why not a poodle jacket

[PfcAJ]

I don't really see what cave skills can't be worked on in other locations than a cave to be honest, except for navigating tight & low sections.

I feel that cave diving is the only way to really hone cave skills. Having ambient light allows a diver to kind of cheat when communicating, navigating, and manipulating equipment (stages, line, lights, etc).

 

[karstdvr]

I don't really see what cave skills can't be worked on in other locations than a cave to be honest, except for navigating tight & low sections.

I agree. In fact cave skills need to be hammered out and mastered BEFORE entering the overhead. If you had a surgeon about to perform surgery on you,would you want him to acquire the skills on you? One reason our caves show signs of wear and tear is because these skills haven't been "honed" somewhere else first.

 

[Sas]

I feel that cave diving is the only way to really hone cave skills. Having ambient light allows a diver to kind of cheat when communicating, navigating, and manipulating equipment (stages, line, lights, etc).

That's why I practiced at night, or with a blacked out mask before cave. Very helpful for when I did the course... There are ways to remove ambient light from practice.

 

[carrielsal]

That's why I practiced at night, or with a blacked out mask before cave. Very helpful for when I did the course... There are ways to remove ambient light from practice.

In our local lake the light filters out around 80'. A few weeks ago we dropped down into the dark to practice skills that we had previously been practicing in the shallower depths. I shutoff my light and removed my mask. I had no problem locating my backup lights, but I had a difficult time finding the on switch. My fingers were half numb from the cold and I just couldn't feel it. It made me realize that we need to be practicing all our skills in the dark.

 

[ucfdiver]

One reason our caves show signs of wear and tear is because these skills haven't been "honed" somewhere else first.

...and the current training programs do nothing to prevent this, using cavern as a substitute for teaching skills that need to be learned in OW.

Just my $0.02.

 

[LiteHedded]

...and the current training programs do nothing to prevent this, using cavern as a substitute for teaching skills that need to be learned in OW.

Just my $0.02.

some agencies do

 

[rjack321]

some agencies do

at least 2 :blinking:

 

[ucfdiver]

some agencies do

at least 2 :blinking:

It was a tongue in cheek comment you two

However, I don't think there's any standards on the degree of precision a student must have through the nss-cds or the nacd even at the full cave level. With the NSS-CDS training director taking students zero-to-hero never having dove SM before, it's almost a running joke around cave country. I feel bad for the good instructors, because the one bad apple rule holds true. Wish a cave card meant more, I know when I first took OW, my instructor presented it as the highest level of dive training.

 

[LiteHedded]

It was a tongue in cheek comment you two

However, I don't think there's any standards on the degree of precision a student must have through the nss-cds or the nacd even at the full cave level. With the NSS-CDS training director taking students zero-to-hero never having dove SM before, it's almost a running joke around cave country. I feel bad for the good instructors, because the one bad apple rule holds true. Wish a cave card meant more, I know when I first took OW, my instructor presented it as the highest level of dive training.

he probably just saw you in the water and thought it best you didn't go any further

 

[ucfdiver]

he probably just saw you in the water and thought it best you didn't go any further

I meant full cave was presented as the highest you idiot!