Stage Cave Diver Workshop

Are you an experienced Cave Diver that wants to extend their penetration capabilities in the overhead? The Stage Cave Diver Workshop is the first part of our workshop-based training sequence and is the prerequisite to our Multi-Stage Cave Diver Workshop. We recommend divers who have recently received their Cave Diver certification focus on gaining experience cave diving before enrolling in this workshop. We do not teach this workshop back-to-back with Full Cave. 

Though you may be an experienced deep or technical diver who is comfortable stage diving in open water, we recommend you complete this workshop prior to participating in stage cave dives due to the specialized nature of the training. There are several procedures and possible scenarios that are unique to the cave environment, including the practice of dropping cylinders and retrieving them as well as the possibility of a zero visibility. Gas management is key with stage diving. We teach at least two methods for calculating your back up gas during our section on gas management. Understanding the gas limits is paramount to executing safe long-distance cave penetrations.

Some of the most pristine cave passages in Mexico are just outside of the reaches of a standard cave diving set up. Do you often find yourself wondering what’s around the corner? This workshop will allow you to visit less frequented areas of the cave and benefit from being able to extend your penetration capabilities whilst sharpening your general skills as a cave diver.

Please note this is a workshop without certification. This workshop takes a minimum of 3 days to complete and is available to all certified and experienced Cave Divers or those with an equivalent certification.

Workshop Content Includes:

• Dive planning and gas management
• Psychological aspects of stage cave diving including distance stress
• How to properly label a stage for cave diving
• Stage handling including zero visibility stage retrievals 
• Different gas rules applicable for stage diving
• Recalculating gas
• Gas failures and emergency procedures

Want to learn more about our services? Here are some Frequently Asked Questions.

ProTec offers various certification combinations to help you reach your cave diving goals. Check out our cave diver Training Tracks to help you plan your trip.