Rebreather Intro To Cave
Cavern Diver - Your first step into the overhead environment.
General Information
Rebreather Cave Diver 1 Training Programme is designed to develop the minimum skills and knowledge for cavern and overhead environment diving within the limits of light penetration, in addition it outlines specific hazards associated with rebreather cave diving. The objective of this course is to train divers in the proper planning, procedures, techniques and hazards of cavern diving. The Rebreather Cavern course is not intended to provide instruction for diving in cave environments.
eCCR / mCCR
We offer courses focused on eCCR and mCCR rebreathers in backmount and sidemount configuration. We tailor the course content and setup to the specific type of unit and the diver's level.
Rebreathers we have experience with include, for example, Submatix Quantum CCR, AP Inspiration and AP Evolution CCR, Poseidon SE7EN+, SF2, Flex CCR, X-CCR, JJ-CCR, Liberty CCR, Revo CCR, T-REB CCR, Triton CCR.
Availability of a specific unit and the possibility of running the course on that type of rebreather must be confirmed individually in advance.
Shark Divers is not the manufacturer of the equipment listed above, and the mention of a specific equipment name is solely for identification purposes.
What Qualifications Do I Need?
- Must be certified CCR Air Diluent diver or equivalent that has interest in taking their rebreather into the cavern diving zone.
- Must be a minimum of 18 years old.
- Provide proof of a minimum of 25 logged dives and 25 hours on the rebreather unit used in training.
- You will need to fill out a self-certification medical statement.
- If you have any medical conditions you think may prevent you from scuba diving, please feel free to contact us and we will try to be of assistance.
What Makes A Class Different?
- More knowledge!
- More Practical Skills & Emergency Drills
- Focus on have better, more comfortable and safer divers
Course Duration
3 days, a minimum of four (4) cavern dives. Special emphasis on the unique environment including silting, entanglement, disorientation.
What's In The Course?
Rebreather Cavern Diver Course takes an in-depth look at all of the following and more:
- Policies for rebreather cavern diving
- Psychological considerations
- Equipment considerations: Bailout cylinder options, Rebreather configuration options, Scrubber options, Buoyancy compensator device (BCD) / harness options, Reel options, Proper weighting, Equipment configurations
- Communication: Hand signals, Light signals, Touch contact signals
- Swimming techniques: Body posture / trim, Buoyancy control and rebreather weighting, Line following techniques, Propulsion techniques
- Physiology: Breathing techniques, Stress management
- Cave environment: Geology, Local access requirements, Land owner relations
- Problem solving: Equipment failure, Silting conditions
- Accident analysis
- Review of dive tables and decompression theory
- Cavern diving with Open Circuit (OC) divers: Bailout configuration requirements, Out of gas emergencies
- Cavern diving etiquette
Practice In Water
- Demonstrate adequate pre-dive planning;
- Equipment check and gear matching;
- Predive check and bubble check;
- Demonstrate specialized propulsion techniques;
- Demonstrate proper buoyancy control;
- Demonstrate proper body posture;
- Demonstrate proper stress analysis (detection and management);
- Properly deploy a guideline;
- Properly follow a guideline with eyes open and closed (simulating loss of visibility);
- Gas sharing with a buddy with eyes open, following the guideline;
- Gas sharing with a buddy with eyes closed and use touch contact, following the guideline;
- Remove and replace mask while in contact with guideline. Demonstrate light / hand-signals and touch-contact;
- Explore cavern;
- Referencing as back-up navigation;
- Anti-silting techniques;
- Simulate a light failure, deploy back up light and follow guideline.