Wreck v Cave Diving

[Veritably337]

One of the things I love about diving is the challenge of developing new skills and becoming a better diver. The new year always gets me thinking about new goals. I am in the process of completing my tec certification. As I look to next steps I am debating whether to go wreck or cave. Here are my questions:

Background: 300+ dives; PADI rescueSolo cert; Tec 50, now diving BM 95s

Let's assume you can only do one and the instructors for both are equal.

1-What is the better training? Wreck or cave? Why?

2-Can you develop the same skill set with reels, UW communication, bouyancy, etc from a wreck penetration course?

I'm closer to the Great Lakes than the Caves.

Thanks for your thoughts

Mick


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[tomfcrist]

In my opinion, take the cave course. Why? Even if the same instructor were teaching both classes with the same vigor and covered all the same concepts and skills......an advanced wreck card isn't getting you access to a cave. On the other hand, I've never seen ANYBODY ask to see a "wreck" card.
The skills you learn in a cave course will very much transfer over to wreck diving. The biggest exception is dropping stages and deco gasses.

 

[lerpy]

I agree with Tom, do the cave course. I have cave and have never done a wreck course, the cave training covers pretty much everything you will need to know to dive a wreck as well. When you go to dive wrecks, just take it slow and progressive, and try and dive with someone that knows the wreck well until you get experience and confidence.

 

[Bobby]

There are differences between wreck and cave. Planning and skills have differences. The cave course will be more critical on buoyancy and fin techniques. Wreck has more planning for environment and changing conditions. A lot of the skills do cross over however completing training in one will not prepare you for the other. I would suggest seeking training and experience in both. If I had to choose one first it would be cave diving however I did learn to wreck dive first.

 

[decompression]

Good question, and I agree with Tom, however there is a point where caves and wrecks become vastly different. The basic skills have a lot of overlap but if you see yourself spending more time in one than the other, that's where the focus should be.
I think the overhead protocols course is a great example of this. The basic skills are covered enabling the student to then carry on to either wreck or cave path.

If I had to choose, I'd go cave training and if I was consistently diving wrecks I'd find a very good mentor to show me finer points of wreck.




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[tomfcrist]

There is no doubt that they are different beasts. That being said, if I was going to pick one...cave would be it.

 

[abscuba]

I would recommend the cave, you will get a much better understanding of planning and gas management. That being said wrecks and caves are very different so be sure to do your first wreck pen dives with an experienced wreck diver as the skills to make you a good wreck diver are more developed through experience. Wrecks you have to judge the wreck the condition of the wreck and of the environment around it. That takes time to develop that judgment to top that wrecks have a lot of things that will reach out an grab you making entailment a really big hazard. The cave course will give you the skills for overhead and the gap for wreck can be filled by an experience wreck diver.

 

[oldschoolto]

They both are overhead and both need very good gas management skills... Both need good skills of finning and buoyancy... Both will bite you in the ass if you screw up.. Both have hazards of getting stuck in them... Cave divers think they are special... Northeast Wreck Divers just dive anything,anytime,anywhere.


Jim...

 

[Jack Hammer]

Cave training for skills and techniques, hands down. However cave training does not prepare you for the potential hazards of a wreck. Seek training for that too

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[kensuf]

The great lakes are cold. The springs are 70F year round.