Cave Diving:

What Do I need to Know?

There are three basic types of underwater caving:

cavern diving- 300 feet into a cave or the area lit by sunlight
cave diving- beyond the entrance zone
sump diving- an area of water-filled passage in an otherwise air-filled cave

Having an open water certification, or even some advanced open water training will not prepare you to enter an underwater cave.

Required Cave Diving Skills

Proper use of all specialized caving equipment
Proper use of guidelines
Proper emergency procedures
Proper finning technique to prevent kicking up silt
Stage diving
Dive planning

Required Cave Diving Equipment

At least three dependable underwater lights
Diving guideline on a reel
Submersible pressure gauge
Backup second stage
Backup regulator

References

Cave diving is a very dangerous activity requiring advanced training and equipment beyond what is required for regular scuba diving. This site is not designed to teach you all the techniques involved in cave diving. Below are several very good references and links to help you learn more.

Links