Cave Diving Training

[Wyota]

Well, after a couple months back in the States, I am back in lovely Yorkshire.  Did a supervised cavern dive at Bennett Springs near my house in Missouri, and that further fueled my desire to learn to cave dive. Can anyone recommend a shop or site that offers good cave diving instruction?

Scott

[Mr T.]

Hey Scott,

Check out the Cave Diving Group (CDG) at the URL below. They should have what and who ya need. Welcome back to the UK mate.

http://www.cavedivinggroup.org.uk/

[Davey Willo]

Hey Scott

Welcome back bro and all of the best for the new year...

Cave diving in the UK is commmmmmmmmmpletely different from any sort of nice open cavern diving mate, I'm led to believe that you're basically dragging yourself along through very tight squeezes in near zero viz with side mounted tanks because there's no room for backmounts.... That could be an over generalisation but I don't think I'm too far off the mark (We have a few member's who are experienced UK cave divers and I hope they read your post and give some input) But seriously bro I really don't think its Ginnie springs type stuff over here, mores the pity..

[Ian Daly]

try Farrworld.co.uk - may as well learn from one of the best

HTH  Ian Daly

[andy2tanx]

there is a good article along these lines in the latest issue of Diver.  Another course type article done by Chris Boardman!

[Wyota]

Thanks for the replies, I'll check them out.  Yeah, don't expect, nor really want the ginnie springs type stuff.  When I say cavern dive at home, twas about 10 feet wide to the "keyhole" of the spring, still in light zone, to get past there, same thing, you have to remove BCD and shove it through the keyhole, and follow it.  Thats the kind of exploration Im interested in.  Again, thanks for the tips, I'll check em out.

PS  good to finally be back in the UK

[Dr Stevil]

A caver pal of mine told me that the entry requirements to join the CDG is a minimum of two-years real, hardcore caving, regardless of diving experience.
Don't we (didn't we?) have a couple of CDG folk already on here?
Chee-az
Steve

[Duncan Price]

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Originally Posted by [b

Quote[/b] ]Quote: from Steve W on 7:43 pm on Jan. 6, 2003
A caver pal of mine told me that the entry requirements to join the CDG is a minimum of two-years real, hardcore caving, regardless of diving experience.
Don't we (didn't we?) have a couple of CDG folk already on here?

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That may be changing, though you would be advised to (at least be prepared to) get some caving experience unless you want to dive in a limited number of easy access sites.  You don't have to be a hardcore caver (part of the carefully cultivated CDG mystique) but it helps.

Duncan Price

CDG (Welsh Section - though I will be in the Dales this weekend)

[Ammers]

Oh Duncan, I see you are still peddling that caver first philosophy &nbsp;What is the vis like up in the Dales, I was considering a dip in Hurtle this weekend or else a dig with JNC. &nbsp;What's Porth Yr Ogof like in the winter freeze, is the vis amazing? &nbsp;I might drag myself down to Wales for some winter cave diving a bit later.

[Duncan Price]

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Originally Posted by [b

Quote[/b] ]Quote: from Ammers on 6:05 pm on Jan. 7, 2003
Oh Duncan, I see you are still peddling that caver first philosophy.

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You will see from the CDG website and January CDG Newsletter that I am not and never have been.  Though there are only a few UK cave sites that you can fall out of you car into and most of those are not suitable for backmounts.