Cave2 in Mexico

rjack · June 20th, 2008, 09:00 PM

I have no class report, just checking in to report that KMD and I finished Cave2 with Danny last week. Believe it or not I missed the FL trip for this abuse

Honestly there's not much "new" in Cave2 over Cave1. While the class is oriented around "scenarios" and generally supervised, everything is much more "real" than in Cave1. Real siltouts, real lost buddys, exiting in "negative numbers", etc.

Danny repeated over and over how each class is unique and ours was. Due to injuries and prior commitments we did 3 days with Danny, 2 days of "homework", and 2 more days with Danny.

Our longest dive was 96 mins, shortest about an hour, shallowest around 35ft, deepest 89ft, 14 dives (including the homework), 6 different cave systems.

Dive # and gist
1) Jump + series of restrictions in Taj Mahal
2) 2Ts + 2 jumps off Taj Mahal
3) Setup Circuit in Taj Mahal
4) Complete circuit including having to find a lost lightless Danny (who joined us as a "buddy"), and went OOA at the point of max penetration (35 min swim under normal conditions)
5) Jump + stage in Mayan Blue
6) 2 jumps, low vis restrictions, Mayan Blue
7) Homework Dive, Survey Chamber of Ancients in Carwash, stage + backgas
8) Homework Dive, Survey Chamber of Ancients in Carwash, backgas
9) Homework Dive, 1 jump, 1 T setup Circuit in Taj Mahal
10) Homework Dive, 1 jump, 1 T complete Circuit in Taj Mahal
11) 2 Ts, restrictions, no light OOG exit from Satan's Silthole, Carwash
12) Jump, restrictions, Room of Tears, Carwash. Unconcious diver tow and lost line drills on exit
13) 2 Jumps, 2 Ts, stage, deep, Tortuga
14) 3 Ts, no vis restrictions, Kim Ha

Most exhausting day:
Swim test + setting up and doing a circuit while hauling Danny's non-compliant OOA butt out from 35+mins back. He was heavy as a rock and neither KMD nor I could swim him for more than about 8 mins each.

Most metally demanding day:
Exiting Satan's silthole lightless and OOG in "negative numbers". We switched onto our deco gas with 300psi left in KMD's doubles.

After class KMD and I did a massive dive in Taj Mahal (we dove it alot this trip). Stage back to the jump to Chinese Gardens, jump into Chinese Gardens tour that on backgas. Return to stage, recalculate gas. Use stage and residual backgas to go to the upstream EOL at the "Waterfall". Total time, 2 hours 17 mins. That was a whupper.

On our last day we then did a 35 min penetration in Chan Hol. Tight no vis entry leads to Sac Actun like formations and just a maze of lines. I took this pic of the Mayan pots by the entrance with my point and shoot.

Cheers,
Richard

A-M · June 20th, 2008, 11:03 PM

Congratulations!!
I still have really good memories from my class with Danny. The way he adjusts every class to the students, appearing situations and needs is absolutely unique.
Now we still need to find an opportunity to dive together ;-))
maybe 2009 when Melody is doing her cave 2?
Good dives!
A-M

rjack · June 20th, 2008, 11:19 PM

Yup, a couple times we were caught offguard, but generally our incident pit was pretty manageable.

It would be cool to dive together. I really want to see the fossil turtle shell in Tortuga. We had to turn on gas right as the cave starts to get shallow

. And go back to Kim Ha, Chan Hol, and E tunnel at Mayan Blue. Those are all on my favs list.

I think its going to be roughly next winter before we can get down there again - assuming the airlines actually allow baggage then! Probably March. We stayed in Puerto Aventuras this time and we're thinking beachfront in Akumal was more our style.
Melody did finish Cave1 this trip

, that's been a long process. Apart from Temple of Doom, I think she's done just about every plausible Cave1 dive now! And the ladder there isn't really do-able for short women. She's a pro at the reel now.

Best,
Richard

LCF · June 21st, 2008, 01:05 AM

Oh, I think there might be some Cave 1 cave she and I could find that she hasn't seen -- if we can leave you gas-sucking men behind us, that is :D

rjack · June 21st, 2008, 01:31 AM

True, you 2 could easily get to Monster's House on C1 limits. But you'd need more than Barbie fins to do it :p

Dun · June 22nd, 2008, 03:10 AM

Congrats RJack!

