Five Rules of Cave Diving
Cave diving is a great experience for any diver, and it’s easy to be drawn to the alien beauty of underwater caves, but it can be dangerous without the proper training. Cave diving is just like the name suggests, diving in a cave where you do not have direct access to the surface above. Cave diving does have extra risks, but it doesn’t need to be scary. In this post, I’ll share with you the five cardinal rules for cave diving so that you can stay safe on your dives.
Rule number one: Get the proper training.
Before you go on any kind of cave adventure, you’re going to need to know the basics around cave diving, and what better place to get this information than from a professional? There’s a definite line between open-water diving and cave diving, with many accidents or emergency situations being the result of a lack of training. Proper training also will put you in the right mindset for cave diving, so that you can tackle your dive calmly. Make sure you learn what you’re doing in a safe environment so you can explore caves without fear.
Rule number two: Follow the rule of thirds.
In diving, the rule of thirds exists to create a safety margin for divers, so that divers can be flexible and adapt to a situation, should unseen factors arise. The rule of thirds is simply as follows: You keep one-third of your air for your dive, one-third for your ascent, and one-third for emergencies. Proper air management is crucial when exploring caves. You must also not exceed the maximum depth you have air for because you’ll want time to take decompression stops.
Rule number three: Maintain your guideline.
Even when it may seem like the water around you is crystal clear, maintaining a guideline is a rule not to be forgotten. In caves, it’s easy for sediment to be disturbed which can cloud the water and make it harder to see. In some dive sites, it’s also possible to get lost due to expansive underwater cave systems. Learning to lay guidelines is an essential skill in any cave diver’s toolkit. Guidelines are nylon and reflective, making them easy to spot. They should be knotted at regular intervals and connected by spools so that way you know where you’ve been and how to get back.
Rule number four: Never dive when not mentally prepared.
One of the most crucial rules of cave diving is that you should always be in the right mind space. With the increased risks that come with an underwater cave, it’s very important to go into the cave to explore with a calm and clear mindset. If you are stressed before entering for the dive or just not really feel up to for the dive, you are most likely to have an extremely high air consumption rate and most likely to make unecessary mistakes which can be very dangerous in cave diving. Always remember if you ever don't feel good about the dive, cancel and come back another day.
Rule number five: Never exceed your limits.
Limits are often thought of as a shameful thing, but there’s a reason I’ve put this rule last: it’s because it’s the most important one. Make it so that the thumbs-up signal means you want to end the dive for any reason, whether it be equipment failure to just being cold or tired. There is no point doing any sort of recreational diving if you’re not enjoying yourself. There is never any shame in aborting a dive.
Following the five golden rules of cave diving means that you’re likely to have a wonderful experience exploring ancient and stunning caves. Cave diving can also be a great way of building confidence and exposing you to some of the most amazing places on planet earth.