Cavern Instructor

CAVERN DIVING PROGRAM / IANTD
This program is design to develop wreck and cavern diving skills within the limits of light penetration and to insure that divers are aware of self responsibility and capable of risk management in overhead environments. This program may be taught using either air or EAN.

Pre requisites
• Must be qualified as an IANTD Advanced Open Water Diver or equivalent.
• Must be a minimum of 15 years old.
• Must provide proof of a minimum of 10 logged dives.

Program Content    
• Complete all lectures.
• A continuous guideline that allows for a safe exit to the entrance will be in place at all times during training dives.
• A minimum of 120 minutes of bottom time must be completed in the overhead environment within 4 to 6 dives.
• Land drills: Use of guidelines, following guidelines with and without vision and simulation of silt outs.

Qualification requirements
• Demonstrate mature and sound judgment concerning dive planning and execution.
• Complete all open water requirements safely and efficiently.

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Paperwork
• Complete a liability release
• Complete medical statement, if in doubt requires medical examination by hyperbaric physician.
• Students understand the financial obligation resulting in his her training, refer to price list.
• Instructor is required to fill out the student performance track sheet.
• Student receives academic materials.

Training limits
• There may be no more than four students per Instructor inside the overhead environment.
• Unobstructed exit / surface light must always be visible.
• No dives may be conducted to depths greater than 130ftsw.
• The rule of thirds must be applied from the point of entering the overhead environment until safe exit from the overhead environment portion of the dive.
• All appropriate safety or required decompression stops must be performed.

Equipment requirements
• A dual outlet (H or Y) valve is recommended. A 40 inch long hose is to be attached to one of the second stages on the primary gas supply.
• It is recommended a long hose (5-7 feet) in length for gas sharing be carried by each diver.
• Primary reel and or safety reel.
• Two lights.

Water Skills Development 
• A confined water session must be completed before conducting any dives in an overhead environment.
• Become proficient in the following propulsion techniques: modified flutter, modified frog, modified dolphin, and standard shuffle kicks.
• Swim a distance of 75 feet without a mask.
• Swim in a simulated out of air situation (without breathing and exhaling slowly) for a distance of at least 45 feet and commence gas sharing. While gas sharing, continue to swim for a distance of at least 200 feet while maintaining a swim rate approximately 60feet per minute.
• Determine SAC rate and RMV.
• Practice use of reel and line.
• In the overhead environment practice running the line and making the wraps.
• With eyes closed follow guideline both with eyes open and with eyes closed.
• Perform an S drill prior to commence of all dives.

Course Schedule
DAY 1
• Classroom session between 2-4 hours including lectures about:
• Policy for cavern diving.
• Environment types.
• Environment conditions.
• Accident analysis.
• Psychological considerations.
• Equipment considerations.
• Body and buoyancy control.
• Swimming techniques.
• Problem solving.
• Review of dive tables and decompression avoidance.
• Land drills 1.

DAY 2
• Land drills 2
• Confined water session 1
• Confined water session 2
• Overhead environment dive 1

DAY 3
• Overhead environment dives 2, 3 & 4.

DAY 4
• Overhead environment dives 5 & 6.

 INTRODUCTORY TO CAVE DIVING PROGRAM / IANTD
Purpose
 This program is designed to provide an introduction to the cave diving environment for Sport Divers.

Pre requisites
• Must be qualified as an IANTD Overhead environment diver or equivalent..
• Must be a minimum of 15 years old.
• Must provide proof of a minimum of 25 logged dives.

Program Content    
• Complete all lectures.
• A continuous guideline that allows for a safe exit to the entrance will be in place at all times during training dives.
• A minimum of 90 minutes of bottom time must be completed in the overhead environment within 4 to 6 dives. There may be no crediting of previous dive time for this program.
• Land drills: Use of guidelines, following guidelines with and without vision and simulation of silt outs and perform lost line procedure.
Qualification requirements
• Demonstrate mature and sound judgment concerning dive planning and execution.
• Complete all open water requirements safely and efficiently.

Paperwork
• Complete a liability release
• Complete medical statement, if in doubt requires medical examination by hyperbaric physician.
• Students understand the financial obligation resulting in his her training, refer to price list.
• Instructor is required to fill out the student performance track sheet.
• Student receives academic materials.

Training limits
• There may be no more than three students per Instructor inside the cave with starting visibility of 30 feet, pr two students per Instructor with starting visibility of 20 feet or 1 student per Instructor with starting visibility of 12 feet.
• No dives may be conducted to depths greater than 130ftsw.
• Each diver must have at least 60 cubic feet of breathing gas.
• The rule of thirds must be applied on all dives using single tanks and the rule of 1/6 on all dives using double tanks.
• All appropriate safety or required decompression stops must be performed.
• No jumps from one line to another may be made in this program.

Equipment requirements
• All bottom mix tanks must be equipped with dual outlet (H or Y) valve or double tanks with dual orifice manifold.
• A long hose (5-7 feet) in length for gas sharing be carried by each diver.
• Primary reel and or safety reel.
• Three lights.

Water Skills Development 
• A confined water session must be completed before conducting any dives in an overhead environment.
• Have two divers starting at a distance of 40 feet apart swim in a simulated out of air situation towards each other with eyes closed following a guideline and begin gas sharing.
• After resting for three breaths divers should swim following the guideline to its source while continuing to share breathing gas. Both divers must maintain contact with the line.
• Follow the guideline with mask blacked out or eyes closed for at least 40 feet.
• Follow the guideline with mask off for at least 40 feet.
• Simulate a primary light failure on exiting the cave.
• Share gas along for a reasonable distance while on the cave.
• Simulate gas failure with valve shot downs for both primary and secondary regulators. The entire drill must be completed in less than one minute.
• Practice regulator shot downs while swimming without a noticeable change in swim pace.
• Practice use of reels and lines.
• With eyes closed follow line and maintain contact with both the buddy and guide line.
• Share gas and maintain contact with line while keeping eyes closed or lights off. (while on a cave dive)
• Demonstrate proficiency in propulsion techniques taught in the overhead environment program, share gas with first diver leading by three body lengths. Second diver while simulating an out of air situation gets lead´s diver attention and begins to share gas for a reasonable distance. During at least one cave dive the student is to do an out of air drill at a random selection time and without the buddy being aware of whether it is real or practice.
• Perform an s drill prior to commencement of all dives. 

Course Schedule
DAY 1
• Classroom session between 2-4 hours including lectures about:
• Policy for cavern diving.
• Environment types.
• Environment conditions.
• Accident analysis.
• Psychological considerations.
• Equipment considerations.
• Body and buoyancy control.
• Swimming techniques.
• Problem solving.
• Review of dive tables and decompression avoidance.
• Land drills 1.

DAY 2
• Land drills 2
• Confined water session 1
• Cave Dive 1

DAY 3
• Cave dives 2, 3 & 4.