Founded in 1941, The National Speleological Society (NSS) joins together thousands of individuals dedicated to the safe study, exploration, and conservation of caves. As a non-profit organization affiliated with the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the NSS promotes a variety of scientific, educational, and conservation projects - including grants and scholarships to professional and student biologists, geologists, hydrologists, and archaeologists for cave-related research; purchase of cave properties
for the public trust; conservation studies, clean-ups, and restorations; and a multitude of publications concerning all aspects of cave science, exploration, survey, cartography, photography, and physical techniques.

In 1973, the NSS formed the Cave Diving Section (NSS-CDS). In 1983 the Cave Diving Section was independently incorporated and in 1987 was granted official non-profit tax-exempt status as a scientific and educational organization.

The NSS-CDS has installed numerous safety/warning signs (including the first in Spanish) at many of the popular underwater caves in the United States, Mexico and the Caribbean islands. These signs are available for installation in underwater caverns where a risk is perceived.

The NSS-CDS has purchased and manages the property to two cave systems in the State in the State of Florida - Cow Springs and Alachua Sink and helps private land owners who have underwater caves on their land with policies involving safety and accessibility.

Within the caving community, the NSS-CDS is known for its exploration, survey, cartography, photography, and cinematography of underwater caves. Maps of various underwater caves are available to purchase.

The Cave Diving Section has an active publications program, including an official bimonthly newsletter, Underwater Speleology, and conducts annual Safety Workshops for the exchange of current information on exploration, scientific discoveries, conservation, equipment innovation, and safety techniques. The Section has members throughout the United States and in many foreign countries. Membership is open to any interested individual.

NSS POLICY FOR CAVE CONSERVATION

The National Speleological Society believes: that caves have unique scientific, recreational, and scenic values; that these values are endangered by both carelessness and intentional vandalism; that these values,
once gone cannot be recovered; and that the responsibility for protecting caves must be assumed by those who study and enjoy them. Accordingly, the intention of the Society is to work for the preservation of caves with a realistic policy supported by effective programs for: the encouragement of self-discipline among cavers; education and research concerning the cause and prevention of cave damage; and special projects, including cooperation with other groups similarly dedicated to the conservation of natural areas.

Specifically: All contents of a cave; formations, life, and loose deposits are significant for its enjoyment and interpretation. Therefore, caving parties should leave a cave as they find it. They should provide means for the removal of waste; limit marketing to a few small and removable signs as are needed for
surveys; and especially, exercise extreme care not to accidentally break or soil formations, disturb life forms, or unnecessarily increase the number of disfiguring paths through an area.

Scientific collection is professional, selective and minimal. The collecting of mineral or biological material for display purposes, including previously broken or dead specimens, is never justified, as it encourages others to collect and destroy the interest of the cave.

The Society encourages projects such as: establishing cave preserves; placing entrance gates where appropriate; opposing the sale of speleothems; supporting effective protective measures; cleaning and restoring over-used caves; cooperating with private cave owners by providing knowledge about their
cave and assisting them in protecting their cave and property from damage during cave visits; and encouraging commercial cave owners to make use of their opportunity to aid the public in understanding caves and the importance of conservation.

Where there is reason to believe that publication of cave locations will lead to vandalism before adequate protection can be established, the Society will oppose such publication.

It is the duty of every Society member to take personal responsibility for spreading a consciousness of the cave conservation problem to each potential user of caves. Without this, the beauty and value of our cave will not long remain with us.

NSS-CDS TRAINING PROGRAM: PURPOSES AND GOAL

The primary purpose of The Cave Diving Section of the National Speleological Society (NSS-CDS) is to educate the general public in the proper procedures and techniques for participating in cavern or cave diving. Formal training stresses the importance of cave conservation.

The NSS-CDS is committed to the safe and proper enjoyment of the cave environment. The CDS believes that only after proper training and guided experiences can one visit underwater caves in a safe manner. Further, we believe that a properly trained cave diver will significantly reduce the damage that can be caused to the cave environment and its unique features.

The goals of the NSS-CDS Training Program include:

1. Establish and maintain standards for the training of SCUBA divers in
cavern and cave diving.

2. Establish and maintain standards for the development of cavern and
cave diving instructors.

3. Develop and make available outlines and other educational support
materials for cavern and cave diving training.

NSS-CDS TRAINING COURSE LEVELS

The following training course levels have been established by the NSS-CDS Training Program. The various training levels are designed and organized to encourage and allow for the participant to gain personal experience before they progress to another level. Certain training levels can be taught in combination at the discretion of the instructor.

