Recently there was quite a bit of traffic on the forums regarding caverns safe at Open Water cert level. The normal caverns got mentioned like Blue Grotto, Devil's Den, Ginnie's Ballroom, Paradise, etc., etc.,
Since I became an instructor it has been my standpoint that proper training is needed regardless of how "safe" these caverns appear to be. In my opinion an overhead environment is an overhead environment, regardless of your perceived risk. That environment demands training. Or at least it should.
So with that said, something happened yesterday at Ginnie Ballroom that really added weight to my above argument. Visibility in the ballroom went to 5'. In a room that is normally 200'+ vis, you could not see the steel grate sitting next to it. If you were 5' from the permanent rope, chances are you weren't seeing it. And most importantly, you couldn't immediately determine which direction was out. The entire room was a milky cloudy white color. Buddies went from great vis where they could see across the room at each other to not being able to find each other 10' apart.
What does this tell us? In my opinion, these caverns might not be "open water safe". It's good luck that the divers in the ballroom yesterday were proficient and comfortable, but how many people would have been in peril if they went from 200' vis to 5' vis within minutes in an unfamiliar cavern where you couldn't immediately find the exit.
Stay safe.
Since I became an instructor it has been my standpoint that proper training is needed regardless of how "safe" these caverns appear to be. In my opinion an overhead environment is an overhead environment, regardless of your perceived risk. That environment demands training. Or at least it should.
So with that said, something happened yesterday at Ginnie Ballroom that really added weight to my above argument. Visibility in the ballroom went to 5'. In a room that is normally 200'+ vis, you could not see the steel grate sitting next to it. If you were 5' from the permanent rope, chances are you weren't seeing it. And most importantly, you couldn't immediately determine which direction was out. The entire room was a milky cloudy white color. Buddies went from great vis where they could see across the room at each other to not being able to find each other 10' apart.
What does this tell us? In my opinion, these caverns might not be "open water safe". It's good luck that the divers in the ballroom yesterday were proficient and comfortable, but how many people would have been in peril if they went from 200' vis to 5' vis within minutes in an unfamiliar cavern where you couldn't immediately find the exit.
Stay safe.