When are you ready for cavern training?

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Karen18

Karen18

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Location
St Petersburg
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I'm an OW diver who has moved from NYC to St Petersburg. I'm interested in getting into caves here, eventually, but I'm not ready yet. I know that I still need to work on strengthening basic skills (namely buoyancy control) before going any further. Also, and worst of all, I still make really bad newbie mistakes... like starting a dive with my air shut off (which happened two weeks ago).

I know that I just need to practice the OW skills with more dives before moving forward, but it's hard to sign up for a dive with a charter or group when my idea of a fun dive is spending thirty minutes in one spot trying to stay absolutely still and maintain neutral buoyancy.

I hesitate to take an AOW course because I don't feel like I'm 'advanced' with diving yet, but is this the best way to improve my skills? I've also been considering a GUE fundies course.
 
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The AOW course is misnamed with "advanced"--it just means its more advanced than your initial OW course. It is required for cavern diving by anyone I know, so you might as well knock that off.

If you are diving with the right gear and working on your buoyancy and trim, you have a good start. Work on that (and picking skills) in a pool when you can.

When I took my first step in cave diving, I already had several technical diving certifications. This helped speed me through the courses much faster. I don't think you should be paying a cave instructor to teach you buoyancy control, trim, frog kicks, modified frog kicks, back kicks, helicopter turns, etc. Get those skills--you can get them from the training in most agencies--in pretty good shape before you start.

On the other hand, cavern diving is a pretty basic course, and it might not be a bad idea to take it early to get a taste for what is in store for you later. As mentioned above, you will probably need AOW first.
 
Karen18:
I'm an OW diver who has moved from NYC to St Petersburg. I'm interested in getting into caves here, eventually, but I'm not ready yet.
I've dived wrecks and lakes (NYC and Ireland), cenotes and springs (Mexico and FL); I've got good equipment (I was taught by DIR guys); I've racked up a bunch of specialty courses (wreck, dry suit, doubles, nitrox, night/limited viz). But I know that I still need to work on strengthening basic skills (namely buoyancy control) before going any further. Also, and worst of all, I still make really bad newbie mistakes... like starting a dive with my air shut off (which happened two weeks ago).

I know that I just need to practice the OW skills with more dives before moving forward, but it's hard to sign up for a dive with a charter or group when my idea of a fun dive is spending thirty minutes in one spot trying to stay absolutely still and maintain neutral buoyancy. How do you hook up with other divers when it's still new to you? How do you get out and practice when it's not by taking a course through a shop?

I hesitate to take an AOW course because I don't feel like I'm 'advanced' with diving yet, but is this the best way to improve my skills? I've also been considering a GUE fundies course.
Click to expand...

A lot of the springs have decent sized basins that are perfect for working on all the skills you describe. Just grab a buddy and go muck about.
 
Syntaxerrorsix -- Yeah, I was in Ginnie Springs Ballroom last weekend and I thought the same thing -- that it'd be a good place to hang out and do a lot of practicing. While I was there I met Marissa Lasso, an instructor with Cave Country, and I'll probably go through AOW with her.

Boulderjohn -- That's a good point, about not paying a cave instructor to teach basic skills. I've had a friend working with me on skills (buoyancy, running a line) in the springs and caverns. I think my biggest problem is lack of confidence: I still feel like I depend on a buddy too much while I'm diving, but I guess that will only improve with more practice.

Thanks.
 
When buoyancy, trim and safety drills become 'second nature' you won't feel over whelmed at all the other skills you'll be required to learn in Cavern/Cave....There's a lot of 'multi-tasking' in overhead diving......Your right about practice, dive more, dive more often.........One cannot dive too much.....Mo' diving, Mo' diving, Mo' diving :D !!!!!!!!
 
Karen18:
I've also been considering a GUE fundies course.
Click to expand...

Try to find a GUE "primer" class. That should succinctly address your concerns without spending a lot of money on other instruction that may not. ( and they'll probably love you because you don't have an "attitude").
 
I think you are 100% prime-time GUE Fundamentals candidate. 100%. To the letter.

Those 'newbie mistakes' are easily remedied with a good pre-dive routine and decent buddies, and the GUE course will set you up with both of those things. Its a gateway into the Cave 1 curriculum, and even if you decide not to go with GUE for cave training, you're setup with a solid repertoire of diving skills that you need (need!) for cavern diving and beyond.

Call up Doug Mudry at Extreme-Exposure dive center in High Springs (about 2hrs from St Pete). He's the man to get you set up in a good Fundamentals course.

AOW is a great class in theory, but unfortunately, a lot of people who teach it are from the goon platoon. You'll most likely drop some cash on it for a few supervised dives and walk away with nothing more than an empty wallet and a few filled in log book pages. Practicing OW skills without guidance might actually hinder you moving forward. Best course of action is to pony up for the fundies and reap the benefits of some quality dive training.
 
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Im not GUE but I second PfcAj. That is really sound advice.
 
I'm not GUE either, but I third PfcAj (except maybe start with "Primer"). You seem perfectly ripe for it.
 
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Thanks guys. PfcAJ, Thanks for the advice and the recommendation. Much appreciated.

---------- Post added September 8th, 2013 at 10:34 AM ----------

PfcAJ -- Do you recommend starting with the Primer, or going straight into Fundies?
 
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