Divers are taught how to navigate with a continuous guidanceline
To make cave diving safer and easier, divers are taught to use a continuous guidance line. These lines can either be non-directional (or directional) and must be visible in total darkness. The diver's guideline is also referred to as the diver's jump line. It connects the diver's lines and is also used as a safety line in case of a problem.
Divers can use three types or markers to help guide them through the caves. Permanent line markers, or line arrows, are used as a visual and tactile guideline. The arrows also indicate the direction of the exit. They can also be used to mark jump points within the cave.
They must be capable of finding a lost guideline
One of the most crucial safety skills a diver should have is the ability find a lost reference line when diving into a cave. A diver can use several methods to find a guideline. Using a touch signal, a compass, or an underwater map can all be helpful.
The guideline is used for marking safe routes through caves. Every diver should be familiar with how to use it. The length of the diver's dive will dictate whether the guideline should be mounted on a reel, or a spool. For example, an open water diver may only need to have a 50-metre guideline, while a cave diver may need several reels of varying lengths.
They must have the appropriate equipment
You need to be comfortable and safe when diving in caves. Cave water can be very cold so it's a good idea to have a wetsuit if you plan on doing a long dive. You can also use a waterproof notebook to keep track of important information while diving. These notes can be very useful during navigation in the cave and at decompression stops.
Divers should also have extra fins and oxygen cylinders. Cave diving can be dangerous so divers should have the correct equipment. Cave divers should have specialized equipment as there is often high water pressure in caves. You should be cautious when choosing equipment.
They must demonstrate self-control.
Diving into caves requires disciplined self-control and a high level of safety training. The cave environment often provides little visibility and cave divers have to function on their senses rather than on their knowledge of the environment. Cave divers need to be able and able maintain their calmness in difficult situations.
Once inside the cave, the diver must drop the scooter and swim three to four hundred feet until the end of the line is reached. Some parts of the cave can be extremely tight and contain high amounts of silt. A dive to the end of the line is relatively simple, but the diver should not actively seek the end marker. Blind staging, team protocols and simulation of a silty-out from a tank on sediment are part of the training process.