Prerequisites for CCR Cave diving?

RichardGreen

[quote=lizardland;101148]


I'd recommend the Orlowskis in Florida. Absolutely brilliant instructors, can't recommend them enough. Although they aren't for everyone, if you're easily offended by strong language, sexual references, insults and political incorrectness then maybe they aren't for you. Personally, I felt quite at home

Cheers,

Stuart



Nice one

Richard

Mark Chase

No your absolutely right...

I cant get my head around what the problem is with cave diving? Its a cave so you cant surface to breathable air??? Well i do a lot of diveing where i cant surface to breathable air so i struggle to see the difference?

I have done a hand full of cave dives with the deepest at 90m in the sea and at the end of the day I have struggled to see why they are considered more challenging that doing a wreck penetration on a 70m wreck or doing a deep dive that required 120mins + deco.


Maybe the course will educate me


However I stress that at this time all i want to do is some quality dives in Mexico If someone is willing to do a three hour dive on a cave penetration in Mexico without a cave course the let me have your number as I may well be up for that.


ATB

Mark Chase

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diver1369

If you want to do your CCR Cave tng in Mexico, you should be aware that local regulations in Mexico require instructors be locally accredited to teach there. It may not be realistic to 'take your own instructor' to Mexico.

In any event, Matt at Protech in PDC, Mexico is an exceptional instructor. A previous poster mentioned staying at Mom's, the hotel co-located with Protech. Its incredibly convenient to have your room right off the courtyard where equipment setup and cleaning areas, drying racks and gear storage are set up. Also, if you need a widget, or gas fills, its only 30 steps away. Protech has trucks that load right there and the cenotes are a short drive down the coastal highway (and maybe a short stroll through the woods...)

best,

john

gafftape42

The difference is typically the distance of navigation. When diving even a large wreck you are typically within 1000 ft of your exit point (the anchor line). In caves it is possible to be much farther from the exit. As much as 3000 - 4000 feet or maybe more. This is especially possible with the gas supply of a Rebreather.

The cave also requires you to find that exit. In the open water you could shoot a bag and drift depending on the dive. Some wrecks this is not an option, but it is another tool to survive the dive.

Not saying this makes caves harder or easier just different.

Each environment has its own set of gotchas.

apitkin

The difference in caves is navigation, which typically uses guidelines. However well-developed you think your line skills are, they are not adequate for cave diving. There are many conventions and protocols used in cave navigation that have to be learnt to dive caves safely. Every cave you dive will already have a lot of guideline in it, and if you do not understand how that navigation system works, you may well get lost. In Mexico, and especially with a rebreather, it is not uncommon to get more than a mile from the entrance.

Diving caves without training is IMHO probably less safe than diving a rebreather without training.

Andy

Duncan Price

The difference is that if you cop it in a cave then one of my mates or me will have to go to the inconvenience of unblocking your body from the cave. The authorities and media will no doubt take an interest and possibly ban access to the site. My insurance premiums will go up and my loved ones will worry about me even more when I go cave diving.

If you croak in some scrap heap on the seabed then I might get some more cheap gear second hand from your widow.

Duncan

Mark Chase

Not arguing with any of that (except the fact Ling drives a hard bargain )

I seriously mean i am waiting to see the difference. I am not suggesting there isn't a difference i am just saying I cant figure out what it is yet.

I understand they do do guided dives for unqualified divers and in the conditions and viz of Mexico I don't think thats a monster risk but in some god forsaken cave in wales, of course it would be.

All the caves i have done have been easy peasy. Even the 90m one the only challenge was one fork in the cave on the exit and obviously the depth. Apart from that it was follow the line in follow the line out.

All the caves I have done were in excellent viz and were large enough to go through divers side by side. Only one of the caves had any major risk of silt out. It was about 2m high 25m across and had a foot or more of silt at the bottom. Not a good one for a silt out. You could be swimming in circles for hours.

By comparison doing something like the engine room of the Zenobia was much harder. Loads of sharp edges to cut the line. Rusticals that were disturbed by touching or fell down like rain with the exhaust of OC divers, entanglement every where, tight corridors and the whole thing is at 45 degrees so easy to get disorientated or lost. One small hatch in and thats the exit as well. As far as i am aware no one has found another rout in to it. There is no flow to guide you and no scalloping of the cave floor to aid direction. Unless your an expert on ship design your guide line is life critical.


However skeptic that I am, I still have a totally open mind. I don't have enough cave experience to have formed a definate opinion. I have yet to meet someone who thought cave training was a waste of time and I am very much looking forward to the course.

ATB

Mark Chase

__________________
Is it supposed to make that noise ?

I took my unit to the dive shop and demanded they bolt on every thing that would fit.

Join my elite diving teem and get a Tshirt

"Doing It Chasey"Hammerhead Eccr Advanced Diving System

Mdemon

Mark, I think there are a few of us non-cave diving surface dwellers wondering exactly the same thing and having the same mind-set you do.

Looking forward to seeing what you discover.

dive2dive2000

I totally agree Mexico and Fl caves are like comparing 80 degree water to 40 degree water diving. Fl cave divers can dive Mexico caves, Mexico cave divers might not be qualified to dive Fl caves. In Mexico you will be limited to the caves you will dive, if using CCR The more pretty ones are usually done on OC due to there shallow and spikier profile. Just my PPO2

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Safe Diving,
Martin

"but what's the fun of getting what you need, instead of what you want?"

wedivebc

Are you serious? That's a crock

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Cheers,

Dave....

Man is the only animal burdened with the knowledge he will eventually die