intro class- and those darn cave gremlins
So, I finally had my intro class and i have to tell someone, so looks like the online group is going to have to suffer through my rambling. Before I start let me say forgive me for not using the caps key.
I'll start with saturday...
It was a bright and sunny morning. I met my instructor at cave exscursions, the other two students were going to be late so we headed to peacock. Once there we did some line drills, the usuall if u die im not responsible forms, and a brief discussion of the humor in the forms required the other students arrived. After interductions we went right into lost line and lost buddy drills. I should mention that i had my cavern class with the same instructor. Anyhwo, line drills complete we headed to our cars for the gear up. As the other divers were doing a cavern/ intro course their gear had already been looked over, that left the whole group to scrutinize mine. I was happy i had done my homework and nothing was pointed out other than my mixmatched first stages. (im a college student=poor) Aftter briefly talking with my new dive buddies we headed down to the water.
Once in the water, we got a brief description of the site and what we would be doing drill wise. We then did our s-drills and calculated our sixths; i was to run the reel first, since the other guys had already done four dives together. Before we began we were all acosted for our bouyancy. We began our dive i made my OW tie off, then made my cavern tie off. I was not verry comfortable in my doubles as i felt like my feet kept trying to inver me. Anywho, we continued to the warning sign at witch point i turned the dive and we exited. Here is where it gets good.
The debrief... putting it shortly.... We had no communication as a team each diver seemed independent. "You guys look like your all just following the same line into a hole. ther is no communication, did either of you check his tieoffs? Garrett did you ever look to see of they were ok with your tie offs? I even passed one buddy on the way out. We had continuty as a group and all of our bouyancy needed serious help. It was even sugested that the inst. seriously doubted if we should even continue withought more OW practice.
Dive two. We planned our dive, did our s-drill, recalulated our sixths, and began the dive. I was not completly comfortable and having already discussed this with my inst. 50 ft in i decided to call my dive. At this point on of the inst. went with me to the surface and theother went with the other 2 students. Once on surface we moved my wing, and went back tothe cavern. He then indicated throught wetnoted i should arch my back i did and instantly the feet up thing went away. We ok each other and went in, at about 500ft in we saw the other group. The inst with me thumbed the dive and we exited. Upon surfacing he indicated the other group apeared to be doing their drill and he did not want to interupt them. They surfaced a bit later. The inst and myself communicated about my comfort issues and i decicded to gasup my tanks and return to resttemp my dives.
Regassed and back in the water we did our air drills and calculated sixths and went down. I was so much more cofortable, i was not running the reel for this dive. We tied to the mainline and contiued down pothole line? I turned the dive on sixths at 900ft. Ne our return my buddy mysteriously disapeered. I then had to perform the lost buddy drill, set my arrow, anattached my safety spool. Wasnt hard to find him just follow the silt trail. Once in the cloud i accidently whacked my uddy on the head while feeling with one arm. I placed him on the line and and reeled my spool until i reached the mainline. Then the gremlins came and killed my light and my dive buddies. We exited on backup.
Upon resurface we debriefed, they were happy with my search and indicated my trim looked much better on the dive. They also commented on my communicattion saying it was better but more comm. throughout the dive would be better. After a ten minut surface interval we began to plan for our dive down penut tunnel.
I ran the reel, oddly it seemed much easier this time. On one the line we began our penetration following the main line. Peanut line is awsome, you really dont know why its called peanut until you've seen it. And it is almost impossible to describe. We made it about 700ft and i turned the dive on sixths. On our exit mysteriouly all lights failed we began our exit using touch comm. Then the light cam eon long enought for my buddy to run outof air. We bumped along for two hundreded feet or so unitl the light came on long enough for me to have an outa air emrgyncy so i took the lead. On a side note id like to to say that the main line in many places in peanut create a nasty line trap. We made a next to last turn and i could see the glow of the cavern. We agreed to leave our lights off for our exit and just enjoy the wonder of the cavern. Man its a truly mooving feeling.
On the surface we debriefed, my inst. commented me on my trim and my general demeaner during the drills, he state dan i agreed that i looked very comfortable. We left peacock and headed to cave exscursions to regas for tomorow i headed home that day feeling more comfident, and really excited about the class overall with still one more day to go. As i drove home i thought about the drills how i reacted to them and the words of my instructor. Remember your bouyancy, stay off the botom and try very hardly not to disturb the enviroment your in.
