Mailing List Archive Mailing List Archive
On Mon, 1 Feb 1999 22:26:44 -0800, you wrote:
>Towards the improvement of the overhead environment candidate, would =
some
>of the more experienced cavers like to state opinions of what skills a
>candidate should have mastered? Or what kind of situations that the
>candidate should be able to handle?
>
>Any suggestions on improving these diving skills before entering =
training?
>General advice like "work on your bouyancy control" is not really =
helpful.
Exercise the Number 1 muscle ( Hint: it resides above your shoulders)
No one can tell you everything you need to know to cover every
possible situation that may occur, in open water or in the overhead
environment.If you can do 99 procedures perfectly by rote, it's the
100th one that will kill you if it requires you to do something you
haven't specifically trained for, unless Muscle #1 is toned &
functioning.
But ok, here's my feelings on specifics
As a guideline, you shouldn't be learning open water skills in a
cave/cavern class. Applying this to the following,IMHO these are
absolute MINIMUMS.=20
1) buoyancy control
You should be able to stop any ascent or descent in less than 10' of=20
depth change. We used to do a pool drill where the surface and the
bottom were both forbidden territory.Students had to ascend & descend
continuously without touching either. For cave diving, you should be
able to do this w/o using your fins.
2) air management
You should KNOW within 200 psi what your current tank pressure is ( if
you don't, you aren't checking your gauges often enough, or you don't
have enough self-awareness of your breathing rate, both very
important. Try telling yourself what your gauge reads BEFORE you look.
3) Buddy awareness
Assume a total air loss NOW! can you reach your buddy before someone
drowns? Sure, under ideal conditions you can hold your breath for 2
minutes. Ideal went out the window with the air supply, 30 seconds
MIGHT be realistic.=20
4) Equipment familiarity
Realistically, in cave diving you will be using doubles & cannister
lights, both of which will affect 1) & 2). Get used to them in open
water, even tho they may not be necessary there.
5) Judgement
There will be more money, there will be another day, there will be
another cave, but there will never be another YOU.
Don't do something that doesn't feel right. I might be pissed if you
call the dive after 10 minutes, but I'll be MORE pissed if you die &
make me fill out paperwork for the next 3 weeks. Body recoveries suck,
don't inflict that on your friends.=20
These are MY minimum requirements for a cave class candidate. I'm not
a cave instructor. I'm just someone that dives in caves.. and I hope
anyone I dive with can meet these standards..
Take Care
People seem to forget that ANY certification is a license to learn.=20
John Dunk o
Lake City,Fl o
screwloo@is*.ne* ____o_____
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