My First Cave Experience

[in_cavediver]

We spent a lot more time talking about things and practicing out of the water in both cave 1 and cave 2 than actual time in the water, so I can't agree with this statement.

I did the NACD route and I agree with Dan. My full cave class was a quite a bit more than just diving. I can't say everything was a formal classroom type lecture but there was a lot covered in the dive debriefs and general conversations between dives. There were the obligitory land drills and formal lectures but that definitely wasn't all.

 

[Dan Gibson]

There is one heck of a lot more to cave diving than the basics taught in cavern and intro. One could spend countless hours on strategies of how to undertake dives safely and efficiently. We also spent pleanty of time talking about decompression, geology and other things that could be taught in a formal classsroom.

I did the NACD route and I agree with Dan. My full cave class was a quite a bit more than just diving. I can't say everything was a formal classroom type lecture but there was a lot covered in the dive debriefs and general conversations between dives. There were the obligitory land drills and formal lectures but that definitely wasn't all.

 

[Jason B]

We spent a lot more time talking about things and practicing out of the water in both cave 1 and cave 2 than actual time in the water, so I can't agree with this statement.

My experience was the exact opposite, hence my view.


****EDIT****
Got to think riding home from work, my full cave course was 2 long days that involved 2 dives each day. The dive time per day was maybe 3 hrs. We were with the instructor a good 8 hrs per day so I guess we must have spent more time than I realized discussing pre and post dive.

 

[Caver95]

If anyone has a problem with my judgement please feel free to give me a call 850.590.5932 If you feel I did something that was not on the up and up please feel free to contact IANTD. Have a great day dive safe. And one should learn a ton from the BS sections before and after dives.
Nick Leone

 

[Dan Gibson]

Exactly. It may not be formal, but one is still learning.

My experience was the exact opposite, hence my view.


****EDIT****
Got to think riding home from work, my full cave course was 2 long days that involved 2 dives each day. The dive time per day was maybe 3 hrs. We were with the instructor a good 8 hrs per day so I guess we must have spent more time than I realized discussing pre and post dive.

 

[jeandiver]

Agreed...The day I stop learning is the day my tanks get hung out for sale...
I'm always picking Instructors brains apart btw ...
And other cavers too.
I can't stop learning.

So that is good.

Jeano Beano

 

[Spectre]

I thought apprentice was a temporary rating = the first half of full cave? Not really a "level"

But I could be way off on this...

No, you're correct. My "apprentice" class was taken with a guy that was taking "full". Same dives, just a different expectation of skill levels.