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Discover Cavern Diving - Pattaya, Thailand

Back to Page one - classroom and Cavern dry training

With the cavern divers theory/academics and dry land reel training under the belt it was time to get into the water and indeed the cavern.

1^st Dive: Shallow Dive Training:

Buoyancy Techniques were the first item looked at this included body position in the water and Course Director Cedric helped Stephane, John and Vicky get correct position using placement of the tank and adjusting buoyancy due to the new swimming position. Swimming exercises were next these were geared towards moving in small confined areas and being able to not silt up the bottom. Being able to move in a circle whilst stationary, finning backwards without turning around (reversing) and the flutter kick were all learned. These skills aid a a diver in scuba diving well in any environment.

(Photos open in a new window).

The guys on the dive boat ready for the dive.	Cedric displaying perfect body positioning in the water.	Cedric and Stephane practice swims together.

The reel work was next following the guidelines and lessons learned in the academic session and dry land training at the shop. Having to maintain buoyancy added stress and difficulty. After the line had been reeled out, the diver then had to follow the line back with their eyes closed (to simulate low visibility) and then reel it in keeping the line tort.

A properly secured diving reel.	Vicky following the line.	John simulating laying a line with low visibility with no mask.

Diver Team Reel work:

This was to simulate a diver leading a group into a cavern and also to see how they used the line to communicate and also touch if the visibility was poor.

The divers were then asked to simulate out of air scenario whilst maintaining contact of the line - Masks were removed to simulate the low visibility. Constant contact with your buddy is essential so as not to pull the donor regulator from the "out of air" divers' mouth.

John donates his octopus to Vicky in a simulated out of air situation.	John breathes from Stephane's Octopus.	John and Stephane following the line.
	Back on the boat Cedric reviewed all of the skills mastered and suggested that all were good to go for the cavern dive in the afternoon.

2nd Dive - Cavern Dive at Hin Chalam (Shark Rock) Pattaya, Thailand:

Cedric briefed the group on the situations that he would be simulating in the afternoon which were out of air and low visibility within a cavern diving situation. Torch signals were also briefed so that in low Vis, communication can continue - everything must have a back up.

Visibility at Hin Chalam was fabulous. We got in the water and swam over to the island - as we looked down and could already see Bruce’s group on the bottom which was 17 meters down so we dropped down and explored the dive site. After direction from Cedric we made our way to the cavern entrance where Cedric reminded the divers on the rule of thirds for Cavern diving and also to turn torches on before they started to tie off outside. A few last "words/signs" of advice from Cedric and they were ready to "reel off" and enter.

The divers gathering at the cavern entrance.	Cedric giving final instructions to the cavern divers.	Cedric at the entrance of the Cavern.

Vicky was first to tie off outside the cavern. She slowly and carefully reeled her line out in a planned manner so that she could easily follow it back out of the cavern. Stephane and John followed her line into and out of the cavern.

Vicky using the reel.	Vicky leading the John and Stephan into the cavern via the line.	Vicky emerging from the cavern.
John reeled off to enter the cavern.	John entering the cavern.	In the cavern looking out.

Cedric purposely silted the cavern entrance and inside to simulate low visibility and then signaled to Stephane that he would be simulating that he was out of air. Exercises of out of air exiting the cavern were practiced by all. This was repeated for each person so that they all had a go at reeling into the cavern and being the last one out also.

Cedric silted up the cavern entrance for training purposes.	Following the line the divers enter the silted cavern...	...and easily find their way out using the line.

With all of the necessary skills learned and a good job made of all of the skills, Cedric praised all for their efforts.

The Discover Cavern diving is an experience that works as a pre-requisite for the full cavern diver or cave diver courses. It allows the participating diver a chance to see if they like the cavern environment and indeed learn new diving skills that can be applied to many environments such as ship wreck diving also.

I wish to thank Cedric and Bruce for their expert tuition. John, Vicky and Stephane for participating and Bruce Ritchie for the pictures. - A job well done ... so who'll be joining us for the extensive cave systems in South Thailand?

Please contact me with any interest in the Cavern area.

Cavern and Cave links of interest:

• Cavern and Cave diving in Rivera Maya - Cavern and Cave diving in Rivera Maya just South of Cancun.
• Hidden Worlds Cenotes - Cavern Diving, Snorkeling and Jungle Tours in Cancun and the Riviera Maya.
• Cave Diving - Extended Range Cave Diver Program, DPV Cave Diver, Stage Cave Diver, Advanced Trimix Diver and much more.
• NACD - National Association for Cave Diving - The NACD was established in 1968 for the purpose of achieving safer cave diving through training and education.

• NSSCDS - National Speleological Society Cave Diving Section.

• Cave Diver's Forum - The purpose of the Cave Diver's Forum is to provide a place on the internet for civil discussions of anything cavern or cave diving related.

• Cave Excursions - Excellent cave diving equipment resource with cave and cavern equipment at great prices with good info on each product.

• Cave Diving group - The official web site of the cave diving group of Great Britain.

• Cave Diver Association of Australia

• On Little Corn Island, Casa Iguana has opened the first and only PADI scuba diving shop in Nicaragua. The island's reef offers a variety of unique diving adventures, from caves and caverns to un-chummed shark encounters.