Cave diving

Sam Willis - 

Cave Diving is a form of technical diving in which the diver explores natural or artificial caves, usually entirely underwater or partially submerged.

It is an extreme sport that very few extreme sport enthusiasts are passionate about. For those who have no fear of water, the dark or confined spaces, this sport is a unique activity.

Some cave divers consider it a form of therapy. A typical cave dive usually takes between one to two hours. During that time, the diver dons a scuba set and swims through a dark and watery world, while navigating narrow passageways.

The caves can have unique flora and fauna not found anywhere else. Stalactites and Stalagmites are often a common feature too. It is a rarely practiced activity because of the high level of skill required, as well as the specialized equipment necessary, along with the high risks involved in cave diving.

In spite of these risks and the high costs, water filled caves attract scuba diving and caving enthusiasts all over the world. Cave Diving came into being when Jacques-Yves Cousteau and Emile Gagnan, invented the aqualung in 1943. Jacques-Yves Cousteau himself became the world’s first Scuba diver as well as the world’s first cave diver.

After that, cave diving advanced in earnest, becoming one of the most extreme activities available to ordinary people who can afford to learn diving and buy the specialized equipment required for it. Cave diving is one of the most hazardous extreme activities ever. It is very challenging and requires that the diver be extremely skilled at ordinary scuba diving i.e. technical diving.

Cave diving requires a high skill level on five main points. “Thank Goodness All Divers Live.” This is the mnemonic that is used to remember the five cardinal points to ensure safety while diving in mind.

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