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Training
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THE NACD PHILOSOPHY: Quality Training, Safe
Techniques, and Respect for the sub aquatic cave environment.
The goal of the NACD is not to encourage people to cave or cavern dive.
The responsibility of the organization is to aid interested divers in
becoming safe cavern or cave divers and to discourage those who may not
meet minimum standards. The NACD philosophy of safe cave diving is based
on a system of checks and balances to insure that NACD standards are
maintained in each course.
A Strong Diving Partner Philosophy. The NACD strongly advocates diving
with a partner as the best approach to safe cave diving. This system is
one, which unites two or more individuals into an effective dive team. A
partner is a member of a team who, in case of emergency, provides both
emergency equipment, and the emergency gas supply. The divers must
recognize individual strengths and weaknesses, create an attitude of
mutual trust and honesty, and avoid personality differences to maximize
team safety.
Pre-Dive Planning and Post Dive Critiques. A safe cave dive is totally
dependent upon sensible dive planning based on common sense and good
judgment. A dive plan does not set objectives; rather it delineates
maximum guidelines for each dive. Preparation and planning for a cave dive
must take into consideration the equipment, training, experience and
abilities of each team member. Constructive critiques after the dives are
equally important in order to allow the cave divers to mature as a team.
Development of Physical and Mental Capabilities. During a cave diving
course, students are trained to avoid stressful situations and anticipate
potentially hazardous conditions. Physical abilities of the diver are
initially developed in confined and open water exercises. Students lacking
the necessary skills and coordination are discouraged at this level. The
cave diving student must learn to develop a safe diving philosophy and
continually think through the proper application of common sense, good
judgment, techniques, skills, and experience.
Appreciation of The Cave Environment. The NACD promotes a basic
understanding of this unique environment with its flora and fauna so that
it can be fully enjoyed. Such respect helps establish the foundation for
conservation efforts.
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| Cavern Diving |
The cavern diving course is taught in a minimum of two days and includes
classroom lectures, field exercises, open water line drills and a minimum of
four cavern dives. This course emphasizes planning, procedures, environment,
propulsion techniques, buoyancy skills, problem solving, equipment
modification and the focuses on the specialized needs of the cavern diver.
Purpose: To teach the safe exploration of the cavern environment within
specified limits. The course develops and establishes minimum skills,
knowledge, dive planning abilities, problem solving procedures and the basic
abilities to safely cavern dive.
Prerequisites: Advanced open water or equivalent or 15 logged non training
open water dives with open water certification.
Minimum Equipment: Mask, fins, 60 cubic foot or greater single cylinder,
single hose regulator with an octopus and submersible pressure gauge,
exposure suit suitable for diving location, BC with power inflator, slate
and tables, knife, timing device, appropriate weight, reel, two battery
powered lights. |
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Intro to Cave Diving
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The Introduction to Cave Diving course is taught in a minimum of two
days and includes and a minimum of four single tank cave dives. This course
is designed to help hone those skills previously learned in cavern. New
skills and procedures are taught which are needed for limited single tank
cave penetration.
Purpose: To develop a cave diving proficiency within limitations of a single
tank. It is for the diver who does not wish the burden of double tanks or is
not interested in cave exploration and long decompression dives. It is
recreational cave diving course. The course develops and establishes minimum
skills, knowledge, dive planning abilities, problem solving procedures and
the basic abilities necessary to safely cave dive using single cylinders.
Prerequisites: NACD cavern diver of equivalent and a minimum of 25 logged
non-training dives.
Minimum Equipment: All equipment required for cavern, 71.2 cu. ft. tank with
dual orifice, primary reel with 400? of guideline, safety reel, additional
first stage with a minimum five foot hose, line markers, clothes pins and an
additional light for a total of three. |
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Apprentice to Cave
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| Although the NACD strongly supports and encourages the four-day Full
Cave Diver course, it recognizes that some students may benefit from a
program that provides for two separate two-day courses to attain the Full
Cave Diver level. The Apprentice Cave Diver course is taught in a minimum of
two days with a minimum of four dives in double cylinders. The emphasis of
this course is an introduction to jump and gap procedures and continual
improvement of the procedures, skills and emergency drills previously
presented at the Cavern and Intro to Cave courses.
The Apprentice Cave Diver is considered a training level only and shall
result in the issuance of a time-limited temporary card. Such temporary card
shall expire of its own force and effect one year from the date of issuance.
Upon expiration, the diver will be required to repeat the Apprentice Cave
Diver program in full to subsequently dive at that level.
Prerequisites: NACD Introduction to Cave or equivalent.
Minimum Equipment: All equipment for Full Cave, minimum volume 142 cu. ft.
in double cylinders with manifold, compass, primary light with minimum of 20
watts, two secondary reels and line arrows. |
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Full Cave
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The cave diver course is one of the most advanced certifications
available today. It is taught in a minimum of four days with a minimum of
eight dives. The emphasis of this course is equipment configuration,
decompression problem solving, jumps, circuits, traverses, and surveying.
Prerequisites: NACD Introduction to Cave or equivalent.
Minimum Equipment: All equipment for Introduction to Cave, minimum double
71.2 cu. ft. tanks with manifold, compass, primary light with minimum of 20
watts, two secondary reels and line arrows. |
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Specialty Cave
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Purpose: The purpose of the specialty cave diver program is to provide
continuing education and experience for the fully trained cave diver under
the supervision of a qualified specialty cave diving instructor. As more
scuba divers pursue training and become certified cave divers, the interest
and demand for training in specialized/advanced techniques in safe cave
diving grows at a steady rate. It is the intent of the NACD training program
to meet this challenge by providing an organized format that will
professionally and safely guide the interested cave diver in the proper
direction using the most current procedures.
Prerequisites: NACD full cave diver or equivalent and must verify the
completion of 25 or 50 non-training dives depending on specialty.
Specialty courses offered are advanced decompression theory,
exploration/survey techniques, stage diving, side mount diving, submersible
diver propulsion vehicle techniques, photography and videography. |
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Instructor Courses
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Purpose: To develop a logical progression into the training leadership of
the NACD by establishing levels of progression. This insures exceptional
training and performance of NACD Instructors.
Four leadership levels are available.
- Cavern Instructor
- Introduction to Cave Instructor
- Cave Instructor
- Specialty Cave Instructor.
For more information on NACD training programs, Email
Training Director Larry Green or
write to:
NACD, Training Director, P.O. Box 14492 Gainesville, FL
32604 |
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Instructors
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