Getting in Over Your Head

[DevonDiver]

A PADI Cavern Instructor has to be a fully qualified cave diver. Why? So that they can understand the risks involved with the activity. Cavern Diver instructor is the only PADI recreational teaching qualification that involves an external certification as a pre-requisite. THAT is a big deal for PADI.

Cavern and Cave (and wreck) penetration has specific risks. Any diver entering that environment should only do so if they are in full understanding of those risks. IMHO unqualified dive 'pros' who assume that they understand those risks are acting irresponsibly towards their customers.

 

[MauiScubaSteve]

A PADI Cavern Specialty Instructor NOW has to be a fully qualified cave diver. After I was certified Intro to Cave in '01 and thought doing further cave training meant mandatory deco diving, I called PADI directly (California) and was told by the Training Department that as soon as I had the 25 certs I could become a PADI Cavern Specialty Instructor with just my Intro to Cave.

I have heard of other PADI Cavern Specialty Instructors who are not full cave; just Intro or Apprentice. If I had Put Another Dollar In at the time of my 25th cert I would still be a PADI Cavern Specialty Instructor, as they did not revoke any non full cave trained Cavern Specialty Instructors when they changed the qualifications.

I believe they changed that standard due to negative "bashing" (PR) more than due to them thinking the full cave diver more understands the risks involved with cavern diving than an Intro to Cave diver.

 

[MauiScubaSteve]

It would be interesting to hear of other non tech agencies requirements to be a Cavern Specialty Instructor.

I was of the understanding that recreational NAUI Instructors are allowed to teach ALL Specialties right out of their initial Examination. Is/was there a NAUI Cavern Specialty and if there is/was, is/was every NAUI instructor able to teach it.

I now see that Cavern Diver is listed on their Tech page.

NAUI Worldwide Technical Courses

The Naui web site does not list all the NAUI Specialties, but it seems unlikely that if there was a Cavern Specialty that there is now that there is a Tech Cavern Diver.

 

[samuel150]

I was taught in OW and doing AOW wreck dive that going into an overhead environment was a no no unless you had the proper training. However, I dont mind going through a swim through under a rock as long as i can see a way out. Im ok with caverns as well as long as i can reach the surface.

After OW on holiday we had an instructor who told us about a cavern but you had to go through a very small cave first and then you could surface inside. Was hesitant at first but since I could surface on the inside I decided to give it a go. Turned out to be an awesome dive.

While on holiday in greece the instructor said there was a cave at the dive site and asked us if we was comfortable to go in. I had to let the group of divers down since I was not prepared to go into a full enclosed environement. After the previouse holiday I started reading up on different types of diving, wreck and cave and realised the amount of training and equipment needed. Especially after reading about fatalities caused by people not having the right training, equipment to go into an overhead environment. I was not prepared to put my life in the hands of someone else, relying only on their skill to help me if i got into trouble. I felt like i made the right choice.

 

[Roko]

WRT getting in over your head... How many of you can honestly say you didn't think you were an "Advanced" diver when you completed your advanced course? I'm talking about what you thought at the time, not now in hindsight. (Especially those that took it shortly after OW).

I know I thought I was hot **** advanced. Good thing I quickly realized that I wasn't.

It's dangerous when we don't know what they don't know.

 

[oldogre]

Before during & at the end of my AOW training, I was told by both my instructors & the Manager that it did NOT make me an Advanced Diver, but merely a beginner who could do a little bit more.

 

[Roko]

Before during & at the end of my AOW training, I was told by both my instructors & the Manager that it did NOT make me an Advanced Diver, but merely a beginner who could do a little bit more.

Right on, that's what instructors should say. I did the Mexico Special, unfortunately.. And in hindsight feel like I wasted my money to get plastic instead of getting good instruction.

 

[TSandM]

Oh, man, at the end of my Advanced Open Water class, I not only knew I wasn't an advanced diver, I knew I wasn't a COMPETENT one! Which is why I immediately signed up for more classes (in retrospect, so that the same burned-out and not very good instructor could not teach me anything a bunch more times, but that's another story).