Cave Diving Classes

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Cavern

Purpose: The cavern diver course will develop the minimum skills and knowledge for cavern diving. Planning, environment, procedures, techniques, problem solving and other specialized needs of cavern diving are covered. Problem solving in cavern diving includes, but is not limited to: body positioning (trim), buoyancy control, emergency procedures, line following, and propulsion techniques. Special emphasis is placed on the unique environment including silting, entanglement, disorientation and equipment modifications. The cavern diver course is in no way intended to provide instruction for cave diving. There are additional courses required for cave diving.
Prerequisites: Advanced Open Water Diver or equivalent.
Duration: This course will last a minimum of three days. There is one classroom presentation, land line drills, and four dives minimum. Three dives will be in a cavern and one open water dive with a minimum of 90 minutes of bottom time.
Limits: The issuing of the cavern certification authorizes a person to dive in the daylight in caverns. This includes 130 feet maximum depth. No decompression diving and no restrictions.
Requirements: Each diver will be required to have a complete set of personal dive equipment, including:
  • Mask and fins (no snorkel)
  • Diving cylinder with at least 80 cubic feet 2 diving cylinders at least 80 cft back mount or sidemount.
  • First stage and a second stage regulator with an additional second stage regulator attached 7 foot hose
  • Buoyancy compensator with a power inflator
  • Two battery powered lights one of which can not be rechargeable
  • Safety reel
  • Timing device with a depth gauge or a diving computer
  • Cutting tool such as a ‘z-knife’ (a leg mounted dive knife is not acceptable)
  • Proper exposure suit for diving the springs.
Certification: CDS, PADI, or IANTD
Cost: $500.00
Dates: Please call or e-mail for next available class

Basic Cave Diver

Purpose: This course covers the basis principles of actual cave diving and follows the cavern diver course. This course develops the minimum skills and knowledge required for limited penetration cave diving. This is the second step in development of safe cave diving. This course is aimed at perfecting basic skills and mastering the techniques and procedures required for the most elementary of cave diving. Cave dives are planned around very limited penetrations so the diver may progress into cave diving at a conservative pace. Intro to Cave Diving is not intended to train divers for all facets of cave diving.
Prerequisites: NSS-CDS, NACD, PADI, or IANTD Cavern Diver Certification.
Duration: 3-days, 1- classroom; 4-dives, at least 90 minutes of bottom time.
Limits: Penetrations are limited to one-third (1/3) of a single tank or one sixth (1/6) of doubles, Simple linear penetrations, no complex navigation or dive plans, 130 feet maximum depth, 30 feet starting visibility, no restrictions, no decompression dives and no exploration or goal setting dives.
Requirements: Each diver will be required to have a complete set of personal dive equipment, including:
  • Mask and fins (no snorkel)
  • 2 diving cylinders at least 80 cft back mount or sidemount.
  • two first stage regulators each with one second stage regulator
  • one of the first stage regulators must be attached with a seven foot hose
  • Buoyancy compensator with a power inflator
  • Three battery powered lights (one primary and two back-ups
  • One of the back-up lights can not be rechargeable)
  • Safety reel
  • Timing device with a depth or a diving computer
  • Pressure gauge
  • Slate with a pencil and submersible dive tables
  • Cutting tool such as a “z-knife” (a leg mounted dive knife is not acceptable)
Certification: CDS, IANTD
Cost: $500.00
Dates: Please call or e-mail for next available class

Cave Diver

Purpose: This course covers the principles of actual cave diving and follows the intro cave diver course. This course develops the skills and knowledge required for penetration cave diving. This is the final step in development of safe cave diving. This course is aimed at perfecting skills and mastering the techniques and procedures required of cave diving. Cave dives are planned penetration dives ,so the diver may progress into cave diving at a conservative pace.
Prerequisites: NSS-CDS, NACD, or IANTD Intro Cave Diver Certification.
Duration: Five days. Three classroom presentations, minimum eight dives ,at least 400 minutes of bottom time.
Limits: Penetrations are limited to one-third (1/3) doubles, complex navigation dive plans, 130 feet maximum depth, 30 feet starting visibility, restrictions, limited decompression dives. no exploration or goal setting dives.
Requirements: Each diver will be required to have a complete set of personal dive equipment, including:
  • Mask and fins (no snorkel)
  • 2 diving cylinders at least 80 cft back mount or sidemount
  • two first stage regulators each with one second stage regulator
  • one of the first stage regulators must be attached with a seven foot hose
  • Buoyancy compensator with a power inflator
  • Three battery powered lights (one primary and two back-ups
  • One of the back-up lights can not be rechargeable)
  • Safety reel
  • Timing device with a depth or a diving computer
  • Pressure gauge
  • Slate with a pencil and submersible dive tables
  • Cutting tool such as a “z-knife” (a leg mounted dive knife is not acceptable)
  • A jump or gap reel
Notes: There is a written test.
All dives must be completed to the Instructor’s satisfaction. The Instructor reserves the right to require further training and can refuse to issue a certification card if the students performance does not meet the course standards.
Certification: CDS, IANTD
Cost: $1000.00
Dates: Please call or e-mail for next available class

