TDI Stage Cave Diver Course in Playa del Carmen

The TDI Stage Cave Diver Course is designed to teach trained and experienced cave divers to extend bottom times and penetration with the aid of one or more stage bottles.  During this course, divers learn to plan longer,  highly complex dives with multiple gas sources.  Regarding gas mixes, depth and decompression obligations, this course does not exceed the student's current level of certification and/or experience level. 

Who this course is for:

• The certified, experienced TDI Full Cave Diver (or equivalent) looking to extend their penetration limits

What you can expect to learn:

The following topics must be covered during this course:

• Motivations for extended time and penetration
• Equipment considerations
  • Cylinder sizes
  • Rigging
  • Streamlining
• Gas planning and gas management techniques
• Dive planning including decompression obligations
• Stage Diving techniques suitable for the cave environment
  • Dropping and retrieving of stage cylinders
  • Drop-off stations

Required skill performance and graduation requirements:

The student must perform the following S-drill and skills during all dives

• Demonstrate adequate pre-dive planning
• Equipment check and equipment matching
• Bubble check
• Demonstrate specialized propulsion techniques in varying types of flow
• Demonstrate proper buoyancy control
• Demonstrate proper body posture
• Demonstrate proper stress analysis (detection and management)

The student must perform the following in-water skills during cave dives:

• Demonstrate proper use of stage cylinders
• Dropping and retrieval of stage cylinders efficiently while swimming

What’s in it for you?

Upon successful completion of this course, graduates may engage in stage cave diving activities without direct supervision so long as the following limits are adhered to:

• Penetration is limited to the 1/3 air rule, or more conservative air-plan at instructor’s discretion.
• No equipment removal in cave with exception of stage cylinders
• Students are encouraged to gain experience before attempting to plan and execute complex stage cave dives
• Safety and decompression stops are completed as appropriate or necessary