Looking for advice for intro to cave/cave 1 equivalent

[rjack321]

Have a chat with Jani Santala at Plura Valley. I am not sure of his class schedule atm, but he is a good instructor. Normally lives and teaches in Plura/Norway, but also teaches in Långban MIne and Tuna Hästberg Mine in Sweden, Montola MIne in Finland, or in Molnar Janos Hungary.
At least for the mines in sweden, I know there are cheap accomodations on site.

While this is decent instructor wise... I have a hard time recommending Norway or Sweden. The water temps are so cold in Plura and related systems nearby it's really hard to get serious "time in water" to solidify your skills.

 

[iliketopetsharks]

I'd be surprised if you found an org/instructor that offers the same or comparable quality for a significantly lower price.
Diving schools whose instruction quality doesn't justify their prices are what led me to GUE.

 

[rjack321]

If I followed that mentality I'd have a yacht now... A plane... But sometimes sadly that isn't how it works in life, I could save for all my life and never get either.

I'd rather find a good org/instructor I like that charges less but is as good, then use the money I save to go further into cave, get a dpv, etc.

I would either save up for what you want (cave1) or pursue other diving opportunities. You are wanting to eat caviar at kippered herring prices and it just doesn't work that way.

Under the Jungle in Mexico is legit and I'd totally recommend Natalie and her crew. But they are top tier, they know it, and she charges accordingly.

 

[Kitzy]

Keep in mind that those GUE-trained buddies might be happy to dive with you know (on I assume simple recreational profiles) but might now want to dive with you later on more complex overhead dives, if you go with substandard training. People get very picky once the diving gets real .

What you could do is look at a bit deco diving in the ocean instead of cave - you will be able to get good training locally, it doesn't need to be GUE T1 and there would be less travel involved. Less travel and diving locally means more money for the actual diving. And then look at cave a bit later once you earn more.

GUE isn't the only way. People seem very much in belief of this.

You can get good quality training else where, you just have to look more

 

[Kitzy]

I would either save up for what you want (cave1) or pursue other diving opportunities. You are wanting to eat caviar at kippered herring prices and it just doesn't work that way.

Under the Jungle in Mexico is legit and I'd totally recommend Natalie and her crew. But they are top tier, they know it, and she charges accordingly.

Thanks for the recommendation

 

[Underwater Tourist]

I'd be surprised if you found an org/instructor that offers the same or comparable quality for a significantly lower price.
Diving schools whose instruction quality doesn't justify their prices are what led me to GUE.

Can't speak about France / EU, maybe things are different there.

Using Mexico daily prices (where you are spoiled for choice for excellent non-GUE instruction):
GUE 450$
Protec 350$
Xoc-ha 300$
UTJ 300$

GUE is 50% (!) more expensive than Xoc-ha and UTJ, and 30% more expensive than Protec.
For 10 training days to get full cave you save 1500$ at Xoc-ha and UTJ, and 1000$ at Protec.
And the pricing gap used to be wider when I trained (since then Protec raised their prices 3 times at least).

Again I never trained in the EU, but from what I heard + EU being generally poorer than the US, I would guess finding good instruction at sub 300$ prices is possible

 

[Imla]

Seems very mine focused, not sure if that would extend to cave ?

You wanted cheap.
Go with Molnar Janos then....
His wifes farm IS ON the land of the PLURA cave in Norway. Jani is absolutely cave focused.
You asked for reccomendations for quality instructors that wont break the bank.
You need to consider 3 things. Location. Price. Quality. You can have 2.
You have quite a few extremely competent GUE cave instructors that often teaches in the Lot, but you wont pay what it costs.

Personally I would go with the GUE instructor.
OR I would talk to Jani, tell him the predicament and let him guide you.
He is good, and he is one of few VERY active Caveinstructors in Northern Europe.

You asked for reccomendations... this is what I had. Seems there are very few who actually have good excamples for you. And I do like the cheekiness of the dude who suggested an instructor from French CMAS....

 

[Kitzy]

You wanted cheap.
Go with Molnar Janos then....
His wifes farm IS ON the land of the PLURA cave in Norway. Jani is absolutely cave focused.
You asked for reccomendations for quality instructors that wont break the bank.
You need to consider 3 things. Location. Price. Quality. You can have 2.
You have quite a few extremely competent GUE cave instructors that often teaches in the Lot, but you wont pay what it costs.

Personally I would go with the GUE instructor.
OR I would talk to Jani, tell him the predicament and let him guide you.
He is good, and he is one of few VERY active Caveinstructors in Northern Europe.

You asked for reccomendations... this is what I had. Seems there are very few who actually have good excamples for you. And I do like the cheekiness of the dude who suggested an instructor from French CMAS....

Thanks, I'll have a look ^^

 

[DiveLikeAMuppet]

GUE is 50% (!) more expensive than Xoc-ha and UTJ, and 30% more expensive than Protec.

Maybe it's also 50 % better

You can always cheat - lookup a shop that has a GUE "culture" but also teaches for different agencies, the daily rate will be closer to Protec.

For 10 training days to get full cave you save 1500$ at Xoc-ha and UTJ, and 1000$ at Protec

GUE Cave 1 + Cave 2 is 10-12+ days and 25 experience dives in-between, similar training (full cave + stage + deco) with UTJ might be 17+ days, with Protec a zero-to-hero full cave is in theory 9? days. Each one of these specialise in different things, one is not necessarily better than the other - not sure that you can compare just daily prices and look for the shortest possible route to a certification card.

Also, can you get full cave in 10 days? Should you?

Again I never trained in the EU, but from what I heard + EU being generally poorer than the US, I would guess finding good instruction at sub 300$ prices is possible

The problem with Europe is that there are very few active full-time instructors - inside or outside of GUE. The going rate in the UK is between GBP 225 - 250 per day, so around USD 300.

 

[Underwater Tourist]

The problem with Europe is that there are very few active full-time instructors - inside or outside of GUE.

wow, I had no idea.

I guess it explains why I see so many EU people coming to MX for training (among other reasons)