Holmes Creek report

[SuPrBuGmAn]

As a lead diver, if you're out of contact for an abnormal length of time, set a marker, turn around, and follow the line back to your buddy to assist if necessary.

Its true, if there were an entanglement, help would almost be instantaneously available in a touch contact scenario. In a bump-n-go scenario, you may have to wait a bit. Luckily, an entanglement isn't an immediate threat to your well being, and if all gas planning was done correctly, you have lots of gas to wait till help comes, or work it out yourself. In the cave we were in, I feel the method we used was cleaner and quicker than the alternative.

Anxiety of using this method is an excellent reason to talk with your buddy pre-dive, about how they handle different scenarios. Its also a great reason to be choosy on where you dive in order to not put yourself in the situation where these kinda things are more likely(still gotta know how to deal with them either way).

I'm no Instructor, and I don't have a ton of experience, but thats just the way I see it. There is no singular way thats best for all environments or even all people.

 

[cmufieldhockey8]

It really isn't ineffecient in practice.

How do you know this?

 

[SuPrBuGmAn]

Because I did it in training, along with the touch contact exit.

We did both.

 

[SuPrBuGmAn]

For poops and giggles, I went back to my NACD Cavern and Cave Diver Workbook and on page 52 it lists a "push and go" technique.

"Continuous touch contact may not always be necessary. A "push and go" technique may help to facilitate a more efficient exit."

So apparently its also still being taught under some instructors and is characterized under some agencies(it may be listed in my TDI manual as well, but I didn't check). I was taught with NACD/TDI guidelines by my instructor, which is probably why we went through both techniques on the way out.

 

[Dive-aholic]

Seems like to me, as a lowly cavern diver, that you'd HAVE to use something like that in a single-file type situation.

Rob taught us the "hold the arm of the leader" method for cavern (where you're supposed to always be in areas that are at least two-wide), but that'd be a little tough to do single-file

For cavern that's all you really need to know...the touch-contact method. Bump and Go is brought up in cave class by some instructors.

i would think the bump and go would not be the most efficient way to exit a cave as it may increase the time it takes to make it out. Can't think of any other reason to use it unless traveling through a very small passage.

I've used it a few times in both real and training scenarios, in both small and large passage. It's actually more efficient. While the lead diver does have to wait, progression through the passage can actually be a lot faster.

Hmmmm...so why did my instructor teach the "hold their thigh or butt method"? Isn't that what the 7' hose is for?

Like I said, it's not commonly taught these days. Only some instructors teach it. The touch-contact (hold their thigh or butt method or arm) is the commonly accepted zero visibility exit. The 7' hose is for air sharing. The bump and go is when air sharing isn't necessary.

I think I'd have a hard time managing my anxiety, if I were the diver in front and didn't know whether the one behind was entangled or otherwise having difficulties. That's the advantage of touch contact. But I'm speaking from almost pure theory, because I've never done an exit in zero viz and never swum in a passage as small as you guys were diving in.

In that case, you wouldn't do it. It's not for everyone. But it is a good alternative for some.

 

[denisegg]

Like I said, it's not commonly taught these days. Only some instructors teach it. The touch-contact (hold their thigh or butt method or arm) is the commonly accepted zero visibility exit. The 7' hose is for air sharing. The bump and go is when air sharing isn't necessary.

I was actually teasing about the butt or thigh holding While taking our intro class there were only two of us in the class so I always practiced with the same guy. When we first started doing the touch-contact(with the arm) we were bumping all into each other and I was thinking, this is never going to work. But our instructor made us do it so many times with lights out and air-sharing that it became a pretty smooth process.

 

[cmufieldhockey8]

thanks guys, this has been a good discussion.

 

[SuPrBuGmAn]

Agreed!

 

[ShagMan]

me three, good thread.

 

[Dive-aholic]

I was actually teasing about the butt or thigh holding While taking our intro class there were only two of us in the class so I always practiced with the same guy. When we first started doing the touch-contact(with the arm) we were bumping all into each other and I was thinking, this is never going to work. But our instructor made us do it so many times with lights out and air-sharing that it became a pretty smooth process.

I'm kind of partial to the butt/thigh holding during touch-contact...

...with certain buddies, that is!!!