Cave Dive Florida GuestbookThank you for reading or signing my guestbook. Many divers use this as a resource to contact other divers who have dived and trained with me. I encourage you to contact people who have signed this guestbook and check my references for yourself. Safe Diving; Jim Wyatt 352-363-0013 There are currently 112 messages.
After 19 years of diving, I have thought of cave diving. I have an interest to try it - if I don't care for it - I have had the experience. I would like to have correspondence with you. You come recommended by people I trust. Regards, Steven Shipe TDI DM#11082
I had great time diving & learning with Jim. He did a great job showing us how to rig our scooters and safely use them in a cave environment. Furthermore, it was good practice going through all of the out of air drills and and towing skills that every scooter diver should should be able to perform safely and efficiently. Thanks Jim!
Just completed Jim's DPV Cave course with Andy and Steve last week. As DPV newbies Jim took Steve and I through the basics and progressively added skills for us to practice to the point where we feel comfortable and safe with DPV use in an overhead environment. It was challenging to keep up with Andy's rocketship N-19 on our more pedestrian UV-18's as well as to get our DPV skill levels up to Andy's considerably more polished ones! We were lucky enough to start the course right after the NFSA Social at Madison, so Jim even grilled lunch for us the first two days - now I'm really spoiled! As with the other courses I've taken with Jim (Full Cave and Stage), his emphasis is on safety, team awareness and cave conservation, qualities that form the cornerstone of safe cave diving. From showing us how to rig/weight our scooters to all the skills needed to operate them safely, Jim did a superb job. His considerable teaching a@!#%&en enable students to assimilate the critical skills needed to cave dive in as safe a manner as possible - and he's a fun guy to hang out with to boot!
Thanks for taking Brian and I into your DPV course and hammering us until we got it right. The class was very comprehensive and the proper rigging of the scooter was very beneficial to handling the scooter in the cave for towing, clipping off the mainline, and especially for staging it for swimming out. When you start as DPV cave newbies and "not knowing what you don't know" your class shows just how important training and maintaining drills is to safe cave diving with a DPV. Additionally, taking the extra time and doing it over 3 days shows how dedicated you are in insuring that your students know what they need. After 3 days we are both tired and beat-up a bit but now we know what we need to do to be more proficient. Be assured that we will drill ourselves to death and start out very conservative in using our DPVs. Thanks again Jim!
i really hope to take your cave course sometime this year. it was good to meet you down at ginnie. chris mcbeath
I stayed at Jim's Rum Island facility and trained with him for a total of 7 days--1 in the classroom and 6 straight in the caves. We both agreed that a day off would have benefited both of us, but despite the exhaustion, it was a great experience that taught me a lot. Jim has this funny concept that he does not want former students to die in caves. Conveniently enough, I have a similar concept: I do not want to die in a cave. There are two ways to avoid dying in a cave: (1) don't go into caves, and (2) dive safely once you are in them. I chose option #2. Jim was able to point out my errors (which were legion) without turning me into a sobbing mass of goo. I was put through the paces en route to my apprentice rating, and I am eager to complete my training in the near future. I am one who is able to cook my own food, etc. The Rum Island facility was ideal for me. It was like staying at home, with all the facilities I needed, and then taking a brief trip from my front door for my training.
I just took my Basic-Full Cave, Advanced Nitrox, and Staged Decompression with Jim a few weeks ago during the record cold snap in January. Despite the harsh conditions, we still managed to finish most of the training (didn't get to do stage diving). Jim pushed me in more ways than I ever imagined, and as a result, I feel that I learned more in a week than I have in the last 7 years I've been diving. As a petite woman, I often find that others feel the need to "help" me with gear, etc. Not Jim. He made sure that I was fully capable of handling everything independently, ensuring my own self-suffiency. However, this is not to say that he didn't patiently answer my endless questions or assist me should I need it. Also, I truly appreciate the way Jim trains his students; I never felt endangered in any way during our class. He will not leave his students in an overhead environment, nor shut off their gas supply underwater. He also conducts certain drills using blacked out masks so that he can still view the student at all times. Jim is a demanding teacher- he makes it clear from day one that just because you pay for the class, does not mean you will earn your certification. Consequently, I feel that passing was a huge achievement, and that I am now adequately equipped to dive safely in overhead environments. Jim is someone that I deeply respect and would not hesitate to take another class with. To be completely honest, this class was one of the most physically and mentally challenging things I have ever done (the 30 degree weather didn't help either!), but also one of the most rewarding. Thank you so much Jim - solid training is invaluable! Please feel free to contact me with any further questions!
Jimmy, sounds like you are still doing good for yourself - I was telling my wife how you gave me and Mike Gard a crash course in scuba diving down in the Keys, a fun time I'll never forget - last time I drove through Ringgold it was still the same small town with a lot of memories...and Gard is wearing a uniform again! Take care my friend, Troy
We've been cave diver certified for 9 years. We took a DVP class with Jim. We took several classes for different instructors and Jim is an excellent one. He's passionate about cave diving. We had fun diving with him all through the class. Thanks Jim!
I came down for the NSS-CDS Cavern and Basic Cave class over the long labor day weekend. I was on the fence whether I would like Cave diving but I knew that some of the skills taught for Cavern and Cave diving would be a cross over for Wreck and Ice diving...which I enjoy. I have taken a few courses both Rec and Tech through other agencies and instructors and most have been the pay and get your card, while you receive minor training....I was tired of those type classes and instructors. Card collecting is great but proper skill development is priceless.....and may even save your life. Jim's courses are tough and he is not shy about letting you know where you stand or what he doesn't like…you won’t pass if he feels you are not meeting the skills. He doesn't belittle you, but instead shows you what you need to work on and gives some suggestions. I think every diver that can handle an overhead environment should take these courses regardless if they plan to go full cave, as it will make you a better and more aware diver. The courses are tough and will be eye openers for most people but, if taken seriously, in the end you will become a better diver regardless if you pass the courses or not. I know I took home a lot of sobering lessons, even some as a result of an unfortunate event, but those lessons will stick with me on every dive. I plan on coming back to finish my Full cave training and possibly taking OC Trimix Cave course with Jim too. We also stayed in trailer which was a very nice alternative to a hotel room, so if you are having a tough choice....choose the trailer you will be glad you did. If you want a student’s perspective don't hesitate to email me timm.hagen@mchsi.com.
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