PADI Cavern Course

[mike_s]

What agency requires an H valve for cavern? NACD/NSS-cds require 1 primary and 1 safety per team, 1 primary and 1 backup per diver, and other than that complete recreational gear if my memory serves correctly.

I guess I thought NSS did.... (but I'm not cavern certified though... FYI)

from the requirements listed on Vortex's page.
Vortex Spring SCUBA Training

Cavern can be taken independently in 2 days or as a double class with Intro to Cave in four days. Cavern or Cavern/Intro can be taken any days of the week. Requirements include an Advanced Open Water Certification, a tank with H or Y valve, 3 lights, 1st and 2nd stage w/ 7' hose, primary reel, safety reel, and a minimum of 250 ft. The books used are NSS Cavern Workbook ($49.95) and NSS Cavern Manual ($19.95). Please call for class schedule and pricing.​

 

[mynamehere]

from the requirements listed on Vortex's page.
Vortex Spring SCUBA Training

Cavern can be taken independently in 2 days or as a double class with Intro to Cave in four days. Cavern or Cavern/Intro can be taken any days of the week. Requirements include an Advanced Open Water Certification, a tank with H or Y valve, 3 lights, 1st and 2nd stage w/ 7' hose, primary reel, safety reel, and a minimum of 250 ft. The books used are NSS Cavern Workbook ($49.95) and NSS Cavern Manual ($19.95). Please call for class schedule and pricing.
​

WOW!!! Four days?!?!?!? Thats it?!?!?!?!?

 

[TSandM]

I did cavern and Intro in four days. I think that's pretty standard, although I don't think one is guaranteed a pass in four days.

 

[InkDiver]

WOW!!! Four days?!?!?!? Thats it?!?!?!?!?

Taken with the right instructor, that 4 days will feel like 2 weeks

 

[ucfdiver]

I guess I thought NSS did.... (but I'm not cavern certified though... FYI)

from the requirements listed on Vortex's page.
Vortex Spring SCUBA Training

Cavern can be taken independently in 2 days or as a double class with Intro to Cave in four days. Cavern or Cavern/Intro can be taken any days of the week. Requirements include an Advanced Open Water Certification, a tank with H or Y valve, 3 lights, 1st and 2nd stage w/ 7' hose, primary reel, safety reel, and a minimum of 250 ft. The books used are NSS Cavern Workbook ($49.95) and NSS Cavern Manual ($19.95). Please call for class schedule and pricing.​

Intro to cave requires it. Cavern does not, the wording here implies that you're taking both of them together. Also, I think that it's a requirement to have 2 safety reels now for intro/basic cave. Some instructors require a 7ft hose for cavern, some don't (you can't go through restrictions in cavern, so it's not absolutely needed I guess is the thinking here). Also in cavern you can count daylight as your primary light, and carry 2 backups, so i don't think the 3 lights is needed for cavern either.

I'm not sure what agency they're teaching for that requires AOW....

WOW!!! Four days?!?!?!? Thats it?!?!?!?!?

Remember, these ain't 15 minute checkout dives, we spent 4 hours in the water over 2 days for basic cave alone, not to mention several hours of discussion and instruction. From hearing reviews of various classes, it sounds like Basic/Intro cave are the most intensive recreational class out there. Someone like InkDiver who has taken way more classes than myself could probly comment on that more accurately.

 

[stairman]

I think basic cave is the hardest.Thats the BIG step.If you took basic in doubles,single tank would be intro,then apprentice is repeating the same skills again but adding a few jumps in the training.Full cave involves repeating the skills again,with jumps and perhaps a stage dive,and traverse.Also some introductory deco procedures.

 

[InkDiver]

Remember, these ain't 15 minute checkout dives, we spent 4 hours in the water over 2 days for basic cave alone, not to mention several hours of discussion and instruction. From hearing reviews of various classes, it sounds like Basic/Intro cave are the most intensive recreational class out there. Someone like InkDiver who has taken way more classes than myself could probly comment on that more accurately.

Yeah, my Intro class was 1 full day of land drills, discussion, review of test, etc. (Full being 10am-7:30pm). And then 2 FULL days of Diving. The first was like 9am-8:30pm and the second was 9am to 5:30pm. We did a total of 8 dives for class, none of them were less than 30 minutes, although the last ones were close to 50-60 minutes. I was a prune at the end of the weekend. I was also sore all over, and physically, mentally and emotionally drained.

I agree that Basic/Intro was a big step from the other recreational classes I'd taken. AOW, Wreck, Cavern, and Rescue were all great, and I was lucky to have some great instructors, but Intro made those courses all look sick. It was physically more demanding, and definitely mentally and emotionally more demanding. I was also VERY lucky to have an exceptional instructor who pushed me, and didn't accept "good enough". Of all the training I've had, I can say without a doubt that Intro impacted me and my diving the most.

I can't comment on Apprentice/Full, but I am packing right now for my Apprentice/Full cave training starting tomorrow AM in Cave Country. Four full days of diving at 4 different systems, I'm stoked!!

Oh yeah, by the way, as mentioned earlier in this thread, my Cavern cert is PADI.

 

[stairman]

Hey Im jealous.But youll have a blast.The pressure we all felt at intro is non existant at app/full if youve been diving regulaly,and I know you have.I cant imagine anyone passing basic and failing the others but Im sure someone has.Ive only been full for two years and i enjoy the hell out of the sport.Good luck anyways...Randy

 

[InkDiver]

Hey Im jealous.But youll have a blast.The pressure we all felt at intro is non existant at app/full if youve been diving regulaly,and I know you have.I cant imagine anyone passing basic and failing the others but Im sure someone has.Ive only been full for two years and i enjoy the hell out of the sport.Good luck anyways...Randy

Thanks Randy, I'm sure it will be fun!

 

[BabyDuck]

i'll just say this from a personal observation of *one* padi cavern class, and stress again that it's the instructor that makes any class worth anything.

i saw a padi cavern class oct 06 (which may be before things tightened up) at peacock.

holy smokes. there were 15-20 students to one instructor, all with snorkels and with totally recreational equipment and mindsets with the addition of a few reels. i heard the dude doing some of the teaching, and heard my buddies talk about what a cluster they saw in the cavern (i wasn't diving that day, so that part is hearsay, but from trusted buddies). if i knew his name, i'd say 'for god's sake, don't take padi cavern from this guy', but since i don't i'll just say try to find someone like dive-aholic who has grey matter and not brown between the ears.

unless you're totally sure you'll never want to progress, find an instructor who can help you grow all the way. then you know you'll never be taking cavern over because you ended up with the blind teaching the gullible.