Morrison Spring and a little narcosis

[SCUBASailor]

Well, I just completed my AOW cert by doing my deep dive at Morrison Spring, FL. I have to say, it's the most surreal place I have dived.

I think I got a little narked at the bottom of the cavern (85 feet), and thumbed us back up to 60' after only a couple of minutes, due to my apprehension. (For some reason, I imagined that I couldn't find the cavern opening.) Once I got back up to 60', I wondered what the heck I was so worried about down there.

I asked my instructor and dive buddy to return the next day for a redo, and they graciously agreed. Realizing that my anxiety was falsely induced, I knew that I needed to do it again as quickly as possible. The second time at the bottom, I was able to quickly overcome a brief moment of anxiety by relaxing, breathing slowly and recognizing that the stress was unnecessary. A minute later, I was exploring the cavern, observing the fish and eels, and having the time of my life. What a trip!

Now, I can't wait to go back. Damn, this diving thing is cool!

Most of you have heard this kind of story a thousand times, I know. But I'm having too much fun not to share it.

 

[ianr33]

Who was your instructor? Which agency?

 

[TSandM]

I'm a little confused . . . were you doing the deep dive of your AOW class IN the cavern? If so, that's a rather serious standards violation.

 

[sabbath999]

You were diving in the bottom cavern in Morrison on your AOW deep dive checkout dive?

That's absolutely wrong.

That is a cavern dive, once you go down into that second chamber. Yes, there are a couple of places in there where you can see directly to the surface, but in nearly all of that lower chamber you can't. It is ABSOLUTELY a cavern dive.

There is a "Grim Reaper" sign at Morrison, when you go past that sign you are in the Cavern zone. They put it on that ledge to keep open water divers OUT of the lower cavern area.

Your insructor should be reported to his agency for taking you into an overhead environment on an AOW dive...

Seriously... DON'T go back down there until you have the proper training and equipment for it. There are several people here on SB who are excellent cavern and cave instructors that I am sure would be glad to TRAIN you to properly dive in Morrison and other caverns...

You can DIE in places like that if you are not trained.

Yeah, people go in places like where you went all the time... I know they do... but they also DIE in places like that.

 

[SCUBASailor]

Oh, oh. I think I opened a can of worms. I will check into this immediately. Thanks for your responses.

 

[sabbath999]

It's good that you did... it really is important to know that what your instructor did was just wrong...

Please do me a personal favor and watch the following 10 minute video. Thanks!

"A Deceptively Easy Way To Die"

(Here's me at the Reaper at Morrison you passed)...

 

[SCUBASailor]

I asked the instructor if it was appropriate for us to be making this dive. I was told it's fine, as long as we can see natural sunlight, which we could. I will call the instructors' boss tomorrow. I do respect the dangers of diving, and thought I was doing it all the right way. I appreciate all your comments. I have gone from high to low very quickly. Thanks for your concern.

 

[sabbath999]

Don't be low!

You didn't know. Yeah, it's a cool place to dive... in fact, if you really liked it, I encourage you to go back there, as well as the other caverns in the area like Vortex and Jackson Blue to name a couple...

I was just saying that they take specific training to dive them safely. Many instructors here on Scubaboard can give you that training... cavern training is not particularly expensive, and it's a lot of fun! It will help you be a better diver even in open water because you will refine your skills with your cavern instructor.

The only reason I was kind of freaking out a bit was because your instructor should have known better than to take you into a cavern during ANY kind of training that isn't specifically Cavern training.

Don't let this stop you or get you down. If you want to go back down there, then do so... but with cavern-specific instruction to help make sure you come out of that magical place safe and sound.

 

[TSandM]

I don't know about all agencies, but certainly for PADI, taking someone on an AOW dive into an overhead environment would be a definite standards violation. What's worse is that you questioned it and the instructor STILL told you it was okay. This is not right.

But YOU have no reason to feel bad -- you questioned the whole thing, and got bad information.

And the caverns ARE cool, amazing and wonderful places to dive. Which is why so many of us get the training to go dive them!

 

[SCUBASailor]

Thanks for your support. Today I will get to the bottom of this. (Yes, the pun is intended.) I guess my next step will have to be cavern certification.