Looking for advice for intro to cave/cave 1 equivalent

[Kitzy]

@Kitzy, where are you regarding training? I eagerly await learning where and with whom you train. I am also looking to do cave training myself at some point.

I am rescue/GUE Fundies (Tech).

I primarily train in the northern parts of the Netherlands with my friend and default buddy, basically practicing what we were taught.



Here is me dusting off the rust after 2 months ish of no practice in a local lake (Yikes, naughty me).

 

[The Chairman]

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 often recommend @kensuf or @Capt Jim Wyatt.

 

[BoltSnap]

I often recommend @kensuf or @Capt Jim Wyatt.

I hope to do it with them when I train in the US. I have heard excellent recommendations for both.

 

[Kitzy]

We just had a pizza and talked to Brenda de Vries for hours today, we intend to dive with her somewhere this year so she can feel us out and see where we at, and if all goes well/we continue to feel like it's good vibes all around there is a high chance we'd be choosing her as our instructor.

 

[BoltSnap]

I am rescue/GUE Fundies (Tech).

I primarily train in the northern parts of the Netherlands with my friend and default buddy, basically practicing what we were taught.



Here is me dusting off the rust after 2 months ish of no practice in a local lake (Yikes, naughty me).

I am confused; I was referring to cave-diving training. Have you decided who you will do this training with in Europe, or have you already completed it?

 

[Kitzy]

I am confused; I was referring to cave-diving training. Have you decided who you will do this training with in Europe, or have you already completed it?

If you are referring specifically to that (And nothing else), odds are we'd end up diving with Brenda De Vries who will teach us some basic things before hand/have us do line work during our dive.

Past that, we got a few GUE divers at our disposal who'd most likely have 0 issues further teaching us this.

We haven't started the cave training yet and are focusing on keeping our base skills polished and high, so we don't have to go and focus on doing things properly we already know during the course.

As for where the training is going to be done, France.

 

[BoltSnap]

If you are referring specifically to that (And nothing else), odds are we'd end up diving with Brenda De Vries who will teach us some basic things before hand/have us do line work during our dive.

Yes, I am specifically talking about entry-level cave diving training.

I know Brenda from Facebook. I don't remember what agency she is teaching under. Is she GUE or TDI?

 

[Kitzy]

Yes, I am specifically talking about entry-level cave diving training.

I know Brenda from Facebook. I don't remember what agency she is teaching under. Is she GUE or TDI?

IANTD, we'd be doing intro to cave and full cave at once (Alongside advanced nitrox to cover deco obligations due to repeated long dives)

Not the biggest fan of zero to hero, but it's also partially our own responsibility to be smart about steadily building up experience

 

[BoltSnap]

Not the biggest fan of zero to hero, but it's also partially our own responsibility to be smart about steadily building up experience

I am not either but for somebody like me who has to travel for a very long distance and have to spend lots of $$$ to get there, one has to try to balance between all factors and try to do as much training in one trip as possible without doing harm to competency and quality of skills' level.


Have you known Brenda for a long time? Is she well regarded among her peers in Europe? She seemed a very nice and personable person when I chat with her on FB.

 

[Kitzy]

I am not either but for somebody like me who has to travel for a very long distance and have to spend lots of $$$ to get there, one has to try to balance between all factors and try to do as much training in one trip as possible without doing harm to competency and quality of skills' level.


Have you known Brenda for a long time? Is she well regarded among her peers in Europe? She seemed a very nice and personable person when I chat with her on FB.

Yeah that's partially what I am going through as well, I could have just gone GUE again but price is a factor, if I was unable to find anyone I felt safe with I'd prob have gone AM again but thus far it's looking good with Brenda.

I'll take it steady, I'll take it slow, at my own pace, just cuz I have full cave don't mean I gotta use it or I gotta push the limits off it, just gotta make sure I don't lose it either.

I have not known Brenda in the direct sense, she is active in the diving community or like... At least pops up on occasion, this is the first time I met her face to face, she seems to have friendly ties or at least friendly business ties with JP, which is also reassuring to me.

EDIT: Not sure if I'd call it "business" ties, but she at least mentioned sometimes if they are diving in roughly the same area they tell each other what caves have good conditions, or at least used too.