Quite often you get to hear bone-chilling news of cave divers dying slow painful deaths while stuck inside some ancient crevice. Still, it’s not gonna stop the brave-heart explorers and thrill seekers from giving in to the mysterious allure of cave diving.
Cave diving’s inherent danger stems from the complexity of the sport. Equipment failures, including tangled reels, broken masks, flooded lamps, and lost navigation, are the leading cause of diving accidents, according to RAID International.
You can’t just go ahead and start cave diving without any prior experience or training. You can’t just go exploring caves without a cave diving certification. Arguably the most important things to know include cave conditions, mental preparation for diving in overhead environments, and emergency protocols.
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The Purpose Of Cave Diving Remains A Mystery
The primary goal of cave diving is to explore cave systems at depth. In the name of learning (to study hydrology, geology, etc.), this practice is all too common.
The primary reason people go cave diving is to collect scientific data, although some go for training, mapping cavern systems or to try out new gear and techniques.
But people like you and me indulge in this sport simply to get our periodic fix of adrenaline rush (just like anti-biotics, scuba diving is simply not potent enough to cure our addiction anymore).
What Dangers Specifically Accompany Cave Diving?
Whatever mindfulness you were taught to practice in your regular scuba diving lessons; multiply it by ten and that’s the amount you need to exercise during every single one of your cave diving trips. Even then there’s no guarantee of absolute safety. There are too many things that could go wrong in those confined rock carcasses.
Say Goodbye to Surface Stops
Perhaps the most obvious danger, as a cave diver you must always take into account the fact that you simply cannot just ascend to the surface if you feel the need to do. There is limited oxygen, and traditional emergency procedures may not work.
A single whimsical movement that leads to the onset of DCS can spell your death sentence then and there.
Turbidity
The cave environment is ecologically distinct, and one potential danger is the absence of natural light. Cave diving is basically night diving on steroids in this aspect.
You have to be the master of your own body weight underwater before you even think about taking a cave diving certification. Maintaining perfect buoyancy control and streamlining yourself must be second nature to you.
This helps maintain a steady environment and the presence of constant guidance to the surface aids divers in avoiding being disoriented in the event of unexpected reduced visibility. The vision can go from crystal clear to almost nonexistent with just a flutter kick of the fin, stirring up silt and sediment.
Intake of Air
Every diver has a somewhat different air consumption rate, and this variation widens while the diver is under pressure. Sure you can have longer dive times with a rebreather but don’t get carried away!
A quick shift in conditions or the appearance of unforeseen impediments can increase diver stress, which in turn can increase the diver’s breathing rate, putting the diver’s air supply at risk. The diver became anxious as a result of the abrupt shift in conditions or the emergence of unexpected challenges.
Your Claustrophobia Will Amplify
“But I don’t have any claustrophobia!”. You’re in for a surprise then! Your new-found fear of enclosed spaces will hit you all at once like never before. Getting over (more like learning to live, because you can never really get over it) this fear will take a lot of time and dive time.
And this is why exercising the highest level of caution and mental conditioning is a must during your first few cavern dives. It’s easy to take poor decisions when that panic sets in (it does not come knocking).
Even now after logging 100+ hours of cave diving, I think twice before steering into some tunnels that seem a bit too narrow than usual.
The Onset of Dcs Means Its Over
The so-called fractional pressure of a substance has an effect on all scuba diving. As divers descend, the increased pressure from the water’s weight affects each breath they take. Divers of all skill levels are at risk for significant consequences from breathing too much of either oxygen or nitrogen, the two major components of air.
Cold water, heavy equipment, tiring movement, and greater depth all increase the likelihood of this happening. Low visibility and confined spaces, for example, might be psychologically taxing.
6 Things to Keep In Mind for Safe Cave Exploration
Get a Legitimate Cave Diving Certification
Needless to say, learning the fundamentals is a prerequisite to diving in overhead environments. On the theoretical side, you will receive complete guidance from experts. In order to explore the cave and its surroundings, you will need to obtain an Open Water certification.
Training will include diving into a cave to a specified depth and going further into the cave than can be seen in daylight. This qualification will also allow you to investigate wrecks and mines. And allow you to dive in an enclosed space above the water.
Applying the Thirds Rule
The objective of the doctrine of thirds was to create a buffer zone. And allow for the inclusion of contingencies. In general, diving consumes around a third of your available gas. Third upon coming up for air after a dive. And the final segment is for dealing with any sudden crises that may arise. In order to safely complete a technical dive, gas management is a must.
