Where would you do cavern training?

[Superlyte27]

Of course I train in FL, so take it for what it's worth, but nothing teaches you how to run a reel like putting one in the ear at Ginnie. If you can do it there, you can do it anywhere.

 

[j2s]

Ditto what Peter Guy said, especially buoyancy control...I've seen so many good divers who 'thought' they had good skills bounce up/down from bottom to top [especially if they weren't use to doubles].......If you get comfortable in OW w/all the additional gear [and there's a lot of it] that goes w/cavern/caving, then your transition to overhead will be easier....Practice, practice, practice....It's learning all over again....And it's worth it !!!!!

 

[lowviz]

...//... If you can do it there, you can do it anywhere.

How about donating your secondary while the two of you are following some crazy line (blindfolded) through the fallen trees in Orange Grove?

Point taken, flow and obstacles. I'm still votin' North Fla.

 

[Superlyte27]

How about donating your secondary while the two of you are following some crazy line (blindfolded) through the fallen trees in Orange Grove?

Point taken, flow and obstacles. I'm still votin' North Fla.

Not fair to trash the vis for other divers. It's harder to do that in Ginnie.

 

[lowviz]

Not fair to trash the vis for other divers. It's harder to do that in Ginnie.

Very complicated point. Something for the NFSA to decide. Me, just following "orders". But willingly, so I'm not free of blame.

Concerning Ginnie:
-Is is possible to do that in Ginnie??? Ginnie's flow pasted my ears back. Whole 'nother set of issues...

 

[Peter Guy]

@PfcAJ -- No, in flight training the end result is the same and probably takes about the same amount of time. It just depends how much stress you want to have -- small stresses but over a longer period of time, small airport then big one. Heavy stress at first that gradually gets less, start at the big airport.

I think the same is true for cave diving -- how much stress do you want at the beginning? BTW, because of the lack of flow and shallowness of the caves, it is my belief that you actually spend more time diving in the cave in Mexico. But I haven't taken any classes in Florida and, except for a side-mount class sometime, maybe, have no desire to take a class in Florida!

 

[PfcAJ]

You do know that they aren't all deep and high flow, right? In fact, I'd say there are only a handful that are high flow...

 

[JahJahwarrior]

If you take cavern in Mexico, I'd suggest you take Intro in Florida. That will give you more exposure to flow than cavern, methinks...

I think each country has its own challenges and if you don't live in either one, might as well travel to both

 

[billgraham]

I think Florida offers incredible variety and you'll get to experience all kinds of wild stuff.

 

[Belmont]

You're in Berkeley -- I'd HIGHLY recommend you take GUE Fundamentals with Beto Nava or Rob Lee as a first step. Whether you go on to any further training with GUE or not, the class will give you a very solid footing for cavern training. I firmly believe that it is wise not to try to learn anything in the overhead that you can learn in open water.

And where to train? Why, Mexico, of course! Not only do you have a plethora of nice, shallow, BIG caverns to play in, but when you're done with class, you can go relax on a sparkling white beach with the margarita that wipes away the memory of the day's screwups

Poetic but so true

For my part, I trained in Mexico.

First thing I will do when I get to Florida is hire an instructor to bring me up to the local particularities.

I would have done the same the other way around, even if it was to learn the signaling differences.