Getting started

[estelle]

Putting cave diving to rest in the back on my mind for now off to see what UK diving has to offer for a year or two first and look into doing more courses to get me trained up

i would say get a few shallow dives under your belt and then do your Advanced Open Water as that lets you dive to 30m, which gives you a lot of sites you can dive in the UK to build up your diving - practice, practice, practice on the skills and enjoy a year or two of recreational diving, is the best advice i can give an an instructor! There's far too many people who do zero to hero on their diving qualifications, being extremely course and qualification hungry, without actually getting a chance to really enjoy the diving for diving's sake.

 

[The Old Ruminator]

Just to amplify what others have said. Nothing counts more than experience and the presence of mind how to act quickly in an emergency. I was a deep wreck diver for 25 years and only retired due to getting persistent bends. Many things go hand to hand with dive training one is physical fitness another is mental fitness and a little yoga training helps with both. Always consider yourself a solo diver both in terms of kit and rescue. Be as fail safe as you can and always ask yourself " what if ". Imagine a scenario and work out how you would cope. The divers " incident pit" is not a happy place to be. Establish a routine for kitting up and never be rushed. Getting kit muddled or air not turned on has led to many accidents. To be honest there is hardly an accident scenario I have not been involved with and I have the dubious distinction of being rescued by fishing boat, helicopter and lifeboat. Keeping calm ( or resigned ) has saved me many times. It sounds like I am trying to put you off. Not so I am trying to get you to be " defensive ". Never take anything for granted or think others will get you out of a situation. The transition from open water to cave overhead environment is extreme and I firmly believe one must be a caver first before starting cave diving. You then have built up an acceptance of being in confined spaces. Many people have died inside wrecks as they have quickly panicked. Of course it depends upon the severity with which you engage both sports . UK cave diving involves a lot of solo work and long transport of kit. In somewhere like Mexico it is entirely different. Dont rush yourself or give in to peer pressure, keep calm and organised. I loved my diving and am now sad I had to give it up. Most of my stuff was mixed gas at 50m plus.I could have gone back to something more recreational but I know I would have succumbed to deep wreck temptation. My only way of being defensive. Enjoy !

 

[EwanCameron]

Still getting there slow but steady

Update on my epic adventure

1) still trying to dive as much as I can
2) had my first epic disaster when S drills went wrong and I was half choking on water I got a free flow reg was with a ace buddy and stayed chilled and worked it all out but I now respect diving and its drill a lot more
3)sadly no one has contacted me about me helping carry dive kit yet but if I keep asking about I might get lucky

As always getting loads of support from my caving mates should have a good team around me in years to come once diving in caves

Thanks for all the advice I have already received

 

[Fulk]

Hi Pitlamp, ref. your post on 4/7/13:

but a while ago circumstances led me to join the BSAC .  . . . So I never let on I was already a diver and I just did whatever they asked me to and went to the lectures, purely to see what it was like. . . .  I really enjoyed it, even though I knew everything they were "teaching" me, as they were a great bunch.

How the hell did you get away with it? You must be one helluva an actor, a guy of your experience. I've on occasion tried pretending to be a novice caver (after heaven knows how many years), but on each occasion I was sussed about PDW.

 

[Pitlamp]

OK Fulk, I'll come clean - the "circumstances" involved a lass I'd taken a shine to, so I was quite motivated to keep the dastardly secret . . . .  :halo:

What got me rumbled in the end was a genuine logged "novice dive" to -85 m in a big Italian spring. (The CDG member I was cave diving with that day happened to be a BSAC instructor, so he mischievously suggested it could count towards my novice qualification and was legitimately able to sign off the dive in my BSAC logbook.)  Our Diving Officer later gave me a right telling off for missing out a decimal point and I just couldn't keep my face straight. He was a grand bloke and saw the amusing side of it immediately.

Seriously though, that BSAC branch was a great bunch of folk and I thoroughly enjoyed being a member for a year or two.