Invest in A Dive Scooter
Diving Scooters do not make you any less of a cave diver than the traditional hardliners in the caving community. Only the arrogant and stupid will not take advantage of modern technology that makes the job so much safer.
So, ignore the catcallers and invest in a decent dive scooter if you are planning to cave dive frequently. Renting is also an option for short-term.
Keeping to a Standard
It’s simple to get carried away and get lost in a cave network when the visibility is superb. You’ll acquire the skills necessary to become an expert at mind-mapping routes and establishing boundaries. And learn how to employ it as a tool for navigating yourself outside of the cave.
Nylon’s Durability Allows It to Withstand the Elements
Although different colors may be used, the most reflecting color is white. Twisted at frequent points to provide approximate distance estimations. The diver’s initials are frequently engraved on the spools and reels that hold the line.
Shine On
Most cave networks are pitch dark. You should bring three different sources of light with you at all times. There are three common types of light sources used in dive lights: halogen bulbs, LEDs, and HIDs. Lights featuring a narrow beam are preferred by the vast majority of cave divers. Put the primary one to good use and bring the spares just in case. Make sure you always have fresh batteries on hand for them.
Recognize Your Boundaries
Pushing a bit farther, charting a few extra meters before heading back; trust me these small stupid desires of the explorer in us are what causes most cave diving tragedies.
The dive must be finished when your buddy gives the thumbs-up sign. Keep your dives within the boundaries that you set before the dive. There will be no way of sharing your new passage discovery if you don’t make it back alive.
The World’s Most Extreme Cave Dives
Florida’s “Eagle’s Nest” Sinkhole
Eagle’s Nest is a lake in the Chassahowitzka Conservation Area, but divers can descend into a sinkhole leading to a network of wide submerged passages at depths of up to ninety yards (300 feet), earning it the nickname “Mount Everest” of cave diving.
A “chimney” leads down into the Nest, where one finds the “Main Ballroom” and a network of smaller rooms and passages leading deeper in. Over a dozen inexperienced divers have met their deaths at Eagle’s Nest, making it one of the deadliest dives in the world.
Florida’s Diepolder Caves
Diepolder II and Diepolder III are two massive caverns in the Sands Hill Boy Scout Reservation’s Diepolder Cave System. Diepolder III is the shallowest at around 90 meters (300 feet), whereas Diepolder II is deepest at about 110 meters (360 feet). The Floridian Speleological Society strictly regulates entry due to the cave system’s high depths and intricacy. To enter these caves, scuba divers must be qualified as Full Cave Divers and have completed a minimum of 100 cavern dives in five distinct cave systems.
Russia’s Orda Cave
The western slopes of the Ural Mountains conceal Orda Cave, a gypsum crystal cave. It is one of the world’s longest underwater caverns, at almost 4,600 meters (15,000 feet) in length.
The gypsum rocks make for crystal-clear water, but also make it quite chilly, with an average temperature of just 4 degrees Celsius (40 degrees Fahrenheit). Legends abound about supernatural occurrences in this area, including one about a ghost known as “The Lady of the Cave” who appears as a beautiful young woman dressed in white.
TX: Jacob’s Well
Jacob’s Well is a popular spot to cool off during the hot Texas summer; it is an artesian spring that was formerly cherished by Native Americans. Although most visitors prefer to relax on the well’s edge, several daredevils engage in snorkeling and freediving to explore the caverns below.
Because divers can easily become disoriented in Jacob’s Well’s challenging chambers, particularly the third chamber with its “fake” exit, it is often regarded as one of the world’s most perilous cave dives.
The Sinkhole of Kilsby, Australia
Divers flock to the Mount Gambier area of South Australia for the variety of its freshwater cave and sinkhole diving, which is ideal for technical instruction and exploration. This Kilsby Sinkhole is an underground cave made of limestone filled with water and situated on a private farm.
In a stunning boot-shaped sinkhole with pristine water, the dive descends to depths of roughly 40 meters (130 feet). The hazard of the sinkhole lies in its many crevices, even though the plunge itself is not particularly deep.
Conclusion
When done by trained professionals, cave diving may be an exciting and profoundly satisfying experience. I will say this again. Do not confuse the difficulty of cave diving with that of scuba diving. This sport/hobby is not to be trifled with.
Professional divers are required to have extensive training, use specialized gear, adhere to safety protocols, and carefully prepare for each dive.
