Thinking and restrictions

[RN]

Not much different than Forrest, except he's been doing this almost longer than I've been alive...

I rarely dive 1/3s in big cave and never in small cave.

I won't go into tight restrictions unless I'm alone. It's risky enough alone, never mind having 2 people in there.

I go in expecting zero visibility on the way out and only go as far as I'll be comfortable coming out that way. The distance varies on the passage and how many times I've been in it.

I've pushed into really tight passage and wiggled to get through, but if it takes more than a couple of wiggles, it's time to turn around because it will be close to impossible to navigate on the way out (see previous comment).

[JahJahwarrior]

I think thirds only works in big cave with high flow-- if the water is still, thirds is not conservative enough. Same for siphons, except more so.

A big deal for me is turning my head. I get nervous about pulling the 2nd stage out of my mouth. I try to take the time to be sure this won't happen--- tanks need to stay connected to me somehow if at all possible, to prevent them from slipping away and pulling the regulator free. I prefer to nomount both tanks in front of me at the same time in order to keep the other 2nd stage in front of me, where i might could reach it, instead of clipped off to my chest where it is getting in the way and could be trapped, out of reach, if there were a problem with the regulator i'm breathing from.

You have to be able to back out in 0 viz, as most no mount diving or even tight sidemount diving involves lower vis. You have to have to have you be aware of even tiny rocks and things-- a rock with a diameter of even 2" can roll in behind you and get wedged against you, making a tight wiggle impossible to exit through, ask me how I know!

The Sandwhich restriction at Jug Hole still throws me for a loop sometimes. It can take me several tries to remember exactly how I have to orient myself and where in the bedding plain to attempt the navigation. The exit involves stopping for a minute or two atleast one or two times to let the viz clear again to help me see the cave to navigate it efficiently. You have to have the mental fortitude to relax and stay calm. When you inhale and feel yourself pushing against rock above and below you, it's a unique experience.

Proper gear for the job helps a lot, too. I remember trying to nomount some LP120's through a restriction at a cave near Devil's Eye...I made it through the first half of the first restriction and half of the second half of the first restriction, before realizing that some 85's would make it a whole lot easier. Came back with 85's, and fell in love with yet another wonderful cave (it involved what...6? no mount restrictions through about 200' of cave or less, and the exit was in about 2-3' of visibility.)

Here's the funny thing: on land, I tend to be much more claustrophobic than in the water.

No mount diving significantly reduces the ability of a rescue team to reach you in time, as it takes longer to get to you and possibly longer to get divers with the body type needed to fit, and low viz conditions might hamper their time as well, plus with you being possibly solo, your buddy or surface people might not realize you are in trouble very quickly.

[Garth]

How far are some of these restrictions distance wise? I have read about Andrew's restrictions where he had a hose failure on his rebreather. I think he said he was in the restriction for ten minutes or more.

[FW]

How far are some of these restrictions distance wise? I have read about Andrew's restrictions where he had a hose failure on his rebreather. I think he said he was in the restriction for ten minutes or more.

Depends on what you call a restriction. By the standard cavediving definition (one diver at a time, and can't turn around) some go on for several hundred feet.

[RN]

A big deal for me is turning my head. I get nervous about pulling the 2nd stage out of my mouth. I try to take the time to be sure this won't happen

I've had this happen to me. Biting down on the mouthpiece to keep the reg from being ripped out of my mouth. It's even worse when you're upside down and have to take slow, shallow breaths to keep the water that's coming into your reg from pouring down your throat!

How far are some of these restrictions distance wise? I have read about Andrew's restrictions where he had a hose failure on his rebreather. I think he said he was in the restriction for ten minutes or more.

It's taken me 10 minutes to negotiate a restriction on the way out that has only taken me a couple of minutes to negotiate on the way in.

[Garth]

You have to have the mental fortitude to relax and stay calm. When you inhale and feel yourself pushing against rock above and below you, it's a unique experience.
.

this is an interesting thought, I can't imagine being in a place such as that, having a problem and being unable to move. All this is quite impressive.

[FW]

this is an interesting thought, I can't imagine being in a place such as that, having a problem and being unable to move. All this is quite impressive.

Just remember that less than 1% of cavedivers do this type of diving.

[JahJahwarrior]

this is an interesting thought, I can't imagine being in a place such as that, having a problem and being unable to move. All this is quite impressive.

Fortunately, I had no problems other than being stuck in a hole. I moved forward a few inches and managed to move an arm underneath me, only scratching my hand slightly on the cave, and move the rock back to the side where I had moved it previously. Then I was able to continue shimmying out.

After seeing how sand and rocks move in this cave, I've determined that it's not worth the risk to continue diving it at this time. I recognized that I not only wanted to see the cave, but wanted to see it so I could brag about having seen it, and that bragging rights are a stupid thing to die for. So, I haven't gone back, and have no plans to. If/when someone else moves enough crap out of the way to reduce the risk to an acceptable level, I'd go back. But, I'd use small tanks and probably stow emergency gas in two locations, take a shovel, and have a buddy on the surface with a stopwatch and a cellphone

[Garth]

Fortunately, I had no problems other than being stuck in a hole. I moved forward a few inches and managed to move an arm underneath me, only scratching my hand slightly on the cave, and move the rock back to the side where I had moved it previously. Then I was able to continue shimmying out.

After seeing how sand and rocks move in this cave, I've determined that it's not worth the risk to continue diving it at this time. I recognized that I not only wanted to see the cave, but wanted to see it so I could brag about having seen it, and that bragging rights are a stupid thing to die for. So, I haven't gone back, and have no plans to. If/when someone else moves enough crap out of the way to reduce the risk to an acceptable level, I'd go back. But, I'd use small tanks and probably stow emergency gas in two locations, take a shovel, and have a buddy on the surface with a stopwatch and a cellphone

check for cellular service before entering water should be part of predive

[LiteHedded]

Just remember that less than 1% of cavedivers do this type of diving.

and they can keep it!