I'd love to see more pics too!

rjack · June 22nd, 2008, 07:40 AM

Sorry hon, I was too busy with class and "homework" to take many pics. But my buddy Veronica has her website up and there are pics of MX caves from Feb '08 starring myself, my buddy Sharan, and Limeyx

Sky and Sea Photography - stock and custom aerial and underwater photography from Veronica von AllwÃ¶rden

June 20th, 2008, 09:00 PM	#1 (permalink)
rjack(Offline) wet behind the ears Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 861	Cave2 in Mexico I have no class report, just checking in to report that KMD and I finished Cave2 with Danny last week. Believe it or not I missed the FL trip for this abuse Honestly there's not much "new" in Cave2 over Cave1. While the class is oriented around "scenarios" and generally supervised, everything is much more "real" than in Cave1. Real siltouts, real lost buddys, exiting in "negative numbers", etc. Danny repeated over and over how each class is unique and ours was. Due to injuries and prior commitments we did 3 days with Danny, 2 days of "homework", and 2 more days with Danny. Our longest dive was 96 mins, shortest about an hour, shallowest around 35ft, deepest 89ft, 14 dives (including the homework), 6 different cave systems. Dive # and gist 1) Jump + series of restrictions in Taj Mahal 2) 2Ts + 2 jumps off Taj Mahal 3) Setup Circuit in Taj Mahal 4) Complete circuit including having to find a lost lightless Danny (who joined us as a "buddy"), and went OOA at the point of max penetration (35 min swim under normal conditions) 5) Jump + stage in Mayan Blue 6) 2 jumps, low vis restrictions, Mayan Blue 7) Homework Dive, Survey Chamber of Ancients in Carwash, stage + backgas 8) Homework Dive, Survey Chamber of Ancients in Carwash, backgas 9) Homework Dive, 1 jump, 1 T setup Circuit in Taj Mahal 10) Homework Dive, 1 jump, 1 T complete Circuit in Taj Mahal 11) 2 Ts, restrictions, no light OOG exit from Satan's Silthole, Carwash 12) Jump, restrictions, Room of Tears, Carwash. Unconcious diver tow and lost line drills on exit 13) 2 Jumps, 2 Ts, stage, deep, Tortuga 14) 3 Ts, no vis restrictions, Kim Ha Most exhausting day: Swim test + setting up and doing a circuit while hauling Danny's non-compliant OOA butt out from 35+mins back. He was heavy as a rock and neither KMD nor I could swim him for more than about 8 mins each. Most metally demanding day: Exiting Satan's silthole lightless and OOG in "negative numbers". We switched onto our deco gas with 300psi left in KMD's doubles. After class KMD and I did a massive dive in Taj Mahal (we dove it alot this trip). Stage back to the jump to Chinese Gardens, jump into Chinese Gardens tour that on backgas. Return to stage, recalculate gas. Use stage and residual backgas to go to the upstream EOL at the "Waterfall". Total time, 2 hours 17 mins. That was a whupper. On our last day we then did a 35 min penetration in Chan Hol. Tight no vis entry leads to Sac Actun like formations and just a maze of lines. I took this pic of the Mayan pots by the entrance with my point and shoot. Cheers, Richard

June 21st, 2008, 01:05 AM	#4 (permalink)
LCF(Offline) New Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Seattle Posts: 623	Oh, I think there might be some Cave 1 cave she and I could find that she hasn't seen -- if we can leave you gas-sucking men behind us, that is :D __________________ check out www.divematrix.com "So, it's a good thing to always do the drills the same way . . . but in real life you need to act the right way, whatever that happens to be." LauNar

June 22nd, 2008, 03:10 AM	#6 (permalink)
Dun(Offline) Giddyup Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 177	Congrats RJack! I'd love to see more pics too! __________________ Chantelle We Go Down http://www.youtube.com/wegodown MY BLOGGY THING

June 20th, 2008, 11:03 PM	#2 (permalink)
A-M(Offline) Cave addict Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Netherlands Posts: 370	Congratulations!! I still have really good memories from my class with Danny. The way he adjusts every class to the students, appearing situations and needs is absolutely unique. Now we still need to find an opportunity to dive together ;-)) maybe 2009 when Melody is doing her cave 2? Good dives! A-M

June 20th, 2008, 11:19 PM	#3 (permalink)
rjack(Offline) wet behind the ears Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 861	Yup, a couple times we were caught offguard, but generally our incident pit was pretty manageable. It would be cool to dive together. I really want to see the fossil turtle shell in Tortuga. We had to turn on gas right as the cave starts to get shallow . And go back to Kim Ha, Chan Hol, and E tunnel at Mayan Blue. Those are all on my favs list. I think its going to be roughly next winter before we can get down there again - assuming the airlines actually allow baggage then! Probably March. We stayed in Puerto Aventuras this time and we're thinking beachfront in Akumal was more our style. Melody did finish Cave1 this trip , that's been a long process. Apart from Temple of Doom, I think she's done just about every plausible Cave1 dive now! And the ladder there isn't really do-able for short women. She's a pro at the reel now. Best, Richard

June 21st, 2008, 01:31 AM	#5 (permalink)
rjack(Offline) wet behind the ears Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 861	True, you 2 could easily get to Monster's House on C1 limits. But you'd need more than Barbie fins to do it :p

June 22nd, 2008, 07:40 AM	#7 (permalink)
rjack(Offline) wet behind the ears Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 861	Sorry hon, I was too busy with class and "homework" to take many pics. But my buddy Veronica has her website up and there are pics of MX caves from Feb '08 starring myself, my buddy Sharan, and Limeyx Sky and Sea Photography - stock and custom aerial and underwater photography from Veronica von AllwÃ¶rden