I'm a new cavern diver and was diving Ginnie Springs. I was with a buddy and My instructor. My buddy had just finished his cavern certification a month earlier. We were both starting Intro. We entered the cave through the Devils Ear where there is always a strong flow. My instructor went in first and laid the entrance line I was second and my buddy was third. My buddy and my instructor were both useing doubles but I was using a single steel 98 cf. cylinder.

My instuctor went into the cave and I was to be right behind him but exiting divers were on there way out and being proper protocol to let exiting divers out of the system I had to wait for them to get clear so I could go in.

There's only room for one diver at a time to enter the cave at the devils ear. Of course being nervous my breathing rate was terrible and I wasn't thinking clear. I should have turned the dive immediately. But I went in not thinking to check my SPG as I entered. The flow in the system was way up and it was a tough swim against it.

My buddy was right behind me all the way in so I wasn't nervous(did I mention I forgot to check my air).We started to swim into the system, the plan was to go about 400 ft and do some skills. We got about 300 ft in and it finally dawned on me to ckeck my air.

To my surprise only 700 PSI left (did I mention my buddy was right behind me).I kept a cool head and training kicked in. I signaled my instructor with my light and he turned to see what I wanted. I pointed thumbs up and turn and he came to me to see why. I pointed to my SPG and he saw what the problem was. I figured we just exit the cave and start over but My instuctor figured why not use the situation as a lesson (did I mention I forgot to check my SPG when I entered the cave)

We located the gold line and did a share air drill for about 50' then went lights out share air exit.

We did the share drill all the way to the exit and had no problems. I learned a couble of important lessons on this dive. 1. Dive with people you would trust with your life . Because you are. 2. Check you air often and I mean often. 3.Don't panic rely on you training. Works every time.

We did our second dive to compete the course and everthing went great.