ones that more closely resemble caves in complexity, you may find that it is not all that different.
Training and certification are two different things. Training is needed but too often "certification" is what is "required".
I was trained and had many hundreds of hours of experience in caves, wrecks, confined spaces, deep diving, trimix, deco, rebreathers etc. before technical certification was even available.
Training, experience (and the right equipment) is a must.
I was trained and had many hundreds of hours of experience in caves, wrecks, confined spaces, deep diving, trimix, deco, rebreathers etc. before technical certification was even available.Training, experience (and the right equipment) is a must.
Roger that Cave Diver...........and yes I have a fear of overheads, call me chicken but I'd like to see my first grandkids and Porsche Cayman.
I almost killed myself at Ginnie Springs shortly after getting certified at 16 in 1979 and not having the proper training. I remember it today, but I was diving with a preacher whom I had to save from my "limited" PADI training to get us back to the "ballroom hole" when our rented light (one) went out and freaked us out. Maybe I have the location wrong but I remeber Devils Eye and not being able to see my exit when looking up.
I almost killed myself at Ginnie Springs shortly after getting certified at 16 in 1979 and not having the proper training. I remember it today, but I was diving with a preacher whom I had to save from my "limited" PADI training to get us back to the "ballroom hole" when our rented light (one) went out and freaked us out. Maybe I have the location wrong but I remeber Devils Eye and not being able to see my exit when looking up.
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