Full Cave Diver Course
This class requires a minimum of four days and eight cave dives.
This is the second of two courses required for full cave certification.
The first course you need is Apprentice Cave Diver.
You will review from Apprentice Cave how to:
Properly configure your gear for cave diving.
Properly and safely use reels and spools. We will help you with selection of the best reels for you.
Properly maintain buoyancy control, trim and overall comfort in the water.
Safely and comfortably exit the cave with your buddy in simulated total darkness.
Safely and comfortably exit a cave with your buddy in simulated total darkness.
Properly and safely exit a cave with a backup light.
Properly and safely conduct a search for your buddy should you become separated.
Properly and safely locate the guideline should you lose sight of it.
Properly and safely exit the cave in simulated zero visibility should you or your buddy have a total gas supply failure.
Use varying Propulsion techniques in the cave.
Properly and safely navigate the main line in the caves and caverns.
You will also review:
Cave geology and cave formation basics.
Proper and safe gas management.
Cave diving accident analysis.
Cave conservation.
Landowner relations.
Varying types of cave guidelines, jumps, gaps, traverses, complex circuits, and how lines are marked for navigation.
Cave dive planning.
How to maintain team cohesion.
Light and hand signals for cave diving.
Methods and psychology to avoid panic. Perceptual narrowing and task loading avoidance.
How to avoid line entaglement.
Manage decompression.
Conduct a minimum of eight cave dives.
We will also learn and do:
Complex navigation dives including
Jumps.
Traverses.
Circuits.
Bottle management.
Accelerated decompression with 100% oxygen.
CNS and Whole Body Oxygen toxicity considerations/calculations/avoidance.
Prerequisites
Be at least 18 years old.
Have logged at least 50 dives.
NSS-CDS Apprentice Cave diver cerification or equivalent.
Cave Decompression Procedures and Advanced Nitrox Courses may be taken with Full Cave.
Pocket foot fins. No split fins, no full foot/recreational fins.
Side or backmount doubles, minimum volome 160 cubic feet.
Air cell with adequate lift capacity.
5 mil wetsuit minimum, 7 mil preferred or drysuit.
Two safety reels/spools.
Two separate regulators, one with a seven foot hose.
Technical dive computer--ask me about computers.
Slate or wet notes.
One primary light and two battery powered backup lights.
Oxygen cylinder and regulator.
Decompression Considerations
The dives in this course will require staged decompression at various times. Because of this it is essential that you have formalized training in decompression procedures and the use of 100% oxygen as decompression gas. If you do not have formal training with this, we will provide it for you in the form of Tec-40 or Advanced Nitrox/Decompression Procedures. There will be a couple of extra days training required.
Fees
Fees do not include gas fills, park entry fees, transportation, or lodging.
Lodging is available at The Rum House.
Text Jim at 352-363-0013
E-mail Jim@cavediveflorida.com
Orange Grove Sink