Which agency is better?

[WYDT]

ericfine50 once bubbled...
I think a cavern or cave class will make any diver a 100% better at wreck diving than a wreck class (sorry Capt. Jim). I've done a cave class and seen many wreck classes taught and the wreck classes seemed to be guided dives on wrecks. very limited on reel use and wreck navigation.

ERic

hehe... yeah, a cave class will make you safer on wrecks... you'll quit doing them when you get hooked on cavediving in any weather, don't pay exorbitant prices to get there, no seasickness, no schedules, dive when you want, clear always the same temp water (ok, it's not always clear but usually), don't have to worry about being lost at sea.... and nothing's going to eat you.

Hahaha... just kidding, I do enjoy wreck diving too but cave diving is so addictive

I do agree that cave training will make anyone a better wreck diver!

 

[ericfine50]

WYDT,

Yes it is very addicting. Now, only if I could move to cave country... I agree with the seasickness thing and 0 dark 30 mornings.

Eric

 

[O-ring]

ericfine50 once bubbled...
WYDT,

Yes it is very addicting. Now, only if I could move to cave country... I agree with the seasickness thing and 0 dark 30 mornings.

Eric

The challenge is what makes it worth doing...sheesh! The history coupled with the heinous boat rides and questionable conditions...man, wreck diving is the $hit!

 

[WYDT]

O-ring once bubbled...

The challenge is what makes it worth doing...sheesh! The history coupled with the heinous boat rides and questionable conditions...man, wreck diving is the $hit!

Ohh yeah, I just love having my arm jerked out of the socket when I'm trying to hold onto the ladder when an 8ft swell comes along as I'm getting back in the boat... It STILL hurts and that was 2 1/2 years ago!

 

[O-ring]

WYDT once bubbled...


Ohh yeah, I just love having my arm jerked out of the socket when I'm trying to hold onto the ladder when an 8ft swell comes along as I'm getting back in the boat... It STILL hurts and that was 2 1/2 years ago!

Ride the aluminum bronco! Yeah, I know what you mean...I try caves out for the first time in July so hopefully I won't get hooked...FL is a heck of a drive from DC..

 

[Capt Jim Wyatt]

I agree 100% cave training is the best civillian/recreation training you can get....cave divers make good wreck divers but not vice versa.

I was certified as NACD Cave Instructor #28 in 1975 .. Scheck Exley ran my ITC & I was lucky enough to make a couple of dives with him.


Go get cave trained..you will never regret it.

 

[PaulB]

I was really considering getting cave certified. It looks like a lot of fun and I know a really superb instructor.

 

[AquaTec]

what makes a good wreck diver, as far as a course goes, and leaving out the whole best instructor for the job thing.

There is an Underwater Archeology Society here in BC that will teach you to survey, and undertsand wreck. they do not teach you to dive them....this is a good place to start, if there is something like it in your area.

PADI wreck course is very limited, 130 feet deep/in and allways able to see an exit.....a waste of time.....or maybe an introduction to wreck diving

A good technical wreck course, with a very active wreck diver [lets leave the instructor out for now] IANTD and TDI offer good courses..as I am sure others do.
this will/should teach you to deal with cables, wreck layout, etc.

but nothing will prepair you better as a diver to dive wreck as a technical cave diving course, this course will not teach you to wreck dive, but it will teach you boyance control, finning, lines, etc, etc.

a good combination of these courses would be suggested, any one of them alone will not be a good wreck diving course.

then of course each course completly depends on you selecting the right instructor to teach you, and you developing your own experience along the way as you graduate into more advanced wrecks.

I have not touched on deep wreck, I will asume that you will keep your diving depths within your training and experience.

 

[taat2d]

Can someone explain to me how a cave diving cert will benefit someone like me diving in New York. I've never been in a cave. But from all I've read on this board it seems that MOST of cave diving is in warm clear water.

The water in NY is cold, and usually murky green. Then you have to take into consideration the currents, tides, etc... Then you gotta hang on an anchor line, possibly getting jerked up and down doing your deco/safty stop. Also gotta try to get yourself up the boat ladder, and everything else involved in OW boat diving.

So my question is how do you compare cave diving to wreck diving? I understand the overhear enviornment side of it but thats all I see. Am I missing something here? Please enlighten me.

Thanx

 

[O-ring]

taat2d once bubbled...
Can someone explain to me how a cave diving cert will benefit someone like me diving in New York. I've never been in a cave. But from all I've read on this board it seems that MOST of cave diving is in warm clear water.

The water in NY is cold, and usually murky green. Then you have to take into consideration the currents, tides, etc... Then you gotta hang on an anchor line, possibly getting jerked up and down doing your deco/safty stop. Also gotta try to get yourself up the boat ladder, and everything else involved in OW boat diving.

So my question is how do you compare cave diving to wreck diving? I understand the overhear enviornment side of it but thats all I see. Am I missing something here? Please enlighten me.

Thanx

Basically, cave diving is overhead training, which you can port directly over to wreck penetration. Sure, the conditions are different, but the skillset that makes you successful in a cave will also make you a much better wreck diver. Cave diving training hammers home buoyancy, trim, proper propulsion methods to avoid stirring up silt, and proper usage of reels/spools/guidelines. Most cave training also addresses dive planning/gas management and teaches rule of thirds and other fun stuff that also works in wrecks. IMHO, cave training coupled with diving experience in your local area with experienced wreck divers will make you a much better, and much safer, wreck diver.