NSS-CDS Full Cave: The Live-Blog
- Thread starter dewdropsonrosa
- Start date
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PfcAJ
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I enjoyed the blog @dewdropsonrosa
I'll get into doubles for the first time and do zero to hero too - well that was ambitious and I don't think Reggie should have set you up with those expectations. Even getting to apprentice, as you perhaps discovered, was dicey. That was unfortunately combined with floods that limited your experience to Ginnie (as far as I can tell?). Hopefully you'll master the doubles over the next ~6 months at home (once Chicago thaws) and get to build your experience base to include a bunch of other cave systems.
I'll get into doubles for the first time and do zero to hero too - well that was ambitious and I don't think Reggie should have set you up with those expectations. Even getting to apprentice, as you perhaps discovered, was dicey. That was unfortunately combined with floods that limited your experience to Ginnie (as far as I can tell?). Hopefully you'll master the doubles over the next ~6 months at home (once Chicago thaws) and get to build your experience base to include a bunch of other cave systems.
bamafan
Contributor
OP
Catching up on comments in no particular order:
The goal was always "work toward" Full Cave. Generally speaking, I didn't expect to be able to finish the whole progression in one go. The most useful thing was to actual start doing the dives and practicing the drills. This gave me perspective on what's possible and what expectations are realistic.
Were it not for the infection and fever, I think I stood a decent shot of having made it to the Apprentice level within the two week period, except for lost line drills. I have not yet earned a pass on the lost-line drill at the Basic Cave level. We were planning to go back and practice this a few more times so that I could successfully complete it and move onward.
However, since I didn't finish that drill, I have not earned the Basic Cave cert. This is fine - this is why I'm coming back for more later in the year. I'll need appropriate supervision to dive in caves during the interim.
Chicago is in the middle of the polar vortex blast right now, so I have no particular incentive to go home early. If I can find an adequate method of plugging my infected ear, I'm hoping to visit the Crystal River manatees before I leave.
I'm currently pondering whether I want to swap a near-future return (April or May) with a Fundies class. Having intensely-drilled technique would bring me extra comfort in the water, which would make any catch-up work that I need easier and faster. With that in mind, I might push my second round of cave training back until August, after quitting work for grad school.
I'm very tuned in to the importance of practicing at home before I come back. I welcome feedback and suggestions for how to get the most value out of building skills.
Were it not for the infection and fever, I think I stood a decent shot of having made it to the Apprentice level within the two week period, except for lost line drills. I have not yet earned a pass on the lost-line drill at the Basic Cave level. We were planning to go back and practice this a few more times so that I could successfully complete it and move onward.
However, since I didn't finish that drill, I have not earned the Basic Cave cert. This is fine - this is why I'm coming back for more later in the year. I'll need appropriate supervision to dive in caves during the interim.
Chicago is in the middle of the polar vortex blast right now, so I have no particular incentive to go home early. If I can find an adequate method of plugging my infected ear, I'm hoping to visit the Crystal River manatees before I leave.
I'm currently pondering whether I want to swap a near-future return (April or May) with a Fundies class. Having intensely-drilled technique would bring me extra comfort in the water, which would make any catch-up work that I need easier and faster. With that in mind, I might push my second round of cave training back until August, after quitting work for grad school.
I'm very tuned in to the importance of practicing at home before I come back. I welcome feedback and suggestions for how to get the most value out of building skills.
You will do better, enjoy it more, and be a better student for your instructor if you take fundies first. A strong basic skillset makes the journey better for all. Even if you don't pass fundies with a tech pass, you will still be better off. Take it in doubles and shoot for a tech pass. If you don't pass, you'll still be a better diver and more comfortable in doubles than many people with 50-100 doubles dives under their belt potentially (depends on how they learned to dive doubles).
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