Are Cave divers missing out?

[Meng_Tze]

I started to think about things after some recent PM's and some threads on cave diving, techniques and flow.

It seems to me that some systems are avoided or specifically sought out because of their characteristics.

But by avoiding certain systems/characteristic properties (High/Low flow, clay sediment, dark walls, 'fluffy insulation type of silt' etc, etc, are we not cutting ourselves short in practice, creating awareness, honing technique, comfort and overall better cave diving?

 

[DeepSeaExplorer]

I don't avoid systems based on characteristics. I dive Devil's the most and it's high flow. Instead, I dive based on convenience issues such as: ease of access, potential for picking up a dive buddy, etc. I dive Devil's most often when I don't have a buddy, because it has the most diver traffic and potential to meet up with other divers. I did a pickup dive there this past Saturday in fact...

 

[BabyDuck]

good question, mt. when is it good to stay in our comfort zone & when is it appropriate to push our own buttons? how many roads must a man walk down? does a hogchoker poop in the spring?

when is practice/exposure in difficult systems ok? when is it better to avoid in the name of conservation?

 

[contender]

I started to think about things after some recent PM's and some threads on cave diving, techniques and flow.

It seems to me that some systems are avoided or specifically sought out because of their characteristics.

But by avoiding certain systems/characteristic properties (High/Low flow, clay sediment, dark walls, 'fluffy insulation type of silt' etc, etc, are we not cutting ourselves short in practice, creating awareness, honing technique, comfort and overall better cave diving?

I am not so sure that this is the case. If you are diving like you were trained then your technique will be in a constant state of refinement. Just because you don't dive certain types of caves, does not mean your technique will go by the wayside. I myself prefer high flow caves, because I like to relax and ride the flow home. However, I am equally comfortable in a no flow cave, like Peacock, just means that I will have to swim home instead of riding the flow. Oh yeah, Ginnie is 30 minutes away from my house, so proximity does play a role in this as well.

 

[do it easy]

I think it's self selection- divers will dive where they get enjoyment from the dive. If low vis/no vis, blue gloves, deep, hairy, scary caves aren't their cup of tea, they will seek out a different beverage.

I don't think it's that different from divers travelling to other areas to seek out different flavors- warm water in the carribean, kelp forests on the west coast, shipwrecks in the Great Lakes (OK, and the east coast), shark dives, macro, reefs, etc.

I think it's important to for a diver to understand the strengths and weaknesses of their skillset. I have lots of dives in freshwater, but it kinda scares the crap out of me to think about diving in current since I have little experience in it. By the same logic, someone who is used to diving in warm, crystal clear, bright, still caves should stop and think before descending into deep, cold, silty flow.

 

[Cave Diver]

It makes little difference to me. Time and distance constraints are more commonly the deciding factor.

 

[contender]

It makes little difference to me. Time and distance constraints are more commonly the deciding factor.

I agree.

 

[TSandM]

Well, I got my training in Mexico, because I didn't want to deal with flow while learning to dive in caves.

In December, I'm going to go dive in Florida, and we are deliberately scheduling a couple of dives (out of a very short trip) to do Devil's, just so we can get some exposure to different conditions.

On the other hand, anybody who is shaky or unsure of their skills is probably much wiser to stay where conditions are ideal (and this may be us!).

 

[SuPrBuGmAn]

Not trying to avoid anything within my training limits, although some caves are harder to get to than others. Its only a small percentage that have a park built into the sides.

 

[GreenDiverDown]

Call me crazy but I have no desire to dive Florida caves. I don't think that I'm losing out on anything.