Padi Cavern - Is it true?

[murph]

I've been told that my padi cavern diver cert won't be acknowledged by IANTD for a cavern cert, and I'll have to retake cavern before full cave - is it true? The training manual was the NSS Cavern book.

[theskull]

No, it is not true.

I had PADI Cavern before going on to take IANTD Intro & Tech Cave.

Can an instructor (of any agency?) refuse to accept that you are ready for Cave class, regardless of who issued your Cavern cert? Absolutely.

There is not much difference between the Cavern and Intro Cave classes anyway, so most instructors are going to use the first dive or two of Intro to judge whether they believe you belong in a cave with them.

theskull

[SLIM]

How long ago did you take the cavern class? How many cavern dives have you done since then?

Your PADI cavern cert is accepted. The instructor might not personaly accept it. Even if you used the CDS manual the instructer can useit as an excuse. I don't know who your instructer is but check and see if he will show you the standards just so that you know what you will be doing in class, will also let you know if it says PADI can or can not be used.

"Must be qualified as an IANTD Cavern DIver or equivalent qualification"

It does have some other agencies but at the time the standards were writen PADI did not have a cavern class.

I accept PADI cert all the time. Many that only have a cavern cert in this area is a PADI cert.

SLIM

[murph]

I just did cavern at Bonne Terre 3 weeks ago. I've not dove a cavern since training. I don't plan on going full cave until next year - without a doubt, more experience is needed.

Bear Fritz was the instructor @ Bonne Terre. I'd told him of my plans to go full cave, so he made several references to full cave training and experiences.

It seemed very thorough and the most difficult training I've taken to date.

[SLIM]

I am not aware of how Bear teaches so I can not say. You might have the instructer that you ae looking at taking your intro from contact Bear and maybe they can chat some about how you did and it might change their mind. If you are going to FL area to continue then it might be more dificult.

Each instructer has the decsion if they take it or not.

SLIM

[DeepDiverBob]

I have PADI cavern, and did my full cave in Florida, and there wasnt any problems with it. Like it was mentioned earlier, the first couple OW dives of class will let the instructor decide if he wants to take you in a cave or not.

[DeepDiverBob]

Just out of curiosity, how do you do cavern at Bonne Terre? If your primary light source in cavern is suppose to be the sun, then it seems to me cavern would be hard to achieve at Bonne Terre.

[SLIM]

Have always wonderd tha same DDB. Did they submit a special request for standards just for them to PADI? I know that CDS has not made any for them or IANTD. I do know they do their own thing there.

SLIM

[murph]

Yes, they worked with padi to be able to offer cavern. They have lights throughout certain parts of the mine on trails 5 & 6 - where they take the boat tours. With the vis being 100'+ there was quite a bit of it we could go through with surface light.

They tried to get full cave, but were denied because the mine is man made and not natural, and there's no flow. They do have several cave type environments - over head environments, no surface light, etc.

[DeepDiverBob]

I understand all of that, but the idea of the sun being your primary is it wont go out. If it does, not much is going to matter after that anyway. Manmade lights can go out, even with back up generators.

Not trying to argue with you, just stating my opinion why it doesnt make sense for PADI to agree to that.

[Atlaua]

The bigger question is when did West End become a PADI shop?

[murph]

I' m not sure, but Bear - the instructor - spoke of doing his cross over training from SSI to PADI.

[SLIM]

Hmm I bet if they tried to get full cave it would have to be allowed to anyone that wishes to teach full cave. Wonder who they talked to about that. If they would let it be open to all instructors I bet I could help out some but if it is to be for THEIR instructors only I would not help out one bit.

SLIM