Looking for a Cave Instructor

[furore]

Almost all the cave instructors teach year round, including Bill. Look here for a list of NACD instructors. IN-# following the name means they can teach through Intro. I-# following the name means they can teach through Full Cave. The italicized in the parenthesis following the names indicate the specialties they can teach.

This is the way I chose Johnny. I e-mailed everyone within a couple of hours of High Springs about their availability. I then asked the ones that were available several questions. Johnny was as thorough in his e-mail as he is on his website...as he is in his courses. I'm sure he knows he's in demand. Just look at his training calendar - he's pretty busy the next couple of months. But he sure doesn't act like he knows it.

The advantage to training in Florida over anywhere else (for us in the US) is that you can drive there with all your gear and not have to worry about using gear you're not used to. I flew to Florida for cavern, but I've been driving since. I get to bring my own tanks, all my regs, reels, etc, and don't have to worry about airline issues. Keep in mind that airlines are limiting weight to 50 lbs to the Caribbean area, which includes the East coast of Mexico. Not a lot of room for gear.

Thanks for your advice.
Fortunately I don't have most of the gear required for Caving haha. And I dont' have the patience to drive.

I will email all the instructors and sound them out though. It sounds like a gd idea.

 

[Steele]

If I may ask, what is wk pp

a week per person

 

[Ber Rabbit]

Thanks for your advice.
Fortunately I don't have most of the gear required for Caving haha. And I dont' have the patience to dive.

Just a head's up from a mod before things get out of control:

You might want to fix the typo in this, you did mean "drive" and not "dive" correct?

 

[scubajcf]

http://www.protecdiving.com/
Recommend them HIGHLY.

jcf

 

[CoyKoi]

I'll 5th Johnny Richards. I took my Cavern cert from him earlier this year and I liked it so much, I'm going back to him for Intro to Cave. It's no coincidence he has such a fan club. The guy is that good.

 

[H2Andy]

yeah, plus he buys me a beer everytime i mention his name

i mean... er....

(just kidding... johnny's awesome)

 

[furore]

Just a head's up from a mod before things get out of control:

You might want to fix the typo in this, you did mean "drive" and not "dive" correct?

you're right of course. apologies

 

[furore]

The reason I asked the question is because you has said in your original post that you wanted to become full cave certified. There aren't many instructors who will teach all levels in one week,the pass rate for this is low,and those that pass sometimes have difficulty assimilating skills-my suggestion would be to progress through each level of cavern thru full cave,with stops a long the way to get some experience dives. Good luck in finding an instructor,there are many good ones out there;if I might suggest start calling different ones and you'll find one that sounds good to you.

Sound advice.
I also don't think a 1 week course would be a good idea given my inexperience with diving twins.

Anyone else thinks that rushing a full cave course is a bad idea too?

A side question, where in the US can I go diving to gain more experience diving twins with a stage? I mean in Asia you can basically go anywhere, but Michigan is right smack inland.

 

[MikeFerrara]

Sound advice.
I mean in Asia you can basically go anywhere, but Michigan is right smack inland.

Michigan is inland but right next to a cluster of some of the largest bodies of inland water on the face of the planet and they are just full of wrecks from a shipping industry spanning several hundred years.

There are also lots of lakes rivers and quarries. Not all are choice spots but there's planty of places to dive.

 

[furore]

Michigan is inland but right next to a cluster of some of the largest bodies of inland water on the face of the planet and they are just full of wrecks from a shipping industry spanning several hundred years.

There are also lots of lakes rivers and quarries. Not all are choice spots but there's planty of places to dive.

I see,

Are there any popular dive operators that organise wreck dives in the area? I'm very unfamiliar with the place.

Thanks!