Stage Cave Diver Specialty Course

This course is intended to develop the student’s skills and knowledge in extended penetration cave diving with the use of stage cylinders. During training, you are exposed to longer decompression times and more complex navigation scenarios.

The primary focus of the Stage Diver course is the proper rigging, handling and use of stage cylinders. Strong emphasis is placed on accurate gas planning among all cylinders used on the dive, including decompression cylinders. The candidate will, with instructor review and approval, plan and execute a series of extended range dives.
In addition to all equipment required at the NSS-CDS/NACD (Full) Cave Diver level, each candidate must provide two single tanks (AL80s preferred) and an in-water decompression cylinder properly marked as such.

Please review the Equipment Considerations section of this website for further discussion of dive gear.

Please be aware that enrollment in an NSS-CDS/NACD course, at any level, does not assure certification. Due to the risks involved in longer penetration stage cave dives, only those students who meet specific performance criteria will earn their certification. Of key importance as the diver makes his way through Stage Cave Diver is excellent buoyancy control, a high degree of comfort in the water and a keen awareness of the environment. In-water skills include all those which have been performed at previous levels on an "unannounced" basis, complex dive planning and complex navigation skills.

Completion of the Stage Diver course requires two days, a minimum of three dives at two different sites and completion of a written examination (80% or greater required to pass).

Prerequisites: NACD or NSS-CDS (Full) Cave diver, GUE II or equivalent.

Certifications Available: NSS-CDS, NACD.

This course may be combined with TDI Extended Range Diver training.

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