| Rate of progression?
Hi Clare,
Many thanks for the write up, especially of an experience that was both good and, well, not so good. And respect for shutting that box.
Learning lessons from experiences like that often is a very difficult process. You identified a couple of cave specific lessons (four was too many, where to swim the scooters). You also identified some general lessons (importance of training, scooter planning).
I wonder if you, and others, think that another lesson is to not make such large jumps in complexity / duration / distance? It sounds like one of your group did their first dive in this cave with scooter and two stages. It sounds like others dived the restricted area for the first time with scooter and stage. Indeed, slower progression may have allowed the foresight that four was too many, and of where to swim the scooters.
My understanding is that it is safer, for many reasons, to progress at a slower rate than this. For example only, first dive on back gas, second dive on back gas, third dive stage + backgas, fourth dive stage + backgas, fifth dive stage + backgas + scooter, and so on. Clearly any specific rate will be dive and team specific.
I think that the most important take home from your experience is to limit rates of progression.
Interested in your thoughts,
Owen |