Thats all i can type in one sitting I’ll finish another time. I hope this is understandable
I started day 2 having no idjea where exactly little river is. I woke up early and headed out from Tallahassee, the drive was LLLOOOONNNGGG and boring but it was nice to see the sun rise, something I usually only see during hunting season.
After much driving I finally made it to the wonderful town close to little river. I had to stop and ask the kind DOT officers at the station where litlle river was, they didn’t seem to mind though as I was wearing a camo hat and a FSU tshirt so I can only assume I fit the bill for a locall. Having obtained my directions, I proceded down the highway to find my instrucytor making the left tunn onto the road that leads to the park right infront of me. As we arrived at the park I walked down the pathway to the little deck that overlooks the spring, one word came to mind, Small. I jokiingly asked Jeff where the rest of the spring was, he laughed. As I began to get geared up I’m sure the other divers there could tell I was a noob by the grin I had from ear to ear. I waited till the last minut to strap on the tanks, which weigh 20lbs less than I do. I figure this is a good thing though as I am able to fit through places many other are not.
Any who, once in the springhead we talked about the dive, and were politly informed that in a sense were were on our own in terms of planning and pre dive procedures. We did our bubble checks and dicsovered skip had a substancial leek where the first stage body meets the din connector. He aborted the dive, which was ok, as he was already intro to cave. Mike and I planned our 1/6’s and the remainder of our dive we did our S-drills, let me say it’s darn cool to be neutrally bouyant hovering 4 inches off the bottom doing your drills and never moving. I know I will continue to improve but I’ve come along way in 3 dives with my doubles…
Back on topic, we began our dive it took my buddy a minut to tie off but I ok’d his placement and we continued our penitration, not far inside when we hit the first minor restrictiion he was halted by the flow. I knew to get low and use the rock on the floor to pull myself foward, but what can you do when you cant go anywhere? So now I have my instructor pushing me to move forward and my dive buddy stoped in front me. He begins to move forward finally, we ok each other and continue to the main line. He ties off I OK his placement and down we go. As we were going along I was constantly looking for places to get out of the flow, usually close to the ceiling, my buddy however chooses to stay right in the thick of it. I guess im a lazy diver. At one point in time the line came up a bit and he went under it. We continued, we got to where I think a jump was. There was the main line we entered on and another yellow line on the other side of the room. Our insrtuctor signaled me and asked which way was out. I signaled him my answer and knew I was right, this was a test to see if we would unintentially take the jump. We both passed the test and my buddy turned the dive.
I don’t think we were more than 300ft in. on our exit when the lights went out. My buddy and I must have bought the worlds worst equipment availible because we are always having problems. We begin our touch comm. Exit. This exit was truly anoying, my buddy wanted to hold my tanks I never could tell if he was ther or not. As a result every two seconds I was feeling back for his hand. At one point I stoped, yet again, reached bck grabbed his hand and placed it on my thigh. Finally I could tell he was there, and whether he wanted me to continue or not. At one point he stoped and after communicating I determined he was entangled in the line. I follwed the line back and fixed the problem. My buddy now in the lead, we continued our exit.
Then all of the sudden, it was like the sun came out I was greeted by my instructor who signaled me to close my eyes. He led me for a moment then my hand was placed on a rock. I tied off my reel, and began my search in the dark. As I’m swimming along on the bottom doing the tomahawk chop I am suddnely stoped. I have successfully wedged myself. So I let some air out off my BC and crawl on the floor, finally my ability to touch the ceiling goes away and at long last I hit the line. I proceded to wrap my reel off and place a line arrow. To be honest I had no idea which was out by just looking I had to stop and think about how I came in, and look at the direction of flow. I placed my arrow and began to swim. Now at this point I have no idea where my budy or instructors are, then I feel someone grab my foot (scared the sh^t outa me). I look to see my instructor holding a note that says “good job, now go back and retrieve your reel, your buddy is there”. I do so nd then it’s my buddy’s turn. I grab the line and then watch as my buddy does the same drill, only to begin swimming parralel to the line. Before he runs into a wall he hits the line. Im glad he founf it before he found the wall. Either the intence trining at the local bar or, tomahawk chop at FSU football games, I never forget to do the chop. Hence I find things before I run into them. Oh well we exit under lights out air share.
