How many cave divers are here?

[SuPrBuGmAn]

There's more than just the Mill Pond, panhandle rivers, north florida rivers, south GA rivers, various lakes, other mill ponds, etc but indeed!

 

[Trace Malinowski]

Thanks, Trace. I'm no dive instructor, but I've felt the same way about scooters. It's one reason why I've held off for so long in getting one. I've felt like people may cover up deficiencies in buoyancy and propulsion if using a scooter too soon, and I wanted to make sure that I would force myself to develop these skills. It's a lot of fun scootering, but I do feel like I'm still working on polishing my skills without one.

Yeah, there are a good many skilled cave divers using scooters and I think poor divers would be in the minority. For me, swimming is half the fun of diving. I worked on freediving techniques for years to become "the prettiest freediver" Mark Rackley said he had ever filmed and I keep hearing the "P-word" from my buddy Bob Sherwood as well. Combining good technique with knowledge of how to get the best out of energy and cave conservation based upon movement is what I bring to the table as an instructor.

The guys who are doing the exploration with rebreather technology and scooters, I respect and admire.

But, in an age of this technology, my "niche" is the art of the swim. When everyone else forgets, maybe I'll be able make a career out of teaching the lost art of swimming once scooters get nuclear power.

 

[cmufieldhockey8]

OW in 2005
Cavern/intro 2006 (100+ ow dives)
Full cave 2007 (50 intro dives/250 total dives)
adv nitrox/tech cave/sidemount etc 2008
probably 150 full cave dives

I don't think scooters really cover up bad skills... the task loading with a scooter would magnify poor skills and get you a few bumps on the head

 

[wb416]

Yeah, there are a good many skilled cave divers using scooters and I think poor divers would be in the minority. For me, swimming is half the fun of diving. I worked on freediving techniques for years to become "the prettiest freediver" Mark Rackley said he had ever filmed and I keep hearing the "P-word" from my buddy Bob Sherwood as well. Combining good technique with knowledge of how to get the best out of energy and cave conservation based upon movement is what I bring to the table as an instructor.

The guys who are doing the exploration with rebreather technology and scooters, I respect and admire.

But, in an age of this technology, my "niche" is the art of the swim. When everyone else forgets, maybe I'll be able make a career out of teaching the lost art of swimming once scooters get nuclear power.

Sounds like you have pretty good arm flexibility and great embouchure too the way you pat yourself on the back and toot your own horn... LOL

 

[Dsix36]

OW 1995 PADI
AOW PADI
Nitrox PADI
SCR Dolphin 2005 IANTD
CCR Optima 2007 IANTD
CCR Cave 2008 IANTD & NSS-CDS
CCR rEvo 2008 IANTD
Normoxic CCR 2009 IANTD

No OC cave experience or training, no sidemount, no cave scootering yet, no doubles and definitely no bubbles.

 

[Trace Malinowski]

Sounds like you have pretty good arm flexibility and great embouchure too the way you pat yourself on the back and toot your own horn... LOL

I apologize for that. Sometimes, it's intended to be "advertising."

 

[Green_Streak]

Just for the sake of curiosity how many certified cave divers are here?

What year certified as a cave diver, how long certified as an O/W diver before you completed cave training, by what agency, how many cave dives logged, how many different caves have you been in, and what configuration you primarily dive caves in?

Are you stage cave certified, DPV cave certified, sidemount certified?

let's see... Certified NAUI Cave 1 in october 09, was certified OW in may 09, completed 75 OW dives before cave training. I have in the range of 55-60 cave dives since then. I've dove Little River, Ginnie, Peacock, Manatee, and Madison Blue. Also, I dive back mount 108's I think I remembered everything there...

 

[gitterdun]

Thanks, Trace. I'm no dive instructor, but I've felt the same way about scooters. It's one reason why I've held off for so long in getting one. I've felt like people may cover up deficiencies in buoyancy and propulsion if using a scooter too soon, and I wanted to make sure that I would force myself to develop these skills. It's a lot of fun scootering, but I do feel like I'm still working on polishing my skills without one.

For us, a scooter is necessary for some of the dives we do. We are often exploring in the channel, which is impossible to moor in with a boat (due to shipping lanes), and you are sometimes dealing with some fun currents.

I do see your point, and have seen some people jump to a scooter a bit quickly. We do keep our skills up to snuff though, with skills dives all winter long, and weekday evenings during the summer. Then there are a whole new set of skills for scooter use.

 

[Beyond_Diving]

Just for the sake of curiosity how many certified cave divers are here?

What year certified as a cave diver, how long certified as an O/W diver before you completed cave training, by what agency, how many cave dives logged, how many different caves have you been in, and what configuration you primarily dive caves in?

Are you stage cave certified, DPV cave certified, sidemount certified?

OW certified FEMAS 1992. PADI MSDT by the time I took my cave training in 09. Approx. number of dives before taking cave training >4,000. # of cave dives to date >150. approx # of cavern dives >300 (worked as a cave/cavern guide in Riviera Maya). Certified full cave, stage. Neither DPV or sidemount certifications (yet), so I stick to backmount. Done a whole bunch of systems in RM.

 

[tasdiver]

OW 2001
All other certs and experiece required to get Instructor rating - 7 years
Recreational Scuba Instructor 2008 (NAUI/SDI)

OW Dives logged: quit logging after more than 1,000, estimate 1,500

Intro to Cave - 11/07 - NSS/CDS - Bahamas
Apprentice - 7/09 - NACD - N. Florida
Logged Cave Dives: Apx 70
Configuration: OC, backmount double LP85's, 40cf deco, 80cf stage.

I do not have any other cave certifications (no toys). I just started stage diving under the mentorship of much more experience cave divers.

Systems:
Bahamas: Mermaids Lair, Owl Hole, Dan's Cave, Ralph's Cave
Florida: Ginnie Springs, Madison Blue, Peacock, Orange Grove, Little River, Manatee

Gotta get my full cave finished up on top of my adv nitrox/deco/helitrox class I have coming up. Gonna be a busy busy diver!!

03/27/10 NACD Full Cave N. Florida :dance3:
Logged Cave Dives: Starting from zero