RELATED SEARCHES
Sponsored Cave Diving Results:
Cave Diving: Caves, Divers, Certification, Safety And Locations
By:
Published: October 30, 2007
Scuba diving instructors should warn first-time divers that the experience might be addictive. Spending just a few minutes underwater, without the worry of having to surface to take a breath, is a liberating and surreal experience. Rookies tend to be hooked not long into their first certification dive. Experienced divers may be inclined to reproduce the sensations of their first dives, and as a result they seek new underwater challenges.
As such challenges go, cave diving is among the most difficult, and only the most experienced divers should even consider it. The hazards of cave diving are numerous and potentially fatal. However, divers with the proper training, equipment and safety awareness will experience thrills that will be reminiscent of their first dives.
Underwater cave environments exist in all shapes and sizes and are far too dangerous for those who have not been properly trained. It is easy to become disoriented while cave diving. Losing orientation while cave diving can contribute to a delay in returning to the surface. Possessing a finite air supply, any such delay increases the chance of being stuck underwater without oxygen. This and other cave diving hazards have resulted in hundreds of deaths in the last 50 years. Additional safety precautions must be taken to ensure incident-free dives. Cave diving certification will significantly reduce the chances of accidents.
Organizations, such as the Professional Association of Diving Instructors, or PADI, possess the license to bestow certification for cave diving. Licensed instructors provide divers with the technical skills required to successfully navigate caves. A PADI cave diving course involves instruction in the use of lights and other special equipment. Instructors stress underwater safety techniques, such as air sharing, which may prevent fatalities in the event of an emergency. Most importantly, the PADI course offers instruction on how to plan a cave diving expedition. Proper cave diving planning can serve to reduce the chances of becoming disoriented during the execution of the dive.
Those who wish to explore for over an hour will require additional training in the use of diver propulsion vehicles, or DPVs. This equipment allows individuals to travel much further on a tank of air, and enables them to carry additional air canisters and other equipment when cave diving. A group exploring the Ox Bel Ha caves near the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico usually take two DPVs per diver on their five to six-hour "push" dives. Scientists of the Grupo de Exploracion Ox Bel Ha have been exploring the Mexican caves since 1996, and the long dive lengths permit deep penetrations into unexplored areas of the underwater labyrinth. According to the explorers, "To enter into a large decorated cave gallery and shine light on it for the first time is beyond comparison." Their statement speaks directly to the lure of cave diving. However, even with the proper certification and equipment, most cave diving enthusiasts will not likely be the first to explore a cave.
Indeed, even experienced divers would be wise to employ a guide when cave diving in new locations. All underwater environments are completely alien to humans, and different locations have different characteristics making professional guidance a must. The above-mentioned Ox Bel Ha is only one of many caves off the coast of the Yucatan, making Mexico one of the best cave diving locations in the world. Mexican underwater caves and caverns possess some unique attractions. The halocline, for example, occurs when freshwater flows within saltwater environments. The freshwater flows on top of the saltwater like a river, and the transition from one flow to the next is an experience that will not be forgotten. In addition, the play of natural light from openings in the cave ceiling is quite spectacular. After the completion of a cave diving expedition, participants will have long forgotten about the hard work and expense that went into their training. They will be too busy planning their next dive.
Sources:
"Extended Range Cave Diver Program." North Florida Cave & Technical Divers. 2006. 28 Oct. 2007. http://www.cavediving.com/nfl_cave/training/extend ed.htm.
"Course Fees." North Florida Cave & Technical Divers. 2006. 28 Oct. 2007. http://www.cavediving.com/nfl_cave/training/prices .htm.
"Cave Diving FAQ." Grupo de Exploracion Ox Bel Ha. 2001. 28 Oct. 2007. http://www.mexicocavediving.com/cavedivingfaqs.htm l.
"Cavern Diver Course Details." PADI: The Way the World Learns to Dive. 2007. 28 Oct. 2007. http://www.padi.com/padi/en/kd/caverndivercourse.a spx.
Underwater cave environments exist in all shapes and sizes and are far too dangerous for those who have not been properly trained. It is easy to become disoriented while cave diving. Losing orientation while cave diving can contribute to a delay in returning to the surface. Possessing a finite air supply, any such delay increases the chance of being stuck underwater without oxygen. This and other cave diving hazards have resulted in hundreds of deaths in the last 50 years. Additional safety precautions must be taken to ensure incident-free dives. Cave diving certification will significantly reduce the chances of accidents.
Organizations, such as the Professional Association of Diving Instructors, or PADI, possess the license to bestow certification for cave diving. Licensed instructors provide divers with the technical skills required to successfully navigate caves. A PADI cave diving course involves instruction in the use of lights and other special equipment. Instructors stress underwater safety techniques, such as air sharing, which may prevent fatalities in the event of an emergency. Most importantly, the PADI course offers instruction on how to plan a cave diving expedition. Proper cave diving planning can serve to reduce the chances of becoming disoriented during the execution of the dive.
Those who wish to explore for over an hour will require additional training in the use of diver propulsion vehicles, or DPVs. This equipment allows individuals to travel much further on a tank of air, and enables them to carry additional air canisters and other equipment when cave diving. A group exploring the Ox Bel Ha caves near the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico usually take two DPVs per diver on their five to six-hour "push" dives. Scientists of the Grupo de Exploracion Ox Bel Ha have been exploring the Mexican caves since 1996, and the long dive lengths permit deep penetrations into unexplored areas of the underwater labyrinth. According to the explorers, "To enter into a large decorated cave gallery and shine light on it for the first time is beyond comparison." Their statement speaks directly to the lure of cave diving. However, even with the proper certification and equipment, most cave diving enthusiasts will not likely be the first to explore a cave.
Indeed, even experienced divers would be wise to employ a guide when cave diving in new locations. All underwater environments are completely alien to humans, and different locations have different characteristics making professional guidance a must. The above-mentioned Ox Bel Ha is only one of many caves off the coast of the Yucatan, making Mexico one of the best cave diving locations in the world. Mexican underwater caves and caverns possess some unique attractions. The halocline, for example, occurs when freshwater flows within saltwater environments. The freshwater flows on top of the saltwater like a river, and the transition from one flow to the next is an experience that will not be forgotten. In addition, the play of natural light from openings in the cave ceiling is quite spectacular. After the completion of a cave diving expedition, participants will have long forgotten about the hard work and expense that went into their training. They will be too busy planning their next dive.
Sources:
"Extended Range Cave Diver Program." North Florida Cave & Technical Divers. 2006. 28 Oct. 2007. http://www.cavediving.com/nfl_cave/training/extend ed.htm.
"Course Fees." North Florida Cave & Technical Divers. 2006. 28 Oct. 2007. http://www.cavediving.com/nfl_cave/training/prices .htm.
"Cave Diving FAQ." Grupo de Exploracion Ox Bel Ha. 2001. 28 Oct. 2007. http://www.mexicocavediving.com/cavedivingfaqs.htm l.
"Cavern Diver Course Details." PADI: The Way the World Learns to Dive. 2007. 28 Oct. 2007. http://www.padi.com/padi/en/kd/caverndivercourse.a spx.
Featured Cave Diving Products:
