Cave certs explained....

[ucfdiver]

I know several of you, especially those of you new to diving have questions on the various levels of cave diving, and what their limits are. If I'm wrong in any way, please correct me. I've summarized the NACD workbook with this post.

Here's the limits established by the NACD. If someone can post others, I'll add them to this post.

Cavern
1- Daylight zone only.
2- 1/3 air supply for penetration, or 1/6 of doubles. Doubles may only be used under the direct supervision of an instructor, and must have at least 2000psi or 58cu ft to enter a cavern (which ever is greater).
3- Max penetration of 200ft from the surface and 100ft deep. This means if a cavern starts at 60ft, penetration is limited to 140ft.
4- Minimum visibility to start the dive of 30ft.
5- Max depth of 100ft
6- No decompression.
7- No restrictions. This means a cavern diver cannot go anywhere that requires divers to enter single file.
8- Required 3 minute safety stop on all dives.

Intro to Cave-
1- Main line penetration only. No jumps, gaps, circuits, or traverses.
2- 1/3 air supply for penetration, or 1/6 of doubles.
3- Minimum visibility to start the dive of 30ft.
4- Max depth of 100ft
5- No decompression.
6- Minor restrictions only. This is when divers can only go through single file, but do not have to put much effort into it.
7- Required 3 minute safety stop on all dives.
8- Use of proper equipment (covered in your class).

Apprentice Cave Diver-
1- Double tanks greater than 142cu ft of gas. 1/3 max air use. Must begin dive with greater than 116cu ft o 2000psi, which ever is greater.
2- Minimum visibility to start the dive is 20ft.
3- Max depth of 130ft
4- Limited decompression. This means 1 stop, and only one decompression cylinder.
5- Partial pressure of oxygen less than 1.4 for diving and 1.6 for decompression. As a reminder, the formula to find your ppo2 (fresh water) is (depth+34)/34*oxygen percentage in breathing gas
6- Cannot use a DPV
7- Can complete only simple jumps and gaps. No circuits or traverses.
8- Must run a continuous guideline.
9- Must have proper equipment.
10- Apprentice certification is only good for 1 year (after this, you'll only be intro, or you can take full cave).


Full Cave Diver, the best divers on the planet-
1- Double tanks greater than 142cu ft of gas. 1/3 max air use. Must begin dive with greater than 116cu ft o 2000psi, which ever is greater.
2- Minimum visibility to start the dive is 20ft.
3- Max depth of 130ft
4- Partial pressure of oxygen less than 1.4 for diving and 1.6 for decompression. As a reminder, the formula to find your ppo2 (fresh water) is (depth+34)/34*oxygen percentage in breathing gas
5- No DPV use.
6- Must run a continuous guideline.
7- Must run a continuous guideline.
8- Must have proper equipment.

 

[Scubastud16]

I've known people to take cavern in singles and then switch to doubles later, is this "against the rules" as far as anyone knows?

Thanks!

Danny

 

[Papa_Bear]

No problem! The only reason to start with doubles is if your going beyond in your training you might as well get used to them! If you're sticking to Cavern then no problem as long as the minimums are meet!

 

[Belmont]

Would a lost buddy search be assimilated to a non permitted procedure like a jump for an intro cave student?

BTW, thank you for this list, it brings perspective to the cave diving cursus.

 

[Papa_Bear]

You shouldn't have to! For a buddy search you tie off to the main line with your reel and stay connected to the ML so why would you be jumping if your on your own line?

 

[wedivebc]

Doesn't intro have a pentration distance limitation? I also thought no Ts that would require a navigation decision.

 

[Belmont]

:11doh:Sorry, my mistake, I meant a T.

 

[jeandiver]

For Intro/Basic:
1/3's on a SINGLE tank OR 1/6's on doubles.

No JUMP , NO GAPS , NO ERRORS

Just Mainline stuff.

Jeano Beano

P.S. And I won't even go into the Single/Double cornfusion between the agencies. I have had enough of that to last a lifetime

 

[IceBergSlim]

Full Cave Diver, the best divers on the planet-
.

Umm. Not sure why you think that....

(but if it make you feel better about yourself feel free to continue those thoughts)

 

[DA Aquamaster]

The impression I got in FL on my intro cave course was that in the interim between full or apprentice cave, you can't dive doubles in places like Ginnie unless you have a letter from your instuctor giving you permission to dive doubles for training purposes, so in effect the cert card is not the most limiting factor.