Cave Gold allows the use of up to two (2) stage bottles during cave dives at or above max training depth of 100'/30m. This is specifically to allow certified Cave Divers to extend bottom time.

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Prerequisites

• Must meet UTD General Course Prerequisites as outlined in Section 1.6.
• UTD Cave Diver (Cave 1 and Cave 2).
• Must have completed a minimum of 25 non-training cave dives after Cave Diver 2.
• Must be able to swim at least 300 yards/275 meters in less than 12 minutes without stopping.
• Must be able to swim a distance of at least 60 feet/18 meters on a breath hold.

Course Limits

• General training limits as outlined in Section 1.4.
• Student to Instructor ratio is not to exceed 3:1 during any overhead diving activity.
• Gas consumption: no more than 1/3 of usable volume is used for double tank cave penetration, 1/4 of usable volume of the double tank is used when single stage tank and 1/6 of usable volume of the double tank is used when double stage tank is used for cave penetration. Stages to be breathed to “1/2 plus 200 psi/15 bar”. Rock bottom is to be deducted from starting volume  to get usable volume.
• Maximum depth 100 feet/30 meters.
• Minimum 10 feet/ 3 meters of visibility to enter a cave.
• Minimum 100 cu. ft. /2832 liters of gas to enter a cave.
• No cave circuits or traverses.
• No planned decompression.
• No scooter or rebreather diving.
• No exploration or line/line marker modification.

Course Content

UTD Cave Diver Gold training is normally conducted over a 3-day period, and involves a minimum of 24 hours of instruction (lecture and in-water). It is designed to introduce certified cave divers to the proper use of stage bottles in the cave environment. Special emphasis here will be placed on the unique challenges posed by extended overhead exposure and cave conservation protocols.

Course requirements include nine (9) hours of academics and land drills, and six (6) cave dives at a minimum of two different locations.

Texts

• UTD Online Classroom – Cave Diver
• Gas Planning Worksheet
• Technical Diver DVD is recommended

Academic Topics

• UTD organization, limits of training, and course completion requirements.
• Cave conservation.
• Gas management and lost stage gas protocols.
• Dive team order and protocols.
• Touch contact.
• Use of safety spools and reels.
• Navigation skills.

Land Drills & Topics

• UTD stage bottle configuration and rigging.
• Stage bottle drop and retrieval procedures, to include retrieval in zero visibility.
• OOG procedures while using stage bottles, including in zero visibility.
• Team gas matching and management.
• Reel and guideline use in emergency procedures, including touch contact and gas-sharing techniques while wearing stage bottles.
• Navigation skills and line marking protocols.
• Visual referencing skills.

Required Dive Skills & Drills

• Demonstrate ability to safely deploy and stow a stage bottle while maintaining buoyancy within + or - 3'/1m of target depth and within 1 minute.
• Demonstrate ability to properly drop and retrieve (including retrieval in simulated zero visibility) a stage bottle with minimum impact on the cave environment.
• Demonstrate ability to pass and receive a stage bottle while maintaining buoyancy within + or - 3'/1m of target depth and within 1 minute.
• OOG procedures while using stage bottles, including in zero visibility.

Equipment Requirements

• Tanks/Cylinders: Students are required to use dual tanks/cylinders connected with a
  dual outlet isolator manifold, which allows the use of two first
  stages. 2 AL80 Stage Bottles
• Regulators: Two first-stages, each supplying a single second stage. One of the
  second stages must be on a 7ft/2m hose. One of the first stages
  must supply a pressure gauge and provide inflation for a dry suit
  (where applicable). Stage regulators for each stage bottle.
• Buoyancy Compensators: Back mounted wings, mated with a harness and back
  plate.
• At least one depth-measuring device.
• One timekeeping device.
• Compass
• Mask and fins: fins must be of the non-split variety. Back up
  mask.
• At least one cutting device.
• Wet Notes.
• Three spools / reels, each with 100 feet/ 30 meters of line, per diver.
  Line must be knotted each 10ft.
• One primary reel per team, with a minimum of 300 feet/90 meters of
  line. Line must be knotted each 10ft.
• Primary light with 6hr burntime and at least 50watt equivalency (HID highly
  recommended). Recommend back up primary light head.
• Two backup lights with at least 5hr burn time and minimum of 6 watt
  equivalent, recommended LED type.
• Exposure suit appropriate for the duration of exposure. Argon bottle back
  mounted with balanced reg. Wet suits not permitted.
• At least ten line markers, of which at least five should be
  directional (line arrows) and five non-directional.