Day 6 : going deeper into the caves

Location: Mexico
Date: May 9, 2012  


Day 6


Oh my. First day of my full cave training. I was the only one continuing on the full cave course so all of a sudden it was just me and 2 instructors. Yikes! Yes definitely intimidating no way of messing things up now. I had  a little bit of pressure of showing my new instructor that Frank ( my cavern and intro instructor) had thought me well. SO first he needed to get to know me and i needed to get to know him.  First bit of theory went well ( i had to do a calculation of thirds again and my maths skills still suck especially when being under pressure. massive brain black out). 


Once the theory bit was over we went to the cenote called Car wash. Which got its name by... well it used to be a car wash ( sometimes it is just so simple, the way things work!). We started out by doing some line work including some new skills and practising a single tie off by using just one hand. so ok.. i think i got that one down. We geared up and jumped in the cenote. Good thing about this cenote is that it actually is warm water at the surface ( which I can tell you is great after you finish your dive). I will be the leader of all coming dives so I need to lead the briefing, bubble check and gear matching as well as deploying and reeling in the lines. And especially the latter is a test to my non existing muscles ( still waiting for the Yoga practise to help me here.....). After the S-drill ( which is an out of air practise you do before every dive) we penetrated the cave and went in quite far, I think the furthest I have yet been into a cave mainly because all restrictions have now been lifted. Once we reached our time limit we turned around and I had to find my way out blindfolded. I remembered writing all the data down this time and was also able to notice immediately when Kim ( my instructor) tried to "disappear". Pfff that one is in tha pocket. off course when blindfolded I practised the "touch contact" with Kim and all went well. :) Reeling in the reel however i managed to fuck it up slightly  ( whoops!). anyway we got out safe and it was time for the debriefing. I like debriefings it really helps you perfect your skills and think about what you could/should have done different.


After the debriefing it was time for our second dive which was a repetition of the first but then off course taking all the critiques in mind and actually implement them. We had to fix my reel first ( whoops.. blush blush) tho but hey minor detail. 


I feel more and more at easy diving which is why I think it is so good that there is a lot of repetition in this course and doing it "ok" is so not an option. It has to be prefect and everything has a purpose and you always stick to the same sequence. second dive was a bit shorter due to the fact I was on regular air and therefore did not have as much no-deco time available. After the dive we practised the different fin kicks, mask clearing, disconnecting your inflator hose and "feathered breathing". the latter is an exercise i really liked actually. It is basically a skill you would use if for example when  your regulator free flows. Obviously you won't keep the tank valve open at all times as you would lose to much air. SO you close your vale and then slightly open it to breath in after which you close it and you breath out - tank valve open for a breath in etc etc. 


AFter the dives we went back to the classroom and discussed T's. A T section is basically ( like i regular traffic) 2 options.. right or left etc. A cave has 2 faces - one going in and one going out - so your total awareness needs to be spot on ( still working on that - hey I am just girl.... hahah so navigation is tricky!!). You need to remember: ok so I took a T left and then a T right. SO on your way back you go left first and then right. Still following? Anyway lots of stuff to deal with. Tomorrow is the T day including a dive where basically I expect everything will go wrong. No doubt that my reg will free flow, I will have zero vis and i might even have to do a line recovery.


That being said.... i think it is time for my beauty sleep! night night peeps! tomorrow is another day


XOXO