Technical Cave Diver

Purpose: This program is designed to train divers to conduct safe dives to depths up to 160 feet and utilization of EANx for cave exploration using custom blends breathing gas mixtures; and to provide greater understanding of custom blend breathing gas mixtures, a complete knowledge of the limits of any EANx mixture, and the use of EANx and oxygen for decompression.
Prerequisites: NSS-CDS, NACD or IANTD Intro Cave Diver Certification; Advanced EANx or equivalent; 50 log dives.
Duration: Five days. four classroom presentations, minimum eight dives , at least 480 minutes of bottom time.
Limits: Penetrations are limited to one-third (1/3) doubles, and 1/3 stage or deco cylinders; complex navigation dive plans, 160 feet maximum depth, 30 feet starting visibility, restrictions, and staged decompression dives .
Requirements: Equipment requirements:
  • Mask and fins (no snorkel)
  • 2 diving cylinders at least 80 cft back mount or sidemount.
  • two first stage regulators each with one second stage regulator
  • one of the first stage regulators must be attached with a seven foot hose
  • Buoyancy compensator with a power inflator
  • Three battery powered lights (one primary and two back-ups
  • One of the back-up lights can not be rechargeable)
  • Safety reel
  • Two timing devices
  • Two depth guages or dive computers
  • Pressure gauge
  • Slate with a pencil and submersible dive tables
  • Cutting tool such as a ‘z-knife’ (a leg mounted dive knife is not acceptable)
  • A jump or gap reel
  • One stage bottle with appropriate rigging and regulator
  • One Lift Bag
Notes: All dives must be completed to the Instructor’s satisfaction. The Instructor reserves the right to require further training and can refuse to issue a certification card if the student’s performance does not meet the course standards.
Certification: IANTD
Cost: $1000.00
Dates: Please call or e-mail for next available class

Cave DPV Pilot

Purpose: This course is intended to provide advanced training in cave diving skills to the experienced, certified, responsible cave divers who wishes to conduct dives that warrant DPV use and techniques. The primary focus of the DPV Diver course is the proper and safe use of DPVs by the Full Cave Diver. Gas management rules will be discussed and implemented and emergency procedures practiced in both the open water and cave environments. In-water skills include air-share emergencies, failed DPV procedures, DPV towing, restriction negotiation, primary light failure, and procedures, and reel use.
Prerequisites: IANTD, NACD or NSS-CDS (Full) Cave diver, GUE II or equivalent and a minimum of fifty (50) logged non-training cave dives. In addition to all equipment required at the (Full) Cave Diver level, each candidate must provide a DPV suitable to the cave environment, and DPV tow strap (Rentals are available) Students must have a high degree of comfort and proficiency with cave gear and configuration. Have a high degree of environmental awareness to avoid increasing existing damage. Be proficient swimmer. Familiarity with the system, including times to exit while swimming from various points within the system.
Requirements: Completion of the DPV Cave Diver course requires two days, a minimum of 3 dives.
Notes: Enrollment in an IANTD or CDS course, at any level, does not assure certification.
Certification: CDS or IANTD
Cost: $400.00 for 1/$350.00 each for 2
Dates: Please call or e-mail for next available class

Cave Sidemount Diver

Purpose: The sidemount cave class will teach you the skills, and will give you the knowledge needed to maintain proper trim while diving sidemount in caves. It will cover sidemount equipment, gear configuration, and proper wearing of the gear.
Prerequisites: Full Cave plus 50 logged cave dives after cave certification.
Duration: 2 Days.
Requirements: Each diver will be required to have a complete set of personal dive equipment, including:
  • Mask & Fins
  • 2 diving cylinders at least 80 cft
  • 2 first stages, 2 second stages
  • Hoses according to height
  • 2 SPG’s with 6in hoses
  • “Z knife” Cutting tool
  • Sidemount wing
  • Timing device with depth gauge
  • Safety reel
  • Primary and back up lights
  • Proper exposure suit of springs
Notes: Enrollment in a CDS course, at any level, does not assure certification.
Certification: NSS-CDS
Cost: $400.00
Dates: Please call or e-mail for next available class