Here's my goals, how do I get there?

[KevinNM]

I have heard that GUE offers a great fundamentals course but I have yet to run into anyone local who is a GUE certified instructor. My LDS had never even heard of GUE.

You have an LDS in Jacksonville that hasn't heard of GUE? Really?

If the OP embarks on this journey with caves in mind he should probably consider taking the class in tech gear configuration and aim for Tech pass or provisional rather than Rec. Even if he doesn't have any previous experience with doubles, corded lights etc. They will teach him everything he needs to know.

No they won't, not in 4 days. Not as a fairly new diver. You have a whole lot to learn in 4 days even in a wetsuit and an AL80. Adding new doubles and a dry suit to the course will not result in a more successful course. Both of those have their own learning curve. I would agree that using a corded light in the class is a good idea, its harder to add that to the s-drill than it is to learn it that way.

 

[VR78]

No they won't, not in 4 days. Not as a fairly new diver. You have a whole lot to learn in 4 days even in a wetsuit and an AL80. Adding new doubles and a dry suit to the course will not result in a more successful course. Both of those have their own learning curve. I would agree that using a corded light in the class is a good idea, its harder to add that to the s-drill than it is to learn it that way.

One doesn't need a dry suit for a Tech pass, and I agree, that would be too much.

 

[Capt Jim Wyatt]

But can recommend using a corded light for the course regardless
_R

Please explain why?

 

[Capt Jim Wyatt]

You have an LDS in Jacksonville that hasn't heard of GUE? Really?

I am quite sure there are dive shops all over Florida who have never heard of gue.

 

[PfcAJ]

I am quite sure there are dive shops all over Florida who have never heard of gue.

There are dive shop employees that have apparently barely even heard of scuba diving. Gue would be a total mystery to them.

 

[Capt Jim Wyatt]

There are dive shop employees that have apparently barely even heard of scuba diving. Gue would be a total mystery to them.

Tsk, tsk grasshopper.

 

[kafkaland]

Well, I think we have pretty much dispensed with the age thing. Now as to your best options for training: Since you eventually want to dive caves, I would take the cavern course in a configuration that will allow you to go into caves, eventually. That can be backmounted doubles or sidemount (either way is fine - but it should be a deliberate choice). Now, you want to learn diving that configuration before you take your cavern course. The overhead is not the place to learn a new set-up. There are a couple of options: if you go backmount, there is as already mentioned GUE fundies. If it's sidemount, there are dedicated sidemount courses - just make sure to find an instructor who does cave diving in a sidemount configuration, or you may end up having to relearn a few things when going on to cavern. And in either configuration you can take an Intro Tech course, which should give you the needed skills as well.

 

[Caveeagle]

Well, I think we have pretty much dispensed with the age thing. Now as to your best options for training: Since you eventually want to dive caves, I would take the cavern course in a configuration that will allow you to go into caves, eventually. That can be backmounted doubles or sidemount (either way is fine - but it should be a deliberate choice). Now, you want to learn diving that configuration before you take your cavern course. The overhead is not the place to learn a new set-up. There are a couple of options: if you go backmount, there is as already mentioned GUE fundies. If it's sidemount, there are dedicated sidemount courses - just make sure to find an instructor who does cave diving in a sidemount configuration, or you may end up having to relearn a few things when going on to cavern. And in either configuration you can take an Intro Tech course, which should give you the needed skills as well.

Umm.. you can still take intro to cave in single tank w an H/Y valve. ...right?

This is where I start to shake my head... from what I understand, the op is barely out of OW training and we are asking him to commit to SM or BM?

Some good advice has already been posted. Get 30-40 dives in and seek out some cavern training from an instructor that dives caves a lot! This will open up enough options to keep you busy diving for at least a couple months while you decide how to proceed.

I think sidemount would be a really bad idea at this stage.

 

[kafkaland]

Umm.. you can still take intro to cave in single tank w an H/Y valve. ...right?
...
I think sidemount would be a really bad idea at this stage.

Well, that was pretty much what I did. I took a sidemount course with about 50 dives, in preparation to do cavern / Intro soon thereafter in Mexico. I struggled a bit, but the problem was mostly with the sidemount course, which had been taught by an instructor who didn't cave dive and my cave instructor didn't approve of some of the things I had been taught. So if I would do things differently, I'd take a better sidemount course from a cave instructor. I would not want to start with doubles and then switch over shortly thereafter. Nor would I want to take cavern in a single-tank configuration. That's why I would start with the end goal of diving caves in mind, and get proficient with an appropriate configuration for that as soon as possible, and then get started on cavern and cave training.

 

[kensuf]

Umm.. you can still take intro to cave in single tank w an H/Y valve. ...right?

This is where I start to shake my head... from what I understand, the op is barely out of OW training and we are asking him to commit to SM or BM?

Some good advice has already been posted. Get 30-40 dives in and seek out some cavern training from an instructor that dives caves a lot! This will open up enough options to keep you busy diving for at least a couple months while you decide how to proceed.

I think sidemount would be a really bad idea at this stage.

I'm not a huge fan of taking a cavern course in cave gear unless it's part of a cavern/intro combo or cave 1 course. Although the material covered in a cavern course is the foundation of cave training, a standalone cavern course should be viewed as a recreational course designed to introduce someone to the risks of a cavern/cave environment but within the specific limitations of a cavern diver (200' total penetration from surface, 100' max depth, 40' visibility, etc).

It seems that the temptation to dive beyond the limits of training are too great for some, with locals frequently being the biggest offenders. How many times have we heard of cavern divers in a cave, intro divers diving to thirds in doubles (and making navigational decisions, etc)? How many people that take cavern in full cave regalia really have the self-control to stay in the cavern zone?

There's been some great info in here, but one thing I'd suggest is if you're a local, go ahead and take cavern sooner rather than later. It would be better to use the time with a cavern instructor to break any bad habits early on rather than letting them develop into real bad habits that are harder to break after ~50+ dives. Expect to spend 2-3 days in a cavern course, and if it's taught well, you will learn a lot.

Ken