Stupid question from a non-cave-diver

[Meng_Tze]

It's so dark without lights I find it more comfortable shutting my eyes instead of keeping them open. I think your brain relaxes when you shut your eyes.

More like PITCH BLACK!:14:

 

[D1V3R]

My husband and I watched the movie, The Cave, last night. It was a pretty awful movie, but a few of the scenes of divers in caves just got to me . . . I told my husband, "I think it would be really cool to dive in a cave." (I like caves anyway, always have.)

My husband said, "Don't be stupid. You don't get to see anything like that. All you get to see is the four inch area that your focused HID light-head illuminates. The rest is just dark!"

Is he right? Or do the lights spill enough so you actually get a sense of the spaces you're in, and get to enjoy the structures? I mean, the photographs are awesome, but those guys are using strobes.

Apologies for asking something so basic . . .

The filmwork in the UW scenes of that mvie were done by Wes Skiles, who is a cave diver here in florida, he is the pretty much the best when it comes to filmwork in caves.
so obviously he was uing really good lighting, in real life it is quite a bit darker but ou can deffinatly see everything around you (unless the silt is bad)
the lighting (especially the HID lighting) is really powerfull

 

[mart1]

This is from a post at the decostop from a polish diver under the name Pacopako:
"On http://www.hogarthian.pl/?op=galerie&xx=paco_mex2005 you can find 5 videos from different Yucatan cenotes:
Nohoch Nah Chich
Calimba
Akiun Ha (Carwash)
Caracol
Playground
All were made in May this year as we stay in Aktun Dive Center (Tulum)"
But then there are different caves in Mexico: Naharon, also known as "Devil's kitchen" is as clear as any cave I know, but the walls are so black your HID light looks like a small backup.
Yes, caves are the most beautiful places to dive on this planet, but also the most dangerous. Don't try this if you just started diving, and find a good instructor when you are ready.

ciao, mart

 

[mongoose]

More like PITCH BLACK!:14:

Exactly... there is no dark like that of an underwater cave. It's a kind of am-i-alive-or-dead sort of dark. Creepy... but cool.

 

[Tavi]

I think the caves are calling you!! I've noticed some of your posts mentioning cave diving. Is that what's next?? Cave Training??

 

[TSandM]

I'm definitely intrigued, but WAY too green to think about it. I sort of have a two-year plan mapped out in my head that would get me (with any luck) to a place where a cavern class would make sense.

BTW, Mart1, thanks for that link . . . some more breathtaking footage of those Mexican caves!

Is Mexico unique, or are there highly decorated caves elsewhere? The Florida and European caves seem to have formed underwater, and lack the elaborate structures of the cenotes.

 

[roakey]

The Florida and European caves seem to have formed underwater, and lack the elaborate structures of the cenotes.

Actually all caves form underwater. The Mexican caves were formed before the last ice age and looked just like the Florida caves of today. During the ice age the water level dropped and the Mexican caves became "dry" caves and became decorated. After the ice age when the sea levels rose, they became underwater again.

It's a pretty rare series of events and conditions, and though I'm sure there might be some decorated underwater caves elsewhere, nothing approaches Mexico.

Roak

 

[TSandM]

Thanks, Roakey. I suspected as much. It was at least clear that, at some point in time, the Mexican caves were dry, in order to form the stalactites and stalagmites. They are utterly beautiful, and that's definitely where I would want to go.

I've always loved caves, anyway. My husband has been dragged through them wherever there have been tourable caves on our travels.

 

[mart1]

Thanks, Roakey. I suspected as much. It was at least clear that, at some point in time, the Mexican caves were dry, in order to form the stalactites and stalagmites. They are utterly beautiful, and that's definitely where I would want to go.

The mexican caves are by far the most beautiful in the world: not only the decorations, but also perfect visibility. And there is more: I have seen mayan skeletons, but even more breathtaking: fire pits from the stone age at 80ft (and thia on my second cave dive ever). I keep coming back every year.
But don't frown on other caves: giant passageway in Florida, 300ft deep. Pitch black perfectly round lava tubes in the canary islands. Enormous drip stone formations in the bahama's. 6 kilometers of continuous passageway in France.
You are right to wait untill you have more experience (500 dives would be a nice start), but if you like caves cave diving should be your goal. I the meantime it is a good idea to get a little tech training, Tec Deep, Advanced Nitrox or Fundamentals if you are DIR minded.
And if you decide to go and take a course in Mexico send me an e-mail, I can give you names of the best cave instructors that fit your style. (no, not me, I only teach my own students in Dutch and you would not understand one word of it).
One more wonderful video from the same polish guy: http://www.stajniakleina.pl/stajnia/...olnarjanos.wmv this is in Budapest, Hungary in the middle of the city. I have not been there, but want to go since I saw this video. Have a look at these pictures, even if you don't understand the language:http://www.taucher.net/edb/Budapest__Molnar_Janos_Hoehle_o3220.html

ciao, mart

 

[mart1]

http://www.stajniakleina.pl/stajnia/...olnarjanos.wmv

Link does not seem to work, maybe this version?