Cave Certs Expiration

[kensuf]

one safety bottle for 2 or 3 students?
Are they supposed to bring one on post class dives too?

One per team. Yes.

Would also add the traditional method of making instructors-intern then institute by your peers.

Absolutely. I've been debating about categorically turning away intro students with a PADI Cavern card because of the "self-certification" path to become a PADI Cavern instructor -- I'm not there yet, but I definitely have a conversation that begins with "who was your cavern instructor" and based on the answer have told a couple of people that they need to audit my cavern course (no charge).

 

[boulderjohn]

Absolutely. I've been debating about categorically turning away intro students with a PADI Cavern card because of the "self-certification" path to become a PADI Cavern instructor -- I'm not there yet, but I definitely have a conversation that begins with "who was your cavern instructor" and based on the answer have told a couple of people that they need to audit my cavern course (no charge).

I am certified as a PADI cavern instructor, and I don't have a problem with this policy. I have never actually taught the course, in part because there are no caverns where I live in Colorado. What you wrote here is the main reason, though. I have turned down several requests to teach the course because the students told me they wanted to go on for cave certification. I told them that if that is the case, they should do their cavern class with an instructor who can take them beyond cavern. If I ever do get to teach the class, it will be to someone who is simply looking to be a safe diver in that kind of basic overhead environment.

 

[kensuf]

If I ever do get to teach the class, it will be to someone who is simply looking to be a safe diver in that kind of basic overhead environment.

That's the purpose of the course and the right reason to teach it.

The problem I have is we have one guy locally that has been booted out of an agency for gross negligence and standards violations while teaching a Cavern course, but he's still teaching PADI Cavern. I have learned the hard way that his former students do not know how to run reels, have poor awareness, and no buoyancy control. Let alone problem solving abilities.

 

[karstdvr]

....told a couple of people that they need to audit my cavern course (no charge).

Ken, I may need to see if I can audit your cavern course. I have a PADI Cavern card from 1993 from some instructor named Jarrod Jablonski...wonder if it is any good?

 

[rjack321]

One per team. Yes.

I may get this wrong, please correct me...
NAUI Cave 1 is:
Certified to dive 1/3rds.
Supposed to bring and drop an al80 safety someplace
But not yet allowed to use stages for penetration?

 

[CptTightPants21]

Ken, I may need to see if I can audit you cavern course. I have a PADI Cavern card from 1993 from some instructor named Jarrod Jablonski...wonder if it is any good?

Can't tell if this is being facetious or actually complaining....

100% agree with Ken's approach and find it to be measured and appropriate. It is small things like this that show the quality of the instruction and show a student isn't just trading a couple days of his time for a certification card.

 

[Imbodie]

I may get this wrong, please correct me...
NAUI Cave 1 is:
Certified to dive 1/3rds.
Supposed to bring and drop an al80 safety someplace
But not yet allowed to use stages for penetration?

You forgot 2 nav decisions.... and 100' max depth.... (also no original exploration and no siphons)

And as a Cave1 certified diver.... I can NOT stage cylinders.... but an carry as much "back gas" as I can clip to my body.... If I understood the guidelines.

 

[rjack321]

I'm more confused now.
"clip on backgas" doesn't make sense to me. Backgas is either backmounted doubles or the bottom gas you have in your main sidemount cylinders. Not gas in stages or deco gases.

I guess I could see the benefit of letting divers go up to 1/3rds but giving them spare gas in a separate bottle because they are new and need a bigger buffer. Other agencies do this through 1/6ths or comparable type limits that are more conservative than 1/3rds. The safety bottle being separate reduces the tendency to go past 1/6ths that many intro divers feel.

On the other hand, expecting divers who don't know how to dive, drop, and retrieve stage bottles (used as a safety) to use them in an emergency is not so good.

 

[bamafan]

Would also add the traditional method of making instructors-intern then institute by your peers.

That would help but we all know of people who have had the magic wand waved and once they get into any agency it is easy to do a crossover.

 

[PfcAJ]

I took NAUI cave 1. Didn't then (and don't now) see value in a single safety bottle.

So what happens when you need it? The other dude drowns? Sorry bout ya!

Or what you buddy breath like in sea hunt?

One per team member is at least somewhat reasonable.