Cave Diving Training
Cavern diving course
IANTD Cavern Diving Course
This is a popular three day course involving a minimum four cavern dives and several skills performed in the open water area. If you have an interest in cave diving but not sure if it the type of diving to pursue, the cavern diving course can help answer many questions about the “overhead environment” as it is a very informative and educational type class.
Topics thoroughly covered are philosophy, psychological aspects, techniques, reels and guidelines, emergency procedures, stress factors, accident analysis, the cave environment, equipment configuration and discussion along with a “land drills”. Cavern diving sites used will be a choice of Carwash, Taj Mahal, PonDeRosa, Chikin-ha, Dive site fees not included.
Pre-requisites: 18 years old, Advanced Open Water or equivalent, minimum of 10 dives beyond training.
Required Text: IANTD CAVE DIVER WORKBOOK AND MANUAL
Introduction to cave diving course
IANTD Introduction to Cave Diving
This is a three day course involving a minimum 4 cave dives. This is the next step towards a full cave certification as it is an excellent opportunity to swim beyond “natural daylight” and witness more of what cave diving has to offer.
A review of the following topics will be The Cave Environment, Safety Principles, Stress & Attitude, Communication & Planning, Equipment & Configuration, Reels, Guidelines & protocol, Swimming & buoyancy, Emergencies, and Protecting the Dive Site.
Skills and training exercises will include: Swimming & finning techniques, trim, hovering, weight distribution, safety drill, running the reel, tie-offs, lost line, lost diver, touch-contact/share gas, gas valve shut downs/switching regulators, line entanglements, light failures and swimming a minimum 60 feet/18 meters without your gas. The final exam will be presented the afternoon of the last day of training.
Pre-requisites: 18 years old, Cavern Diver or equivalent, 25 dives beyond training.
REQUIRED TEXTS: IANTD CAVE DIVING WOORK BOOK AND MANUAL
Combined Courses
IANTD Cavern & Intro to Cave
This is the sensible and wisest approach to become a safe, competent and comfortable cave diver:
the 5-days safe Introduction to Cave Diving course, which includes the Cavern Diver training and certification.
The training will include a minimum 8 cave dives based on the 1/6 gas rule using at least 3 different cave systems.
They are: What is safe cavern & cave diving, The Cave Environment, Safety Principles, Stress & Attitude, Communication & Planning, Equipment & Configuration, Reels, Guidelines & protocol, Swimming & buoyancy, Emergencies, and Protecting the Dive Site. Skills and training exercises will include: Swimming & finning techniques, trim, hovering, weight distribution, safety drill, running the reel, tie-offs, lost line, lost diver, touch-contact/share gas, gas valve shut downs/switching regulators, line entanglements, light failures and swimming a minimum 60 feet/18 meters without your gas. The final exam will be presented the afternoon of the last day of training.
Once the course is successfully completed with competent skills, you can continue (your choice) with guided cave dives with Marcia for one, two, three or as many days you wish (guiding and equipment fees extra).
This Introduction to Cave Diving (IANTD) training certification course is the halfway point towards becoming a fully certified and competent qualified cave diver (IANTD). Experience is the best teacher.
REQUIRED TEXTS: IANTD CAVE DIVING WORKBOOK AND MANUAL
Combined courses
Cavern, Intro, Cave
About the course
The complete cave diving course is 7 to 8 days of intense diving and training skills.
It is a more efficient and less costly approach to learn and earn the cave diver training certification. For potential students who are prepared with their diving skills including being master of the BCD and their confidence level is comfortable, there should be no problems with being successful in completing the training.
However, you will need to prove your abilities to earn the cave diving certification.
Cave course
About the course
This is a 4-5 day course completing the cave diving training for INTRO TO CAVE or CAVE 1 certified divers.
A minimum 8 cave dives will be conducted with exposure to a wide variety of underwater cave conditions such as: silt, halocline, silty or low visibility, circuits, traverses, gaps, jumps and T’s, siphons, restrictions, referencing, conservation, exploration/surveying techniques and logistics.
Issues discussed will include the fragile cave environment, accident analysis, stress management, psychological aspects, dive planning, air management, guidelines and reels, guideline techniques and protocol, safe procedures, decompression theory and procedures, landowner relations, team management, use of oxygen and controversial topics.
Pre-requisites: 18 years old, Intro to Cave Diver or equivalent, 50 dives beyond training (100 dives if by equivalency).
REQUIRED TEXTS: IANTD CAVE DIVING WORKBOOK AND MANUAL
Cave Stage-multi stage Diver Course
About the course
The Cave Stage Dives are longer and more complex cave dives that need planning for extended bottom times and increased penetration with the use of a stage cylinder.
Topics and skills covered during the course are:
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Equipment Considerations
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Gas Management
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Decompression
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Complex Dive Planning
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Cave Conservation
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Stage Diving Techniques
DPV cave diver course
About the course
Cave diving with the Diver Propulsion Vehicle (DPV) extend the penetration of the Cave Stage Dives with the use of the underwater scooter (DPV) with three times the normal penetration speed or faster. Cave DPV Dives also prevent or reduce decompression in the cave.
Topics and skills covered during the course are:
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Equipment Considerations
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DPV Driving Techniques
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DPV Team Diving
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DPV Emergency Towing
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DPV Maintenance
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Gas Management
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Complex Dive Planning
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Cave Conservation
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Stage Diving
Technical cave diver course
About the course
Extended deep penetrations increases the time and the decompression in the cave , the proper knowledge of the decompressions stops and the deco gases will be a part of the program.
Topics and skills covered during the course are:
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Equipment Considerations
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Gas Management
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Decompression
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Complex Dive Planning
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Cave Conservation
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Stage Diving Techniques
All Marcia’s courses includes:
Double 80s cubic foot tanks or single 80s cubic foot cylinders for side mount configuration.
Transportation to dive sites.
Instruction
Text
Wheights
Marcia’s 15+ years of teaching experience.
IMPORTANT: Training does not guarantee certification! A course is a transmission of techniques, procedures, and attitude. I guarantee you the highest level of training and thorough preparation, where hours are not counted, in order to achieve the mastery required for the corresponding course. The certification, therefore, hinges only on you!