Cave diving (equipment needed for cave diving)

-


No amount of equipment can replace or compensate for the lack of training or knowledge, but without the right equipment your ability to learn will compromised.


Here is a list of the equipment needed to participate in cave diving courses (often some of the equipment can be rented from the dive center with whom you take the courses at an additional cost), once certified as a cave diver you really want to own and take care of your equipment.

Probably you own already a part of the equipment needed, since you'll need these for regular open water dives as well.


Fins;







You need flat-bladed fins, with spring heel straps  that ensure least chance on entanglement and facilitate frog kicking and other specialized propulsion techniques.

Absolutely no hinged or split fins.

Check out Leisurepro for known brands you can trust.



Mask;








Look for a streamlined, low volume model with a wide field of vision.

It is common practice for cave divers to carry a back up mask.

Cave & Technical divers often prefer black silicone side skirts ( they cause your pupils to dilate because of admitting less overall light.

Looking for a mask? check out these offers from Leisurepro.


Exposure protection;








Depending on water temperatures where you plan to do your cave diving you might be ok with a wetsuit.

A lot of Cave diver dive dry.

Check out these offers from Leisurepro:

wetsuits and Drysuits.




Instrumentation;










As a cave diver you will want 2 independent means of monitoring depth/time.

This can either be 2 computers or a computer and a depth gauge/timer. Make sure your computer is mission capable if you plan decompression dives.

Check out these offers from Leisure pro: Computer, Guages



BCD;








You will have to make the choice, go for a backmount or a sidemount.

Some dive centers will require experience (or sidemount certification) if a student wants to use them.

you can compare, and read reviews at Leisurepro.




Primary and backup lights;








You should aim for LED 2000 or more lumen for your light sources, your primary one should have a Goodman-style, or similar hand mount.

You will need 2 LED backup lights.

Get lights specifically designed for cave diving and stay away from plastic body lights.

Check out these offers, and read reviews at Leisurepro.



Reels;








You will need 2 reels with at least 250 ft of line between them.

New reels come usually with spools packed to the edge with guideline, cutting of at least 30 ft will reduce the likelihood of a jam

Check out these reels at Leisurepro.


Cutting Tools;










Dive knives or big, and bulky, don't hold on to an edge and they are pretty useless dealing with entanglement.

Line cutters are a lot better as an option, most cave divers carry 2 while diving, some take trauma shears as a backup.

Check out the cutters available at Leisurepro.

Tanks, separate balanced first-stage regulators, stage and deco bottles might be on your list as well and can be found at Leisurepro.

 Read about diving in:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Review Sealife Sportdiver Underwater housing for iPhones (SL 400, iPhone 7 and up)

-
Image
  If you are a snorkeler or recreational diver and own a iPhone 7 or up, you don't need a bulky & costly underwater Camera to make beautiful photo's and videos. The days that the housings for phones were not much more than a plastic bag with some clips are over. The SL 400 is a real  underwater  housing for iPhones. Sealife is a brand trusted by many, they have been making cameras and underwater housings for over 25 years now. The SL 400 was released just before Christmas 2020 and comes in a solid carrying case, with zippers and space for accessories.      The neutrally buoyant case, weighs 1.5 lbs, and comes with a wrist band and a clip that you can attach to your BCD, and a removable red filter on the lens cover.  It is designed to mount on the Sealife frames so you can use it with light setups if you wish so. Because of the easy interchangeable rubber bushings you can fit any iPhone from the 7 to the 12 Pro and Sealife says it will keep it updated as newer models come ou
Read more

Grenada travel and diving update (Covid 19 protocols and the best dive sites of Grenada)

-
Image
  Grenada is open for international visitors, but it is required to stay on the property for 5 days, then you can take a PCR test and if the result is negative you can move freely around the island. To know all the newest updates check  https://www.puregrenada.com/travel-advisory/ . The GOOD news for divers is that if you stay at the Sandals resort you can start diving the day after your arrival (boats leave and arrive at the property). The complete list of government approved accommodations;  https://covid19.gov.gd/accommodations/ . If you are staying at the  Sandals St George Grenada  as a certified diver you'll have 2 tanks per day, all equipment and boat transport included in your package. They use twin diesel Newton dive boats with fresh water shower, tank holders, 16 ft dive platform,... Here are some of the 24 dive sites offered by Sandals: Bianca C wreck: 600 ft cruise liner that sank in 1961, with a depth of 115 - 164 ft this is a dive for Advanced divers. Moray Eels, Atla
Read more

Underwater sculpture park Grenada (Molinere Bay)

-
Image
The Molinere Underwater Sculpture Park in the Caribbean Sea, is located of the west coast of Grenada, and can be reached easily by a 10 minute boat ride out of St Georges. The sculptures are created by the British sculptor Jason deClaires Taylor and are forming a artificial reef in the Molinere Bay. The underwater sculpture park covers about 800 square meters (8611 square ft) and consists of 75 individual sculptures that form solo and group formations all together about 15 tons of dry cement was used. The maximum depth is about 40 ft (12 meters). In May 2006 the park was declared open. Taylor's idea was not only to reflect Grenada's history and culture, but also to aid the reefs after this area got bashed by hurricanes Ivan and Emely in 2004 and 2005. The sculptures are designed to stimulate coral growth and are placed up current so that when the corals spawn the polyps have something to attach them self to. Already the results can be seen, and the sculptures are the home a var
Read more