Exploring "new to you" passage -- what do you want to know?

[sskasser]

Yeah, this reminds me of what I told my buddies recently...

I get asked by folks if I am a 'big' cave diver. I was not sure how to respond exactly. After a recent trip and being in large (BIG) caves and being in some small, smoky, dark ones...I told them I had an answer...

I am definitely a BIG cave diver!

And there is not a THING wrong with that! I admire folks who don't get pulled into the "competitiveness" of who can do the nastiest, tightest, etc. I would much rather have a buddy who says "That just ain't for me, let's do something else" than have him go somewhere he's not comfortable.

On the other hand, I also admire the folks who do go out and do the exploration and push the "ugly" stuff, not due to bravado, but because it is truly "their thing."

There's plenty of room for both types of divers, and all the ones in between...just do what you enjoy, simply because you enjoy it.

[deepdiverbob]

And there is not a THING wrong with that! I admire folks who don't get pulled into the "competitiveness" of who can do the nastiest, tightest, etc. I would much rather have a buddy who says "That just ain't for me, let's do something else" than have him go somewhere he's not comfortable.

On the other hand, I also admire the folks who do go out and do the exploration and push the "ugly" stuff, not due to bravado, but because it is truly "their thing."

There's plenty of room for both types of divers, and all the ones in between...just do what you enjoy, simply because you enjoy it.

I agree..its when you mix and match, and force someone to do something they dont want to, or uncomfortable with that problems start to arise.

[Chantelle]

And there is not a THING wrong with that! I admire folks who don't get pulled into the "competitiveness" of who can do the nastiest, tightest, etc. I would much rather have a buddy who says "That just ain't for me, let's do something else" than have him go somewhere he's not comfortable.

On the other hand, I also admire the folks who do go out and do the exploration and push the "ugly" stuff, not due to bravado, but because it is truly "their thing."

There's plenty of room for both types of divers, and all the ones in between...just do what you enjoy, simply because you enjoy it.

*Pushing virtual "THANKS" button and "REPUTATION" button for this post.*

[lamont]

I'm in the process of upgrading my certification (took Cave 2 and provisionaled), not because I want to go that much FURTHER into caves, but because I pass so many fascinating-appearing side passages in Mexico that I just want to get a chance to explore.

And after reading about the recent accident, I wonder, how much information do you want to have about new passage before you try it? How much do you need to know to stay out of trouble?

I´m a little more interested in when you turn the dive after you start to wonder if its such a great idea to be where you are. Lets say that you´ve got a continuous guideline and you know how to get back out, but its a lot tighter and silter than expected and at what point do you decide that its either not for you, or that maybe you took the wrong passage -- and what do you do if you do make a wrong turn and instead of a restriction which opens back up again you find yourself in cave that closes down into sidemount or no-mount territory and you need to back out again...

[FW]

I´m a little more interested in when you turn the dive after you start to wonder if its such a great idea to be where you are. Lets say that you´ve got a continuous guideline and you know how to get back out, but its a lot tighter and silter than expected and at what point do you decide that its either not for you, or that maybe you took the wrong passage -- and what do you do if you do make a wrong turn and instead of a restriction which opens back up again you find yourself in cave that closes down into sidemount or no-mount territory and you need to back out again...

I add 50-100 pis to turn around for every thing that might delay my exit, like silt, restrictions, new buddies, new passage...

The moral is don't take a new buddy into an unknown, tight, silty, passage.

[skip]

I´m a little more interested in when you turn the dive after you start to wonder if its such a great idea to be where you are. Lets say that you´ve got a continuous guideline and you know how to get back out, but its a lot tighter and silter than expected and at what point do you decide that its either not for you, or that maybe you took the wrong passage -- and what do you do if you do make a wrong turn and instead of a restriction which opens back up again you find yourself in cave that closes down into sidemount or no-mount territory and you need to back out again...

I stop every so often and ask myself, "Having a good time?" If the answer is "Yes!" I keep going. When the answer is "Yes." I turn the dive. I like to leave when it's still fun.

Sometimes the answer has been "No." and that's when I know I've gone too far.

-skip

[MengTze]

.... I would much rather have a buddy who says "That just ain't for me, let's do something else" ....

So how does one find out if 'that ain't for me'?

Probably as Skip does below.?

[sskasser]

Yep, I think Skip's plan is a good one...when it stops being fun, it's well past time to turn. Follow your gut, listen to the voice of your subconscious. If something don't feel right, it probably ain't. If you turn a dive based on a "feeling" and your buddy gives you crap...give him the boot. <----Period

Go slow...don't jump right into a no-mount hole after you finish full cave. Don't go into a certain no-viz situation on your first dive with a new buddy. Don't plan for your first 300' trimix dive at 2000' penetration.

What's right for me isn't necessarily right for you, and vice versa. Only YOU can hear those voices in your head (as my shrink often told me before they locked him away in a padded cell ) LISTEN to them!

Dive safe, my friends

[Puttzer]

I think if you want to see some things no one else has seen, you might start by just slowing down.

[LCF]

and what do you do if you do make a wrong turn and instead of a restriction which opens back up again you find yourself in cave that closes down into sidemount or no-mount territory and you need to back out again...

Been there, did that! Got on the downstream line in NoHoch by accident -- it kept getting smaller, and eventually I got to a place I looked at and said, "I don't have any business here," so I backed up until I could turn and thumb the dive.

I guess what prompted the question was watching Ainslie's video of Harry's Crack, and having people say there is no option to turn around in there -- you could start it with some curiosity and end up backing out the whole way you'd gone in, with a buddy behind you who's in zero viz because of you, and therefore only knows you're backing up because you hit him . . . Sounds yucky.