When are you actually a Cave Diver

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!

maddiver

Contributor
Messages
103
Reaction score
0
When are you actually a cave diver?

1. when you get a card?

2. when you dive for the first time (cert or not) in a cave?

3. when you are committeed to doing 50+ (insert # here if you wish) cave dives a year, letting no more than 2 months elapse between immersions.

4. when you take one week long vactation to the yucatan and do 10 cave dives a year.


I think # 3 or some variant is a 'cave diver' the rest are 'I dive in caves' variety....if you got a card 10 years ago and haven't been cavediving since, I think it is blasphamous to call yourself a 'CAVE DIVER' as was told to me at a LDS.

Opinions? Comments? Flames?
 
Sounds like you're trying to form a club.
Members only.
Rick
 
Nope- "I wouldn't join any club that would have me as a member"

Besides there are already enough out there...

Just want to know what other 'opinions' are out there.

Originally posted by Rick Murchison
Sounds like you're trying to form a club.
Members only.
Rick
 
It depends on if you mean, a cave diver, or an active cave diver. If you have a card, and really don't do any cave diving, technically you are still a cave diver, just not an active one. If you are commited to cave diving, and make sure you are in the water atleast once every month, then you are an active cave diver.
 
I have a friend - also my cave instructor - who is a "caver" - it's what he does. Trying to get him into open water is like pulling teeth. He just prefers to be underground under water.
My interests, on the other hand, run more to biology rather than geology (though I am what you might call a "knowledge nut" - I want to know about everything) consider caving interesting... the geology of the Florida karst, the hydrology of the region, the beauty of many caves, the speleothems of the Yucatan, the possibility of an archeological bonanza - and I go from time to time - for fun, to keep my skills practiced, or as a weather divert when conditions in the Gulf are bad. I'm a "cave diver" - but not a "caver" or a "cave nut." (I did see a cave shrimp swim by in Peacock last August!)
Indeed, all diving to me is a means to gather information, to observe beauty, to experience awe, to exercise self discipline, to exercise, to live life abundantly, to share - diving itself isn't the objective.
So, IMO the term you're after is something along the lines of "caver" or "cave nut" or "cave addict" or "cave crazy" or "hooked on caves" or something to separate the person who dives in caves all the time from someone who dives in caves from time to time. "Cave Diver" is a certification that begins at "Intro to Cave" level and covers the full range of advanced cave certs.
-----------------------------
I must note here that frequency doesn't necessarily mean competence - the most dangerous, destructive cave divers I've ever seen were experienced frequent addicted cave nuts - if you cave dive much you've seen 'em too - distance is their thing, and a trail of damage is their legacy. Most of 'em also claim to be "DIR" but they ain't.
Rick
 
Im not a cave diver yet but hope to start my training in Oct. The reason I wont to get into cave diving is because I live in Tennessee and it is full of caves both big and small. With most of them unexplored futher than the dry cave area. I know that some of them have been dove in the past but just think of the new caves that are here to be explored.
 
I am a cave diver. Not because of anything I do or have done but because I don't have a choice. Since the first time I peaked into a spring a few years ago my goal has been caves. My wife and I completed our full cave in march and have gone to Missouri every free weekend since. Every free weekend and the remainder of my vacation for the year will be spent either in Florida or Missouri. I can't even get excited about an open water or even a wreck dive anymore.
 
Originally posted by maddiver
When are you actually a cave diver?

3. when you are committeed to doing 50+ (insert # here if you wish) cave dives a year, letting no more than 2 months elapse between immersions.

I think # 3 or some variant is a 'cave diver' the rest are 'I dive in caves' variety....if you got a card 10 years ago and haven't been cavediving since, I think it is blasphamous to call yourself a 'CAVE DIVER' as was told to me at a LDS.

Opinions? Comments? Flames?

I think that I would love to qualify as your #3, but unfortunately I can't. I live in Texas and there aren't any cave systems close to me, and the ones that I do know about are restricted in some way. Unfortunately, it just isnt feasible for me to drive to Florida every few months to dive in caves (tho I am planning on going next month) and it just isnt possible for me to fly to Mexico a couple of times a year to dive them either.

I became certified recently, because for one, caves fascinated me and two, I felt the skills I learned during a Full Cave Cert would serve me well in my recreational diving as well. And even tho I don't have the luxury of being able to dive a cave every few months, I do spend time at a local lake practicing anti-silting techniques, working on my kicks, my bouyancy control, doing line drills with mask removed, etc. That way, when I DO get the opportunity to dive a cave at least the skills wont be rusty and they will still be familiar to me.

On the flip side of this, I think some of those that do more than 50+ a year might have actually forgotten what cave diving is about. By doing so much diving there are some that may perhaps tend to push a little harder, go a littler further, try to see around the next corner. Those divers *may* end up being more of a danger than one who does less dive, simply because the become complacent because "I have done this dive 100 times."

Cave diving is more than a certification or a skill level. Being a cave diver is more than just having a log book full of recorded cave dives. It is also an attitude. And to be a cave diver you have to have that attitude. The attitude that means you pay attention to your gear. You know your dive plan. You work on your skills, even when you aren't in caves. A mental prepardedness to handle out of ordinary situations and a commitment to dive the way you know you should.

So, by your rule #3, no I am not a "Cave Diver." But from my viewpoint I am. I think the real consideration here, is not whether some one has 50 or 100, or 1000 logged dives, but rather do they go in with the proper trainining and the right attitude? Do they know their personal limits and dive within them? Do they pratice and hone their skills, whether it be breathing technique, bouyancy and silt control, our practice for emergencies?

IMHO, the person that can answer YES! to all of these questions is indeed a cave diver, regardless of the number of logs they have.

Dive often, but dive safe

John
 
Lets see.... I have my Full Cave card and try to go at least once a year for 10 -14 days down to N. Fl. - I my mind, I am not a cave diver, I am a northeast diver who dives caves. If I could, I would hit the caves several times a year. I will not consider myself a cave diver until I am diving the caves on a very regular basis.

Take Care,
Eric
 
you were a cave diver when you could tell the difference between a hole in the ground and youe a**.
 
http://cavediveflorida.com/Rum_House.htm

Back
Top Bottom