I am 16,could I do the cave diving?

[crawford]

I don't think he said anything about deco diving, just that he could get three hours on four tanks in the ocean, I assume he's talking 4 single tank dives at 45 min each.

Hey little buddy, diving is a great sport, and much better than what a lot of kids your age are doing, just enjoy all the diving available to you and don't get in too much of a hurry. If you do get cavern certified at 16, I would dive mostly with more experienced and older divers. You can learn so much. Even in my thirties I dive with more experienced divers in overhead, since I am very new to it. Must respect the caves.

 

[Dock]

I dont know why I am saying this because I certainly would not want to encourage dumb young kids to do dangerous things, and I have never met you so dont know what your made of, but here is my story... Started diving at 9, certified at 12, master diver/rescue diver at 15, divemaster at 18. Most of these classes didnt teach me anything practical; I learned mostly on my own by practice and trial and error and by educating myself. By the time I was 18 i was doing solo wreck penetration dives using twin tanks, multiple gases and drysuits to 130+ feet in 45 degree water on the NY wrecks and was completely competent to do so. I, too, to train myself, did stupid things like hauling extra tanks and rigs into the (shallow) water and doing extended dives like you describe... when you are young you are like a sponge; I read every book and magazine I could get my hands on, reread them, then practiced what I had learned. This is something most adults are too distracted to do themselves. By developing your interest now, being smart, you will grow to be a great diver. I have over 800 dives on three continents and in 4 oceans and have done lots of things many people would think think risky but have never been out of my comfort zone. NEVER do any dive to impress anyone else. NEVER brag about diving to anyone; let your experience give you inner strength and resolve and progress accordingly. NEVER do any dive that makes you feel uncomfortble. Always leave youself many options to terminate a dive safely. Progress at your own natural ability, in your comfort zone, and you will be OK. And if you do something stupid and die, please dont blame me.

 

[OneBrightGator]

I dont know why I am saying this because I certainly would not want to encourage dumb young kids to do dangerous things

Well, then maybe you should have kept this little story to yourself. The things you did were dumb, if the young man who started this thread has been doing decompression diving that is dumb, doing activities beyond your training is dumb.

Cave diving without training is STUPID and the requirements to get that training are there for a reason. Cave diving has an excellent track record, I'd like to keep it that way.

Ben

 

[fins wake]

just that he could get three hours on four tanks in the ocean, I assume he's talking 4 single tank dives at 45 min each.

Uh, I've re-read his post and it does seem like one 3-hour dive (dry suit and all) ... It's not my business, of course, but I certainly think Wendy has a point. Be safe out there.

 

[Wendy]

I dont know why I am saying this because I certainly would not want to encourage dumb young kids to do dangerous things, and I have never met you so dont know what your made of, but here is my story... Started diving at 9, certified at 12, master diver/rescue diver at 15, divemaster at 18. Most of these classes didnt teach me anything practical; I learned mostly on my own by practice and trial and error and by educating myself. By the time I was 18 i was doing solo wreck penetration dives using twin tanks, multiple gases and drysuits to 130+ feet in 45 degree water on the NY wrecks and was completely competent to do so. I, too, to train myself, did stupid things like hauling extra tanks and rigs into the (shallow) water and doing extended dives like you describe... when you are young you are like a sponge; I read every book and magazine I could get my hands on, reread them, then practiced what I had learned. This is something most adults are too distracted to do themselves. By developing your interest now, being smart, you will grow to be a great diver. I have over 800 dives on three continents and in 4 oceans and have done lots of things many people would think think risky but have never been out of my comfort zone. NEVER do any dive to impress anyone else. NEVER brag about diving to anyone; let your experience give you inner strength and resolve and progress accordingly. NEVER do any dive that makes you feel uncomfortble. Always leave youself many options to terminate a dive safely. Progress at your own natural ability, in your comfort zone, and you will be OK. And if you do something stupid and die, please dont blame me.

Well in that case I guess it would also be ok to just read up and practice some brain surgery on the neighbor's cat and get an understanding of it and then go out and open up a medical practice and treat people. Afterall I did read up on it alot and practiced some.

 

[Dock]

The things I did were not dumb... they are things that I would continue do to this day. However, back then, my life revolved around diving and I was probably better prepped for it then than now. I would never tell anybody to dive without training, I would tell them to augment their training with practice and experimentation which is how you create experience, something that this guy is already doing for himself. This is the advice I tried to portray above. I did not see where he mentioned that he did any deco diving... he said he stayed underwater for four hours; good for him. He did ask if he could, it was already pointed out that to take the course that he needs to be 18; if he keeps on diving he should be ready for it by then.

 

[OneBrightGator]

You said you did stupid things yourself in your post.

Doing any activity beyond your training is STUPID you gain experience by taking training and then using it until you have the desire to go further, then you repeat the process and keep yourself alive.

Ben

 

[crawford]

Back in the day (talking in the sixties) there wasn't much in the way of training or statistics on cave deaths. Now there are plenty of good instructors out there to learn from in this very "potentially" dangerous sport. We also have the gift of hindsight now with cave diving accident statistics, which point unquestionably toward no training, or diving beyond one's training as the #1 cause of cave diving accidents.

Stupid is the appropriate word for cave diving without training, or beyond your training, if you are aware of this information. Someone on the board recently cited Sheck as an example of a "self trained" cave diver. Sheck came along before there was any real training available. Once he "luckily" in his own words survived many near misses (read "Caverns Measureless to Man"), he became a primary advocate for training and it's importance.

Don't cave dive without training. STUPID. Listen up young divers.

 

[crawford]

OneBrightGator,
I should have made Stupid in bolds like you.

 

[GDI]

I'm 17 and am a NSS-CDS Cavern and Intro-into-cave diver. But I must wait untill I'm 18 before going any further.

Yes and there are some very clear standards for you to follow when cavern or intro diving at 17 years old.

Son I dive for the IUCRR please wait and get the required training. For now practise frog kicks and general gas management dive planning, Keep your Mother happy.