Cave diving

Cave diving is the exploration of submerged natural cave systems using scuba or other underwater breathing equipment. It combines underwater navigation with the hazards of overhead environments, where direct ascent to the surface is impossible.

Cave diving guideline: A continuous line installed from the cave entrance into a submerged cave to guide divers back to open water. It provides a tactile route home when visibility disappears.
Scuba diving: Underwater diving in which a diver carries an independent supply of breathing gas. Cave diving builds on scuba while adding overhead-environment constraints.
Karst hydrogeology: The study of groundwater flow and landforms in soluble rocks such as limestone. Cave dives can reveal how water moves through otherwise inaccessible karst systems.
Cavern diving: Diving in the entrance zone of a cave where natural light remains visible and a direct route to open water is maintained. Unlike cave diving, cavern diving stays within a limited, daylight-accessible zone.
Gas management: The planning and monitoring of breathing-gas supply to ensure enough remains for a dive and its return. Cave divers plan gas for the entire team’s exit, not merely their own return.
Cave: A natural underground void large enough for a person to enter. Submerged cave passages are the physical environment cave divers explore.
Underwater archaeology: The study of human history through archaeological evidence preserved underwater. Submerged caves can preserve artifacts and human remains beyond ordinary access.
Wreck diving: The exploration of submerged shipwrecks, sometimes involving penetration into enclosed spaces. Wreck penetration shares overhead hazards but involves artificial structures rather than natural passages.
Cave diving communication: Methods divers use to exchange information underwater, including lights, touch, and line signals. Teams need reliable signals when speech and visibility are unavailable.
Decompression theory: Models describing how inert gases enter and leave body tissues under changing pressure. Long cave dives may require staged ascents and decompression stops.

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