Cavern Diving

Please register or login

Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.

Benefits of registering include

  • Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
  • A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
  • You can make this box go away

Joining is quick and easy. Log in or Register now!

FishDiver

FishDiver

Contributor
Messages
749
Reaction score
10
Location
Davis, CA
# of dives
1000 - 2499
I have a slight interest in cavern diving. I say slight because I spent several days diving the cenotes in the Yucatan and have no desire to pursue full cave training. That said, I would like to take advantage of the spring diving in Florida just for sake of variety. Which brings me to my question.

What training and certification do dive sites in central Florida REQUIRE for cavern diving? I am certified for wrecks, can run a line, etc. In Mexico, a certified cave diver is required to lead non-cave certified divers. I would much rather dive sites with just my own buddy. Is this typically allowed?
 
It varies with the site. State Parks and many privately owned sites require proper training and certification to dive in the overhead. Some sites allow OW divers but do not allow lights. There are some sites that have no requirements.

That being said, cavern diving is different than wreck diving. The environment is different. The hazards are different. Divers have died in caverns and caves, even wreck divers. If you want to dive caverns take a cavern diver course. It's a 2 day course and typically runs in the $350-400 range plus entry fees, tank rental, and fills. If you want to do it, do it properly and safely.
 
It varies with the site. State Parks and many privately owned sites require proper training and certification to dive in the overhead. Some sites allow OW divers but do not allow lights. There are some sites that have no requirements.
Click to expand...
I would love to get more specifics but this is exactly the information I am seeking.

That being said, cavern diving is different than wreck diving. The environment is different. The hazards are different. Divers have died in caverns and caves, even wreck divers. If you want to dive caverns take a cavern diver course. It's a 2 day course and typically runs in the $350-400 range plus entry fees, tank rental, and fills. If you want to do it, do it properly and safely.
Click to expand...
I appreciate the response, but this is exactly the advice that I do not want. More training is always better than less. I am not interested in getting additional training for overhead environments. I prefer to select sites appropriate to my experience level.
 
There are no overhead cavern sites appropriate for a diver without cavern diving training.

You will be safe to go to Troy, Alexander, and Vortex. All of these springs have sufficient open water areas. If you're looking to go into the overhead, then take the training. There are no shortcuts here. too many people have died trying to dive caves without the appropriate training.
 
FishDiver:
I have a slight interest in cavern diving. I say slight because I spent several days diving the cenotes in the Yucatan and have no desire to pursue full cave training. That said, I would like to take advantage of the spring diving in Florida just for sake of variety. Which brings me to my question.

What training and certification do dive sites in central Florida REQUIRE for cavern diving? I am certified for wrecks, can run a line, etc. In Mexico, a certified cave diver is required to lead non-cave certified divers. I would much rather dive sites with just my own buddy. Is this typically allowed?
Click to expand...

Actually, there are two sites appropriate for your certification(s) Devil's Den and Blue Grotto. Both are located near Williston, Fl. and are about 5 miles away from each other. you can easily dive them both in the same day, however, the more economic thing to do is to dive one, stay locally over night, then dive the other the next day.
 
You can get most of the info you should need here from, Johnny Richards who is an excellent and highly recomended Cave Diver.

Cave Diving Website

And if you should need any further information his contact email is on the page
 
Rob is correct please seek training to compliment the type of diving you want to do. Skills change as the environment changes.

I am a cave diver but that doesn't make me a wreck penetration diver.

Safe Diving
 
Are the springs in Florida significantly different from Yucatan cenotes? I truly did not enjoy the environment enough to pursue additional training. If I can't make the dives with my current training I will leave them to others with more interest.

Thank you all for your insights.
 
FishDiver:
Are the springs in Florida significantly different from Yucatan cenotes? I truly did not enjoy the environment enough to pursue additional training. If I can't make the dives with my current training I will leave them to others with more interest.

Thank you all for your insights.
Click to expand...

Caverns of Florida typically are completely submerged without direct access to the surface. Unlike many of the cenotes which may have direct access to the surface or an air pocket. Both environments do have many of the same characteristics. Even in Florida Caverns in the same area may have completely different environments. For example a spring versus a siphon. Use caution when generalizing cavern systems for they vary from site to site and country to country.

Safe Diving
 
Yes, the Florida springs are significantly different than the Mayan cenotes. They each hav e their own unique characteristics. I also know of several deaths in the Florida springs and not so many in Mexico. It could be Mexico keeps the incidents quiet or the required guide system or any number of things. It could also be that Florida caverns are deeper, siltier, smaller, etc. I have limited diving experience in Mexico, but those are my observations during the several cave dives I did there.

And I disagree with the comment on Devil's Den and Blue Grotto. While the land owners do allow OW divers to dive them (money driven - $40 entry fee)m that doesn't make them safe. Particularly Blue Grotto, which reaches a depth of almost 100' and does have a cave zone.

Cavern training introduces great skills that can be used in all types of diving. If you don't want the training then please do stay out of the caverns.. This may not be the advice you want, but it's the only advice you should heed.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

js1221
Primary Light for Cavern Diving
2 3
Replies
24
Views
2,176
mr_v
mr_v
Watthem
Prep for Cavern/Intro
2 3 4
Replies
31
Views
1,695
ofg-1
ofg-1
MrChen
Taking a multi-day trip to the Springs
11 12 13
Replies
123
Views
7,289
MrChen
MrChen
P
When to take DP?
2
Replies
19
Views
1,682
chrisjur
chrisjur
jviehe
For Sale Dive Rite Reg Set
Replies
0
Views
302
jviehe
jviehe
https://xf2.scubaboard.com/community/forums/cave-diving.45/

Back
Top Bottom