Lava Tubes
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While this doesn't answer your question ... I went on one of the most popular dives on Maui yesterday (next to Molokini) the Lanai Cathedrals with Extended Horizons. The first dive we went through a lava tube about 100-120ft long and 4-5ft high. We had a string of 15 divers (I was number 6) it was beautiful and while it was definitely an "overhead" environment it was not treated as such... It was the first time I've been in anything like that underwater - and loved it!
What you do is you're call however
btw - this one only had 1 way in and 1 way out ... with one turn and a 15ft side tunnel to peer down.
Aloha, Tim
What you do is you're call however
btw - this one only had 1 way in and 1 way out ... with one turn and a 15ft side tunnel to peer down.
Aloha, Tim
limeyx
Guest
kidspot:While this doesn't answer your question ... I went on one of the most popular dives on Maui yesterday (next to Molokini) the Lanai Cathedrals with Extended Horizons. The first dive we went through a lava tube about 100-120ft long and 4-5ft high. We had a string of 15 divers (I was number 6) it was beautiful and while it was definitely an "overhead" environment it was not treated as such... It was the first time I've been in anything like that underwater - and loved it!
What you do is you're call however
btw - this one only had 1 way in and 1 way out ... with one turn and a 15ft side tunnel to peer down.
Aloha, Tim
could you have surfaced midway through? or was it true overhead?
limeyx
Guest
scubabear:
I guess it depends on your definition
In my opinion if you cannot surface at any point while inside the tube then probably it should be treated as at least cavern.
I guess if it was only 4-6 feet long then maybe it's a swim-through ...
are you going to run a line? I know you might think "oh, there are no side passages, I can't get lost" but say vis happens to suck and you get 2/3 through and then spun around and start swimming back the other way somehow -- do you have enough air to make it? Are you even trained in the ways to plan for that kind of case?
Say it is 150-200 feet long and you have an OOA midway. Have you ever swam 75-100 feet with another diver on your octo?
Just things to think about (from the diver who refused to do the swim-through on the wreck by white-rock having seen other divers floundering around in there
I would say *at least* make sure someone runs a line if it's a significant length, and practice an air share with a buddy first (make sure you are tagged up with a specific buddy, or glue yourself to the ***-end of the DM)
true overhead ...
humanFish
Contributor
scubabear:
Most of these "tubes" are true-overhead environments. I wouldn't want to be in the middle of a pack/string of divers and have someone ahead of me or behind me panic. Some people get in toght places and freak out right? With that said, I've done soem of them and don't consider them a big deal....if you keep your head and talk about the dive with your buddy beforehand you should be alright. A flashlight is be a good idea. Some tubes are more like caverns with BIG openings on one side or another...where you can see light from both sides...kind of a glorified swim through.
You should treat these with caution and make sure your questions are answered before you enter. Most sites you can avoid them if you like and meet people on the other side or whatever, if you want.
Of course, you are taking your life into your own hands.
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We routinely poke around in lava tubes here in Hawaii. I guess the party-line answer should be yes, treat them as overhead environments. Having said that, divers generally develop some discretion about what is safe based on various things like the amount of surge present. I tend to be very careful when there is surge because the force can become unexpectantly more intense as the tube narrows. I like to spend a little time "assessing " (finning around near the opening) so that I have some idea to the pattern and intensity of the surge "sets". Hope that makes sense. I am a big baby about entering confined spaces with groups of people so you are getting the "conservative" answer! Have a wonderful time on your live-aboard!scubabear:
Aloha,
Your question was about the Kona Agressor cave/cavern specifics. Most likely you will be in "3-room". It is a true overhead inviron, however, you are only going into the first room. You will always be able to see light from the entrance of the cave. You will not be any farther than 50' from the entrance at the back of the cave. There is (usually) a guide line (rope) on the bottom. Shallow is an understatement. You enter at about 20'-25' and the back of the cave is as shallow as 15' on the bottom. I have logged more than 50 dives in all three chambers of "3-room" cave alone, (as in solo), do not pass it up.
Other cave/cavern dives might include "Long Lava Tube", "Spiral Lava Tube", and a few others. Ask the dive site names from Agressor and post the names and the Ohana will help. I'm quite sure (although not 100% positive) that every cave/cavern dive with Agressor is conducted so you can always see the enterance and exit. 3-Room is most likely the tightest space, and if it was on the surface you would walk into it six people wide and only duck down at the enterance.
So, should they be treated as caverns or caves? My suggestion is to error on the side of caution.
Other cave/cavern dives might include "Long Lava Tube", "Spiral Lava Tube", and a few others. Ask the dive site names from Agressor and post the names and the Ohana will help. I'm quite sure (although not 100% positive) that every cave/cavern dive with Agressor is conducted so you can always see the enterance and exit. 3-Room is most likely the tightest space, and if it was on the surface you would walk into it six people wide and only duck down at the enterance.
So, should they be treated as caverns or caves? My suggestion is to error on the side of caution.
scubabear:
I've never been to Hawaii but I've been in some big-a.ss lava tubes in Turkey. On one dive we went in the tube at 12 or 14 meters and swam out at 36 meters. It was all single-file work and it was too narrow to frog-kick, let alone turn around. IIRC there were a couple of places where you could have gotten out along the way. I don't know if your tubes are like that one but if they are then they should certainly be treated as caverns.
R..
I loaned out my cave training text but if memory seves a lava tube was one of three cave types defined. The other two being solution and coral. A lava tube is a cave, no ifs ands or buts about it. If you get a chance, read "Caverns Measureless to Man" by Sheck Exley and check out how he almost baught it in a lava tube.
Personally, I want no part of being in a cave, single file with a bunch of non-cave trained divers. In general it's hard to even think of a less wise thing to do. Cavern divng (in the lighted zone of the cave) is risky enough without the right equipment and training but divers get away with it often enough to get cocky.
Personally, I want no part of being in a cave, single file with a bunch of non-cave trained divers. In general it's hard to even think of a less wise thing to do. Cavern divng (in the lighted zone of the cave) is risky enough without the right equipment and training but divers get away with it often enough to get cocky.
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