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Cave Diving Safety Tips – The 5 Golden Rules Of Cave Diving
Cave diving is an adventure sport. It’s a beautiful and exciting way of floating through underwater caves and exploring deep caverns. But it can be dangerous without knowledge and training. You can learn all about cave diving safety tips. The 5 golden rules of cave diving are listed for you here…
1. Cave Diver Training
Before you embark on any cave diving venture you need to know the basics. On the theory side, you’ll be given full instructions from professional instructors. You’ll have to gain an Open Water certification which will take you to the cave entrance and beyond.
Courses will cover cave diving to a certain depth, and penetration into the cave past the reach of any sunlight. This certification will allow you to explore mines and wrecks too. And give you the opportunity to dive in a confined overhead environment.
You’ll learn buoyancy skills, propulsion techniques, and what to do in an emergency. You’ll need to have completed four open water dives before you enlist on a certification course. And another five dives will then be required.
2. Understanding the Rule of Thirds
The rule of thirds was designed to provide a safety margin. And allow for unforeseen factors to be taken into account. The general idea is that you use one-third of your gas on diving. One third on exiting the dive. And the final third is to cope with any unexpected emergencies. Gas-management for any technical dive is imperative.
3. Maintaining a Guideline
Even when visibility is perfect it can be easy to get lost within a cave system. You’ll learn how to practise mastering the art of laying a guideline. And be taught how to use it to find your way out of the cave. Guidelines are:
Made of nylon to resist natural elements
White as this is the most reflective color, although individuals may use other colors
Knotted at regular intervals to give rough measurements of distances explored
Connected by reels and spools often personalized with the diver’s initials
4. Light Up
Caves and wrecks are more often than not totally dark. To avoid any distress, you should carry three light sources. Dive lights have three types of light bases – halogen, light emitting diodes, and high-intensity discharge types. The majority of cave divers tend to choose lights with a narrow beam. Use your main light and take the additional two for back up. Remember to keep them prepared with fresh batteries.
5. Know Your Limits
Another golden rule is to relate the thumbs up sign to end the dive without any question. This could be due to equipment issues, the cold, tiredness, or other problems. Never exceed the operating limits of your gas – always dive within the parameters. The general rule is that air shouldn’t be used any deeper than 30 metres to avoid any negative effects.
Be conservative, especially on your first few dives. And always stay within the limits of your training. When diving in a group, remember the dive buddy system that will improve your chance of avoiding accidents under the water.
Your Underwater Adventure
Professional cave diving Mexico experts from Koox Diving will make sure you stay safe. You’ll be able to explore the stunning local ancient caves whilst being securely guided and supervised. From the second largest underwater cave in the world to the largest cave in the Riviera Maya, you’ll enjoy the experience of a lifetime. And you and the underwater environment will remain unharmed.
The five golden rules when properly followed will guarantee you have a cave diving escapade that’s fuelled with adrenalin. And give you the confidence and the desire to gain more technical and deep-sea diving qualifications.
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