I cannot begin to express my frustration at what is consistently becoming a norm in the cave community. Cave divers kneeling on the bottom whilst making equipment adjustments as though routine and simple in nature. Reel lines ran mid passage, blocking entrances and side passages, multiple tie-offs using a common point. Diver teams failing to yield to exiting teams. And what I consider one of the biggest issues is divers performing dives that they are neither ready, trained nor equipped to do.
Do I fault these divers? It appears that cave diving at least in this part of the world has become almost mainstream. The shear number of divers I see visiting some of Florida's premier cave locations is a huge leap to the number of only a few years ago. To be a cave diver is no longer to be considered the elite of diving.
Again I ask myself, Do I fault these divers? NO, I lay fault with the agencies and the instructors. The agencies for permitting a corp of instructors who themselves are not often up to par of the once perceived cave diver status, yet have passed a streamlined learning process using a curriculum quite often based solely on academics and not practical application and /or refinement. Do not the two need to be developed together in achieving true mastery of a subject and practice?
This quest of the agencies to quickly compete by offering the fast and minimal in training. A culture of quick gratification permeates throughout the dive industry. IF YOU HAVE THE MONEY THE CARD IS YOURS. And the instructors follow suit to this culture. Do they follow blindly or just out of " That is just the way it is", "It's the Norm" , It's the way I learned to do it"
In reading the many social media forums a common observation is made regarding the lacking quality of today's cave students. Considering the usual arm chair mentality of these comments and the Its the other guy not me! mind set I have to admit there is a great difference in today's cave student then of a few years ago.
Ok its not just the agency, it is the instructors!. Fair enough however there exists a culture to which and because of the agencies I do hold firstly responsible. To my fellow instructors I ask that you hold the cave students you teach to a higher standard. Time to raise the bar. What the agencies have are only words. Legally binding, possibly? A methodology? A lesson plan to follow, certainly. But they are only words and it is up to you the instructor to determine when that student is ready. Sadly I have to say many students are receiving their cards demonstrating the bare minimum.
I encourage you as instructors , at all levels, to raise the bar. Stop the students from kneeling, teach them to handle equipment issues whilst maintaining neutral buoyancy and proper trim, tech them the etiquette of the cave. I think you will find the student actually will appreciate the higher expectations of them. They will have in truth earned the c-card not just because of academics learnt but also practical application. If the student wants the quick gratification card tell them cave diving is not for them. As for me I will I promise to review my expectations of standards and definitions of mastery and will make adjustments. Always learning always improving.
To the many cave divers out there both newly certified and those certified of yesteryear. I challenge you to continue to improve. Be real and truthful to yourself, Critique your dive team and stop practicing bad etiquette and discipline. Learn what is good and what is not. Talk with older cave divers. You've got the c-card now make it an elite card of recognition. Cave divers of old become mentors, hesitate not to pass on some wisdom and suggestions when sought out.
Do I fault these divers? It appears that cave diving at least in this part of the world has become almost mainstream. The shear number of divers I see visiting some of Florida's premier cave locations is a huge leap to the number of only a few years ago. To be a cave diver is no longer to be considered the elite of diving.
Again I ask myself, Do I fault these divers? NO, I lay fault with the agencies and the instructors. The agencies for permitting a corp of instructors who themselves are not often up to par of the once perceived cave diver status, yet have passed a streamlined learning process using a curriculum quite often based solely on academics and not practical application and /or refinement. Do not the two need to be developed together in achieving true mastery of a subject and practice?
This quest of the agencies to quickly compete by offering the fast and minimal in training. A culture of quick gratification permeates throughout the dive industry. IF YOU HAVE THE MONEY THE CARD IS YOURS. And the instructors follow suit to this culture. Do they follow blindly or just out of " That is just the way it is", "It's the Norm" , It's the way I learned to do it"
In reading the many social media forums a common observation is made regarding the lacking quality of today's cave students. Considering the usual arm chair mentality of these comments and the Its the other guy not me! mind set I have to admit there is a great difference in today's cave student then of a few years ago.
Ok its not just the agency, it is the instructors!. Fair enough however there exists a culture to which and because of the agencies I do hold firstly responsible. To my fellow instructors I ask that you hold the cave students you teach to a higher standard. Time to raise the bar. What the agencies have are only words. Legally binding, possibly? A methodology? A lesson plan to follow, certainly. But they are only words and it is up to you the instructor to determine when that student is ready. Sadly I have to say many students are receiving their cards demonstrating the bare minimum.
I encourage you as instructors , at all levels, to raise the bar. Stop the students from kneeling, teach them to handle equipment issues whilst maintaining neutral buoyancy and proper trim, tech them the etiquette of the cave. I think you will find the student actually will appreciate the higher expectations of them. They will have in truth earned the c-card not just because of academics learnt but also practical application. If the student wants the quick gratification card tell them cave diving is not for them. As for me I will I promise to review my expectations of standards and definitions of mastery and will make adjustments. Always learning always improving.
To the many cave divers out there both newly certified and those certified of yesteryear. I challenge you to continue to improve. Be real and truthful to yourself, Critique your dive team and stop practicing bad etiquette and discipline. Learn what is good and what is not. Talk with older cave divers. You've got the c-card now make it an elite card of recognition. Cave divers of old become mentors, hesitate not to pass on some wisdom and suggestions when sought out.
