Why do divers Cave dive ?

[cascas]

(GUE stands for Global Underwater Explorers --"global" for some of this agency's overhead divers here in Scubaboard means life & the world only revolves around the Caves of Yucatan Mexico, or Florida). . .

You haven't been completely informed... you someone forgot to tell you about France, Croatia, Hungary, Ukraine, Sicily, Italy, UK, several places in Asia like China, Philipines, Thailand, and of course Australia and I bet a whole lot more. So the cave diving world actually really is a Global adventure...

Much of the beauty, inspiration, wonder & diversity of Marine Life are on the coral reefs of this planet between the surface and 18 meters --as novice open water divers, go see them first and as many times as you can before they disappear & die-off. (Only after then, try Cave Diving. . .).

I completely disagree here... After OW, practice a bit, do a cave course and only then try coral diving. That may slow down the killing off of coral a great deal because in cavediving you really get to perfect your finkicks and buoyancy. :cool2:
And besides, looking at stalactities and stalagmites that took thousands of years to form is pretty awesome too...

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

I completely disagree here... After OW, practice a bit, do a cave course and only then try coral diving. That may slow down the killing off of coral a great deal because in cavediving you really get to perfect your finkicks and buoyancy. :cool2:

And besides, looking at stalactities and stalagmites that took thousands of years to form is pretty awesome too...

No ... I don't want people learning their fin kicks and buoyancy control in a cave. When you damage coral, it grows back. When you damage a stalactite or stalagmite in a cave, it ain't coming back until the next ice age ... when water levels drop and turn these into dry caves again ... and even then it'll take another millenia or two ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[DCBC]

For me it was a matter of employment; I was hired to assist in the exploration of the Andros Blue Holes in the early 70's. I suppose that the answer to your question depends upon the individual making the dive. For one it may be the challenge, another the increased risk, or to another the beauty of seeing something seldom or never seen before. Why do you SCUBA Dive? I suppose we each have our personal reasons.

I'm curious why someone would want to cave dive,what draws them to a cave dive. I imagine an underwater cave would be somewhat like one above ground but without Bats. From pictures I've seen they didn't show any growth or fish ,just dark walls and danger and from T S&M's Thread a bunch of reasons one shouldn't go into a cave. I personaly have no present desire to go into a cave, what am I missing ?

 

[cascas]

No ... I don't want people learning their fin kicks and buoyancy control in a cave. When you damage coral, it grows back. When you damage a stalactite or stalagmite in a cave, it ain't coming back until the next ice age ... when water levels drop and turn these into dry caves again ... and even then it'll take another millenia or two ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

In most cases doing a cave course requires buouyancy to be under control, that happens in the "after OW, practice a bit"...
Buoyancy is not something you learn IN a cave....

As for damaging coral. No one should be near coral their your buoyancy isn't up to standards. Yes it will ( or better, might) grow back but it takes a long time and it is not guaranteed that it will...

 

[CamG]

Greetings ccx2 and good thread to inspire many comments.
Why? Well to dive of coarse. Just that simple.
When I was first taking OW I thought night diving and deep diving were dangerous and far out of reach for divers like myself.
In my OW check out dives I learned that what limits are dives are our personal level of training and skill mastery.
Something about the allure of advanced training going deeper, longer safely managing the risks turned me on.

I enjoy wreck / cave diving the training is stellar and the awareness it promotes will make you a better diver in any arena.
It is not for everyone and I do not try to convince everyone but I guarantee if you are a avid wreck / deep diver the cave training will make you a better diver. Just my opinion but also my experience.
This past summer inside the hull of a wreck in Lake Huron a mist a twist of steel and cables it hit me cave diving is actually safer in terms of entanglement.
Wrecks are actually very dangerous inside and one should think very carefully / be trained to be in there.

The intensity of the Tech realm either overhead or deep require a very focused level of awareness that is like cocaine to some personalities.
It is rather soothing to be entirely absorbed in the dive plan while interacting as a team.
TSandM really tapped it those dive buddies are family.
Sure you have your adrenaline junkies but they usually kill themselves fairly quickly or wise up.
This realm is not known for its forgiveness for the unprepared even the elite are not exempt from risk.
Complacency is not rewarded.

Be the best diver in the arena that you choose that simple.
Master your skills and train to maintain them.

CamG Keep Diving....Keep Training....Keep Learning!

 

[sgl308]

Why do I cave dive??? It's because of the peacefulness and tranquility I feel while on the dive. I enjoy seeing the formations that nature carved out that you won't see anywhere else. I enjoy the challenge of planning and carrying out that plan on the dive. It puts you in a mindset where you are thinking of everything about the dive; trim, buoyancy, where your buddy is, how much air I have left, ect.

When I started cave diving, I never had an interest to dive in a cave. I didn't care one way or another if I ever saw the inside of a cave. Once I moved to Florida and started diving the springs and caverns, I got hooked and wanted more. You have to go out and try it. Go to a cavern and dive it, after getting some training of course. One more thing, I have not seen a photo from a cave yet that will fully represent the beauty and the feeling you get when your in a cave. You have to just do it.

 

[Doc Harry]

Florida caves are not for pansies.

Fixed your statement for ya.

 

[Underground]

In my case I was caving long before I ever started diving. And I started diving with the intention of that as a means to start cave diving.

It's another exploration tool, like learning vertical.

 

[DA Aquamaster]

I did some dry caving and old mine exploration in college, but generally felt claustrophobic in them. Crawling several hundred feet in something only 2 ft tall and or going through contortions to negotiate a restriction was just not something that left me feeling comfortable.

Consequently, I took cavern and Intro just to improve my wreck skills and line techniques. I fully expected 4 days of non enjoyment, but in the first 10 minutes I was hooked. Oddly enough, in a gravity free environment feeling closed in just is not an issue and several hundred feet of snug and negotiating unusual restrictions don't bother me. Plus, wet rocks are lot prettier than wet wood or wet rust.

The big sell is that it is also a very controlled environment that with proper planning, equipment and execution leaves basically nothing to chance. I could never say that about wreck diving as conditions were always so unpredictable and wrecks were often unstable.

Then there is the seasick thing....

 

[Dive Bug Bit Me]

Why dive in caves? I don't know. On paper it even looks like a silly thing to do. I am not into geology or caves, I am not really adventurous.

Somehow it bites you and never lets go. I did it to see what all the fuss was about, and got hooked. Suddenly my lunch break is spent browsing cave diving sites, my wife rants about all the extra equipment I keep, my children miss me on weekends and I am wracking up air miles to get into cave country. It's driving me crazy and I can't explain why. All I can say is you have got to try it (under supervision of a cave instructor).