Cave Diving

The CDAA was formed in September 1973. At the time landowners throughout the Mount Gambier area of South Australia, were contemplating the closure of all holes to diving for fear of legal liability following a spate of diving fatalities in the water filled caves. With the forming of the CDAA, sinkhole divers hoped to prevent the wholesale closure of the dive sites by presenting a united voice in defense of their sport. They wished to indicate to landowners and the public at large that they were able to regulate their activities to acceptable standards of safety and training.

The newly formed CDAA set up a series of criteria and testing procedures. Initially these were a listing of all the popular cave diving sites divided into three different Categories based on their degree of difficulty. (This later expanded into the four levels of training - Cavern, Sinkhole, Cave, and Penetration - that now exist within the association). Cards were issued to divers to display to landowners to indicate their competency. The landowners gained confidence in the ability of the CDAA to produce safe divers and, as a result, the holes remained open.

Deep Cavern Course

The Deep Cavern Course is the amalgamation of skills and knowledge necessary to safely dive in Cavern and Sinkhole rated sites. Training covers areas that may have zero visibility and the potential for unlimited visibility. A maximum depth of 40m is recommended. Theory discussed in the course includes CDAA history, natural history, equipment considerations, buoyancy and anti-silting, communications, reel and guideline use, gas management, physiological considerations, decompression, access procedures, dive planning, emergency procedures, hazards, accident analysis. Skill Sessions include reel use, line placement techniques, reel locking and abandonment, blackout line following, air sharing while following a line, buoyancy and anti-silting techniques, communications, emergency management, climbing and belaying techniques. The course includes six dives in CDAA rated Caverns and Sinkholes located in Mt Gambier (South Australia).

PRE-REQUISITE:
Before commencement of a CDAA Deep Cavern diver training program the candidate must:

1. Hold an Advanced Open Water level recreational SCUBA diver award and be qualified as an Open Water diver for a minimum of 12 months.
2. Have logged a minimum of 25 dives (post Advanced Open Water level) totalling a minimum of 20 hours, including at least two night dives and five dives deeper than 25 metres.
3. Minimum age 18 years.
4. Successfully complete a diving medical statement.

SCHEDULE:
Week #1
Saturday- 9:00am to 5:00pm (Theory & Land drills)
Sunday- 9:00am to 5:00pm (Confined Water Session)
Week #2
Friday- 9:00am to 5:00pm (2 Dives) (In Mt Gambier)
Saturday- 9:00am to 5:00pm (2 Dives) (In Mt Gambier)
Sunday- 9:00am to 2:00pm (2 Dives)  (In Mt Gambier)
 
COST: $599.00

Includes: Instruction, CDAA Deep Cavern Manual,  Certificate, Use of twin tanks & reels if you do not own your own.

Not Included: Airfills in Mt Gambier, Accommodation & food in Mt Gambier, Certification & Membership Price ($120.00), All other equipment must be provided by student or can be hired at extra cost.

Cave Course

Defined as an enclosed body of water containing overhangs, silt, darkness zones, and passages that are at all times large enough for two divers to swim adjacent to each other and turn around together. Cave sites allow a maximum penetration of 1/3 of a twin cylinder gas supply. Theory will include equipment, anti-silting techniques, dive planning, decompression related to cave diving, line techniques, underwater communications, emergency / problem solving, cave conservation, air consumption, physiological considerations, access protocols, accident analysis. Skills sessions include line laying and reel use, reel locking and abandonment, air sharing while following a line with mask blacked out, line entanglement and cutting, buoyancy and anti-silting techniques, communications, gas management. The course includes six dives in CDAA rated Caverns and Caves located in Mt Gambier (South Australia).

PRE-REQUISITE:
Before commencement of a CDAA Cave Diver training program the candidate must:

1. Hold an entry level SCUBA award for a minimum of 12 months.
2. Hold a CDAA Deep Cavern or Sinkhole Diver award.
3. Have logged a minimum of 30 cavern dives totalling a minimum of 15 hours, or 15 sinkhole dives totalling a minimum of 7.5 hours.
4. Minimum age 18 years.
5. Successfully complete a diving medical statement.

SCHEDULE:
Week #1
Saturday- 9:00am to 5:00pm (Theory & Land drills)
Sunday- 9:00am to 5:00pm (Confined Water Session)
Week #2
Friday- 9:00am to 5:00pm (2 Dives) (In Mt Gambier)
Saturday- 9:00am to 5:00pm (2 Dives) (In Mt Gambier)
Sunday- 9:00am to 2:00pm (2 Dives)  (In Mt Gambier)
 
COST: $599.00

Includes: Instruction, CDAA Cave Manual, Certificate, Use of twin tanks & reels if you do not own your own.

Not Included: Airfills in Mt Gambier, Accommodation & food in Mt Gambier, Certification, All other equipment must be provided by student or can be hired at extra cost.

Penetration Course

Defined as an enclosed body of water containing silt, darkness zones, and passages that at times are not large enough for two divers to buddy alongside. Penetration sites are of unlimited penetration distance. Theory includes equipment, guideline procedures, communications, restrictions, access procedures, dive planning, DPV use, decompression review, mapping, accident analysis, conservation. Skill sessions include equipment critique, S drills, jump reel use, lost line search, black out drill, gear removal / restriction exercise, mask and regulator change over, valve shutdowns, entanglement removal / line cutting, stress management exercise, air sharing through restrictions, stage tank use/remove/replace. The course includes six dives in CDAA rated Cavern, Cave and Penetration sites located
in Mt Gambier (South Australia).

PRE-REQUISITE:
Before commencement of a CDAA Penetration Diver training program the candidate must:

1. Be 18 years of age.
2. Hold a CDAA Cave Diver award.
3. Have logged a minimum of 25 cave dives (outside of course dives) totaling a minimum of 18 hours with no more than 3 dives to be logged per day.
4. Hold a current diving medical.
5. Have experience in at least 5 different dive sites preferably in two different areas eg Nullarbor, NSW, Mt Gambier, overseas

This course is run by the CDAA. Please contact the shop if you would like further information on cost, schedule and other requirements.