Once on the surface we debrief, talk about the dive, communication, and drill execution. I tell my budyd why I moved his hand his reply was he didn’t want me to think he was feeling me up. I laughed. Jeff then tells us to continue working on hour bouyancy, as we seem to hit the floor anytime the lights go out. I felt this was unfair, as the line is most of the time on the floor. But hey there is a reason he’s teaching me and not vice versa.
Last dive, and boy was I excited. It was like getting a new toy at Christmas there are so many things you want to do at once with your new toy but you don’t know were to start. Then I was brought back to reality as I realize I’m now in a 2 piece 7mm and its almost 100 degrees outside.
Any who, I was ready before my buddy’s so I headed down to wait in the water, I nearly fell walking down the stairs at Madison. Once in the water I appreciated the cool 70degree water. When my buddies finally made it to the water we did our bubble check calculated out 1/6’s and did our S drills. I was the “reel” man, as if there was any doubt, Mike was in the rear and Skip in the middle.
On the bottom of the spring, I made my OW tie off every one ok’d it, then I proceeded to squeeze in the rabbit hole. Now after I made it in I honestly had doubt about Mike and skip being able to squeeze in. if you have ever met me you’ll understand this comment as im only 5’8” 140lbs on my heavy days. Well they made it through. I ran the line to the far left side of the cavern and down the chute to the main line. I started tying off and I’ve got one of my buddies trying to get me to tie off further down. After two minutes of BS we get tied off and proceed with our penetration. It was nice, I really love how it looks like all the rock fell from above, and I assume it still is. Skip turns us on sixths and we begin our exit.
Darn if my light doesn’t fail yet again, boy did American made go down the pot. As I’m clipping off my lighthead, stowing the cord, no sooner do I get a backup on and I hear a massive free flow from some where. After figuring out it’s the right post, I instinctively isolate the valve and then shut it off. Now on my backup reg and light I signal the middle man. He turns and I signal my failures he allows me to pass him. I then attempted to signal our third team member of my issues, I got a response but not the desired one. Now at this point im going to mention I clipped off my primary during this drill. (that’ll be important later). A hundred or so feet into our exit another team member has a free flow(he never gets the point of the drill) all primary lights fail. we became a tighter group and continued out. I must say it sucks having to orally inflate one’s wing. I did not know they turned my right post back on until I got my tie in point. Considering I was one post down and everyone was having problems I said to hell with my reel I’ll get it later. I’m then grabbed by my inst and told to retrieve my reel. I proceed and we exit. We do our safety stop and waddle back to our cars.
Back on surface, it’s now test and critique time. They liked our comm., said we had good trim, but wanted to know what the dilemma at the tie off to the main line was. After further discussion it was concluded that my tie in choice was more than sufficient. We then talked about how the cave was, then came the ball busting. We started with the post failure I had, I got rave reviews the asst. inst. Said it looked like an instinctive reaction, My buddy did not receive such praise, but im sure it’s a . Remember the mention about clipping off my primary when not in use? Until that day I had the worst habit about not clipping it off. So I practiced switching back and forth from primary to secondary reg before our Madison dive by myself clipping my reg off every time. It was noted that I did clip it off, and they were very happy about that. I was informed had I not have done that we were going to have a lights out followed by my reg being clipped and twisted onto the line. I was glad I clipped it off. We talked about my not being in the lead on the exit and a few other things here and there.
In conclusion, this class was fun and hard. Im a DM with well over 200 ow dives, I thought I was a pretty darn good diver, I was wrong. The class opened my eyes to a totally new way of seeing diving. I made me question some of my practices and has set in motion new ones. My buoyancy is defiantly a lot better but there is still room for improvement. I also realize this class merely gives a starting point it is not a stoping point. It merely provides you with the basic safety skills to begin learning on your own. You must dive and dive often, now possessing the new skills to keep you out of trouble and get you out should you find yourself in a less than desirable situation. But like all skills, these skills too must be practiced.
Thanks for reading and I hop the helps someone thinking about the class, or someone who like me is sitting on his arse bored at work.
this has been edited i hope its better for the grammer and spelling inspectorsand im doing anything else with it
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