In Reply to: Wreck / Cave Penetration Lessons posted by Mark W on April 26, 2006 at 16:34:50:

I'm not clear on what you're looking for. What does "... an experienced instructor who is willing to give lessons during a regular dive trip(s)" mean? Are you thinking an instructor is going to take you out on a day boat and teach you to cave dive?

If you want to be properly trained to dive in caves, you'll need a cave instructor. No cave instructor is going to teach you to cave dive except in the confines of a cave course which is taught in a cave. Having a cave diver who is not otherwise a cave instructor teach you to cave dive will be tough since any cave diver worth his card will insist you find the best instructor you can find. Cheap rip-offs and caves don't mix and there is a list of several hundred dead divers to illustrate the point.

Similarly anyone responsibly teaching mixed gas diving, with or without wreck penetration, is going to want to get you into a formal setting with standards and procedures.

Either of these routes will cost a lot of money and take a lot of time. Multiply the money by 2+ if you're looking to do this 1:1 at your convenience.

Anyone who is willing to take on a student with "50-75" (don't you know?) dives for either of these routes is a fraud. This level of experience is below even the ridiculously low experience standards currently out there.

Any "serious instructor" knows this type of diving is serious business and will want to assess your level of experience, maturity and brains before teaching you anything. They would probably suggest you get more experience and come back with several hundred dives.

Of course you could just call PADI and take a PADI Wreck specialty.

• Kendall you are too funny! ks 11:09:31 05/03/06 (0)