PADI Cavern?

[GDI]

Take your time selecting your instructor. I teach NACD and TDI full cave classes and I can issue a PADI Cavern card as well. I do not make any difference in my training when doing a PADI cert or NACD or TDI as I teach to the highest standard. The card given you in a cavern or any cave class is not a signature of certification as much as it is a recognition of training completed to a instructors satisfaction. If the instructor teachs you well regardless of agency then you will survive. The instructor not the agency is what to look for. Now if you were to ask me would I accept a PADI cavern for continuing education I would tell you that it would depend on an evaluation of your skills and knowledge both in the water and on land. I would evaluate any student regardless of who trained them and what agency they where trained under. I would also still go over the cavern fundamentals and skills as if they didn't have any cavern training. In short you could say I would assume you were not trained unless I trained you. That is the way we are in cave country. Good Luck and dive safe

 

[MikeFerrara]

I don't think the PADI course is identical to other such as the NSS-CDS or the NACD.

I was a PADI cavern instructor and according to the latest standards I have...
First of all there is no text, only a lecture outline.
There is no writen test.
No mask line drills are not a required part of the PADI course and really per PADI standards shouldn't be added.

I know at least one cave instructor who will not accept a PADI cavern certification towards cave training due to one or more of the above differences.

Not being a cave instructor I'm not familiar with the training standards of the various agencies beyond knowing what I did as a student during my own cave training. Maybe one of the cave instructors could comment on the differences and what the standards of other agencies say about accepting the PADI cert as an equivilant...given that some skills are not reaquired.

 

[Capt Jim Wyatt]

I know at least one cave instructor who will not accept a PADI cavern certification towards cave training due to one or more of the above differences.

The NACD accepts the PADI cavern certs as "equivalency" for meeting the training requirement for entrance into an Introduction to Cave Diving course.

As with any course the instructor should evaluate the students' skills etc. to be sure s/he is up to speed before actually beginning the new class. If the student is not up to speed there will be a need for remedial training at the beginning of the course to ensure the student has learned all that s/he needs to begin the next course.

 

[Scuba_Steve]

As with any course the instructor should evaluate the students' skills etc. to be sure s/he is up to speed before actually beginning the new class. If the student is not up to speed there will be a need for remedial training at the beginning of the course to ensure the student has learned all that s/he needs to begin the next course.

Which generally means the candidate will probably re-do most or all of their Cavern course criteria in a lot of situations.

I think if a student wants some initial exposure to this form of diving the Padi Cavern course should be fine when done properly, but if the student plans on going further, I'd think it would probably be better done with the cave instructor for efficiency.

 

[JimC]

I have to agree with Big Jim here. I don't see anything particularly wrong with PADI Cavern, the class. The problem is almost any shmoe can go teach it.

For instance, if you take PADI Cavern with Johnny Richards or GDI you are going to be able to walk into Jim's Intro Class as prepared as anyone.

 

[Spectre]

The NACD accepts the PADI cavern certs as "equivalency" for meeting the training requirement for entrance into an Introduction to Cave Diving course.

This has changed then. When I took my Intro class, NACD would not accept the PADI course as equivalent, due to the lack of requirements on instructor experience.

 

[GDI]

The NACD and TDI's S&P have changed in the last year but not in this area. I have sent a e-mail to the training director to get a different perspective on how this may work. I'll get back to you all with his point of view.

From the NACD S&P this is what is written:

General Standards pg 2-2 paras 7 and 8

7. To recognize divers with previous training in the cavern/cave environment and to enable
instructors the option, upon evaluation of a student to credit a limited amount of previous
training towards the applicable course while still maintaining completion of all skills in that
course.
8. To permit experienced cave divers without benefit of formal training, credit of experience and
learned skills toward the applicable course, if deemed acceptable by the instructor based on a
performance evaluation and with approval of the training director. A minimum number of dives
as specified in the course undertaken will still be required. All performance skills will be done
in the course under the supervision of the instructor.

Also since this would apply to anyone at cavern level wanting to move forward to Intro to Cave here is the way it is written in NACD S&P pg 2-15 Intro Course Standards regarding prerequisites:

3. PREREQUISITES:
A. NACD cavern diver or equivalent.
B. Minimum of 25 logged non training dives.
C. Minimum age 16, with signed parental consent. Provisional status certification for younger
divers with written approval by the NACD training director.

I read this as it is up to the instructor to conduct an evaluation of abilities and then determine the starting point for training and if that means they redo cavern skills then so be it, repetition never hurt anyone.

 

[Capt Jim Wyatt]

When I took my Intro class, NACD would not accept the PADI course as equivalent...

There were apparently a few NACD instructors who thought that was true Jeff.

The NACD has always accepted the PADI cavern course as equivalent.

 

[Spectre]

There were apparently a few NACD instructors who thought that was true Jeff.

The NACD has always accepted the PADI cavern course as equivalent.

Hmm. When I went through it [not that it was a big deal] was with Larry, so I assumed that meant NACD as a whole.

 

[loosebits]

Just out of curiosity, does PADI require a snokel when in the spring? A TDI/PADI/NSS-CDS instructor told me that PADI requires you to enter and exit the water with a snorkel but you can leave it at the primary tie off.