Is Cave Decompression necessary for Open Water Deco Divers?

[bent]

The TDI full cave diver course standard requires that a student taking a full cave course to be either previously trained in decompression procedures, or go through the course concurrently, if decompression will be conducted during the course.

Funny that TDI wants you to be deco trained for full cave even though it's not really necessary yet you can get the TDI intro to cave rating in a cavern without ever entering a cave.

[tbone1004]

Funny that TDI wants you to be deco trained for full cave even though it's not really necessary yet you can get the TDI intro to cave rating in a cavern without ever entering a cave.

on what grounds do you think it's not necessary? It's damned near impossible to teach full cave in Florida without entering deco.

[bent]

considering the course is part of PSAI which is owned by Mr Deep Air are you surprised they are promoting narcosis management on the website?

As PSAI seems to be one of the 500 tiny fringe agencies, I never really heard anything about them. 7 levels of narcosis managemant is ridiculous and would have been even 15 or 20 years ago.

[bent]

on what grounds do you think it's not necessary? It's damned near impossible to teach full cave in Florida without entering deco.

For Florida, yes. A good chunk of TDI training is done outside of Florida. Lots of places around the world where you can dive without going into deco.

[kensuf]

Funny that TDI wants you to be deco trained for full cave even though it's not really necessary yet you can get the TDI intro to cave rating in a cavern without ever entering a cave.

Uh, say what? Intro to cave requires a minimum of four cave dives. If you have witnessed an intro to cave course taught only within the cavern zone, please report it.

[kensuf]

For Florida, yes. A good chunk of TDI training is done outside of Florida. Lots of places around the world where you can dive without going into deco.

And in those places, such as Mexico, you don't need to be deco trained if you are not doing decompression dives. I realize English isn't your primary language, but I did specify that you only need deco training if you are doing decompression dives as part of your cave course.

...

The TDI full cave diver course standard requires that a student taking a full cave course to be either previously trained in decompression procedures, or go through the course concurrently, if decompression will be conducted during the course. Many instructors simply included AN/DP certification as part of the full cave curriculum, but the problem some of us saw is that AN/DP training should actually prepare you for doing "blue water" decompression dives, not switching to oxygen at 20' while laying on a log, which is kind of what happens when people couple decompression training in a full cave course.

...

[bent]

Uh, say what? Intro to cave requires a minimum of four cave dives. If you have witnessed an intro to cave course taught only within the cavern zone, please report it.

They know about it, Ken. It's been like that for years in Malta/Gozo in the Mediterranean. A buddy of mine did TDI intro there. There are caverns but here aren't four caves.
There is Billunghurst cave. It's a sea cavern an maybe there are spots in the back where you cant see daylight for a couple of feet... that's it.
The mines in Germany accept pretty much all cave and intro certs from NACD, CDS, IANDT, GUE, UTD, etc. only if you got a TDI cert you have to do a check dive. One of the guides at a mine told me it's because of these "Malta trained cave divers".
I'm sure you could ask on fb or sb about Gozo 'cave' diving and get the same story.
I don't know why TDI lets this slide.

[bent]

And in those places, such as Mexico, you don't need to be deco trained if you are not doing decompression dives. I realize English isn't your primary language, but I did specify that you only need deco training if you are doing decompression dives as part of your cave course.

You're right. I missed that part in bold. It's more due to sloppy reading than due to sh!tty English though.

[oceancurrent]

The mines in Germany accept pretty much all cave and intro certs from NACD, CDS, IANDT, GUE, UTD, etc. only if you got a TDI cert you have to do a check dive.

Ahh. The ancient "PATEE divers are the worst" drinking proclamation. Anyone who thinks that the agency on the card is any determinant of a diver's skills has issues that need to be checked out. Grow up, people! [sight]

[Pete]

We have been visiting Gozo on and off for the past 30 years as a fantastic place for fish watching and scenic open water diving with great drop offs straight from the shore. There are a number of large sea 'caves' some of which do go back maybe 30-40 metres but they are so large that even at the back not only is the entrance clearly visible but there is no need for a torch as it is light. Over the past few years some of these large caverns have gained spikes close to the entrance presumably to run a line from during cavern courses and we have been amazed to see that some of the local dive shops are offering 'cave' courses. Unless there are some secret caves in Gozo somewhere that we are not aware of then unless the requirements for cavern/cave training have changed markedly over the past 25 years that we have been cave diving then I have no idea how even a cavern ticket could be obtained in Gozo.