How I started and why I continue to cave dive

[Fish-R-Man]

I did mine in March. My instructor was Bil Phillips, demanding but NOT the riding crop type. My back kick sucked, but he simply demanded that I work, work, and work, by the end it was working!

I had the same problem. I was laying in bed in the hotel when I was taking my class, when my wife came out from the shower to ask what the heck I was doing. I said practicing my back kick, can't you tell!

I had been on a number of cavern dives in Mexico and loved it from the start. The opportunity came up this past March to go and take a Cavern/Intro class. I was asked by a number of people what was the main reason I had for taking this type of class. I really wanted to just improve my skills as a diver. I don't know if anyone else feels that they get into a rut where you seem to do the same thing over and over. I had the need to expand on what I was doing as a diver.

I think for me that I have always enjoyed being inside of something. I am sure I was one of those kids that would rather play inside the box than with the toy that came in it. Now I am just doing an adult version of the same game......

 

[stakanak]

Underwater...under the earth...in something carved by water 10's, hundreds, thousands or millions of years ago...bring it on my friends.
Then again, if you are claustrophobic, maybe you should not be diving in the first place! JK...

 

[Sas]

Underwater...under the earth...in something carved by water 10's, hundreds, thousands or millions of years ago...bring it on my friends.
Then again, if you are claustrophobic, maybe you should not be diving in the first place! JK...

I used to have claustrophobia quite bad but I made myself get over it by putting myself in small places, like taking the elevator not the stairs (I know stairs are enclosed too but I was in control of getting to an exit unlike an elevator), things like that. The last time I remember freaking out was inside one of the pyramids in Egypt in 2005. I started trying to crawl back out and the guy behind me (it was single file, with not much room to move around to get down into the place) stuck his feet on my shoulders and shoved me all the way to the bottom. I guess I freaked out for so long then that I got it all out of my system

So anyway, people can get over claustrophobia if they really want

 

[aquaregia]

It's funny, I can back up without fins on, but damned if I can make it work with fins. I've relegated it to 'stuff I can't learn from YouTube'.

 

[kathydee]

I can not deny the strong allure. I keep telling myself it will just be a recreational dive trip to check out pretty decorated caverns. But--after all the years of technical rock climbing on some pretty dramatic stone, I know different. Two choices: either stay away or get hooked. I still have that power. Decisions, decisions.

Based on your stories here and your SB challenge I'd say you're a lost cause and may as well give in and try...

Well I gave in, and after a month of diving pretty much every cavern & some twice here in Mx -- as expected, I'm certainly hooked . It's amazing!

They're feeding the addiction, but won't let me in any further without a cave cert .

Soon enough!

 

[TSandM]

Kathy, you were like me. You were lost before you bought the airline tickets.

For some of us, the first glimpse of what's in there is enough to buy a lifetime's addiction. Actually getting there is icing on the cake.

 

[Cave Diver]

I'm not sure if I'm "one of us" or not ... not yet.

Bob, time for an update! Are you one of "us" yet?

 

[wrybosome]

Was that a "Freaks" reference?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BOUvNUpPlT4&feature=youtube_gdata_player

 

[Cave Diver]

No. A Tom Mount reference.

 

[lowviz]

I just joined the NFSA.

IJS...