Swim throughs - what could possibly go wrong?

Foxfish · Feb 2, 2014

There has been some recent discussion regarding ocean 'swim throughs' and 'caverns' in some areas. Where I live we have thousands ranging from a few metres to over 20 m.

Assuming:

There is only one clear path and no chance of getting lost;
The floor is course sand that won't silt even with a group of divers swimming through the cavern;
It is so spacious that many divers can pass through at the same time;
The cavern has multiple large entries and exits; and
It is well illuminated.

What are the risks of diving in these "caverns"? What could go wrong?

Avoid debate on this thread the need or otherwise for training to enter these areas. Focus instead on identifying the risks and how you would mitigate the risks. Comments from trained and untrained cave divers are welcome.

Photos don't always tell the whole picture but here are some of the "caverns" we dive that are as described above.

victorzamora · Feb 2, 2014

Is this the fourth thread you've started on this topic? Either way, I'll wait to see what is said.

Foxfish · Feb 2, 2014

If you'd like to contribute in a way that will help divers identify and mitigate the risks involved feel free.

Storker · Feb 2, 2014

Foxfish:
Assuming

...is the key word for me here. Based on both my own (limited) experience with diving guides, and what I've been reading of other divers' experiences with the same, I don't trust the guide enough to "assume" that all those factors are covered if (s)he tries to take me into an overhead environment.

Foxfish:
Focus instead on identifying the risks and how you would mitigate the risks.

I'm not cave or cavern trained, so I've got a simple rule for overhead environments: I don't go there. Period. I don't know what I don't know about diving overhead environments and I'm not competent to identify the risks. Just keeping out of overhead environments (the 'just say no' approach) is a simple way to mitigate the risks I'm not competent to assess.

Rich Keller · Feb 2, 2014

Worst case is you have an equipment failure and you buddy is not there. You do not have enough air to get out from under the swim through and then go up. I never dive in any overhead environment on scuba.

victorzamora · Feb 2, 2014

Storker:
I don't know what I don't know about diving overhead environments and I'm not competent to identify the risks.

Smart man!

kwinter · Feb 2, 2014

richkeller:
Worst case is you have an equipment failure and you buddy is not there. You do not have enough air to get out from under the swim through and then go up. I never dive in any overhead environment on scuba.

If you don't have enough air to make it through a 20m swim through, your screw up occurred long before that point.

Please pardon any typos. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

MRTdiver · Feb 2, 2014

that looks like a nice place to dive.

Foxfish:
What are the risks of diving in these "caverns"? What could go wrong?

I don't think a veteran diver would make these statements - "It is well illuminated" and "no chance of getting lost."

First of all I wish you would rethink your assumptions. For example, have you ever seen a day where it suddenly got dark because dark stormy clouds came in? Well imagine this happening while your underwater (u/w). It can quickly get real dark u/w.
Risk #1 - assumption - there will always be sufficient light

Are you equipped like a technical diver? How many lights do you have? Is your configuration set up "clean" and not cluttered up like so many recreational divers who try and transition into technical? Are your cave trained to deal with contingencies?
Risk #2 - not being trained in overhead environment - but thinking - I am trained and equipped for this

If you've gone through lots of these swim throughs. What's your limit? I mean eventually your going to see longer and longer swim throughs. But nothing bad has ever happened all the previous times.
Risk #3 - complacent thinking - getting too comfortable with environment

"What could go wrong?" - is everything that could happen whether we think of it or not. And the proper training will help someone deal with these issues.

Lorenzoid · Feb 2, 2014

Foxfish:
There has been some recent discussion regarding ocean 'swim throughs' and 'caverns' in some areas. Where I live we have thousands ranging from a few metres to over 20 m.

Assuming:

There is only one clear path and no chance of getting lost;

The floor is course sand that won't silt even with a group of divers swimming through the cavern;

It is so spacious that many divers can pass through at the same time;

The cavern has multiple large entries and exits; and

It is well illuminated.

So just to clarify the parameters under discussion, you mean to add a sixth bullet point "maximum 20 m in length"? Length seems at least as critical as the other five parameters you list.

tajkd · Feb 2, 2014

IMO these discussions are pointless. If, If, If... I'll enter a cavern or cave with one entrance, with silty sand, that is longer than 20 feet, that has limited space, that has no light. I trust my training, I trust my buddy, I trust my redundant lights/air/buoyancy. I've been in bad situations but, contrary to these discussions, most of them happened with lots of light, in open areas. If you do something stupid, you'll get caught wherever you are.

Swim throughs - what could possibly go wrong?

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