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The Think Plan
 Cave diving is a high-risk activity involving sophisticated, technical equipment, appropriate safe techniques and being psychologically comfortable all evolving around the most important tool - the dive plan. Without a plan to work with, your dive becomes a substance of no information, unorganized, no purpose, no discipline and unsafe. It can be an accident waiting to happen.
Examining every certified cave diving accident that has occurred in the western hemisphere since the first cave diving certification was issued in 1970, every accident can be traced back to a poor or inadequate dive plan.
You will discover that always something was not identified, discussed or recognized as a "what if" potential for the dive.
PLANNING THE DIVE
For a cave dive to be safe and enjoyable, it needs to be organized and well thought out before the dive begins. The first step is collecting all available information about the dive site, including water temperature, expected visibility, maximum depth, hazards, and entries and exits to and from the water. Make sure all tanks are full of gas, lights are charged or with fresh batteries, and everything is in good working order. Agreeing with a compatible diving partner on time and location to meet, travel arrangements, and emergency information is an essential part of planning the dive properly. In addition, plans to make the dive better, safer, and more fun might include food, refreshments, and any specialized activities such as photography or videography.
The dive plan is a solid foundation. It is a mental rehearsal of the actual dive, taking in consideration for all possible situations or problems that could occur. Planning for contingencies makes it easier and safer to respond to each potential event.
DRAWING A BLUEPRINT
Know your limitations and restrictions imposed by the dive site, carry out tasks, and manage all human resources.
Knowing your limitations is a challenging undertaking. Many factors need to be considered, such as training, experience, age, comfort level, and, most importantly, physical condition. Recognizing your strengths and weaknesses is important to how you plan the dive. Personal conditions such as body weight, smoking, use of alcohol, hydration, exercise, and being emotionally in control all are integral considerations for planning a safe and responsible dive.
Each dive site is different. They offer a wide variety of terrain and physically challenging access to the water. It is easy to forget that entering the water may not be easy or straightforward. Of course, once entered, the dive site must also be exited; pay attention to egress options as you contemplate the dive site. Luckily, most popular dive sites offer relatively ease of access or the landowners have made the entry and exit points easy and safe. Remote dive sites will require research and closer investigation.
Other important considerations dictating the access to the dive site will include the number of people in the cave dive team. Though the team is limited to three divers, this may still be a factor for accessibility.
Communication is another important part of planning the dive. Problems in communication can result from a lack or sudden removal of light, sudden change in visibility, buddy separation, confusion, or poor signaling due to a lack of discussion and agreement. Communication is not easy in the overhead environment, and it should be practiced often, particularly when there are changes in dive partners. It is always advisable to keep the methods of communication simple.
Responsibilities within the cave diving team must be assigned and clearly understood. Who will run the reel? Who will assist the diver with the reel during the exit? The preparation for the dive, with matching of equipment, the safety drill, and discussion of the "what if" incidents, is a vital part of planning.
Each diver must be familiar with his fellow team members, including a thorough knowledge of their equipment configurations and where the alternate second stage is kept and how it should be passed.
These and all other factors need to be clearly discussed before the dive. Careful preparation for the unlikely occurrence of any potential problems such as equipment failure, a physical problem of a diver, or other unplanned event, will make the difference between a successful dive and a dive ending in anguish and failure.
THE DIVE PLAN
1. Has an effective plan been developed?
2. Who will be involved in the dive?
3. Does every team member know and recognize their limitations and resources?
4. Will the dive require additional risk assessments?
5. What responsibilities does each team member have and is it understood?
6. What contingencies (the what if's) are planned for?
INSPECT
- Tanks
- Air/gas supply
- Environmental suit
- Mask and fins (spare mask)
- Regulators
- Manifolds/valves
- Buoyancy device with power inflator
- Primary light
- Back-up lights
- Reels/spools
- Computers/dive tables
- Slate/directional markers
- Back plate and harness
- Pressure gauge(s)
- Cutting devices. ("z" knife, medical shears and/or a short, sharp knife.)
- Compass
- EANx bottle(s)
- Oxygen bottle
- Stage bottle
- Your buddy
- Yourself
IDENTIFY
- Weather conditions
- Water conditions
- Depth
- Visibility
- Current
- Time
- Distance
- Temperature
- Restrictions
- Intersections
- Offshoot lines
- Silty conditions
- The cave system configuration
- Entry hazards
- Exit hazards
- Tannic water or hydrogen sulfide
- Halocline
- Algae blooms
- Pollution
COMMUNICATE
- Hand signals
- Light signals
- Touch contact
- Emergency procedures
- Line/reel protocol
- The Dive team
- Team leader
- Other cave teams
- Land owners
- Local law enforcement
CONTROL
- Buddy system
- References
- Change in plan
- Decompression profile
PURPOSE OF DIVE
- Training
- Sightseeing
- Surveying
- Exploration
- Videography
- Photography
- Stage dive
- Scientific collections
- DPV
- Sidemount
THE POST DIVE REVIEW
The post-dive review is an important aspect of the total dive. It provides the opportunity for each team member to express himself about what was enjoyable and what may need to be improved. It is usually held at the surface before leaving the water. It provides an opportunity to rest after the dive, allowing the body to purge nitrogen that was induced during the dive before the strenuous exit from the water and packing of the gear. It is also an opportunity to record pertinent information on the slates. Future dives can be improved by discussing the current one. The team can talk about the features of the cave they have just seen.
Once the post-dive review has been completed, the cave dive team can cherish the satisfaction and enjoyment of their safe cave diving experience.
Steve Gerrard lives in the Puerto Aventuras marina resort. He has been safely teaching cave diving for twenty five years. His favorite activity is underwater cave photography using the NIKON 100 digital camera with a Light & Motion Titan Housing using Ikelite strobes. He is the author of the famous guidebook titled - THE CENOTES OF THE RIVIERIA MAYA and soon to be published CENOTE DIVING - SAFE & FUN. You can contact Steve at:
stevegerrard@cavediver.com or www.steve-gerrard.com
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