Restriction definition?

[icestac]

I'm guessing that a major restriction would be like cow entrance, not my fault, lips bypass, etc.

Wouldn't that be a minor restriction? I don't have to remove my gear or manipulate my body to get through there.

Jeff

[MORGAN]

What's thought of as a restriction is very different between cave diving and dry caving. Dry cavers tend to think of restrictions as places where you have to squeeze and wriggle and exhale forcibly to get through. The place that springs to mind for me is called, oddly enough, the Tight Spot. On my back, hands over my head, face turned to the side so I don't scrape my nose on the ceiling, blow out a breath and wiggle a few inches, then take a breath - can't get a full one - relax, breathe out, repeat - about 15 minutes to go about 3 feet. I haven't been through there in about 15 years - I'd have to drop about 40 pounds to fit!

I had an anxious moment or two in my intro cave class before the first dive, when my instructor was briefing us about the passage from the Eye out to the Gallery. He said that there was a minor restriction on the way in, and I'm thinking about the Tight Spot and wondering what the hell I've gotten myself into! I was happy to find that there was plenty of room to slide through. After the dive Tracy (also a dry caver) and I were asking, "Where was the restriction?"

I haven't been dry caving for a few years - floating effortlessly though caves has spoiled me!

Mike

[LiteHedded]

Wouldn't that be a minor restriction? I don't have to remove my gear or manipulate my body to get through there.

Jeff

i have to turn sideways to get through the lips bypass. does that count?

[SuPrBuGmAn]

...there is no circumstance which justifies removal of life support equipment in the overhead environment...

That would have made for a short weekend :/

[UCFKnightDiver]

Although, if that was the case, people could always take the route around the keyhole on the right, which is wide open.

but then you would be off mainline

[jj1987]

but then you would be off mainline

As long as you visual it, you're not making a "jump"

[BgDadddy]

Yep... You can't see the line from back there, forgot about that. Jeez... I need to get up there and dive Ginnie again. Its been so long, it'll be almost like a new cave again for me...

[chimie007]

but then you would be off mainline

Ohh gee, you're right. We're all gonna die if we are not on top of the main line at all time..... What about learning the cave as opposed to follow a line...

[BgDadddy]

Yeah, but we're talking about intro divers.

I remember when I was a new intro diver, I never got too far away from that sucker. I almost never got out of sight of it (except for the bypass I'm talking about here).

[icestac]

What about learning the cave as opposed to follow a line...

What cave? I line dive

Jeff