If you wish to learn cave diving using your CCR you must have operation as well as the buoyancy control of your unit down as to second nature in order to concentrate to the learning on how to cave dive. Training agency standards require you to have a minimum of 30 hours on your Rebreather before participating in a CCR Cave Diver course.

The trained and experienced open water CCR diver interested in Cave Diver training should consider that diving in the overhead environment requires more equipment with the ability to handle that equipment even in stressful situations. In general it is recommended to have between 50 ? 100 successful dives concluded with a variety of diving situations such as navigation, night diving, and deep diving before entering and enrolling into a cave diver course, as well as a minimum of 30 hours on the CCR the CCR Cave Diver course is taken on.

In order to dive in water filled caves the need to carry a larger amount of breathing gas for penetration and bailout. The bailout tanks are carried by a special harness in a stage or sidemount configuration, buoyancy is provided by wing style buoyancy compensator with sufficient lift. Lights and extra lights, reel?s and exposure suit not to forget. This can add to fatigue and stress and previous diving experience will help to focus on the new skills and environment ahead.

This equipment must be handled as well as the task loading activities encountered in cave diving. A certain amount of diving experience is paramount for a successful cave diving course.

Purpose

This Program is designed to train divers in safe cave diving while using a CCR.

Prerequisites

If entering through modular route, must be qualified as Introductory Cave Diver with proof of a minimum of 50 logged dives.
If not qualified as introductory cave diver must have proof of 100 dives or sufficient experience doing technical dives to satisfy the instructor that the student has the ability and knowledge to continue into this level of training.
Must have 20 dives and 30 hours of dive time on the CCR to be used in the cave course.
Must be a minimum of 18 years of age.

Program Content

All lectures completed with IANTD Course-specific Slides pertaining to the theory in the IANTD Cave Diver Student Kit and IANTD CCR Normoxic Trimix Diver Student Kit.
This Program must include a minimum of 600 minutes of cave bottom time completed within at least 10 cave dives.
For students already qualified as Introductory Cave Diver or IANTD Advanced /Technical Wreck Diver, this Program must include a minimum of 500 minutes of cave bottom time within a minimum of 8 cave dives.

NOTE: The combined cave bottom time from Introductory Cave Diver and Cave Diver Programs must total at least 600 minutes, even if the bottom time is met first. A minimum of 8 cave dives using CCR must be logged. Instructors are not required to give credit for experience or other qualification levels and should do so only if the skill level of the diver meets the Instructor’s satisfaction.

For those who are already OC Cave Divers this Program must include a confined water session and a minimum of 400 minutes of cave bottom time, completed within at least 4 cave dives. All CCR cave specific skills must be completed.
Environmental conditions allowing, a minimum of three different caves must be included in a Cave Program. In event of flooding and other special circumstances, the three-cave requirement may be waived if approved by IAND, Inc./IANTD World Headquarters or the local Licensee of the Region the Program is conducted in.
To complete the course within the minimum specified dives, students must have an average of 8 out of 10 points on the watermanship evaluations. With 2 or more additional dives, the student may graduate from the course with an overall average score of 6 points.

Land drills:
a. Use of lines / line arrows.
b. Blacked out drills.
c. Lost diver drills / broken lines / line gaps.

Equipment Requirements

IANTD Cave Diver Student Kit and IANTD CCR Normoxic Trimix Diver Student Kit.
All students must be taught the concept of gas matching based on oxygen metabolism.
Bailout adequate to allow 1 ½ divers to exit the cave on OC must be carried by the dive team.
A stage decompression cylinder containing oxygen is recommended for deco as a back up to the system.
Bailout stages must be configured to ensure easy hand off to an out of gas diver. A 5 foot 1.5 meter hose is recommended.
Each gas source must have its own dedicated submersible pressure gauge.
A primary BCD is required. Back flotation is recommended.
Dive tables, depth gauge and dive timer or a dive computer.
Two reels: one Primary (cave) guide reel and one (cavern or gap) safety reel.
One Primary light with adequate lighting characteristic to meet the accepted standard in cave diving and two secondary lights (flashlight type).
Three (3) line arrows.
A backup cutting tool is recommended.

Other CCR Rebreather Training;

Hammerhead CCR

Megalodon CCR

CCR Instructor Courses

DIRrebreathers

CCR Cave

Download the required forms and releases ?

TDI Liability Release & Assumption of Risk form

TDI Medical Statement form

TDI Medical Sign Off

ANDI Medical Statement form

ANDI Liability Release & Express Assumption of Risk form

IANTD Medical Statement form

Downloads for CCR ?

TDI Air Diluent CCR Diver Course Unit Specific