So how does Cave training work?

[letterboy]

I feel like this is a topic Lynn would have done an amazing job of explaining.

Not that y'all haven't done a good job.

Just an observation.

 

[KevinNM]

Additional topics learned after cave 2 include use of DPVs, cave survey, and deep cave diving. A lot of that is 'OJT' from an experienced cave diver.

Iirc, they want 100 cave dives before DPV cave? Does a DPV make it that easy to get into trouble?

 

[CAPTAIN SINBAD]

Guys. Thanks so much for demystifying Cave training. This has answered a lot of questions for me.

 

[PfcAJ]

Iirc, they want 100 cave dives before DPV cave? Does a DPV make it that easy to get into trouble?

It can. Stuff happens fast, easy to get on the wrong line, easy to out run your reserves, and since distances comes hand in hand with the dpv, issues that might be somewhat trivial close to the door become a bit more serious when you've got a long way to go.

 

[Jack Hammer]

Iirc, they want 100 cave dives before DPV cave? Does a DPV make it that easy to get into trouble?

What AJ said. Plus since you can get very far back in a cave fast with a scooter, gas logistics change considerably. You can get places in 15 minutes that can take an hour to swim back out if you have a failure. It can also be very easy to cause a lot of silt. Look up the incident at Mainland in Ginnie Springs last year for an example.

 

[boulderjohn]

I was able to get cave DPV certified through PSAI after 50 cave dives.

As Jack Hammer said, a major problem with a scooter in a cave is getting out after it conks out on you--and you have to assume it will stop working at the worst possible time.

A second problem is the possibility that you will create a siltout with it, and you need to be able to deal with that. That was the cause of a recent fatality at Ginnie Springs.

 

[kensuf]

touche, thanks for correction and time to reread the manual... Woops. I don't actually know of any gaps that people connect in Florida. I guess you could technically connect across Challenge and Olsen, but I don't know anyone that does since exit is possible from both locations.

I usually either gap or cookie the lines in Peacock. There have been people that have gotten on the wrong line after a brief interlude in Olsen.

 

[tbone1004]

If not traversing across them I will either cookie or clip a reel or something to the line as a quick reference, just something readily accessible. If traversing across I don't usually bother but will make some sort of reference to myself where I came up from so I don't go back down the same hole.

 

[kensuf]

If not traversing across them I will either cookie or clip a reel or something to the line as a quick reference, just something readily accessible. If traversing across I don't usually bother but will make some sort of reference to myself where I came up from so I don't go back down the same hole.

When I do the grand traverse I do it both ways so I don't need to worry about cars.

 

[tbone1004]

rub that SF2 in why don't you!