How much did it cost you?

[limeyx]

So... how much did it cost you to become full cave certified?

I haven't added it up yet but I can estimate that it easily cost ME about 20 grand over the past 2 years. This would include gear, training, and trips to training land. This is just an estimate of my direct expenses. I would guess maybe twice that figure or $40,000 if I added up ALL of my expenses on my 'journey to cave' and that is probably WAY low... it's probably more like 60K. I don't know... it's just a gut feeling.

It's serious sh*&, though... and it ought to cost a lot. But please... don't tell my wife.

Dont even start. I have > $10K in the video gear alone ...

 

[Dive-aholic]

So... how much did it cost you to become full cave certified?

I haven't added it up yet but I can estimate that it easily cost ME about 20 grand over the past 2 years. This would include gear, training, and trips to training land. This is just an estimate of my direct expenses. I would guess maybe twice that figure or $40,000 if I added up ALL of my expenses on my 'journey to cave' and that is probably WAY low... it's probably more like 60K. I don't know... it's just a gut feeling.

It's serious sh*&, though... and it ought to cost a lot. But please... don't tell my wife.

Oh, let's see.... In addition to all the gear and training, we bought a van to haul all of it in - $22,000 (only cuz we got it during employee pricing). Then let's not forget the house 10 minutes away from one of the best caves in N. Florida! Stephen, I think I'm already into the 6 figure range.... :shakehead

Oh, and my wife knows. She's diving the caves, too. So X2 the gear and training...

 

[Daedalus]

You'll will hate me by the end of this post, but I can deal.

I read and hear about the "cost of cave diving" and I just don't see it. For me, cave diving is a BARGAIN compared to any other type of technical diving, hell, even some recreational diving. For example (strictly diving costs)... I went down to Ft. Lauderdale the other weekend, it was an Easter Sunday charter, so $65 for 3 dives, 3 tanks of Nitrox at $14/tank, $10 tip, total = $117. Cave diving... Ginnie entrance fee $20, two doubles topoffs and a little O2 $30, total = $50. Traveling is a wash and I won't mention my costs for fear of my life, my cave training cost well under $1k, which won't go very far for adv nitrox/deco/the 16 divisions of trimix classes there are now. The equipment is a wash compared to other technical diving, but the key is to wait out some bargains, I got my doubles for $600, drysuit for $300, regs for $500, etc.

Anyway... anybody want to be my friend?

I agree with this 100%, if you live near cave country and stalk the gear exchange forums you can get smoking hot deals (350$ for my drysuit, 600 for my doubles). To do a dive at Ginnie it costs me 10$ in gasoline, 5$ entrance fee (300$ annual pass split up over appx 60 dives a year there), ~15$ in Nitrox and O2, total = $30. If I wanted to go to to Pensacola and dive the Oriskany in my doubles I am looking at 200$ for the boat trip ALONE.

 

[BabyDuck]

i'll be your friend, ben.

and jason is *my* friend! (wing, doubles, computer... ) the secret - buy gear from someone who's upgrading! ebay! tds! sb! plus he found me a spool in a parking lot, all mashed in the dirt & run over... my only new-from-shop purchase has been regs & a reel. and a harness. though i might get a new drysuit, i dunno.

and it helped that i knew i was heading that way after my first post-cert dives, in ginnie with a cave diver...not as much money wasted on stuff.

 

[TSandM]

Probably not. We looked at houses while we were there last time and of the ones we looked at...$350,000 was the least expensive in Tulum. Out Boca Pila way they were about 1.6 to 1.9

The real estate agent's been sending me tons of listings of 2 bdrm condos in the $250K range . . .

 

[GreenDiverDown]

Divers that don't live near cave country are certainly going to pay a premium. But I bet even the folks that don't have to travel have invested more than they may think.

Shoot! How much do you have in pocket contents alone? Backup mask, 3-4 jump spools, wetnotes, shears, cookies and arrows, double-enders... that's about $400 or more if you buy new. Maybe... just maybe... you could cut that in half buying used... and maybe in FL you don't need that many spools... but still...

... it adds up... and fast.

 

[GreenDiverDown]

The real estate agent's been sending me tons of listings of 2 bdrm condos in the $250K range . . .

Nice!

And one could probably find a 'regular' Tulum 'home' for significantly less... but beachfront would really be cool! Eh? Maybe we should form a partnership and share one of those! Got half of 1.6 handy?

 

[Daedalus]

Divers that don't live near cave country are certainly going to pay a premium. But I bet even the folks that don't have to travel have invested more than they may think.

Shoot! How much do you have in pocket contents alone? Backup mask, 3-4 jump spools, wetnotes, shears, cookies and arrows, double-enders... that's about $400 or more if you buy new. Maybe... just maybe... you could cut that in half buying used... and maybe in FL you don't need that many spools... but still...

... it adds up... and fast.

Backup mask - 40$ (30$ salvo mask plus 10$ neoprene strap)
5 Spools- (3 100' for jumps and 2 150' for safety spools) @ 15$ ea - 75$ (Dive Sports.com)
Wetnotes - 20$ (Dive Rite)
Cutting Tools - 35$ (20$ Salvo knife, 15$ z-knife)
Cookies and Arrows - 7.5$ (1.25 each for 3 cookies 3 arrows)
Double-enders - 1 spare 6$

Thats 183.50$, all new. If you are paying 400$ for that stuff you are not a very smart shopper...

 

[Daedalus]

I just added everything up, and I have spent $5,130 on gear and training on my journey from open water to full cave. Gas fills, Gasoline, and site access fees not included. So I would agree that it is very expensive, but you can get it done without pushing over the 4 figures mark.

 

[GreenDiverDown]

Backup mask - 40$ (30$ salvo mask plus 10$ neoprene strap)
5 Spools- (3 100' for jumps and 2 150' for safety spools) @ 15$ ea - 75$ (Dive Sports.com)
Wetnotes - 20$ (Dive Rite)
Cutting Tools - 35$ (20$ Salvo knife, 15$ z-knife)
Cookies and Arrows - 7.5$ (1.25 each for 3 cookies 3 arrows)
Double-enders - 1 spare 6$

Thats 183.50$, all new. If you are paying 400$ for that stuff you are not a very smart shopper...

Or... I don't prefer the products that you do.

Wetnotes - 50$ Halcyon
Shears - free
Tusa platina with guage reader lenses - 100$
Spools Halcyon or Salvo or Diverite - (4) about 40$-50$ ea- 200$
Double-enders - Salvo, 5thD, H, Reef (4) for mask, Wetnotes, shears, markers 6-10$ ea- 40$
Markers- (6) NDM from Diveriteexpress 1.60 ea (3) DM 1.00$ ea - 13$
Some bungee... not added into cost

350$ to 400$ total

I'm not sayin' that you can't spend less... I'm sayin' that even the little things add up.