Heyas guys and guyettes. 
I'm not a cave diver nor do I have aspirations to becoming one in the near future however I am an avid reader here and on other tech orientated forums. I have come here to ask for your help with a friend of mine.
I was recently bemused to read his Bookface status update asking for advice on whether to pursue sky diving training or cave diving training. I wasn't worried by this and started pointing out the very, very money intensive nature of cave diving just so he would have an idea of what he was getting himself into. As a result of this it came out that he intends to pursue an 11 day "Trimix full cave" course. As I understand it he intends to do training through an instructor who is willing to take you straight from rec training through to Trimix and full cave in only 11 days. Please bear in mind that this is only hearsay but judging by what I know of this instructor I am not surprised. Not only that but upon completion of the course he intends to do explorations of unexplored caves.
Needless to say what was once bemusement quickly turned into alarm. IMO this sort of zero to hero tech training is not only a waste of time but is also downright dangerous because my friend won't be getting the chance to practice and refine his skills at each step. Additionally someone who has just recently completed an intensive training program with no practice outside it has no business being in a virgin cave whatsoever. In effect he is going AN&DP --> Normoxic trimix and cavern --> apprentice --> full cave in the space of less than two weeks. Again, this is only hearsay and I do not have the full story but even the chance that this might be his plan alarms me.
So before I go charging in like a bull in a china shop shouting doom an gloom for his cave diving aspirations, I would like to obtain a few resources to help explain to my friend why a zero to hero approach to advanced tech diving is a bad idea. Over the years I have come across many, many good posts and essays from experienced and skilled tech divers expounding the virtues of a proper and rigorous training schedule but sadly did not think to archive them and bookmark them for just such an occasion.
So my request is as follows: if you know of good resources that I could use to help my friend make a safe and, more importantly, educated decision, could you please post them here? I am looking for threads with good discussion over the merits of taking things at the right pace, essays on why the proper approach and mindset in tech diving are important, explanations of why it is important to first get comfortable in your equipment before taking stressful training (he currently has no tech gear, not even a singles BP&W, and would be renting from his instructor so would have no previous experience in the gear) and anything which you think is important for a nascent caver who might possibly let his excitement and desire to go further, faster overcome better judgement.
I am not looking to stomp on my friend's dreams. I don't want to be a killjoy who demands that he cease any and all attempts to look at wet rocks. But I do care about this guy and want him to do things safely and in a way which works best for him. So basically I am looking for ways to say: "Caving is fun but for this and this and this reason you should rethink your 11 day course," rather than: "You're going to die like a stroke if you do this!!!!"
I have pointed him in the direction of a well respected local cave instructor and asked him to review his plans with this instructor first. Hopefully he will help ground my friend in good training schedules and give some sobering advice of the dangers of going too far too fast. But more information from more sources can't hurt.
Any and all help and advice you can give is appreciated.
I'm not a cave diver nor do I have aspirations to becoming one in the near future however I am an avid reader here and on other tech orientated forums. I have come here to ask for your help with a friend of mine.
I was recently bemused to read his Bookface status update asking for advice on whether to pursue sky diving training or cave diving training. I wasn't worried by this and started pointing out the very, very money intensive nature of cave diving just so he would have an idea of what he was getting himself into. As a result of this it came out that he intends to pursue an 11 day "Trimix full cave" course. As I understand it he intends to do training through an instructor who is willing to take you straight from rec training through to Trimix and full cave in only 11 days. Please bear in mind that this is only hearsay but judging by what I know of this instructor I am not surprised. Not only that but upon completion of the course he intends to do explorations of unexplored caves.
Needless to say what was once bemusement quickly turned into alarm. IMO this sort of zero to hero tech training is not only a waste of time but is also downright dangerous because my friend won't be getting the chance to practice and refine his skills at each step. Additionally someone who has just recently completed an intensive training program with no practice outside it has no business being in a virgin cave whatsoever. In effect he is going AN&DP --> Normoxic trimix and cavern --> apprentice --> full cave in the space of less than two weeks. Again, this is only hearsay and I do not have the full story but even the chance that this might be his plan alarms me.
So before I go charging in like a bull in a china shop shouting doom an gloom for his cave diving aspirations, I would like to obtain a few resources to help explain to my friend why a zero to hero approach to advanced tech diving is a bad idea. Over the years I have come across many, many good posts and essays from experienced and skilled tech divers expounding the virtues of a proper and rigorous training schedule but sadly did not think to archive them and bookmark them for just such an occasion.
So my request is as follows: if you know of good resources that I could use to help my friend make a safe and, more importantly, educated decision, could you please post them here? I am looking for threads with good discussion over the merits of taking things at the right pace, essays on why the proper approach and mindset in tech diving are important, explanations of why it is important to first get comfortable in your equipment before taking stressful training (he currently has no tech gear, not even a singles BP&W, and would be renting from his instructor so would have no previous experience in the gear) and anything which you think is important for a nascent caver who might possibly let his excitement and desire to go further, faster overcome better judgement.
I am not looking to stomp on my friend's dreams. I don't want to be a killjoy who demands that he cease any and all attempts to look at wet rocks. But I do care about this guy and want him to do things safely and in a way which works best for him. So basically I am looking for ways to say: "Caving is fun but for this and this and this reason you should rethink your 11 day course," rather than: "You're going to die like a stroke if you do this!!!!"
I have pointed him in the direction of a well respected local cave instructor and asked him to review his plans with this instructor first. Hopefully he will help ground my friend in good training schedules and give some sobering advice of the dangers of going too far too fast. But more information from more sources can't hurt.
Any and all help and advice you can give is appreciated.
