Little River

[Angie Reim]

I don't think I want to post details of an instructors class on an internet forum, especially since I didn't pass. Lloyd did what any instructor would do and gave me a list of things to work on.....and told me to come back sometime in the future.

I failed my first time through with Lloyd. It was by mutual agreement. I was too tired to do it right on the next day and I knew it! We agreed that I should finish later. So what? Do it again. Lloyd will make sure that you do it right the next go around.

I am NOT a 7-day wonder and not ashamed to admit it. Better to take it as it comes than pass too quickly. Just my 2cents.

Angie

[jmaddox]

sometime, the people that fail end up better divers then the people that pass. just keep your eyes on the prize and stay humble. lets go divin

--jm

ps: so how is LR looking?

[packman]

We dove LR over Memorial weekend and found the water conditions to be pretty good. Vis everywhere was 50 ft or better (beyond our light zone anyway). Water still has a green tint to it...most noticable when seeing oncoming teams or looking down into the basin. Flow is up.

[Line Squirrel]

Isn't this required?

It may be in the training standards now but I know for sure it was not when I went thru full.

[jj1987]

I failed my first time through with Lloyd. It was by mutual agreement. I was too tired to do it right on the next day and I knew it! We agreed that I should finish later. So what? Do it again. Lloyd will make sure that you do it right the next go around.

I am NOT a 7-day wonder and not ashamed to admit it. Better to take it as it comes than pass too quickly. Just my 2cents.

Angie

He's letting me finish up next weekend at Blue Grotto after he finishes his OW class since I was failed on account of poor reactions to hand/light signals....believe it or not one was the OK symbol (there was a finger on someones light and I thought it was turn the dive, I know better, but I turned the dive because all I saw was the finger, stupid of me, but it happened), just proves how task loading can effect performance. I also struggled setting the pace of the dive in LR when we had 4 divers to keep up with, and it was honestly my 3rd time in a cave (the other two were juuuust past the cavern zone, both with an instructor...I was paranoid about going past the light zone before training), so task loading was high, especially trying to keep up with the other 3 divers in the chimney and around those corners, not seeing buy buddies light for a few seconds concerns me. I'm sure time and diving with more experienced divers will help correct that, I'll just have to ask them to help me out with it before the dive, and maybe let them lead a time or two.

Out of the 3 in our class, 2 of us didn't pass, and 1 was taking it for the 2nd time after he didn't pass his first attempt either. I passed his OW and Cavern on the first try (both classes he made some students retake it), my luck was bound to run out

It may be in the training standards now but I know for sure it was not when I went thru full.

Just to be clear, my post wasn't meant to question you, but I was stating that it was my understanding that it's now in the training standards. I have no doubt the standards have changed over the years. I actually posted a direct quote from the NACD manual about something on SB, and as luck would have it, that happened to be one of the areas that has been updated, so my post was incorrect.

[Line Squirrel]

Just to be clear, my post wasn't meant to ...

I know, no worries James. Standards are always evolving. Sometimes for the better, sometimes...not so much.

[stairman]

I realize that cavern divers shouldnt venture into a cave.But Im glad I did.I went with other caver friends,not far maybe 3-400ft.but I got rid of the cave heevie jeevies before my class.I did get winded in Ginnie during intro trying to keep up with Jill and rested,deep breathing to calm down and i was fine.Cave dives should be slow and relaxing.This is easier in low flow caves but can be done in the others.One thing you have to remember is to have trust in your gear.If the others get too far ahead signal them to slow down.If they take off again let em go.You dont need em.You have your redundant gear that will see you through.I think the instructor should have been last,but different scenarios[sp?] may dictate a different dive plan I suppose.Its hard to breathe slowly when your hearts pounding.Be it stress or current.Its really all about experience.Good luck,trust your gear,relax and have fun.

[Rubis]

Picture from Little River - last week

Flow up - viz around 50-60 feet

[WEPIV]

After two months of being away for work, (and with weather cancelling dives I tried to arrange up north), I finally got back into the water at Little River on Tuesday, June 3rd.
It was much better than the last time I had been there when the viz was less than a foot....
There were two other divers there, I believe doing a class in the cavern area. Since school is already out in some areas now, there were also a lot of swimmers on the surface.
I entered and did an 80 minute solo dive trying to cover different parts of the cave going in and coming out. I swam 1000 feet in on the main line and the viz seemed to be around 40 to 50 feet. I also saw two dead, decomposing catfish but not much other life. Needless to say, I did not drink the water as I usually do.
There is also a lot of sediment around covering things but the lines were visible everywhere I went. I did see what looked like two new bad hand/fist prints in the clay in the system too.
So Little River is not back to normal yet but it appears to be well on its way.

[johkoe]

Did 2 dives on Wednesday, 6/5/08. The viz was excellent and the current was mild. The biggest effort is climbing out with the low water level.