GUE Cave Training?

[Teller]

I am in the Army and will be moving to Florida soon for about three years. I would like to get in to cave diving and I am considering taking fundies and then on to cave 1. My only concern is once I move again chances are I wont be near caves and unable to meet the 25 dives in order to renew. If my cert expires do I have to complete the entire course again?

 

[Dive-aholic]

You probably want to hold off on doing any cave training then. If you can't do 25 dives in a 3 year period what's the point? That's less than 9 cave dives each year. I would hold off on seeking out any cave training until after you get to a point in your life where you can commit to travel to Florida or Mexico at least once a year for at least a week.

 

[TSandM]

I know that GUE has given some folks a little grace period. But there is a good reason for the elapsing certification, as Rob points out.

I still think, if you are going to spend three years in Florida, that getting cave training makes sense. First of all, it will most likely refine your general diving skills, and secondly, there are a lot of cool places to dive in North Florida!

 

[Oldbear]

Teller,

I would not worrry about it. Take the training at this duty station (Florida) and enjoy it. After you PCS, then worry about the re-certification. The 25 dives most likely could be done while on R&R and/or leave. At the very least you will get some awesome training that will make you a much more proficient diver...which you will benefit from reguardless if you cave dive again or not.

Happy bubbles,

~Oldbear~

 

[kathydee]

Fundies teaches a solid foundation of skills that will benefit your diving no mater what path you go down. You can always work your way up to a Fundies Tech pass, before making any decision about cave training.

Keep in mind that it's easy to log 4 C1 dives in a day, so logging 25 is possible on a week long vacation.

 

[Teller]

Im not saying that 25 dives is hard to get in three years. Im simply saying I will only be in FL three years and could be anywhere in the world after that. All my tech training so far has been thru TDI but I am intrested in trying a GUE class. If I cant get back to FL for say 5 years I dont want to just lose my cert. Is there anyway to get the cert reinstated after it has expired? If for instance I didnt do any trimix dives for three years I wouldnt lose my TDI Trimix cert, it would be up to me to take things slow as I got back in to it and not just go attempt a 300' dive after such a long break.

You probably want to hold off on doing any cave training then. If you can't do 25 dives in a 3 year period what's the point? That's less than 9 cave dives each year. I would hold off on seeking out any cave training until after you get to a point in your life where you can commit to travel to Florida or Mexico at least once a year for at least a week.

Rob,
While im in FL I imagine I could log a few hundred cave dives over a three year period but my concern was if I leave the state for a few years I wouldnt have a valid cave cert anymore. Just wondering if anyone else has had this issue?

 

[Bak]

Let's look at the Standard of GUE for Diver Requalification (available on their website) :
"All GUE diver-qualification cards expire three years after the date of issue. A diver can be re-qualified six months before or six months after the expiration of their qualification period by having his/her individual dive experience reviewed by either a qualified GUE instructor or by GUE Headquarters. To maintain GUE qualification, GUE divers must certify that they have conducted twenty-five dives at the level of their qualification within a three year period. Upon review, divers can be issued a new qualification card for a nominal fee. This re-certification process may be completed up to five years from the last re-qualification.If the duration between either the initial class or the last re-qualification exceeds five years, then formal approval from a GUE instructor at the appropriate level will be required"

So to answer your question you will not automatically lose your certification if you stay 5 years without cave diving, however you will have to be checked by a GUE instructor which does not mean that you''l have to retake the course.It's the same principle that is applied with pilots , they have to requalify after a certain time ( 3 to 6 months if I'm not mistaken).



approval from a GUE instructor at the appropriate level will be required.

 

[PfcAJ]

There are caves outside of Florida, you know

 

[vicp]

There are caves outside of Florida, you know

This and why does it have to be GUE? Stay with TDI, do cavern, then Intro to Cave before full cave with lots of practice in between. TDI certs do not expire, as far as I know.

 

[PfcAJ]

This and why does it have to be GUE?

Because GUE is awesome, of course!