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XR Overhead Programs

Cavern Diving

Intent

This program provides divers with the training necessary to:
  • Independently plan and conduct cavern penetration dives,
  • Using specialized equipment,
  • Using the Rule of Sixths concept of gas management,
  • To a maximum depth of 40 meters,
  • Within the daylight zone,
  • With single-line navigation,
  • With an equally- or more-qualified dive buddy.

Minimum Instructor Rating

An active status Cavern Diving Instructor or higher may conduct the Cavern Diving program.
Equipment Configurations
  • They may use a Twinset Total Diving System as outlined in the SSI Training Standards if they have the Extended Range Instructor (Twinset) or Extended Range Foundations Instructor (Twinset) certification.
  • They may use a Sidemount Total Diving System as outlined in the SSI Training Standards if they have the Recreational Sidemount Diving Specialty Instructor certification.
  • They may use a CCR or SCR Total Diving system as outlined in the SSI Training Standards if they have the applicable CCR or SCR Diving Instructor certification and the CCR or SCR Diving certification on the unit used by the student.

Note | The SSI Professional teaching the program must have an instructor certification in the equipment configuration used by the student.

Student Prerequisites

Have logged at least:
  • 24 total dives
Have the following SSI certifications or an equivalent from a recognized training agency:
  • Open Water Diver
For students using a twinset configuration (in addition to the above):
Have at least one (1) of the following SSI certifications or an equivalent from a recognized training agency:
  • Extended Range Foundations (Twinset)
  • Extended Range
For students using a sidemount configuration (in addition to the above):
Have the following SSI certifications or an equivalent from a recognized training agency:
  • Recreational Sidemount Diving
For students using a CCR unit (in addition to the above):
Have logged at least:
  • 30 hours on the applicable unit
Have the following SSI certifications or an equivalent from a recognized training agency:
  • CCR Diving | Must be on the same unit that is used for this program
For students using an SCR unit (in addition to the above):
Have logged at least:
  • 30 hours on the applicable unit
Have the following SSI certifications or an equivalent from a recognized training agency:
  • SCR Diving | Must be on the same unit that is used for this program

Duration

  • Recommended hours for completion |12.

Minimum Equipment

Students participating in this program must use at least one of the following equipment configurations:
  • A complete Single-Cylinder Total Diving System as outlined in the XR General Training Standards.
  • A complete Twinset Total Diving System.
  • A complete Sidemount Total Diving System.
  • A complete CCR Total Diving System.
  • A complete SCR Total Diving System.
And
  • Primary and back-up lights.
  • One (1) reel or spool with a minimum of 45 meters of line.
  • One (1) primary line reel per dive team.
  • A minimum of two (2) line arrows or referencing exit markers (REM).

In-Water Ratios

  • The student-to-instructor ratio is 3:1.

Depth Limitations

  • Maximum pool/confined water depth limit | 12 meters.
  • Maximum open water depth limit | 40 meters or the maximum certification depth of the diver, whichever is shallower.

Requirements For Completion

  • Complete all academic sessions and assessments as outlined in the instructor manual for Overhead Environment.
  • Complete the Overhead Environment final exam.
  • Complete the XR Water Fitness Evaluation as outlined in the SSI General Training Standards.
  • Complete at least one (1) dry land skill development session as outlined in the instructor manual for Overhead Environment.
  • Complete at least one (1) pool/confined water skill development session with a minimum cumulative time of at least one (1) hour as outlined in the instructor manual for Overhead Environment.
  • Complete at least four (4) overhead training dives as outlined in the instructor manual for Overhead Environment.
  • Complete a minimum of 120 minutes of runtime in the overhead environment.

Training Conditions

Breathing Gas and Decompression

  • All in-water training must be planned within the no-decompression limits of the student’s dive computer, dive planning software, or the SSI Combined Air/EAN Tables.

Open circuit

  • No penetration may exceed one-sixth of the diver’s bottom gas supply.

CCR

  • CCR bailout cylinders must have enough gas for the diver to return to the surface from the deepest planned penetration point, based on a SAC rate of 50 liters per minute for the duration of the first bailout gas.
  • The remainder of the dive can be planned at the diver’s calculated SAC rate.
  • Bailout can be planned using half of the available gas.

SCR

  • SCR cylinders must have enough gas for the diver to return to the surface from the deepest planned penetration point, based on a SAC rate of 50 liters per minute for the duration of the first bailout gas plus an additional 30 liters per minute in SCR failure mode.
  • The remainder of the dive can be planned at the diver’s calculated SAC rate.
  • Bailout can be planned using half of the available gas.

Note | Refer to the page on “Combining Overhead Programs” for gas reserve and decompression rules when conducting combined programs.

Environment

  • All overhead-specific skills must be conducted in an overhead environment as outlined in the program’s instructor manual.
  • All overhead training dives must be conducted in water with at least five (5) meters of visibility at the start of the dive.

Navigation

  • A guideline to open water must be maintained during all phases of any overhead training dive.
  • Penetrations must be limited to the daylight zone, as defined in the SSI General Training Standards.
  • Navigation patterns must be limited to simple, single-line linear patterns.

Sequence

  • The pool/confined water skill development session may only be conducted after the student successfully completes the equipment configuration session and the dry land skill development session.
  • Overhead Training Dives 1 and 2 may only be conducted after the student successfully completes the XR Water Fitness Evaluation, and all pool/confined water skill development sessions.
  • Overhead Training Dives 3 and 4 may only be conducted after the student successfully completes all academic sessions and Overhead Training Dives 1 and 2.

Certification

Upon completion of all academic and in-water requirements, the SSI Professional may issue the program’s digital certification card.
The SSI Extended Range Cavern Diving certification entitles the holder to dive autonomously:
  • In environments similar to those of the diver’s training and experience,
  • Using specialized equipment,
  • Using the Rule of Sixths concept of gas management,
  • To a maximum depth of 40 meters or their maximum certification level if it is shallower,
  • Within the daylight zone,
  • With single-line navigation,
  • With an equally- or more-qualified dive buddy.

Credit

  • The Extended Range Cavern Diving certification may be credited to the dry-land skill development session, the pool/confined water skill development session, and Overhead Environment Training Dives 1 and 2 of the Extended Range Wreck Diving program or the Extended Range Mine Diving program, if the program begins within 180 days of completing the Extended Range Cavern Diving program.
  • Issuing credit is entirely at the instructor’s discretion. If credit is issued, the instructor must either have direct and recent knowledge (within 180 days) of the student’s abilities, or the instructor must conduct both a pool/confined water session and at least one evaluation dive prior to any dives in an actual overhead environment.
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