A letter to the open water diving community from the NACD

[DeputyDan]

The LDS that I was OW certified with had two rules for all divers

#1 Don't do anything stupid
#2 Don't hold your breath.

Pretty much covers it!

 

[Standingbear56]

Great post ...

Instructors need to beat in the heads of students 3 things. 1. No diving in overhead environments 2. No diving in overhead environments 3. No diving in overhead environments
Unless properly trained. I love scuba I love training and have a good time with students and make class really fun.

But you have to instill in them so they'll hear your words, "you dive overhead ... you'll die," period.

Well said Bob!

George
PADI MSDT 33859
Prime Scuba

 

[nereas]

If everyone were NACD trained then there would probably be no diving fatalities. Sadly it is not a perfect world.

 

[nereas]

The LDS that I was OW certified with had two rules for all divers

#1 Don't do anything stupid
#2 Don't hold your breath.

Pretty much covers it!

The oldest and most original version of this is actually:

#1 Do not hold your breath on scuba
#2 Dive with 2 of everything whenever you go into a cave (overhead, deco etc).

 

[Hammerhead]

If everyone were NACD trained then there would probably be no diving fatalities.

Sorry, your faith is touching, but if that quote isn't already proven to be utter drivel, I have no doubt that it soon will be.

No plan, no procedure, no skill set, no level of certification, no level of redundancy, and most relevant to your post, no one certifying agency is perfect. They all increase your chances of a safe dive, but no one item, nor even all together are fail-safe.

Any statement to the contrary is a gilt-edged invitation to Murphy to prove you wrong

 

[toxdoc1947]

From the perspective of a long-time spelunker (1968-2003) and recent (8/2008) OW diver, it's hard to overestimate the hazards associated with cave diving. The most compelling evidence I can come up with is, that if you're going into a cave that is going to involve a dive; the diver(s) do the dry part of the cave "hollywood." The other members of the party carry ALL their gear for them. Imagine lugging an AL80 for 5 miles underground to get to a dive spot!.

John

 

[xcelratr]

This year has had its share of cave-related diver fatalities. Currently, the death toll in Florida caves includes two experienced cave-trained divers and two non-cave trained open water certified divers.

If everyone were NACD trained then there would probably be no diving fatalities. Sadly it is not a perfect world.

:read:

While I believe quite strongly that overhead environments require special training, additional equipment and even greater care and awareness than OW, the OPs own post contradicts your statement, nereas.

OP, what are the causes of death for the cave-trained divers? Without knowing the number of uw hours of trained and untrained divers, it's impossible to assess the fatality rates, but 2 and 2 is pretty comparable.

Regardless of knowing or not knowing that "rate", I commend anyone who's trying to make a difference in any kind of dive safety through training, education and awareness, so thanks to you.

 

[bamamedic]

There's been a shift in deaths from OW divers dying in caves, to partially trained or inexperienced cave divers pushing the limits, or at least that's what it seems.

Still crucially important to stress to OW divers the dangers of "just a peek" inside the cave, especially when OW training dives are done in springs such as Vortex and Ginnie Springs.

 

[Scubadam]

Thank you!!

 

[NuclearOOPS]

Anyone familiar with Eagle's Nest. Ill be getting my cavern cert this summer, and was wondering if dropping down to the ball room, but going no farther would be cansidered a cavern dive. I plan on getting cave cert within the next couple of years, and have already made this cave a bucket list dive. I'm basically just wanting a taste if it will be within the limits of cavern diving. Anyone know?