Recommendations for cave instructors in Texas.

[tbone1004]

@DankTank you're going to find it hard to get a cave instructor out there, and if you do, you may not be able to complete training in the caves in texas due to the complexity of some of them. You are really better off doing it in Florida or Mexico.

There are three basic options.
Traditional option 1: take it in a pair of 4 day chunks. Cavern/Intro, then come back for Apprentice/Full
Option 2: if you have your **** together, i.e. have been doing technical diving for a while and have your gear and skills sorted, you can do it in one fell swoop over 8 days.
Option 3: If you are in backmount, consider going with NAUI/GUE. Here you get an equivalent of Cavern/Intro/Apprentice and that is done in 5 days typically. For those you will have to have a pre-req of fundies for GUE, or an intro to tech course for NAUI. For NAUI that can be waved, for GUE you need a tech-pass

 

[KevinNM]

All prerequisites for GUE can be waived. You just need to go dive with an IE and convince him you know all this stuff and can do the skills needed to the standards required. Having taken a class from an IE I know they are not easy graders. But someone here said they got into Tech2 with at least tech 1 and possibly fundamentals waived, so it can happen if you are really solid skill-wise and willing to absorb the GUE SOPs.

 

[kensuf]

@DankTank you're going to find it hard to get a cave instructor out there, and if you do, you may not be able to complete training in the caves in texas due to the complexity of some of them. You are really better off doing it in Florida or Mexico.

There are three basic options.
Traditional option 1: take it in a pair of 4 day chunks. Cavern/Intro, then come back for Apprentice/Full
Option 2: if you have your **** together, i.e. have been doing technical diving for a while and have your gear and skills sorted, you can do it in one fell swoop over 8 days.
Option 3: If you are in backmount, consider going with NAUI/GUE. Here you get an equivalent of Cavern/Intro/Apprentice and that is done in 5 days typically. For those you will have to have a pre-req of fundies for GUE, or an intro to tech course for NAUI. For NAUI that can be waved, for GUE you need a tech-pass

"Option 3" -- Can also be done with the NSS-CDS (Cavern/Intro/Apprentice) and can also be done in side-mount configuration through either NAUI or the NSS-CDS. The caveat about having your stuff together (option #2) applies. The instructor must be a side-mount instructor and in the case of NAUI, get a training waiver to allow it.

IMHO - If you have zero side-mount experience, do not begin your cave diving in side-mount configuration. You do not need to be learning how to manage side-mount at the same time you're trying to learn how to cave dive.

 

[LiteHedded]

All prerequisites for GUE can be waived. You just need to go dive with an IE and convince him you know all this stuff and can do the skills needed to the standards required. Having taken a class from an IE I know they are not easy graders. But someone here said they got into Tech2 with at least tech 1 and possibly fundamentals waived, so it can happen if you are really solid skill-wise and willing to absorb the GUE SOPs.

i skipped tech 1. it can be done
i did have a tech pass from way back when though but i dont think it would've mattered

 

[sea_ledford]

There are no training suitable caves in Texas. I know of 4 in the state, one is stupid deep, one is closed to all but permit holders, another is closed indefinitely, and the last is a mile long hike through wet cave to get to the sump. There are probably a few more that are secret-ish, but those are the ones I know of, and I know the permit holders!

So Mexico or Florida is as close as it gets.

If you want a Texas based instructor, there is also Paul Murphy in Austin.

-Chris

 

[sea_ledford]

I know a guy in Austin who went through GUE's cave 1 in High Springs Florida. I believe all the actual divable caves in Texas are permit only, and they don't give out many permits. The caves suitable for training cave divers have certain requirements as to visibility, flow, size and silting potential, so just having an overhead environment isn't enough.

Sam Meacham might still be in San Marcos and he's done some amazing things. Home He's not a cave diving instructor, but he's a very serious cave diver and GUE instructor. Worth talking to.
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/explorers/projects/quintana-roo-meacham-project/

Sam isn't in Texas anymore. I think he re-located to Mexico, but I'm not sure.

 

[karstdvr]

Think of learning cave diving like having surgery. If you need a procedure, would you want your surgeon to be someone who does that procedure infrequently, or all the time? Cave diving is an unforgiving sport when mistakes are made. Since your life depends on quality instruction, you want the best. Go somewhere with an instructor that teaches a lot-Mexico and Florida are your best choices.

 

[Capt Jim Wyatt]

Carl Griffing is a cave instructor who lives near Houston.

 

[Trace Malinowski]

Carl Griffing. He can get you squared away and prepped for cave class in a suitable environment.

 

[txgoose]

I cannot speak to Carl's technical abilities. Although watching him hold trim in the three foot end of the pool is impressive, at least to me. I can tell you that based on my family's OW certification experience, he truly has a love for the scuba life and for helping folks become divers and better divers.