Upgrading from Cavern to Basic 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!

Manatee Diver

Stop throwing lettuce at me!
ScubaBoard Supporter
Messages
4,277
Reaction score
5,337
Location
Tampa Bay, FL
# of dives
None - Not Certified
Am I reading the NSS site correctly, that the minimum amount of instruction time for a diver to upgrade from cavern to basic cave diver is only two days?

Cave Diver Training

Obviously I know this depends on my skills, and how well I do in the course.
 
What you see on the training agency website may be one thing, checking the websites of the individual dive ops may be another. NSS-CDS may state that the Intro/Basic course is a minimum of two days, but very often cave instructors add an additional day. The reasons could range from an assessment (as you mention) of your skills (how prepared you are), your progress - or lack of it, and how much material and skills they have to cover (from what I've seen, 2 days would a bit of a squeeze). If it turns out to be 2, 3 or more days - they will all be long, physically and mentally demanding.
 
One factor that I often see is the origin of the Cavern Cert. Was it a "Cave" or "Tech" agency with the class being taught as a stepping stone into Cave Diving? If it was a "Rec" agency/instructor/class, many instructors won't accept it, even if the agency officially does.
 
What you see on the training agency website may be one thing, checking the websites of the individual dive ops may be another. NSS-CDS may state that the Intro/Basic course is a minimum of two days, but very often cave instructors add an additional day. The reasons could range from an assessment (as you mention) of your skills (how prepared you are), your progress - or lack of it, and how much material and skills they have to cover (from what I've seen, 2 days would a bit of a squeeze). If it turns out to be 2, 3 or more days - they will all be long, physically and mentally demanding.
This is a more elaborate description of my "in theory" statement lol
I would call your prospective instructor, everything is up to the individual
 
One factor that I often see is the origin of the Cavern Cert. Was it a "Cave" or "Tech" agency with the class being taught as a stepping stone into Cave Diving? If it was a "Rec" agency/instructor/class, many instructors won't accept it, even if the agency officially does.

NSS with Reggie Ross, who I am planning to do sidemount with later this year, and will likely be my cave instructor.
 
NSS with Reggie Ross, who I am planning to do sidemount with later this year, and will likely be my cave instructor.

Then hopefully he accepts his own Cavern Cert!

Jokes aside, it looks like the answer is: Probably a 2-day min course per standards. Contact Reggie for final confirmation or discuss it during your SM course.
 
Then hopefully he accepts his own Cavern Cert!

Jokes aside, it looks like the answer is: Probably a 2-day min course per standards. Contact Reggie for final confirmation or discuss it during your SM course.

I was just wondering what the upgrade path was, because his website seems to be based on zero to basic, as most people skip cavern. I just figured a random question like this would be better answered here.

Right now I just need to get more time in the water with a reel, I ran the reel this weekend and felt like a monkey humping a football. And I certainly didn't see as much as the following dive where I wasn't the one running the reel.
 
When I was training in January, Reggie was budgeting two days of instruction time per level for me.
 
I was just wondering what the upgrade path was, because his website seems to be based on zero to basic, as most people skip cavern.

I would say "most people" either take cavern and stop
or take cavern & basic together.

But I have no data to support that, just what I've seen here over the years
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/peregrine/
http://cavediveflorida.com/Rum_House.htm

Back
Top Bottom