Advanced Cave Training

Advanced Cave Site

Defined as an enclosed body of water containing silt, darkness zones, and passages that are at times are not large enough for two divers to buddy alongside. Advanced Cave sites are of unlimited penetration distance requiring stage diving.

Prerequisites

Before commencement of a CDAA Advanced Cave Diver training program the candidate must:

1. Must hold a CDAA Cave certification or equivalent approved by the National Committee.
2. Have logged a minimum of 25 unsupervised cave dives totalling a minimum of 25 hours in-water time using twin cylinders with a broad range of experience. No more than 3 dives to be logged per day.
3. Have experience in at least 4 different dive sites preferably in two different areas eg Nullarbor, NSW, Mt Gambier, overseas.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS FOR USE OF A REBREATHER:

Must hold a Rebreather certification for the unit intended to be used in the training. Must have logged a minimum of 50 post course dives, with a minimum of 25 dives (totalling at least 25 hours) on a rebreather in an overhead cave environment. 

Theory

To include equipment, guideline procedures, communications, restrictions, access procedures, dive planning, DPV use, decompression review, mapping, accident analysis, conservation.

Equipment

Minimum requirements include:

1. Suitable exposure suit (wetsuit or drysuit) for >10 degrees water.
2. 2 x masks and 1 x fins (straps taped or replaced with velcro/spring heels respectively).
3. Small sharp cutting device.
4. Dive computer.
5. BCD or wing/backplate/harness.
6. Twin cylinders with minimum combined capacity of 3000 litres.
7. Two first stage regulators with a single second stage on each, one of which has a hose at least 2 metres in length.
8. Submersible pressure gauge for each regulator, unless using an isolating manifold.
9. One primary and two back up lights.
10. Pencil and slate (or wet notes).
11. Primary reel with a minimum of 100m of line.
12. 3 x jump reels/spools.
13. 6 x personal markers and 2 x line arrows.
14. 1 x stage cylinder with 1st and 2nd stage and SPG. 

Skill Sessions

To include equipment critique, S drills, jump reel use, lost line search, black out drill, gear removal / restriction exercise, mask and regulator change over, valve shutdowns, entanglement removal / line cutting, stress management exercise, air sharing through restrictions, stage tank use/remove/replace.

Supervised Dives

7 dives in CDAA rated Cavern, Cave and Advanced Cave sites.