PADI Cavern Diver Course Changes

[Thalassamania]

have a chance of bringing PADI into the community instead of them doing it the typical PADI way.

I fear that you have zero chance, you know how it is ... where does the 900 lb gorilla sleep?

 

[Vayu]

Steve Bermans and Jim Wyatts

I'm not familiar with Jim, but Steve is dead man. It is a real shame and everyone who trained under him has my condolences. Still, considering the way he went and the nature of this discussion I would say that he is not a valid choice for designing the program.

I for one am sad to see PADI developing a course that brings divers into overhead at all. Although, as with most things, it will be the instructor over the agency. Just seems to be most competent instructors won't choose PADI material as the medium for introducing students to this environment.

To me, there are caverns that are very questionable and have many hazards of caves. I think all cavern divers should be certified one step above their level to be able to deal with situations that may arise when they are on that thin line between cave and cavern. They should also be on doubles and find the best instructors available. To me that means GUE, although I am aware of several excellent instructors with the major cave agencies.

 

[Jason B]

Anyone know if you can dive doubles after an NACD Intro course?

To clarify......you can dive doubles after an NACD Intro course with a "Discretionary Apprentice" letter from your instructor, you can also dive doubles with a NSS-CDS Basic Cave card (which was formerly Intro), and these are the guidelines that Ginnie goes by also. Hope this helps

Safe diving,

Rich

To add to what Rich said, if going the NACD route, the student must posses a desire to advance to full cave. If you plan to stop at Intro, you are left in singles. Note that not all instructors can't write a "Discretionary Apprentice". They must be able to teach to full cave in order to do so (unless this has recently changed).

 

[loosebits]

I'm not familiar with Jim, but Steve is dead man.

Whoops, meant Steve Gerrard. Sorry

 

[Dive-aholic]

Ginnie doesn't make much from cave diving. They are gracious enough to let us access the caves from their land. I'm guessing they'd rather have that than a bunch of boats anchored next to their swimming holes. Their money comes from tubers and snorkelers and water rights they've sold to bottling companies. Will they restrict PADI cave divers? Probably not. They are a PADI resort after all. I don't know about a reciprocity thing, but I did get NACD and CDS certs for the same course because my instructor is certed by both agencies.

 

[Spratman]

I'll have to try to verify the information, but my understanding was that PADI was getting help designing this Intro course from NACD. Also, if that case be true, that they would accept the PADI intro course for the next two levels.

I don't know this for sure, it's just was a cave guy told me. Or maybe I've been narced too many times.....

 

[loosebits]

I'll have to try to verify the information, but my understanding was that PADI was getting help designing this Intro course from NACD. Also, if that case be true, that they would accept the PADI intro course for the next two levels.

I don't know this for sure, it's just was a cave guy told me. Or maybe I've been narced too many times.....

<voice type="ominous">And so it begins...</voice>

 

[Capt Jim Wyatt]

I'll have to try to verify the information, but my understanding was that PADI was getting help designing this Intro course from NACD.

PADI has a full time staff member who is also an NACD full cave instructor. This person & the NACD training director have discussed a few times getting the PADI standards up to speed to better match current cavern diver standards of the NACD, NSS-CDS. and IANTD.

PADI had a full cave diver course in the 70's, I do not think they are interested in doing it again.

Below is the card they issued to me sometime around 1976. Liability issues caused PADI to stop the program. Sheck Exley, Rory Dickens & I sponsored and administered that program.

 

[loosebits]

Vayu: That's who Jim Wyatt is

 

[Meng_Tze]

Dang Jim,

You have been doing it for a long time........