Full Cave in FL

[tlessard]

Hi, my brother and I are flying in to Tampa Sept 3-9 and we are interested in getting a full cave cert that week. I'll need a list of cert requirements for the course. I am a DM, but my bro is only OW and Nitrox...obviously, he knows how to dive quite well as we were both OW together 5 years ago and he's been just about everywhere I've been, but no $$ for the certs. Any help in locating the right place, agency, and instructor (right price) would be greatly appriciated!

Thanks, Trey

 

[karstdvr]

Hi, my brother and I are flying in to Tampa Sept 3-9 and we are interested in getting a full cave cert that week. I'll need a list of cert requirements for the course. I am a DM, but my bro is only OW and Nitrox...obviously, he knows how to dive quite well as we were both OW together 5 years ago and he's been just about everywhere I've been, but no $$ for the certs. Any help in locating the right place, agency, and instructor (right price) would be greatly appriciated!

Thanks, Trey

The skills you learn in cave diving is a significant departure from what is learned in OW and even as a DM. There are instructors who will do the cavern to full cave type course,but from my experience this is not the best choice because you don't have much time in between to solidify your skills at each level. I have met a few people who have been successful doing it this way,and those are people who generally have a strong wreck diving background,but I've seen some of those same people fail and have to come back. I would encourage you to find a cavern instructor and learn the first level,then get some practice dives before advancing to the next level. Unlike the OW world where we go from OW,to AOW etc;cave diving is very highly skill and gear specific and mistakes can cost your life,it is worthwhile to advance slowly in this endeavor versus the PADI world where one class begets another class. Incidentally you'll find the cost will be fairly high.

 

[tlessard]

Point taken...we both have experience with the required equipment and both feel that we'd be good to go for a one week course. We don't really have a place to 'practice' where we live in Texas, so we want to get as much as possible done. I actually took about 3 1/2 years to progress to DM...so, I don't recommend jumping from one class to the next as a general rule either, but if you have the skill set to handle it, that's a different story all together. We just want to get as much done as possible and still have a good time of it...

-T

 

[Jason B]

Point taken...we both have experience with the required equipment and both feel that we'd be good to go for a one week course.

It's sure about more the equipment - that's a small, small part of it. How can you make the assessment that you are capable of doing it in 1 week?

I say listen to karstdvr.

 

[karstdvr]

Point taken...we both have experience with the required equipment and both feel that we'd be good to go for a one week course. We don't really have a place to 'practice' where we live in Texas, so we want to get as much as possible done. I actually took about 3 1/2 years to progress to DM...so, I don't recommend jumping from one class to the next as a general rule either, but if you have the skill set to handle it, that's a different story all together. We just want to get as much done as possible and still have a good time of it...

-T

This is not intended to be critical,but if you don't have a place to practice,what is your motive for taking a cave course,and what is the motive for wanting to become full cave certified at one time?

Most people can take intro/basic cave which will give you a comprehensive skill set,identify whether this is something you really want to do,and give you the opportunity to have the credentials to get the needed experience before advancing.

You might find it beneficial to get a the initial cert done on the first part of your trip,and then spend the rest of the time doing some recreational diving to reinforce your skills.

 

[ianr33]

Point taken...we both have experience with the required equipment and both feel that we'd be good to go for a one week course. We don't really have a place to 'practice' where we live in Texas,
-T

I did cavern and intro cave a couple of months ago. Since then I have spent quite a bit of time playing with reels and doing lost lines drills and such in Travis.

Running lines in the trees at Windy point is excellent training for cave IMHO. Its dark and offers plenty of practice at anti silting techniques (and touch contact drills!) While it is possible to make a direct ascent to the surface it is not a terribly attractive proposition.

Do you own doubles,a stage and a Can Light? How about a drysuit? Are you skilled at using them ? (A cave is not the best place to learn new gear)

Fow what its worth ,Intro Cave was the most demanding course I have done diving. I plan on doing Full Cave sometime but want a lot of practice in the meantime.

 

[Mark Vlahos]

I did cavern thru full cave in a single two week period. It is extremely rigorous. I already had experience in doubles, and decompression training. My personal solution to the very real problem of progressing through the skills is that I choose to dive at the intro level for the time being, when I feel more comfortable I will add various complexities to the dive. An extremely conservative approach is a wise choice. Cavern and intro is a really full week.

Mark Vlahos

 

[Rich Courtney]

Hi, my brother and I are flying in to Tampa Sept 3-9 and we are interested in getting a full cave cert that week. I'll need a list of cert requirements for the course. I am a DM, but my bro is only OW and Nitrox...obviously, he knows how to dive quite well as we were both OW together 5 years ago and he's been just about everywhere I've been, but no $$ for the certs. Any help in locating the right place, agency, and instructor (right price) would be greatly appriciated!

Thanks, Trey

I would agree with Kelly on this...... there's a lot to see at the Basic Cave/Intro level and a whole lot of fun to be had. One of the things we teach in cave diving is no goal-oriented dives and the whole "getting a full cave cert that week" makes me think of that.

Unless you are very comfortable in doubles and have some mixed gas training beyond Nitrox you might just want to back of that a little bit. Cavern and Basic Cave/Intro is demanding enough by itself and I've had plenty of OW instructors come through classes and be blown away by the criteria of what it takes to be a Basic Cave/Intro diver, let alone a Full Cave diver.

I'm not trying to put a damper on your enthusiasm by any means, but realistically you might just want to set your sights a little lower than Full Cave and spend four days or so trying to get a Basic Cave/Intro card. After that, if all goes well, you'll have the opportunity to explore our underwater cathedrals on a limited basis and if you're feel like you want to step it up a notch after that, then more power to you.

The caves aren't going anywhere, why not take your time and enjoy the ride? If I can be of any help, shoot me a PM or an email, but remember that there's no hurry in all of this....Hope this helps

Safe diving,

Rich

P.S. The only certification required to enter a Cavern course is Open Water, for beyond that you must have 25 dives after your OW cert and the NACD/NSS-CDS Cavern or equivalent.....

 

[OWSI176288]

Point taken...we both have experience with the required equipment and both feel that we'd be good to go for a one week course. We don't really have a place to 'practice' where we live in Texas, so we want to get as much as possible done. I actually took about 3 1/2 years to progress to DM...so, I don't recommend jumping from one class to the next as a general rule either, but if you have the skill set to handle it, that's a different story all together. We just want to get as much done as possible and still have a good time of it...

-T

I am sure you and your brother are very skilled and experienced divers, however I would agree with the advice already offered.

I am an open water instructor and a full trimix certified technical diver. But that doesn't mean anything as far as cave diving goes. I wouldn't even think of trying to get through a one week full cave class. Nor would I want too. Cave diving is a whole new set of skills that can only be learned progressively through actual cave dives.

I completed my Cavern and Intro to Cave classes in November of 2004. Traveled back to north Florida cave county at least three different times to practice before completing my Apprentice Cave class this past January. I've been back twice since then and still need to practice and get in some more dives and experience before I attempt Full Cave.

I live in Ohio, so I know how hard it is to find the time and money to travel so often to cave county to get the necessary experience. ....but that's the cold hard fact if you want to get Full Cave certified.

 

[JimC]

One point not mentioned yet. Suppose you are already a highly skilled diver and could pass full cave in 8 straight days.

You will be beat, dead exhausted by day 4. I mean *** dragging wasted. Doing cavern and intro back to back is hard enough on the body and mind. Long days of concentrated work on skills, both new and old followed by a mad dash to consume enough food to quell the raging hunger and then its time to hit the books until the we hours of the morning.