Brad,

It's been a long time since I've offered advice on diving in this forum,
because its members have very little to learn from me. Note, please, that I
say that as a PADI Master Scuba Diver Trainer who has certified hundreds of
divers to all levels between OW and DM, and logged about 1,500 dives of my
own on the side. That will hopefully give rise to some thought on your part
about the competence of the people who have been giving you advice lately...

The statistics are available, and they are frightening: People die in caves
and caverns every year, and they hold every level of certification, from
every agency. It is said that, relative to the population that engages in a
given diving activity, cave and cavern divers have the highest fatality
rate, by factors.

It is ALSO a sad but indisputable fact that Dive Masters and Instructors
with no formal cave training make up a large proportion of the body count.
We have a habit of thinking that we are invincible, somehow not subject to
the same limitations that apply to the poor, unwashed masses. We are wrong,
and if your intended buddies are not formally cave-trained, then they are
wrong, too, no matter whether they are instructors or hold any other
certification level.

Virtually every instructor or DM I know has a personal horror story to tell,
although it may take a few drinks to dislodge them. If yours don't, then
they are either lying, in denial, incredibly lucky, or saints.

I appreciate that you may not have been aware of this, but I implore you to
think again. When you say that you fully expect your instructor buddy to be
the first to say, turn back, then you are making an assumption that, in this
case, may cost you your life.

I have dived several locations here in Asia where mouths of caves are
"decorated" with plaques in memory of divers who went a bridge too far,
never to be seen alive again. Some of them were instructors...

If your instructor buddies are associated with PADI, put them to the test,
and ask them to show you the PADI video called "A Deceptively Easy Way to
Die". It is about cave and cavern diving, and was made by PADI to counter
the growth in the statistics you aspire to become a part of. Take it
seriously, Brad, it was made for people like yoursef, who are about to do
something that they are not trained for, together with people who are not
trained for it either. It is possible, and has happened, to die within just
a few yards of the mouth of a cavern. Watch that video, then make up your
mind. At least that way, you will be making an informed decision, and the
advice you have been given here will maybe also not seem as rash and
condescending as you seem to think it is.

And if you still don't believe me, try this:
http://www.caves.org/section/cds/pamphlt.htm

Or this: http://216.118.30.212/aa_fatalities.htm

Good luck, whatever you do.


Safe,
Bjorn