Ewan, the only reason I've (so far) not suggested you might like to join us when our group is on a diving project is because most of the time I operate in the Dales (a fair journey for you) and we tend to decide where we're going at the very last minute (in order to choose the optimum site for the conditions on any day). Also, a lot of the time we just carry our own stuff. However I've not forgotten your offer and (when things work out) I'll try and get in touch with enough notice for you to come along. In the meantime, keep on diving. It really is hours in the water that counts.

 

[Fulk]

the "circumstances" involved a lass

They always do 

So ? an 85-m training dive . . . . a subtle clue, huh??

 

[EwanCameron]

OK Fulk, I'll come clean - the "circumstances" involved a lass I'd taken a shine to, so I was quite motivated to keep the dastardly secret . . . .  :halo:

What got me rumbled in the end was a genuine logged "novice dive" to -85 m in a big Italian spring. (The CDG member I was cave diving with that day happened to be a BSAC instructor, so he mischievously suggested it could count towards my novice qualification and was legitimately able to sign off the dive in my BSAC logbook.)  Our Diving Officer later gave me a right telling off for missing out a decimal point and I just couldn't keep my face straight. He was a grand bloke and saw the amusing side of it immediately.

Seriously though, that BSAC branch was a great bunch of folk and I thoroughly enjoyed being a member for a year or two.

Ewan, the only reason I've (so far) not suggested you might like to join us when our group is on a diving project is because most of the time I operate in the Dales (a fair journey for you) and we tend to decide where we're going at the very last minute (in order to choose the optimum site for the conditions on any day). Also, a lot of the time we just carry our own stuff. However I've not forgotten your offer and (when things work out) I'll try and get in touch with enough notice for you to come along. In the meantime, keep on diving. It really is hours in the water that counts.

Thanks dude that would be amazing

 

[EwanCameron]

I've also joined my local BSAC

 

[Pitlamp]

Maybe it's now time to think about approaching the CDG Derbyshire Section, if you want to get involved with cave diving projects as a helper. Your own club (the Orpheus) has several experienced members who are, or have been, DS members. They can probably point you in the right direction. Or contact the DS Secretary with a view to turning up at a meeting, even if only to say "Hello" and get to know a few folk. (The website will have the necessary contact details.)

 

[mulucaver]

Ewan, I used to be in the Derbyshire section of CDG. Before that I was a qualified BSAC diver, in fact I was a founder member od the Buxton Branch of BSAC.
I don't dive now but I've still got most of my gear. if any of it is any use to you come and see me. I live in Chapel.

 

[ah147]

Mulu, you don't have a 12L twinset perchance do you?

 

[EwanCameron]

Ewan, I used to be in the Derbyshire section of CDG. Before that I was a qualified BSAC diver, in fact I was a founder member od the Buxton Branch of BSAC.
I don't dive now but I've still got most of my gear. if any of it is any use to you come and see me. I live in Chapel.

that would be ace

 

[EwanCameron]

Hi all

Did my first side mount dive (twin 12L ally) had about 60min in the pool at ponds forge last night.

Hard to kit up for the first time but felt a lot less lumbered down with kit mind you I had no KG's, Dry suit, hood, gloves so that may be the reason.

Got a 10L steel and some Regs that are in ok order think with 2 new first stages and 3 new tubes I can get a working set of side mount regs going. 

Yours
Ewan

 

[Reeve]

Hi Ewan,

There's a CDG training camp being hosted by the Welsh Section at Penwyllt (HQ of SWCC) in the Swansea Valley, over the w/e of 14th and 15th June 2014.

If you're interested in meeting more CDG divers and trainees and having a weekend of skill development etc. See the CDG forum for more details and booking information.

Gareth Davies.
P.S I'm there 13th - 16th to help with training, advice and examinations or just fun trips.

 

[EwanCameron]

I asked to go but sadly was told I was to late to book a place it would be to hard to sort


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[EwanCameron]

Thanks for all the very positive support

I've now completed a basic mine/cave diving course and and being coached by members of the UK diving community

Thanks
Ewan


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