cavern/Intro course

[roguediver]

I was wondering if anyone knows of any cavern and Intro to cave Instructors in Hawaii? I will be here for about 5 more months before I return home to Tennessee. And seeing as how I was going to get started on my cave diving training before I left home, was hoping to get at the very least cavern out of the way while I was here, so that when I get back I can do my intro to cave in April sometime. Thank you in advance.

Jeff

You might check with the training agencies, if you don't get an answer on this forum. Here are some links for you:

http://www.nsscds.org/f_home.html
http://safecavediving.org/nacdinst.asp
http://www.iantd.com
http://www.gue.com
http://www.naui.org/index-side.html
http://www.tdisdi.com/tdi/tdihome.html

[roguediver]

Thanks Chip

You are welcome and good luck with your courses. It sure must be a bummer being stuck in Hawaii for the winter (not) ;-).

[roguediver]

Chip

The bummer is that I was deployed over here with my Guard Unit away from my family and friends. Now I will go anywhere and do anything that my Uncle Sam tells me to do, because I love my Country. I have spent my time in the sand box and do not wish to go back, but if I do have to go back I will, and more than likely will have to go back. I was hoping to get some training while I was over here. All in all I wished I was home with my family. Thank you for your information, I did find a shop on one of the other islands that teach a cavern course. Now to get the time to get over there is another story. Thanks.

Jeff

Jeff,

Thanks for serving our country! I am sorry to hear you are away from your family. If you get some free time, you should really check out some of the great diving the Pacific has to offer. You have lots of great sites to dive, very close to where you are.

I have been trying to do a little more research for you about cave diving in Hawaii. I looked through the NACD Journal and the Underwater Speleology (two cave diving journals) for cave instructors and cave training facilities in Hawaii. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find any. However, I found 30 members who belong to the National Speleological Society, who live in Hawaii, in the NSS News from 1993. This means that you probably have both dry and wet caves to explore.

A Google Search for “Hawaii Cave Diving” brings up lots of information and would be another way to find what you are looking for. I have heard about the lava tube diving in Hawaii and it sounds like a lot of fun. Just make sure you get the proper training and it might help to find a guide to take you.

You might want to check with Joe Dituri http://home.hawaii.rr.com/dive4kix to see if he can help you.

Dive Safe, Chip

[roguediver]

Chip

Thank you. I did not think about a goggle search, I will try that. I have done a lot of diving over here and its good, but I would much rather be diving in the TN. river. I love river diving. I was all ready to start my cave traing back home, went and bought all my gear that I had to have (and then some) and then this come along, but thats OK I will deal with it. I found a shop on Maui that does a cavern course but I have to get time off to fly over and take it, its only a 20 min. flight or so which is not bad. I was hoping for something closer and you would think that with all the underwater caves and lava tubes and caves in these waters that their would be more cavern and cave courses around. I have dove some of the tubes and caverns all ready, day light all the way. there are so many more that I could dive but refuse to do so without the right training. I do thank you for your help.

Jeff

When you get your training and experience, you might find there is a lot of great cave diving in your home state. Several members, moderators and web masters on this forum live in, or make trips up to TN all the time. They are doing some advanced cave dives, exploring virgin caves and laying new line. I hope to make it up to TN some day to check out some of the river sump dives.

[roguediver]

That is one of the bigger reasons I would like to get into cave diving. I know I have a long way to go before I get to that level of diving. But I have to start somewhere right.

Jeff

You are correct and it looks like you are on the right track :!:

[fshguy]

Jeff:
We appreciate everything you guys are doing for us. Give me a shout when you get a chance. Its hard to find like-minded divers in Chattanooga. It'd be great to hit Ross's Landing for an evening dive. I hope to start the the progression toward full cave this spring as well. Would be nice having a local buddy.

Mark

[MikeH]

Jeff,

Send a PM to either Gary or Moonfuzzy. They recently went to Hawaii and did some lava tube diving. They may be able to tell you what shop they dealt with there and point you in the right direction.

BTW, what's your MOS?

Mike

[roguediver]

Thanks for the info guys. My MOS this time around is 31B MP, My unit back home im a 13D FDC, I was active duty for six years as an 11B1P Airborne Infantry and 19D Scout. Not sure what I will be when I get back, whatever the state of Tennessee wants me to be I guess. fshguy what part of Chatt. you live in? and what level of cave cert. do you have Im looking for someone to do the training with and dive with once I get my traning. Once again guys thank you.

Jeff

[fshguy]

Jeff:
I live in Red Bank and work downtown. Hoping to start Cavern and Intro this spring if all goes well. I'd also be interested in finding a buddy for any level of diving.
Mark

[Moonfuzzy]

Send a PM to either Gary or Moonfuzzy. They recently went to Hawaii and did some lava tube diving. They may be able to tell you what shop they dealt with there and point you in the right direction.


Unfortunately we didn't get to do any cave diving while out there. We were on 'The Big Island' and did a lot of beach diving, and a couple manta ray dives. We found a lava tube cave next to the highway to explore, and a couple underwater caverns. We didn't go to any of the other islands, and I didn't find much info on cave diving out there. It seems that a lot of the lava tubes tend to collapse on themselves or pinch down after a short distance.
Sorry for the bad news ; )

[roguediver]

Moonfuzzy

Thats ok thanks anyway.

Jeff

[roguediver]

fsyguy

Thats great I would love to have a new dive buddy. I dive out of ChooChoo, my wife works their every Sat. When I get back we will have to go dive. And the way it is looking Im not going to get any traning here, thats not going to cost me and arm and a leg. So when can maybe go through it at the same time. I used to work for the Red Bank Police Dept. 90-91. Later.

Jeff

[roguediver]

I just read on vortex springs web site that due to a standerd change, they can no longer teach cavern and intro to cave at the same time, 3 day combo class. Is this right or not, just wondering.

Jeff

[DeWayne]

I just read on vortex springs web site that due to a standerd change, they can no longer teach cavern and intro to cave at the same time, 3 day combo class. Is this right or not, just wondering.

Jeff

That's one I have not heard about. If you decide to use one of their instructors drop me a line, I know some things about one that I would caution you to avoid. There are some top notch instructors that teach there, but unfortunately there is also one that is less than adequate. I'll give you the details privately if you are interested.