When it comes to cave diving, Mexico offers something for everyone. Whether a novice or experienced cave diver, Mexico has fantastic dive sites perfect for learning new skills and exploring your passion.

What does it take to become A TDI Full Cave Diver?
As with any other type of scuba diving, cave diving requires proper training and certification from an accredited agency.

Cave diving is a type of diving that requires technical diving knowledge. The risks of cave diving are significantly higher than those of conventional scuba dives because there is no direct way up to the surface in case of an emergency.

We are an official TDI Five-Star Cave Diving Center and Instructor Training Facility. Divers UnderGround guides you through becoming a self-sufficient cave diver, from technical diving equipment requirements to specialized dive training programs.

The Technical Diving International (TDI) Full Cave Diver program consists of three sections:

TDI designed this course to develop the minimum skills and knowledge for cavern and overhead environment diving within the limits of light penetration; it also outlines specific hazards associated with cave diving. The cavern diver course intends NOT to provide instruction for cave diving environments. This course aims to train divers in the proper planning, procedures, techniques, and cavern diving hazards.

QUALIFICATIONS LIMITS OF GRADUATES:

1. Cavern diving within the natural light zone of the cavern entrance.
2. Maximum penetration is limited to 1/3 of a single diving cylinder or 1/6th if using double cylinders.
3. Sixty-one linear meters / 200 linear feet from the surface.
4. Forty meters / 130 feet maximum depth.
5. No decompression diving.
6. No restrictions; no areas too small for two divers to pass side-by-side.
7. Safety stops as appropriate or necessary.
8. Maintain continuous guidelines.
9. Use proper cavern diving equipment.
10. Removal of dive gear within the overhead environment is not allowed at this level of training.

Upon completing this program, graduates are qualified to enroll in the TDI Introductory Cave Diver course.

STUDENT PREREQUISITES:

1. Minimum age 18 (15 with parental consent).
2. Provide proof of an Open Water Scuba Diver certification.
3. Minimum of 25 logged dives.

COURSE STRUCTURE AND DURATION:

Water Execution:

At least four cavern dives at two sites.

Duration:

The TDI Cavern Diver course takes at least three days.

This course introduces the basic principles of cave diving utilizing a single primary guideline. The TDI Introductory cave diving is the second level in developing safe cave diving techniques, directly building upon the cavern diver course. This Introduction intends NOT to train divers for all facets of cave diving. The Intro to Cave course aims to perfect the Cavern Diving Program’s skills and learn additional techniques and procedures required for elementary cave dives.

QUALIFICATION LIMITS OF GRADUATES

1. Single guideline cave diving.
2. Maximum penetration is limited to 1/3 of a single diving cylinder or 1/6th if using double cylinders.
3. Forty meters / 130 feet maximum depth.
4. No decompression diving.
5. Maintain continuous guidelines.
6. Student divers must use proper cave diving equipment.

Upon completing this course, graduates are qualified to enroll in the TDI Full Cave Diver course.

STUDENT PREREQUISITES

1. The minimum age is 18 years old or 15 with parental consent.
2. Provide proof of certification as a TDI Cavern Diver or equivalent.

COURSE STRUCTURE AND DURATION

Water Execution:

At least six single guideline cave dives in two different sites.

Duration:

The TDI Introductory Cave Diver course takes at least four days when taken separately. (Cavern + Intro combined = 5 Days and 8 dives).

This course is the third training step in TDI’s Cave Diver development program. During this part, you learn advanced cave dive planning, the practical execution of different cave dives, and possible scenarios you might encounter. This course aims to practice and expand previous skills achieved in the TDI Cavern and Introductory Cave Diving programs. We emphasize dive planning and skill perfection through actual complex navigation cave dives and cave penetration.

The Full Cave Diver course expands your skills and knowledge from the TDI Cavern Diver and the Intro to Cave Diver level to prepare you for more complicated dives, including penetrating extensive distances in the cave with complex navigation and negotiating restricted passages.

Here, you learn how to plan more complex dives and enhance previously known skills to match new and more challenging situations. Greater distances require greater awareness as the physical and psychological challenges increase.

Cave divers can encounter intersections, jumps, gaps, circuits, and traverses. Complex navigation requires clean diving techniques and advanced referencing methods to avoid disorientation.

Qualifications of Graduates:

1. Maximum penetration is limited to the 1/3 air rule.

2. 40 meters / 130 feet (39.62 m) maximum depth.

3. No equipment removal in the cave.

4. Maintain continuous guidelines.

5. Student divers must use proper cave diving gear.

6. No decompression diving.

7. Complex navigation cave dives planning and execution.

Student Prerequisites:

1. Minimum age of 18

2. Minimum certification as a TDI Introductory Cave Diver or equivalent.

Course Structure and Duration:

Water execution:

1. At least eight cave dives at three different sites.

2. For divers entering the cave program without the TDI cavern diver or Intro to Cave Diving certification, 16 cave dives are required.

Duration:

1. The course’s TDI Full Cave Diver portion takes at least five days. (TDI Cavern + Intro to Cave + Full Cave Diver = 8 Days).

Each student must have the following equipment:

1. Two single cylinders for Sidemount Diving are limited to the 1/6 air rule.

2. Two regulators with pressure gauge and alternate air source on 7 feet (2.13 meters) hose.

3. Buoyancy compensator device (BCD) with a power inflator.

4. Exposure suit adequate for cavern environment (minimum 5 mm with hood).

5. Mask and fins, NO snorkel.

6. Two line cutting devices.

7. Safety reel with a minimum of 125 feet (38.1 m) of line.

8. One primary reel.

9. One primary/leading light and two backups.

10. Two dive computers or one computer and a bottom timer and depth gauge.

11. Wrist slate and pencil.

13. Three directional line arrows and three non-directional line markers.

Required Skill Performance and Graduation Requirements:

• Adequate pre-dive planning.
• Perform equipment checks and gear matching.
• Bubble checks.
• Use specialized propulsion techniques.
• Proper buoyancy control.
• Exhibit proper body posture (Trim).
• Demonstrate accurate stress analysis (detection and management).
• Properly deploy and follow a guideline with eyes open and closed, simulating a visibility loss.
• Share air with a buddy with eyes open, following the guideline.
• Share air with a buddy with eyes closed using touch-contact communication while following the guideline.
• Remove and replace the dive mask while keeping in contact with the guideline.
• Demonstrate light/hand -signals and touch contact.
• Show proper use of directional and non-directional markers.
• Use of safety reel in lost diver procedures.
• Use of safety reel in a lost line drill.

Before enrolling in a TDI Full Cave Diver course, we recommended taking a Sidemount Diver Course and being proficient in using this configuration or taking the Sidemount Diver course in conjunction with the Overhead Environments Training. 

You can combine this with other TDI courses like Advanced Nitrox and Decompression Procedures.

Photo: Robert Stansfield

All technical diving courses start in a shallow open water Cenote!