Interested in cave diving (eventually!)

[ontheheap]

I'm a newly certified diver (padi ow). I would never even think of doing a cave dive now (that would be insane, and I'd be asking for serious trouble). However, cave diving is something that I am interesting in and would eventually like to pursue. I'm taking my padi aow in a few weeks, and have a dive trip scheduled in january for cozumel. I'll be at just under 20 dives at that point (definitely still a newb!)

My question is, how much experience is recommended before pursing the cave training? I'm thinking that I'd like to have 200+ dives in all sorts of conditions before even thinking about the cave training. I'd like to know what others think about this matter, especially those of you who are current cave divers.

[CompuDude]

It varies by the diver... some may be ready for the bare beginnings of cave training by 50 dives (although they're the exception), and others will never be ready.

The numbers I see cited most often are 100-200 dives.

I'd talk to a cave instructor after around 100 dives and see what they think. But if you want to wait until you have 200 dives, that's more than ok, too.

Meanwhile, you'll do yourself a favor if you start migrating to a more cave-friendly gear configuration: bp/w, paddle fins (no splits), and perhaps a canister light, all in a hogarthian arrangement. The same basic gear tenants apply to most of the major cave instruction agencies.

[frozenwarp]

As mentioned i believe the answer will vary depending on yourself.
Here in Australia the primary training organisation requires you to have been OW certified for atleast 1 year along with AOW with atleast navigation and deep as chosen specialties. and 25 post advanced dives under your belt.

If you are interested in going this way i'd reccomend trying to find an instructor for your advanced specialies that who themselves is a cave diver so they can help you hone your skills along the way. I'd also recommend not doing the PADI 4 dive AOW which i dont believe is worth the time and money. instead try doing a propor advanced course and choose 4 relevent specialty courses, my choices would likely be Navigation, Night, Wreck and Deep. i believe these to be a great range of skills to help get you ready for your cave diving in the future.

enjoy,
Bradley

[Tassie Diver]

Don't do it... people die in caves!!!!

[TommyB]

First step would be cavern training. See if you like the overhead.
Your profile says your in FL. so a lot of caverns to play around.
And you are located near some great caverns. Buford, Hudson, Blue Grotto etc. Those are not too far from Port Richy.

It's really not the amount of dives you have, but your comfort level , skill level in the water. I've seen guys/gals with 400/500 dives that could not hover if their life depended on it. (in a cave you life may just depend on your ability to hover without moving)....

One thing you need to really practice on is buoyancy control.

There's a saying here in Cave Country
"Open water divers swim to maintain buoyancy control , Cave divers have buoyancy control before they even swim"


Talk to these guys-
Dayo Scuba Dive Shop and Store - Orlando Florida - Open Water, Cavern, Cave and Technical Scuba Training and Diving - Main Page
They dive every day and let people just hang out and dive with them.
Great way to learn some water skills and go diving with people all the time.
Also, good way to see if you would even like cavern / cave.

This will give you an idea of some of the places right next door to you where they dive
Favorite Pictures of the Month - Dayo Scuba Orlando Cyber Cafe

Also, if you want to read up on cave diving, cavern diving sign up over here
Cavern, Cave and Overhead Diving Around the World

[ianr33]

You live in the right place thats for sure!

If you want to move towards Cave Diving in the future I would suggest the following:

1)Do a nitrox course. Majority of cave Dives in Florida are done on 32%

2)Buy cave appropriate gear.:Jetfins with springstraps, BP/Wing, long hose,quality backup lights (photon torpedo etc).

Even if you never pursue Cave Diving all that stuff will work fine in Open Water .

When you feel ready take a Cavern course. That can be done in regular OW gear but having the long hose etc will be a bonus.
You can even take Intro Cave in a single tank rig (with H/Y valve). Personally I dont thats the best idea but lots of agencies disagree with me!

[Scuba Pete]

All good information. I started my cavern class with around 60 dives. This was an introduction to not only the overhead envirnment but also to my new instructor. I was definatly bitten by the cave bug and knew instantly that i wanted to go full cave. I had been diving doubles and long hose for 10 dives or so. My 2 other buddies had also been diving their double for the same amount of time. Our instructor thought it would be funny to make us use singles and recreational gear since the cert is a recreational cert. fast forward 6 months, my buddy and i did our intro and full cave class over a spring break. Normally our insturctor says that you shouldn't think about cave diving until you have at least 100 dives successfully completed. He was comfortable with our skill level and comfort level in the water. I think that this was mostly due to the mentors that we had along the way teaching and letting us ask the questions that we needed to ask. I would suggest that you find a good mentor that will be a good friend and can teach you without really teaching you. That will give you a huge jump start. Another suggestion is to not get caught up in the GUE/ Non-GUE thing. If you feel that GUE/DIR is the right method for you then take some of thier classes. If not there are a few just as great training agencies. I have my cavern, intro, and full cave through NACD. The NSS-CDS also has good training. I would stay away from the recreational agencies in overhead, PADI, NAUI, SDI, etc. I am not sure about TDI, as the only experience with them was a very bad dive buddy. So i can not comment on them.

[LiteHedded]

you can't really put a number on it
I would talk to an instructor. they'll be able to tell whether you're ready real quick

[CompuDude]

Originally Posted by Scuba Pete

If you feel that GUE/DIR is the right method for you then take some of thier classes. If not there are a few just as great training agencies. I have my cavern, intro, and full cave through NACD. The NSS-CDS also has good training. I would stay away from the recreational agencies in overhead, PADI, NAUI, SDI, etc. I am not sure about TDI, as the only experience with them was a very bad dive buddy. So i can not comment on them.

Note that NAUI-Tec is a very different animal from NAUI's recreational certs.

But yeah. GUE, UTD, NSS-CDS, NACD, TDI, NAUI-Tec, etc. are all good options, it just depends on the instructor. (Individual instructor quality varies less with GUE, IMO, but it's still important to find one you click with)

[Scuba Pete]

Originally Posted by CompuDude

Note that NAUI-Tec is a very different animal from NAUI's recreational certs.

But yeah. GUE, UTD, NSS-CDS, NACD, TDI, NAUI-Tec, etc. are all good options, it just depends on the instructor. (Individual instructor quality varies less with GUE, IMO, but it's still important to find one you click with)

I was not aware that NAUI had a Tech side. I am still not sure that i would want to get trained from an agency that started as a recreational agency and is getting started in the tech area. I would much rather get trained by the folks that started as tech and will stay tech with no intentions of recreational. I know most of the good instructors will have multiple agencys they can certify you in but still i would rather have the NACD, NSS-CDS, IANTD certifications.