Difference between cave diving and cavern diving

[LiteHedded]

Peter, I'm sure those guys could be great instructors. I just don't know any of them, as they aren't really willing to let me sit in on classes and observe for myself.

Earlier this year, I asked two of the instructors at that shop if I could come and see what you guys were all about. I was told if I brought GUE 6 students, then I could sit in on a Fundies Class.

Sorry man, if I can't see what you guys do first hand, is it really fair of me to say I could recommend you?

sign up for a class and you can sit in on it no problem

 

[Randy g]

Last year I wanted to up my game as well. I went straight to the top of the list and called Jim Wyatt, safety director of the NSS/CDS. He did our Cavern and for myself and my 2 dive buddies, we learned more in a few days doing a cavern class than we did in the last 2 decades of ow scuba classes that included AOW, AN/D, Rescue, Rec Trimix and a bunch of other certifications.

This winter I start on my journey to become a safer diver and hopefully full cave certified.

 

[kensuf]

Just to be fair, Dan Patterson teaches (as far as I know) for NSS-CDS and NACD so there *are* some non-gue options at EE as well. I took my intro and apprentice with Dan and would recommend him (along with some of the other people mentioned on this thread.)

I've heard great stuff about Dan. Ditto for Mark Messersmith, actually I will attest that Mark is a great guy, he was a wealth of information when I was debating having a pfo closed.

 

[LiteHedded]

I've heard great stuff about Dan. Ditto for Mark Messersmith, actually I will attest that Mark is a great guy, he was a wealth of information when I was debating having a pfo closed.

Mark, Doug, David and Jarrod are all fantastic instructors.
if you can find someone who passed their classes that isn't a great diver I would be very surprised

 

[Superlyte27]

Just to be fair, Dan Patterson teaches (as far as I know) for NSS-CDS and NACD so there *are* some non-gue options at EE as well. I took my intro and apprentice with Dan and would recommend him (along with some of the other people mentioned on this thread.)

The problem isn't agency, the problem is I've never seen them in the water, taught a class with them, and don't know them at all. Who here thinks you should recommend someone based solely on heresay? Is that fair to the student? "Hey, I'm sorry your class/instructor sucked. I heard on scubaboard from Litehedded (a person I've never met) that your instructor was a good guy".

Now, to be fair, I don't believe I've ever seen a bad GUE diver, except maybe Kate where she got caught in the line three times on a single dive.

 

[Randy g]

Now, to be fair, I don't believe I've ever seen a bad GUE diver, except maybe Kate where she got caught in the line three times on a single dive.

Ya think that's bad, you should see her in open water!

She's been onboard with us in NC.

 

[gearhound]

When I venture into Cavern Diving, I would want to do the Cenotes. Of all the pictures that I have seen, the openings are the most stunning.

When I go, I plan to do about 5 days worth of diving

I would suggest taking your cavern course in Mexico then. As stated, find a good instructor. I don't think that can be emphasized enough. Since we're listing names, I would recommend Protec Playa or Tulum with Patrick Widmann or Kim Davidson. There's a number of good instructors through those shops, including Mauro Bordignon. Natalie Gibb from Diablo Divers will also get a lot of good reviews here. Those are the people that I send students to, because I trust them.
I spend quite a bit of time in the water with my students before I take them down...mainly because I want them to do well on their course, but partly because I feel these students are a reflection of my teaching skills.
Since you only have five days, make sure you have your buoyancy and trim in good order before you head down. You don't want to waste 2 days of training figuring out these basics. The instructors listed above will run "tough" thorough courses. The Cavern course is where you learn all of your foundational skills for proceeding onto the cave course. Natalie told me that fully 25% of students don't pass the Cavern course in their allotted time because they haven't completed the skills properly.
If you're doing the course while on a family vacation, I strongly suggest having a long discussion with your significant other before signing up. Classes typically run 8:30am until 6 or 7 at night. With Protec, there's always the debrief and video analysis after class.
Whether Cavern or Cave, the typical response I hear is that it is the best course they've ever taken. They all feel like safer and better divers after.
Good luck and have fun on your journey!

 

[Peter Guy]

Superlyte -- just for the record, I've taken one GUE class (Fundies). My cave training was with German Yanez of Cozumel (TDI) and my Technical training from a local NAUI Tech instructor, Scott Christopher. Even though I am not GUE cave trained, I am "allowed" to cave dive with GUE divers and they don't seem to mind at all! Perhaps being in a mixed marriage has benefits.

 

[lv2dive]

Remind me again which dive that was? I recall it was 2012 or 2013 and It was your first dive in the Wonder tunnel. I do remember getting caught in the line once but not three times. I've never claimed to be perfect and that was not one of better dives.

...
Now, to be fair, I don't believe I've ever seen a bad GUE diver, except maybe Kate where she got caught in the line three times on a single dive.

 

[TSandM]

I have been thinking about this and other threads by the OP, and want to make sure he understands some distinctions.

As an OW-trained diver, without any overhead training, you can do Cenote tours in Mexico. Although having good buoyancy and trim, and non-silting propulsion techniques are desirable things, they aren't required. You don't have to do a cavern class to see the cenotes.

If you do take the class, you come away with a certification that allows you to do those same cavern dives without a guide. In addition, of course, you come away with much improved diving skills in general, and additional tolerance of task-loading.

Cave training takes you quite a bit further, but requires a much larger commitment of equipment, training, and experience time.

The only reason I wrote this is that I began to wonder if the OP understands that he doesn't need a cavern cert to see the cenotes.