CAVERN DIVER

This course develops the minimum skills and knowledge for cavern diving, and describes the dangers involved with cave diving. Planning, environment, procedures, techniques, problem solving, and other specialized needs of cavern diving are covered. Problem solving in cavern diving includes, but is not limited
to: body positioning (trim), buoyancy control, emergency procedures, line following, and propulsion techniques. Accident analysis forms the basis of this learning experience. Special emphasis on the unique environment includes silting, entanglement, disorientation, and equipment modifications. The Cavern Diver Course is in no way intended to provide instruction for cave diving.

This course level is an entry level program for those interested in cave diving, and is also a safety program for open water divers. It can be combined with the Introduction to Cave Diver course.

INTRODUCTION TO CAVE DIVER

This course covers the basic principles of actual cave diving. Accident analysis forms the basis of the training. Introduction to Cave Diver follows the Cavern course as the Cave Diving Section’s second step in the development of safe techniques for cave diving. The basis of this course is aimed at perfecting basic skills and the mastering of techniques and procedures required for the most elementary of cave dives. Cave dives are planned around very limited penetrations so that the diver may progress into cave diving as a conservative pace. The Introduction to Cave Diver course is not intended to train divers for all facets of cave diving.

This course develops the minimum skills and knowledge required for limited penetration (single or double cylinder) cave diving. Dive planning, cave environment, procedures, techniques, problem solving, and other specialized needs of cavern/cave diving are covered.

This course level can also be combined with the Cavern Diver course.

APPRENTICE CAVE DIVER

This is the third in a series of cave diver development training courses. Emphasis is upon dive planning and skill perfection through actual cave dives. Emphasis is upon dive planning and skill perfection through actual cave dives. Techniques learned through the earlier Introduction to Cave Diver and Cavern Diver courses are critiqued and expanded. Exposure to different cave diving scenarios is the foundation of this training.

The Apprentice Cave Diver course level represents the first half of the training ultimately required to complete the Cave Diver level, and is not intended to prepare divers for evaluating all facets of cave diving; a time-limited training card is issued upon completion. It is intended to expose students to basic
fundamental principles of cave diving. Students are encouraged to move on to the next level of training before attempting to plan and execute complex cave dives.

The Apprentice Cave Diver course can be combined with the Cave Diver course.

CAVE DIVER

This is the fourth in a series of cave diver development training courses. Exposure to more sophisticated cave-diving scenarios is the foundation of this training. Complex cave diving planning and execution is emphasized. Techniques learned during the previous training levels are refined in more challenging cave diving environments. The basics of underwater cave surveying are introduced.

This course level can also be combined with the Apprentice Cave Diver course.

STAGE DIVING

This is a specialty course level intended to help develop the participant’s skills and knowledge in extended penetration diving with the use of a stage cylinder. Longer decompression and more complex navigation concerns are covered.

DPV PILOT

This is a specialty course level. The purpose of the DPV (Diver Propulsion Vehicle) Pilot specialty course is to expose the trained cave diver to the basic fundamentals of the safe operation of diver propulsion vehicles in underwater caves while under the direct supervision of a qualified DPV Pilot Instructor. The
student is able to build practical experience in the field under controlled conditions. Safety practices, procedures and techniques common to most DPV’s used in the unique environment of a cave are covered.

Conservation considerations such as low-impact operation are emphasized. Potential emergency situations are simulated and practiced.

INTRODUCTION TO SIDEMOUNT DIVING

This is a specialty course level. This course is designed to expose the experienced cave diver to alternative cylinder and harness configurations when back-mounted cylinders are not appropriate or available.

BASIC U/W CAVE SURVEYING

This is a specialty course level. This course is designed to provide the participants with the fundamentals of surveying underwater caves. It is intended to motivate more divers to survey caves, to encourage the use of cave maps in dive planning, and to increase the quality of published cave maps. Additionally, this course is to promote standardization for all survey projects.

INTRODUCTION TO CARTOGRAPHY

This is a specialty course level. This is a data management-oriented course and is designed to introduce the basics of underwater cave map presentations. The goal of this course is to develop an ability to complete the surveying and map-making process and actually produce a map.

RECOVERY SPECIALIST

This is a specialty course level. The Recovery Specialist Course is a management-oriented course designed to introduce cave divers to the fundamentals of conducting and investigating a cave-diving related
fatality and recovery. Participants receive information as how the Recovery Team is organized, deployed to an accident scene and interacts with local law enforcement officers. The responsibilities at the accident scene, information gathering, organizing a search, determining equipment and diver needs for recovery, dealing with the media and completing necessary accident-investigation reports.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

CAVE DIVING SECTION of the NATIONAL SPELEOGICAL SOCIETY, INC.
P.O. BOX 950
BRANFORD, FLORIDA 32008-0950

Telephone: (850) 536-0351

WEBSITE: