Rec to Cave: Training and Equipment

[BigTex1836]

Welcome. Little more than a year ago I was in your same situation. I made the decision early on that I wanted to learn side mount. I wanted to have it as a tool in my toolbox as well as since it was so different from what I was use to I just had to try it out. (i love diving sidemount now) Like others have suggested in this thread, I spoke to Edd at Cave Adventurers then decided to book back to back Side Mount and Cavern courses with him. After quite a few dive trips, I went back to Edd for Intro, then Apprentice and Full together. Personally I'd suggest breaking up the Apprentice and Full classes. By the end of the Full class, I was mentally and physically exhausted.

Between the training and gear you'll want to buy it will get expensive quickly. I went the route of investing in the training and getting back to FL for dives while trying out different gear that I was renting before buying. The only exception was the side mount rig, which in hindsight I would have waited until after the cavern class to buy. Edd had recommended the rig, but I ended up buying from a different shop while I had some disposable income. I'd still buy the same rig as I am very happy with mine, but I'd still try out others as well as picking it up from Edd. However, all the training and trip soaked up a lot of my disposable income...and I don't regret a thing.

Since I knew I'd eventually need O2, I decided to do an Advanced Nitrox and Deco Procedures between my Intro and Apprentice class. I also did Trimix, but that was just me. I took these two locally while I was not in FL. I wish I would have taken Tec Fundies prior to cavern, but I did well without it. I specifically would have taken it to sort out my kicks. Most were good but Edd spent time working on them with me and I was much better when done...but I would have liked to have it sorted first.

Good luck in your new adventure...and say good bye to your disposable income and savings account.

Eric

 

[kafkaland]

I'd second much of the advice above. I was in your situation a little less than a year ago, and the first thing I learned that there are no shortcuts. Cave traning is taxing, in more than one way.

I decided to go the sidemount route - doing cavern in a single-tank configuration just doesn't make any sense if you want to go on beyond that. I took a sidemount course with the first available instructor - which turned out to be a mistake. I found out how little I learned on my first post-cert dives, in a different configuration that I was trained on. How on earth do I adjust this rig for ALs instead of steels? But I was already signed up for cavern / intro cave. And, as much as I hate to admit it, we spent the first day of the course trimming out the rig and practicing buoyancy and trim. My buddy was in the same situation, so at least I wasn't slowing him down. But that added an extra day to the training, which was fortunately not a problem as all of us had the time available.

So my advice would be to really get the configuration that you plan to use trimmed out well before starting cavern. With a good (nota bene: good!) instructor, or a mentor and a lot of trial and error. And then enjoy the ride, and be prepared to develop some mental detachment from your bank statements or you might get depressed despite the beauty of the caves.

 

[Hetland]

In the warmer months, I'm perfectly comfortable with just a 5mm jumpsuit, and a Lavacore hooded vest (Florida springs/caves). I think drysuits become more of a needed commodity if you're riding a scooter, or doing decompression (sitting still for a while).

I tried sidemount, wasn't impressed. I can get through some pretty tight stuff (wrecks) with backmounted doubles and a pair of AL40 deco bottles. Tighter than I'm willing to go through in a cave. If the day comes that I need to get into something tighter than backmount allows, I'll consider sidemount once again, otherwise, no. There's a hundred+ miles of backmount cave in Florida.

For class, you're probably going to need two tanks, and a means to carry them. You'll also need two 1st, and two 2nd stage regulators, and at least one SPG (two for sidemount. You'll also need a bottom timer, or computer. No need to get a Petrel, you're not doing any decompression diving in cavern and intro anyway. You can probably borrow reels from the instructor, and maybe a primary light, but you'll need a primary light, and at least one primary reel, and one safety spool for any overhead diving you do anyway. You'll also need two, quality back up lights. You can take cavern with a single tank, but doubles are required for Intro (or they should be if they're not).

You'll get laughed at (at least a little) if you show up with split fins, or a snorkel. A low volume mask with a black skirt is generally recommend as it reduces glare, and allows you to see your buddy's signals a little better.

No matter what anyone says, it's the instructor, not the agency. Find someone that will challenge you without being an @$$ about it, and prepare yourself for some tough love ;-)

 

[BigTex1836]

No matter what anyone says, it's the instructor, not the agency. Find someone that will challenge you without being an @$$ about it, and prepare yourself for some tough love ;-)

Agreed. Probably worth also pointing you to Jim's posting on finding an instructor. Good stuff for consideration.

 

[loquat149]

100% gue is the best game in town for that.

Except they don't teach side mount.

Dave

 

[TSandM]

Merica, where is your home base? We can recommend some resources if we know.

You can learn to dive doubles by diving doubles. Videos of valve drills are available on YouTube, and what you need to practice really is a buddy who knows what you are doing and is prepared to step in when (notice I don't say if) you turn off all your gas. A knowledgeable buddy can also help you figure out your weight and balance, because it's rather counterintuitive. (If you find yourself diving in seahorse position in doubles, move weight DOWN.).

You CAN learn horizontal trim, solid buoyancy, and non-sitting propulsion on your own, but a few days with a good instructor will shorten that process tremendously, and prevent you from ingraining bad habits. If I had tried to learn the frog kick by myself, I would have cemented my tendency to do it backwards with my left foot, whereas my Fundies instructor put a stop to that right away.

Don't look at a Fundies or Intro to Tech class as something onerous. Look at it as something fun, to bring your diving skills up a level that makes everything smoother and more stress-free, and also prepares you for your cave training.

 

[Merica]

I would like to thank everyone for all of the feedback. Just a few things that I should have mentioned earlier: I currently have a 7mm semi-dry which I have used in Ginnie Springs for the ball room dive a bit chilly but can live with it, especially if it means saving me a few thousand for a drysuit right away. I have a zeagle ranger bc which if i went the doubles route, i would most likely just end up buying a backplate and using the wing from it. Although, I am not from the area, North Central Florida is where i would be doing almost all of my cave diving along with the courses for i have the ability to spend vast amounts of time there. In addition, there is a quarry almost in my back yard where i can have the ability to do some dives getting familiar with equipment before heading to the classes.

 

[nakatomi]

So you received a lot of good advice, here is my take on it.

Cavern/Intro is definitely not the class to learn how to dive a drysuit, how to handle doubles or how to dive in sidemount. While in class your instructor may polish your skills, it is not the time to learn the elemental skills required for the class (handling the regulators, posture and trim, finning techniques, perfect buoyancy).
If I were in your shoes, I'd probably decide first whether to backmount or sidemount and then take it from there. If you choose sidemount, a SM class with a good instructor (preferably a cave diver) is a very good idea. He or she may be able to get you sorted out with the drysuit too.
If you choose backmount, you might want to choose to do a fundamentals class first.
After than, this is my advice, do 25-50 open water dives working on the fundamental skills and then reconsider cavern and intro.

 

[karstdvr]

Furthermore, will the classes teach me how to use doubles or will i need to take an intro to tech course to be able to use them.

You ask some good questions and kudos for being informed before making decisions. You have mentioned backmount and sidemount,no matter what you choose make sure you are squared away on either configuration,because trying to learn this in a cavern/intro class, will detract away from the class.

Along with this will i be presented the option between back mount and side mount training, if so i would rather do sidemount but fear that would require me to do the padi sidemout course or something of that nature before i even started.

Both are fine and appropriate. Some will say that backmount diving is disappearing in the cave diving circles,but this is not true, and it has other applications as well if you plan to use this gear configuration for some local diving. An instructor that you chose for training can help you decide what may be the best options for you.

Why stop now? I am also aware that a drysuit will most likely be needed and will an instructor feel comfortable taking me on a student with no previous drysuit experience and once again will this require me to throw some more money at padi for the drysuit class.

Don't ever throw in a lot of new variables. Get comfortable and proficient with the configuration you choose and then seek cavern/intro training,then perhaps add the dry suit. You will find your initial dives will not have the bottom duration or involve decompression that a dry suit is really needed. If you do feel compelled to add a dry suit, make sure you have a significant number of dives with it before attempting training. I have seen students try to do training in a drysuit when they had no experience and it didn't go too well.

 

[bamafan]

Two things my cave instructor told me on day 1 and they are generally true and almost anytime I have ignored them it hasn't worked out to well.

1) Only change 1 thing at a time. I agree with the others adding a drysuit with an new equipment configuration is probably to much all at once.

2) After you change something do a blow off dive. Even little changes can not work as intended and it is no fun figuring that out in a cave.

Sounds like you are on the right path. Above all else have fun.