When to make the transition

[boulderjohn]

Now for a silly question: How does one go about finding a suitable instructor? Is there anything to look for, or should I just start looking around online and calling instructors, and picking their brains?

Here's what I did.

I went through the cave diving forums on several sites, including this one. I did a search for threads in which people asked for recommendations for cave instructors. There are a bunch. I read through all the recommendations and focused on WHY the people recommended them. I found some that recommended people for reasons I did not find all that desirable. I narrowed it down to a few and then went to their web sites to get a better feel for them.

You can definitely find an instructor who will not be a good match for you if you are not careful. I know one student in particular who has recently switched for that reason.

 

[Rick Murchison]

Now for a silly question: How does one go about finding a suitable instructor? Is there anything to look for, or should I just start looking around online and calling instructors, and picking their brains?
Thanks again for the tips and info.

According to your profile you're in Jupiter FL, right? Therefore, as I said before...

Just trek on up to cave country... chat with several of the cave instructors dotting the landscape and pick one to work with. Then do what they say.
If I had to recommend someone specific for you from afar, I recommend Larry Green. But there are plenty of excellent choices not far from you.

Rick

Being as close as you are, there's no need to rely on websites and internet boards. Carve a few days out to go up to cave country and look around, and go to meet instructors face-to-face.
If you meet someone you think will be a good match for you and want second opinions, ask here again with a name. The cave community members aren't shy with their opinions...
Rick

 

[BabyDuck]

well, tell us what kind of learner you are & we'll chime in with who teaches in a style that might be compatible.

like john, i wanted someone more supportive, and am quite happy with who i ended up with. if you prefer a more 'boot-campy' approach, i know who i'd suggest there, too.

 

[boulderjohn]

like john, i wanted someone more supportive, and am quite happy with who i ended up with. if you prefer a more 'boot-campy' approach, i know who i'd suggest there, too.

That's exactly the differentiation to which I was referring. Thank you for spelling it out.

 

[Dive-aholic]

Thank you all for the helpful input. I feel the caves calling, and I'm eager to get into cave diving. I think I will focus on progressing in my Open Water skills before fully making the switch. However, even with that in mind, I would like to find a cavern instructor and do an intro course, in order to, as Dive-aholic said, learn what I don't know.
Now for a silly question: How does one go about finding a suitable instructor? Is there anything to look for, or should I just start looking around online and calling instructors, and picking their brains?
Thanks again for the tips and info.

Being as close as you are, there's no need to rely on websites and internet boards. Carve a few days out to go up to cave country and look around, and go to meet instructors face-to-face.
If you meet someone you think will be a good match for you and want second opinions, ask here again with a name. The cave community members aren't shy with their opinions...

Any plans on June 20? If not, head up to Marianna for the weekend. We are hosting a diving get together that day. My wife and I are both going to be available to teach some introductory skills and take divers on a guided cavern dive. We already have 3 people signed up for it. And you'll get to see one of the most beautiful caverns around!

 

[pollywogg]

well, tell us what kind of learner you are & we'll chime in with who teaches in a style that might be compatible.

like john, i wanted someone more supportive, and am quite happy with who i ended up with. if you prefer a more 'boot-campy' approach, i know who i'd suggest there, too.

I usually tend toward more boot-campy types of instructors in my life(My OW and Nitrox, my senseis...), but, for cave diving, I think it would be best to have a more supportive type of instructor. The last thing I want is to get beat up by an instructor on a skill to the point that I don't want to do it anymore. At the same time, I don't want an instructor to blow smoke up my bum and tell me I'm doing fine when I'm not. So I guess it boils down to: Supportive, but honest.

Any plans on June 20? If not, head up to Marianna for the weekend. We are hosting a diving get together that day. My wife and I are both going to be available to teach some introductory skills and take divers on a guided cavern dive. We already have 3 people signed up for it. And you'll get to see one of the most beautiful caverns around!

That is a very generous offer. As of now, I don't have any plans for the 20th. It is an 8 hour drive, but I don't have class 'til Tuesday morning. I need to check out a couple of things before I commit, but this sounds like an excellent opportunity. Thank You.

 

[BabyDuck]

i've not met rob, but from reading years of his postings, i bet he'd be a supportive but honest instructor. others to consider - mike o'leary, larry green, dan patterson, jim wyatt, rich courtney.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

I usually tend toward more boot-campy types of instructors in my life(My OW and Nitrox, my senseis...), but, for cave diving, I think it would be best to have a more supportive type of instructor. The last thing I want is to get beat up by an instructor on a skill to the point that I don't want to do it anymore. At the same time, I don't want an instructor to blow smoke up my bum and tell me I'm doing fine when I'm not. So I guess it boils down to: Supportive, but honest.

Based on these comments, I'd recommend you speak to Jim Wyatt. That's who I've been taking my training from, and have found him to have a nice balance between demanding and supportive. Jim has a knack for knowing when to push me hard and when to let me push myself.

The key thing is choosing an instructor who is able to identify your "buttons" and knows when and how far to push them in order to help you learn.

For me, Jim's proven very good at that ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)