Taking the next training step - which?

[RJP]

OK, so I'm thinking of taking the next step in cave training and am trying to determine how big a step to take.

I did NACD Cavern back in April at dive #100 or so. I've now got approx 140 logged, with 30 or so of the dives in between being wreck penetration dives where I've been able to apply much of what I learned in Cavern.

Should I do Full Cave "all in one sitting" or do Apprentice and then go back and finish up later?

Pro's and cons of each, clearly. What would you recommend and why?

 

[liftbag]

I've always felt I learned more in all my cave classes then I did in the Wreck specialty classes. I'd go full cave if you feel good enough about your skills. If not go with apprentice until you do.

A wreck class wouldn't hurt and might give you one or two different things to think about that might not be covered in cave, but i'd do the wreck class in addition to, not instead of cave.

 

[The Chad]

I guy I dive with did his in FL. He split it up, when I asked why he just said "it can be too much all at once" lol helpful right?

 

[Daedalus]

Split it up. If you cannot enjoy diving at the different levels of training you are in it for the wrong reasons. Taking a couple months and/or 20+ dives between training levels is the way to go. IMO, YMMV, etc.

 

[contender]

Don't do it all at once, you need time to digest the skills. Take apprentice and dive, dive, dive in the cave environment, practice the newly learned skills. Once you have a firm grasp on them then take the next level. There is no need to be in a hurry, the caves are not going anywhere.

 

[RJP]

A wreck class wouldn't hurt and might give you one or two different things to think about that might not be covered in cave, but i'd do the wreck class in addition to, not instead of cave.

Been there. Done that. Bought the c-card.

 

[Dive-aholic]

Come back down to Florida and do Intro/Basic along with Adv. Nitrox/Deco Procedures. Do some more diving and then eventually do full cave. Full cave in N. Florida doesn't allow for much dive time or penetration with Adv. Nitrox/Deco Proc. The only place you'll get to dive without going into deco is Peacock I. You'll want to see Devil's and Little River, etc. This will also allow you to get some of the cave skills from Intro and work on them before coming back to do the 4 day full cave course.

 

[grazie42]

I did it all at once. I think that I spent 8 days of straight 24/7, "nothing but cave-diving", helped ingrain the right habits from the start. I also felt that the whole 8 days where spent with the bar at the "full cave level" and that it was beneficial to my learning...

I think it depends on the skills/classes you´ve already taken, you need to assess how much of the "stuff" will be new to you. If you have the deco, doubles drills and some rudimentary line-laying going into the class I think "all at once" may be for you. It was still bloody hard work and one or two times when I wondered why I was inflicting such punishment on my self (or more correctly letting the instructor do it) so if you´ve "only" taken cavern it may be a bit much...

It also depends on your learning-style and how you dive on your own after the course. The fact that I´m now "full cave" doesen´t make me appreciate cavern or intro dives any less. I spent my time in mexico doing nothing but cavern dives, why go "deeper" when there´s so much close to the exit that you haven´t seen?

If you have a need to tell everyone how many feet of penetration you´ve done then perhaps you should break it up in segments. If you just enjoy looking at caves you´ll be "safer" doing cavern/intro dives and still safe doing "full cave dives" because of the skills taught in the full class...

ymmv

 

[grazie42]

Come back down to Florida and do Intro/Basic along with Adv. Nitrox/Deco Procedures. Do some more diving and then eventually do full cave. Full cave in N. Florida doesn't allow for much dive time or penetration with Adv. Nitrox/Deco Proc. The only place you'll get to dive without going into deco is Peacock I. You'll want to see Devil's and Little River, etc. This will also allow you to get some of the cave skills from Intro and work on them before coming back to do the 4 day full cave course.

I saw your profile said NACD/NSS-CDS which is the agencies used for my course as well...are you sure that it´s mandatory to combine them with those courses? I thought the "regular" full cave cert allowed both deco and trimix? That´s what I was told and certainly what the NACD book implied. Everyone on my course had both before the course so it wasn´t an issue for us...

 

[Dive-aholic]

Regular full cave allows deco and trimix, but how can you do deco and trimix if you don't have the training to do it? Full cave doesn't teach deco and trimix, so if you're not deco trained and certified already, then you end up cutting your dives short to stay within NDL if you're at places like Devil's, Little River, etc.