Training towards tech and trimix

[DANM]

Hi;
I have been looking into getting into tech diving. a few people suggested instead of intro to tech, to take cavern and intro to cave because of the better training. I may have an instructor, but he is naui and only does cavern, and it has been hard to schedual. anouther one does cavern and basic cave and that is an nss-cds instructor. what can I expect for pricing, i'm in sw florida and figure i'll have to go to one of the springs in north fl. thanks for your help. Dan

[Tienuts]

Cave training is some of the best training you can get. With the correct instructor, so is trimix training. Both will task load you, stress you, and build your skills, and eventually give you confidence.

If you decide to take cavern, I would suggest going up to North Florida and taking cavern and intro with one of the instructors up there.

[DANM]

thanks for your response, Dan

[ianr33]

Depends what sort of diving you want to do. If you want to dive caves then do the cave course,if you are more interested in wrecks then do a deco course . If you end up diving caves seriously then you will need to do a deco and maybe trimix course as well sooner or later.

I did my cave training after several years of doing deco dives in doubles and drysuit. Trying to learn doubles,drysuit,stages,deco and overhead all at the same time would be major task loading. IMHO some previous tech training is very useful.

My cavern and into courses were each $300. Full Cave was $600. Advanced Nitrox/Deco (normally done together) is probably around $600 +boat rides,fills and lots of gear.

[DANM]

thanks for your help, reason for cavern and intro was to then lead to tech and then advanced nitrox and deco. these were just the best steps twards doing the deeper wrecks with penetration which is why the overhead environment classes

[Dsix36]

I have been diving the local wrecks for several years. I have been referred to as "The Silt King" because of my kick style and what the vis is like inside a wreck after I have been there. Ask Tienuts if this is true (He swears that I was tring to kill him).

Fortunately, I took a cave class (with Tienuts). This has made my wreck diving much easier and more pleasant for everyone involved.

Obviously, I think that a cave class will make you a better diver. I know that it did me.

[ucfdiver]

I paid $500 for Basic Cave, and $225 for Cavern. I felt like I got a great deal of knowledge for the price from both of them. Find the instructor for you, and then figure out how you can afford it, don't make the mistake of finding the price you want, and settling for an instructor.

[DANM]

thanks for all your help guys, i realy appreciate it, dan

[DANM]

finished my cavern and intro(basic cave) this past weekend. Mike O'Leary was my instructor and he is excellent, i'm sure i'll do further training with him later. dan

[sskasser]

Congrats Dan! Welcome to the highly addictive world cave diving!

[Doppler]

finished my cavern and intro(basic cave) this past weekend. Mike O'Leary was my instructor and he is excellent, i'm sure i'll do further training with him later. dan

Belated Congratulations Dan... Mike is a good guy and I'm sure you had fun. Are you getting any cave diving in and how do you find the training you received has affected you other underwater adventures?

[DANM]

unfortunately i haven't been back yet, my buddy and i are in a spearfishing contest with the local dive club and we have been busy, also going to grand gaymen in a few weeks, once i get back we are talking about gitting some more cave diving in, may try and stay at the dive post for a night or two and get some more experiance at peecock and maybe cow springs also. i still need to find time and money to start my other classes to get twards trimix. thanks for asking, Dan

[whodunit68]

your reasoning is the primary reasoning set that I used to choose to do cavern/basic cave first. I hope it works out as I'm doing these classes in a week and a half in northern FL with Chipola Divers. The guy seems awesome - he's helped a lot before I even got there.
Good luck.

[Doppler]

your reasoning is the primary reasoning set that I used to choose to do cavern/basic cave first. I hope it works out as I'm doing these classes in a week and a half in northern FL with Chipola Divers. The guy seems awesome - he's helped a lot before I even got there.
Good luck.


Let us know how your course goes... be interesting to get your perspective.

[whodunit68]

will do Doppler. I'm lucky enough to be doing at least 3 (plus non-diving like O2 and EFR) (plus I'm trying out doubles for the first time and hopefully a dry suit for the first time) so it's going to be a busy week and a half. Obviously I won't try it all at once....fun stuff!!