8 Cave Diving Tips

You’ll learn that the rule of thirds is used to detect air consumption – one third for swimming into the cave, one third to make your way back, and the final third kept in reserve as a safety precaution

Use the permanent route lines without holding onto them – swim above using the guide as a reference

In order to avoid getting stuck and damaging delicate rock formations you should try and steer clear of small spaces – be guided by your instructor to stay safe

A proper frog kick will keep your feet off the ground – directing the kick force behind you without stirring up sediment which can cause visibility issues for days due to the lack of flowing water

Getting rid of weights can pin you to the top of the cave and cause you to become stuck so weights need to be positioned on the tank

There are four basic kinds of cave diving and these take place in:
Caves – fully enclosed environments without surface access and light. You need special certification and sometimes proof of dives to enter, and you’ll have guidelines to show you how to navigate the route
Spring Basins – here you can see the surface at all times as the light is visible throughout the spring. You won’t need special qualifications to safely dive here
Caverns – there’s a clear exit from a cavern which often leads into harder more technical dives. Natural light penetrates the entrance and you’ll be advised to take an overheads environment course and get cavern diver certification
Mines – to dive inside fully enclosed and flooded mines you need a special set of skills and technical qualifications – this type of diving is similar to wreck diving

Many cave divers will use special weight attachments to move weights off the belt and onto the tank – cave diving body positioning is different from traditional diving as you have to stay level. Different air tanks are also used as steel options replace aluminium ones. The steel stays negatively buoyant and this is vitally important due to visibility issues and for protection of the environment. Spare lights and goggles are also a good idea in case of an emergency.

Cenote and cave diving can be extremely dangerous so should never be attempted before you’ve been given the proper training and achieved the required certification. A cave diving course can be very challenging and you’ll need be able to stay calm in potentially stressful situations.
Infinity2Diving offer a range of cave diving courses starting with the introduction of the technical experience and expanding your knowledge of dive skills, planning, and equipment configuration. From there you’ll progress through an introduction to cave diving focusing on the skills required for elementary cave dives.
Training will be offered for Sidemount, stage, and full cave diving – this course involves advanced planning; practical execution of different types of cave systems and potential hazards divers may come across – all part of the overhead environment training.
According to the certifying organisation NAUI a qualified cave diver will have completed:
Introduction to Technical Diving Skills
Mixed Gasses and Decompression Diving
Overhead Environments
Cavern Diving
Cave Diving Levels One and Two
Cave Guide
You’ll get all these qualifications and more when you enrol for courses at the 5 star PADI dive resort in Tulum – catering for everyone from non-divers to technical instructors.