Need Help Cave Diving Training in Ft. Lauderdale?

[Tampico_ED]

Hi,

I have never been in Florida before. I'm planning vacations at Ft.Lauderdale from July 9-17...

I have no idea what shops are offering Cave diving training. I might be able to travel up to 1 hour away. Definately, I need to be done with it in two days.

Could someone guide me? Also what certification agency should be good?

Otherwise I will have to take the course on-line !

Thanks

 

[H2Andy]

hmmm....

well...

can't help you with location, but cave diving training is usually broken up into four different classes, to be taken sequentially:

cavern
cave 1 (intro cave)
cave 2 (apprentice cave)
cave 3 (full cave)

with some variations in terminology depending on agency. NSS-CDS and NACD
i have personal experience with and can reccomend.

i assume you would be looking at cavern training. you can do that class in two
days.

i would suggest that if you are interested, take the classes in cave
country rather than South Florida. go to Gainesville, High Springs, Luraville,
and thereabouts and get a solid instructor.

i can reccomend a couple that i think are brilliant, including GDI here on this board
and Johnny Richards out of Ginnie Springs

 

[Tampico_ED]

Hi Andy,

Thanks so much for you prompt response. The instructors you know are associate it to a shop? I might need to rent some stuff. Also are all the classes with side mountings...I want to try that....but maybe the cavern is not for side mounting.

Please send me the references. Is it truth for what I heard....(audio from the Last Dive) that you can walk in cave country and there are so many shops next to each other that you can get training any day of the week?

Again Thanks

 

[chickdiver]

Cave training is readily available from many shops in cave country. And it is available pretty much "any day of the week". Though I am sure there are several shops in the Ft. Lauderdale area that offer cave training (or rather, have cave instructors on staff) you will have to travel farther north to the Gainesville/ High Springs area for the actual training, as there are no caves in the Ft. Lauderdale area. As for Side Mount- it is considered an advanced form of cave diving, and as such is not generally taught until after one is certified and has some experience at the Full Cave level.

 

[Maya]

I'm really sorry if I'm wrong.....but are you for real??? This seems fishy to me. I laughed first, then when I saw serious responses I decided I might be wrong...

 

[Ana]

I'm really sorry if I'm wrong.....but are you for real??? This seems fishy to me. I laughed first, then when I saw serious responses I decided I might be wrong...

Why? you don't think is perfectly reasonble for that guy to want to fit a few certifications while he's on vacation? ...and a fat week long vacation at that?

Hey, if Ft. Lauderdale has places to go from non-swimmer to scuba instructor in 1 summer, why wouldn't this guy be able to become cave meat, sorry I meant cave certified in 8 days. I don't understand why would you think is funny.

 

[H2Andy]

well... you can't blame someone who has no cave training for not understanding
what's involved

i do think the guy is asking in good faith. let's not give him too hard a time

 

[Tampico_ED]

Guys,

Thanks for the responses. I have been diving the NorthEast for a while and doing wreck penetration. Most of my collegues agree I should start getting certify with basic cave diving. I understand some people go to Florida for certification and come back for the rest (now I know) full cave cert. I guess the first course I will take will be the two days cavern cert.

I do not know if I would like it or not...(Maya) so for now do not be afraid no competition !

Just want to enhance my wreck diving.Also it seems a unique oportunity to do Solo dives as I have been doing lately!

 

[H2Andy]

Also it seems a unique oportunity to do Solo dives as I have been doing lately!

lol ok...

i guess i was wrong. you were yanking our chain all along

 

[hermosadive]

As mentioned, you're going to have to drive further than an hour from Ft. Lauderdale to get training dives.

Here are a few options:
Ginnie Springs call Rose Meadows and check the availibility for the dates you want.

Contact Johnnie Richards to see what openings he has.

Contact Ralph Di Panfilo to see what he has open. A few of us are doing training with Ralph in August.

The links above are to their websites. Email and phone numbers can be found from there.