UKDIVING
PHOTO : JOHN CORDINGLEY
Negotiating an underwater constriction
PHOTO : CHRIS JEWELL have taken the total diving distance required to reach the end of the cave to 9,375m .
The CDG has also excelled in diving in remote and difficult places with complex logistics . In 2010 , in Canada ’ s freezing Castleguard cave , a day ’ s skiing from the nearest road , Martin Groves succeeded in finally passing the 845m long ‘ Boon ’ s sump ’ to discover a new unexplored gallery . In 2013 , an expedition to the Mexican Sistema Huautla led by Chris Jewell and Jason Mallinson used closed circuit rebreathers to push Sump 9 to a water depth of 81m , establishing the 1,545m ‘ total depth ’ and a Western Hemisphere depth record .
Throughout this period , CDG divers were also involved in a number of overseas rescues , culminating in the successful rescue of the 12 schoolboys and their football coach from the Tham Luang cave in Thailand in
2018 . This rescue was the result of years of cave exploration experience and the development of problem-solving skills all fostered by the unique club that is the Cave Diving Group . The success of this operation against all odds is a clear testimony to the dedication and skill of our members .
Throughout its 75-year history , the CDG has constantly contributed to the evolution of the cave diving equipment and techniques . Behind all of the mentioned exploratory achievements is a detailed and methodical approach to training and record keeping . The group has published three cave diving manuals in this time , which contain many hard learnt lessons and numerous sump indexes . It also publishes a quarterly newsletter , which records all the ongoing cave exploration undertaken by CDG members .
What makes a good UK cave diver ?
First and foremost , in the UK , a good cave diver is a good caver ; while this may not be the case elsewhere , good caving skills are essential to both reach and safely navigate British sumps , often cold , constricted and with poor visibility and no option for a buddy to assist . This high stress loading calls for a calm head and the ability to apply reason over emotion even under intense pressure . Some words from the Cave Diving Manual : “ Cave diving calls for complete self-reliance and independence of judgement , which does not imply ignoring the experience of others … the diver ’ s responsibility for safety is his and his alone , if he delegates responsibility for any part of the operation , he does so at his own risk … he should examine his motivation for cave diving … he must to a great extent live cave diving as well as practice it … this is a hard doctrine to accept , nevertheless it is one born of experience .”
PHOTO : CHRIS JEWELL
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