TDI CAVERN DIVER

Are you a serious adventure seeker wishing to explore overhead environments? Sign up for the TDI Cavern Diver course!This course is designed to develop the minimum skills and knowledge for cavern and overhead environment diving within the limits of light penetration, and outline specific hazards associated with cave diving. The cavern diver course in not intended to provide instruction for cave diving environments. The objective of this course is to train divers in the proper planning, procedures, techniques and hazards of cavern diving.

Who this course is for:

The certified diver who has interest in moving forward with overhead environment diving and expanding their diving techniques, capabilities, and more!

Course prerequisites

(these requirements must be met prior to commencement of training):

Minimum age 18, 15 with parental consent
Provide proof of an SDI Open Water Scuba Diver or equivalent
Proof of 25 logged dives

What you can expect to learn:

The TDI Cavern Diver course takes an in-depth look at all of the following and more:

Policy for cavern diving
Gas management procedures and management to include dissimilar volumes
Psychological considerations of cavern diving
Equipment considerations including:
Cylinder options
Regulator options
Buoyancy compensator/harness options
Proper weighting
Reel options
Equipment configurations
Communication (light and hand signals)
Swimming techniques
Body posture/trim
Buoyancy control
Line following
Propulsion (finning) techniques
Physiology
Breathing techniques
Stress management
Cavern environment
Cavern conservation
Problem solving
Emergency procedures
Equipment failure
Silting conditions
Accident analysis
Cavern diving etiquette
Review of dive tables and decompression theory

Some of the required skills you will have to demonstrate include:

Properly deploy a guideline
Properly follow a guideline with eyes open and closed (simulating loss of visibility)
Air share with a buddy with eyes open, following a guideline
Air share with a buddy with lights off and eyes closed, using touch contact while following the guideline
Remove and replace mask while in contact with the guideline
Demonstrate conservation, awareness, and back referencing techniques
Demonstrate light/hand signals and touch contact
Demonstrate anti-silting techniques
Simulate a primary light failure and use back up light to exit
Demonstrate buoyancy control, proper trim, and propulsion techniques
Equipment check and matching
Demonstrate adequate predive planning

What’s in it for you:

Upon successful completion of this course, graduates may engage in cavern diving activities without direct supervision so long as the following limits are adhered to:

The diving activities approximate those of training
Planned dives do not exceed diver’s current certification level
Penetration is limited to the “rule of thirds,” OR 1/6th if using doubles to a maximum depth of 40 metres/130 feet
Penetration is limited to 61 linear metres/200 linear feet from the surface
Proper cavern diving equipment must be used
Maintain a continuous guideline
No restrictions or areas that are too small for 2 divers to swim side by side
Safety stops as appropriate or necessary

TDI Cavern Diver minimum certification requirements:

Perform all land drills and cavern dive requirements efficiently
Demonstrate mature, sound judgment concerning dive planning and execution
Maintain an appropriate level of awareness and respect for the environment
Log all training dives

How do I take this course?

Take it online. TDI Cavern Diver is available in eLearning
Course Cost: $139.95 USD for eLearning only. Pool and open water training not included.
Practical training 3 days including 4 cavern dives $750.00 USD