CAVE DIVING
Underworld, Out of this World
FROM THE LIGHT INTO DARKNESS
There are many reasons to venture into submerged caves, from scientific survey to exploration or technical sport diving. It is important to understand your motivation for cave diving and make an investment to educate yourself as much as possible to safely dive in these sometimes alien and hostile environments. Training options are available below.
Caves are some of the harshest, but most captivating diving environments
Leaving the Cavern Zone and venturing further into the overhead environment requires more skill, awareness and procedures.
As a cave diver, you will move beyond the daylight zone and enter "The Dark Side" where the hazards increase and the exit becomes further away.
The Intro to Cave Diver course will extend and refine your Cavern level skills and require you to connect onto cave lines and safely navigate the cave while being aware of line markings, exit directions and other teams inside the cave.
Additional emphasis is placed on gas management since you will be further inside the overhead environment and have to allow for emergency procedures to be able to safely exit the cave at all times.
Land Workshops cover,
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Guideline deployment review
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Cavern skills review
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Cave line connection - options and procedures
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Line marker awareness to include exit referencing and system marker cancellations
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Team work and exit referencing
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Team exit review for zero visibility and gas sharing emergencies.
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How to perform a search for a missing diver
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How to search for and recover a lost guideline
Theory Sessions cover,
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Cave Diver Standards
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Additional equipment required for cave diving
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Cave line connection options
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Line navigation protocols and choices
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Gas management
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Team work, positioning & roles
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Communication methods
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Dive planning
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Cave geology and land access
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Cave Diving conservation and etiquette
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Written Examination
Water Sessions cover technical & overhead level skills such as,
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Pre-Dive checks, bubble checks & S-Drills
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Overhead propulsion techniques
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Line deployment
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Cave line connections
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Line marker analysis, deployment & retrieval
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All Cavern Level skills to be performed to Cave Level standards
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Missing diver procedure
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Lost line procedure
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Cave Level awareness of the environment, dive, lines and conservation techniques
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Referencing techniques & backup navigation methods
The training for Intro to Cave Diver will be unlike any open water courses you have taken, but it will pay off with increased skill, awareness and appreciation for the overhead environment. Take a look below at a training dive to see how it looks,
CAVERN DIVER
4 to 5 days
A strong foundation is essential when undertaking overhead training and the Cavern Diver course aims to build exactly that.
A cavern has some formal definitions such as always being able to see natural light, but it requires the utmost attention and concentration to be able to safely navigate this overhead environment. Since direct access to the surface is not possible, there are no less safety measures involved in Cavern Diving compared with further overhead training.
The Cavern Diver course will introduce the concepts, techniques, equipment, hazards and safety measures required for all of your cavern and cave diving - as such, I consider it to be the most important course in the education of an overhead diver.
Land Workshops cover,
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How to deploy a guideline using a primary reel and spool
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How to select and make tie offs appropriate to the environment and navigation requirements
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How to deploy personal line markers
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How to exit a cavern in zero visibility using various diver touch contact methods
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How to exit a cavern while sharing gas
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How to exit a cavern in zero visibility while sharing gas
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How to handle equipment problems such as lamp and mask failures
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How to dive as a team - including positioning, assisting and emergency protocols
Theory Sessions cover,
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Cavern Diver Standards
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Options for both mandatory and optional equipment
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Team work, positioning & roles
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Communication methods
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Dive planning
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Gas management
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SAC rate & swim speed measurement
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Breathing control and stress management
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Accident analysis
Water Sessions cover technical & overhead level skills such as,
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Overhead propulsion techniques
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SAC measurements
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Pre-Dive checks, bubble checks & S-Drills
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Line deployment & navigation
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Line marker deployment and retrieval
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Lamp failure and backup deployment
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Mask failure and backup mask deployment
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Team exits in zero visibility
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Gas sharing exits
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Team exits in zero visibility while sharing gas
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Referencing techniques & backup navigation methods
The training for Cavern Diver will be unlike any open water courses you have taken, but it will pay off with increased skill, awareness and appreciation for the overhead environment. Take a look below at some typical training dives.
Feel free to get in touch to discuss your training.
INTRO CAVE DIVER
4 to 5 days
Feel free to get in touch to discuss your training.
4 to 5 days
FULL CAVE DIVER
Travelling further into the overhead environment with skills and procedures for complex navigation.
As a Full Cave diver, you will be able to increase the duration and complexity of your cave dives through increased gas allowances and navigation options.
The Full Cave Diver course will extend and refine your Cave level skills and require you to perform complex navigation involving directional choices at line intersections (T junctions), gaps, jumps, circuits and traverses.
Additional emphasis is placed on diver skill, awareness, navigation awareness and procedures to be able to safely exit the cave at all times.
Land Workshops cover,
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Guideline deployment review
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Cave skills review
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Cave line connection review
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Line marker awareness to include directional guidance for navigation
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Team work and exit referencing
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Team exit review for zero visibility and gas sharing emergencies.
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Procedures for Ts, Jumps, Gaps, Complex Circuits & Complex Traverses
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Positioning options for minor restrictions
Theory Sessions cover,
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Cave Diver Standards
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Line navigation protocols and choices
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Gas management
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Team work, positioning & roles
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Dive planning
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Complex Navigation - types and safe navigation methods
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Complex Circuits & Traverses - definitions and approach
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Written Examination
Water Sessions cover technical & overhead level skills such as,
-
Pre-Dive checks, bubble checks & S-Drills
-
Overhead propulsion techniques
-
Line deployment
-
Cave line connections
-
All Intro Cave Level skills to be performed to Cave Level standards
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Cave Level awareness of the environment, dive, lines and conservation techniques
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Complex navigation procedures for Ts, Jumps, Gaps, Circuits and Traverses
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Referencing techniques & backup navigation methods
Full Cave Diver training is not to be taken lightly and requires a methodical and safe approach coupled with a high level of awareness and diving skill. Take a look at a training dive and see how the divers are looking at the level.
Feel free to get in touch to discuss your training.