Some very brief ideas on Sump Diving Rigs  

  When selecting the gear for use in a particular sump the gear configuration 
should be optimized for the site being worked.  Sumps come in many different 
flavors and locations and sometimes require very unique gear configurations. 
   Not only does the gear have to function effectively under the conditions of 

the actual dive but it must also work well in the dry cave that lies at the 
beginning and end of the sump and possibly between multiple sumps when the 
diver explorer is on his own without Sherpa support.   A gear configuration 
that may be perfect in the water may be totally useless in dry passage and 
therefore not appropriate for sump diving .  There are four  basic rules for 
sump diving gear.

1.  Works well in the sump.
2.  Works well on the other side in dry passage.
3.  Is simple, clean  and has no single failure points. I.e. two independents 
air supplies, etc. 
4.  Is dependable and can take a lot of abuse and not fail.    

 Rule three is important in that it is extremely rare to have a sump in which 
you are safer with a buddy in the water than solo.  Since you are solo most of 

the time you don't have a buddy with a long hose to back you up so that you 
must dive independents under these conditions and a conservative gas plan.   

  The selection of exposure protection depends again on the nature of the 
site.  If the site involves a short shallow dive and lots of dry passage then 
the only answer is a wet suit.  If the dive is long and cold or you have not 
yet cracked the sump and access is relatively easy then a dry suit may be in 
order.  
  The best dry suit for most sumps in the Northeast is the DUI CF 200.  The 
reason is that this suit meets the requirements of rule #4, it can take the 
abuse that dry cave will subject it to and not fail when you need it the most. 

 Dry caves are full of sharp nasties just waiting to put a hole in your nice 
warm dry suit.   Imagining  crawling  through a dry section of passage full of 

sharp cave corral in full kit in any thing else is not a fun concept.  If the 
passage is not extremely tight a pair of hard knee pads attached with Velcro 
so that they can be easily removed from  the suit is also a good idea. 


                                                                  JOSEPH KAFFL
                                                        SUMPDIVER@MS*.CO*


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