What's the difference??

[Trixxie]

not to start any agency bashing please but are there significant differences in the IANTD cavern and PADI cavern classes or is a cavern class the same by any name?

Also, TS&M referred to DIR-F and it helping a diver be better prepared to be in an overhead environment in another post. Do the DIR classes replace having to take cavern/cave or are the DIR classes more a ahem.... "style" (for lack of a better word) of diving rather than a type of certification?

All my diving to this point has been recreational diving (PADI) so I am not too familiar with DIR/GUI cavern/cave _____ (insert unfamiliar initials here) and the like.

Looking to take a cavern soon......

thanks

 

[timle]

DIR-F (GUE-F) does not replace cavern/cave classes. F is for Fundamentals - GUE-F focuses on trim, buoyancy, kicks, etc. GUE offers Cave courses also which would replace cavern/cave from other agencies.

As far as PADI cavern versus others. Its all about the instructor. However if you intend to go on to Cave I suggest you take your cavern class with whomever is going to teach you cave. Many cave instructors won't take PADI cavern or will only take it if they know the instructor. Not bashing PADI just stating the facts of central Florida. Cavern class really builds the fundamentals of cave diving - so its very important - running a reel for the first time; ensuring you have proper buoyancy, trim, and kicks for the overhead environment; line following etc.

 

[TSandM]

What it comes down to is that there are quite a few skills you need in a cave that you can work on in open water. Very finely honed buoyancy control, control of your trim, the ability to maintain both (and your situational awareness) while task loaded -- Those are things you need in a cave, but you don't need to LEARN them in a cave. DIR-F works on those things, as well as emergency procedures specific to a cave diving gear configuration (long hose donation). If you don't live where there are caves, I think it's time and money well spent to get introduced to the standard of technical skill required for cave diving, and to the specific skills involved in a cave or technical gear configuration, before you go down and spend the money on a class to be taught within the cave. That way, you can focus your attention on the cave-specific things, like managing the reel and following line, rather than having to spend your time learning non-silting kicks.

That's why I recommend DIR-F, because it's fairly widely available as a class taught in open water. My cavern class was a breeze because of the work I did at home before I went.

You're not very far from Atlanta -- Why don't you PM DIR-Atlanta and ask about when they're meeting, and go and talk to them? I understand there are several active cave divers in the group.

 

[Thalassamania]

If you want to cave dive then, regardless of what style you decide to adopt and what agency you decide to affiliate with, DIR-f is likely the best way to backfill the holes that conventional recreational diver training left in your background. If you've already done the backfilling yourself, especially as relates to trim, buoyancy control and emergency drills ... ignore it and move on.

 

[ae3753]

not to start any agency bashing please but are there significant differences in the IANTD cavern and PADI cavern classes or is a cavern class the same by any name?

In the past, there were differences in standards between PADI cavern and the other agencies (NACD, NSS-CDS, IANTD). However, I think that this has been resolved, and the PADI cavern standards are now the same as others. There was an update in PADI standards in Q3 2006.

For training, take your time and speak to your potential instructors. Jim Wyatt has a good post about Choosing a Cave Instructor.

 

[JAMIE MCG]

Hey Mauigal, since your local, a great instuctor for cavern is on this board, his name is Richard Blackburn, (rblackburn). http://www.cavediver.org .

My buddys and I took cavern from him in Jan this year, he is very accomadating in schedule, we did all class work and pool work locally, then went to the springs.

 

[GDI]

The real difference is in the Instructor. But The PADI program has improved in standards over the last year. Are their instructors up to speed or not that would be the questions.

No cave instructor I know will blindly assume you are trained sufficiently regardless of what agency card you hold , unless they issued it. Go to another instructor and you will be under a watchful eye of scrutiny.