Considering moving forward with cave training in February, advice?

[rddvet]

I agree, I have seen many instructors teaching and have seen their students in the water, as well as debriefs. I have a fair judgement of who is really good. But, for the OP, of all the people who post on this and other threads, how does he know who provides credible information. I have seen multiple people in the past ask the same question, and they immediately got a response of, " I just took full cave from X, and they are a great instructor, and I highly recommend them", which makes me stand by what I say, getting comparisons inorder to sort out who is best is rare, since so few can compare.

That makes sense. I didn’t think of it from the new cave diver that really couldn’t know if they’re instructor’s good or not angle.

 

[halocline]

hop over and do a couple days in the Cenotes with some guided cavern diving....I'll get some more cavern dives in that way, get comfortable/experienced in doubles, and take the training slowly. Maybe do an intro-to-tech course in doubles to make sure I'm comfortable in them

If you're going to Mexico, try to get some guided cavern dives with Under the Jungle; that way you could meet Nat and Vince and get a sense if you'd like studying with them. They're both excellent teachers. If you are strictly a single tank diver now, I would just skip the doubles and take a sidemount course. It's more involved to learn sidemount than backmount doubles, but in the end you'll probably be happier in sidemount in the Mexican caves.

If you have a particular interest in doubles or don't want to spend the time learning sidemount, consider some sort of intro to tech class to get oriented in doubles and get the trim/buoyancy/propulsion stuff going. If you have a good cave instructor and you start cavern/Intro with less-than-good basic dive skills, you'll end up working on those things anyways before you venture into the cave zone.