PADI Cavern Course

[LBHeyman]

I have heard that the PADI cavern course is not very accepted...My question is if I only plan to be Cavern certified does it really matter? As of now I have no desire to get my cave cert. I am content on just my cavern. Will the PADI cavern course get me into all the caverns in the state parks? Is it just with other agencies that there is a problem with accepting it or do the park rangers and so forth not accept it either? Or am I just over thinking this whole thing???

 

[stairman]

There is nothing wrong with a Padi cavern course.And it is accepted by everyone that is anyone.I took cavern thru Padi.They use the same books as the other agencies for cavediving.There is no Padi cavern manual.A Padi instructor has to be full cave certified now to teach.Of course GUE requires a different program but NACD and NSS-CDS,the two big ones except Padi cavern.I thought Id stop at cavern but got bored with it living in Florida and went on to full cave.Some instructors are better than others no matter the agency.

 

[InkDiver]

I started with PADI cavern. I, like you, thought I would never want to do a cave class. That didn't last long.

As far as being accepted, it won't hinder you at the state parks, or other cavern sites like Ginnie, etc. Some instructors won't accept it as meeting the requirement for their Intro/Basic class, and others will. Mine did, and we did some dives at the beginning of Intro to make sure that he was comfortable that I had the basics down.

I think the real key is to dive dive dive. I did a bunch of cavern dives once I got my cavern cert, and got more and more comfortable as I did. Some people will get it and do a cavern dive every now and then, and skills can get rusty (at any level of diving).

Just don't say you'll NEVER do a cave class. I think the vast majority of cave divers will tel you, once they did cavern dives, they were hooked and wanted to see what lies beyond the cavern zone.

 

[ucfdiver]

Some instructors are better than others no matter the agency.

I can't emphasize this enough. The differences between two instructors can be so great that you'll be surprised it's even the same course, but this is true of any level of education, be it high school, college, or diving.

Cavern is awesome for a long time since living in FL you have Buford, Manatee, Ginnie's Ballroom, Vortex, Blue Grotto, Paradise, and Peacock.

I learned this the hard way, so I'll share it with you. I'll just suggest to you that you find an instructor you communicate well with, and feel comfortable with. The entire course they're going to be giving you constructive criticism, chances are more than any diving class has ever offered you in the past, so make sure it's a person who you can accept constructive criticism from.

 

[Dive-aholic]

PADI's cavern course has been updated over the past few years to be in line with the cave agencies' cavern courses. The standards are almost identical and, as stated, PADI doesn't publish a cavern diving manual. It defers to NSS-CDS or NACD. PADI is also in the process of updating its standards to allow students to take the course in doubles. That should be in effect by the end of the year. I already have a waiver allowing me to teach it to students in doubles.

The PADI cavern course is accepted everywhere. The issue is instructors, not the course. It's far easier to become a PADI cavern instructor than it is to become an NSS-CDS or NACD cavern instructor. But it's not just PADI. There are other agencies that make it as easy to become a cavern instructor as PADI does. As for moving beyond cavern, most instructors will do an evaluation dive prior to beginning a continuing course if the previous course was conducted by another instructor unless they know the other instructor and are familiar with the quality of instruction being given.

Find an instructor you can respect and learn from. The rest will fall into place.

 

[Caver95]

And it is accepted by everyone that is anyone.

I dont not hold a padi cavern in the same light as cavern card from any other agency. I make it clear that if the diver does n't have the skills to standard the dive is starting over. there are still a few padi cavern instructors out there who only had to get intro to cave. Becareful of who you take it from and shop around. The only benifit of taking a Padi Cavern if you dont pass, just sign his or her name on four dive logs and send them to padi QA they will give you a card with the instructors name on it with little fuss.

 

[wb416]

Can you get into Jackson Blue (Marianna, FL) with just a Cavern Card? That has an incredible cavern too.

 

[Dive-aholic]

...just sign his or her name on four dive logs and send them to padi QA they will give you a card with the instructors name on it with little fuss.

I don't know whether PADI would do that or not, but that's forgery. If I had a student do that and PADI accepted the forged signature (they have enough of my signatures on file), there would be some legal action.


wb416, yes, the sheriff's office will give you a key to the park with a cavern card. I teach part of my cavern course there. It does have an incredible cavern.

 

[Capt Jim Wyatt]

The only benifit of taking a Padi Cavern if you dont pass, just sign his or her name on four dive logs and send them to padi QA they will give you a card with the instructors name on it with little fuss.

Have you ever seen this done? I would be very surprised to know this actually happened.

 

[Capt Jim Wyatt]

The only benifit of taking a Padi Cavern if you dont pass, just sign his or her name on four dive logs and send them to padi QA they will give you a card with the instructors name on it with little fuss.

Do you know for a fact this has been done? I would be very surprised to know this actually happened without a PIC envelope and the instructor's signature.

Jim