Cavern Diving

Cavern diving is the exploration of an overhead environment while remaining within the portion of the light zone, which is illuminated by sunlight. It differs from cave diving in that, while cave divers may penetrate thousands of feet/meters, cavern divers go no further than a linear distance of 200 feet from the surface. The maximum depth for diving in a cavern is 100 feet.

The course is designed to train the open water diver to dive safely in an overhead environment. This course is an extension of recreational diving designed for the use of a SINGLE TANK, and upon completing the course, a diver will possess the skills, knowledge, dive planning abilities, and problem solving techniques to safely cavern dive within no-decompression limits.

Upon completion of this course you are eligible for the Intro-To-Cave Course, or try our 3-Day Combo course which encompasses Cavern and Intro-to-Cave.

Where does our Training Takes Place?: The Suwannee River Valley is the world's leading cave diving playground. It is where most of the world's cave diving training takes place and where most of the divers return regularly. The sites below are centrally located right here in our backyard, only to be explored by you. We take the students to different site to expose them to the widest possible array of conditions, including high and low flow, large and small passageways, silt and silt-free bottoms with an instructor who is the Best in the business. No one site can offer this! Let us guide you and train you properly and safely to appreciate the overhead environment:

Mandatory Text: Cavern/Cave Diver Workbook
Basic Cave Diving: A Blueprint For Survival by Sheck Exley- strongly recommended

Fee: $275.00 each two or more students; $375.00 for private class plus certification fee; add Nitrox course for an additional $150.00. Course fees are paid directly to the instructor, in cash, at the beginning of each course.

Registration: To register for this course, a deposit of $100.00 is required. Early registration is important because classes generally run full! Enrollment in an NSS-CDS or NACD, or TDI course, at any level, does not assure certification. Due to the risks involved in diving an overhead environment, only those students who meet specific performance criteria will earn their certification. As the diver progresses from open water to the overhead environment, of key importance is above-average buoyancy control, awareness, and a high degree of comfort in the water. Water skills will include a no-mask swim along a guideline and air-sharing while under simulated zero visibility conditions.

Note: Air fills, Certifications, and Park Entrance Fees are a separate charge....

Below is a list directing you to various other cave diving certifications and pertinent information:

Cave Diving Courses:
Cavern , Intro-to-Cave, or Apprentice Cave , Full Cave, Stage Diving, Diver Propulsion Vehicles (DPV's).
Technical Diving Courses:
Cave Diving, and Scuba Diving with Nitrox, Advanced Nitrox, Technical Nitrox, Decompression Procedures, Trimix.
Scuba Diving Courses:
Openwater Scuba Diving, Advanced Openwater, and Specialty Certifications such as Dive Master.
Guided Tours :
Guided cave tours in North Central Florida.
Mexico Cave Diving Trips :
Cave diving the Yucatan (Cozumel, Akumal)
About Us in Lake City Florida
Resources for the cave diver, scuba diver including information about us, proper training, techniques, equipment, lodging, Dive sites and conditions, frequently asked questions, as well as, weather, tips, links, picture gallery and contact information.

Send mail to mco@atlantic.net with questions or comments about this web site.
Copyright � 2008 cavediving.org






Peacock Springs		Orange Grove Ginnie Springs

One of the most beautiful and exciting places to dive in the underwater world is the "cavern". I will take you into the most exciting caverns every imaginable.