4 Tips to Prepare for a Cave Diving Excursion
Cave diving is such an adventurous activity, but it’s also filled with a lot of risks. This is why preparation is the key to making sure that you get in and out of a cave safely. Here are four important tips to remember:
1. Invest in your skills.
Cave diving isn’t similar to open water diving where you can just take a crash course and go at it. Even experienced cave divers find every dive challenging, so you need a different set of skills before you can go in the water. According to experts, you need to be an advanced open-water diver, cavern diver, and night diver to get the necessary skill sets needed for this adventure.
2. Invest in your gear.
Cave diving doesn’t only require standard scuba equipment but also other specialized gear that would allow you to go through those tight spaces safely. For instance, your harnesses will be mounted alongside instead of on your back to promote better movement in smaller areas.
You also need other equipment and accessories to ensure that you can extend your dive range without the need to replace your tank. You will also need a helmet to protect your head against falling rocks and other hard objects while you dive.
3. Invest in research.
Caves are very different from seas and oceans. This is why it’s very important to do some research on your destination to know exactly what it is, what it may look like inside, what gear you’ll need, and how you’ll traverse the cave’s length safely. If you’re a beginner at cave diving, start with easier destinations and move on to more difficult ones as you gain more technique and skill through experience.
4. Invest in good practices.
Finally, divers have five important rules for survival: “The Good Diver Always Live.” The initial letters of this quote stand for Training, Guide, Depth, Air, and Light. These good practices can make a huge difference in your experience as a cave diver, so make sure that you keep them at heart.