What is a Cave Diving Traverse? | SCUBA 101

In this video, Jonathan explains the basic concept behind doing a cave diving traverse and some of the factors that are involved in planning a simple traverse.
Please note, THIS IS FOR ENTERTAINMENT PURPOSES ONLY!!! This video is not intended to be instructional and Jonathan is not an instructor. There is more to know about planning and conducting a safe traverse than we cover in this video.
#cavediving #scuba
JONATHAN BIRD'S BLUE WORLD is an Emmy Award-winning underwater science/adventure series featuring underwater cinematographer/naturalist Jonathan Bird.
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[@shaunspadafora7943]

I like the idea of everyone "proving" the traverse individually, because obviously we all have different gear, tank sizes, and air consumption. I'm thinking you cave divers might be onto something! 😀 Thanks, Jonathan, for providing a simple explanation for us simpletons!

[@oddivision9099]

The diver was determined to prove the traverse by reaching the cookie jar that was hidden deep inside the cave. He had heard rumors of a delicious treat that was bad for the diet but good for the soul. He put on his gear and plunged into the water, ready to prove the traverse, inside the dark and narrow passages. He followed the line that guided to the cookie jar, avoiding the fragile stalactites and stalagmites. He finally arrived at a large chamber where he saw a glowing jar on a pedestal. He swam towards it and opened it, finding a dozen chocolate chip cookies inside. He took one and ate it, feeling a surge of happiness. He had done it! He had reached the cookie! The traverse was proven! By the way, I loved the red alarm lights of the BlueHQ! Thank you!

[@shaunspadafora7943]

Can we please make freshly baked cookies a part of cave diving? Please?

[@kimichan5]

This was super informative!! Thank you for sharing. But I have to say it was really the artwork that impressed me most

[@BlueWorldplus]

LOL!

[@vvogt4252]

Great Video! Keep it Simple. Always Follow The Rules. Don't Change The Rules. Safety First, Always.

[@mohyaldin6492]

The "Phone call" idea is nice hahaha

[@BlueWorldplus]

That was a real phone call. So annoying!

[@ashleybeazley]

Nice shirt! Came here from dive talk

[@TheRealGrimmfury]

Jonathan, what a fun and informative video. I just got through watching yours and Dive Talk's full traverse videos. Loved them! Can't wait to see more!

[@JonDKillin]

You’re the best.

[@DKCGamerGirl]

Catching up on some of your latest videos! Always great at explaining things and the whiteboard diagrams are always great for visuals 🙂 Quick question: Is the Rule of Thirds used in non-cave diving as well? I'm reading a fiction book that involves deep sea diving where it's mentioned the characters are using the Rule of Thirds; a third for the descent and exploration, a third for decompression stops on the way back up, and a third as an emergency reserve. Makes sense that it would also be used this way for very deep dives (around 300 feet in the book), but wanted to verify the acccuracy on that.

[@BlueWorldplus]

I have never heard the rule of thirds used outside cave diving.

[@DKCGamerGirl]

@@BlueWorldplus Thank you! I don't seem to be comming across it mentioned outside of cave diving either, so perhaps just a mistake in the book.

[@Pnwdive]

That was awesome!!

[@chisaquaticvibe6524]

Dynamic work!

[@blitzstrahl]

Hey Jonathan, good video as always. :) Let's assume you realize after the 2nd test dive that you can't make the traverse, and decide against retrying with more gas. Would you go in one more time to retrieve your cookie?

[@BlueWorldplus]

Yes, generally. It's kinda considered bad form to just leave it there.

[@Teampegleg]

Or ask someone else to retrieve your cookies and if used reels/spools. Although that can get expensive, as there is a finders fee if someone specifically goes out and gets it for you. 1-6 beers depending on the value and difficultly of reaching the spot.

[@johnmontgomery2735]

Great video. Can you explain proving the traverse while on CCR where your carrying your bailout but not actually breathing from it?

[@BlueWorldplus]

In that case, it's a little more complicated and involves a gas management plan that includes calculating the range of your bailout. Generally, you work your way up to an unproven traverse with a rebreather.

[@TheUnknownDutchman]

How do you prove the traverse if you would end the dive with some serious deco? The way in will use significant less gas then the actual traverse. I don’t recall talking about this particular question in my full cave course.

[@tyronebrown3837]

Very much appreciated

[@ianstockdale964]

Great video buddy

[@FlyHighAndFar]

But what happens when after almost completing the traverse you find out that the (second) exit has been blocked and you cannot get out? (e.g. landslide, bolder moved, other diver stuck etc.) You then would find yourself with barely more than a third of the gas left for the way back...... Is that considered too remote a possibility in cave diving? I ( not a diver !) really thougth Jonathan would go about explaining some rule of 1/4th oder 1/5th for the case of the traverse ;-)

[@Yggdrasil42]

The chance of that is so small that we don't consider it. Technically it's not zero and it could happen on any cave dive, not just traverses. Well known examples are the death of Eric Establie (collapse) or the Plura cave incident (diver stuck). The fact that I can name them from memory shows how very rare it is.

[@Yggdrasil42]

Some ways in which you can mitigate that tiny risk is by bringing enough gas so you can reach the exit within the first third. You could stage extra tanks at points inside the cave on setup dives. Or bring stage tanks with you. That increases drag though and gives you a more bulky profile so we only do that when needed.

[@BlueWorldplus]

There is no way to completely mitigate every risk.

[@JustAllinOneResource]

I was watching a few videos on cave diving disasters, and I was was thinking why isn't there a device which would work like sonar where the diver pings his surroundings, and on a small monitor draws out the area around them. This way they can map out a visual digital copy of the cave, and have it show your position in the cave itself. I have ZERO knowledge of diving, or caving at all, I was just thinking that there has to be a way which would show your position in the cave while diving through sonar. Even if silt kills off all visibility it would serve as a real guide to get back to safety. You could go as far as having a electronic overlay on their diving mask which will appear drawing out a visual representation like a first person shooter (pc games) which would help you find your way through silt, and/or if you're lost. Has this been even looked into?

[@BlueWorldplus]

There are things like that for mapping caves but they are pretty big!

[@JustAllinOneResource]

@@BlueWorldplus That is interesting. I'm sure they could reduce the size since we live in the time of miniaturization. Thank You for replying, I appreciate it.

[@Dboy10810]

So was this traverse dive with Dive Talk guys a proved traverse or a 'trust me ' traverse? You didn't confirm it in the main video, did you? Is ok to do a trust dive? How do you approach it with intelligence and responsibility?

[@BlueWorldplus]

It's generally not considered a good idea to do a "trust me" traverse! This dive was in fact 3 small traverses strung together. Also, rebreather traverse rules are somewhat different since the gas supply is much larger. Since this is a cave with almost no flow, and the distances between the traverses are all well-known and mapped, you can calculate how much bailout you need on the rebreather to safely do the traverse. If this had been a new cave and we didn't know the conditions and how far it is, the approach would have been different.

[@danieltakawi9919]

Wouldn't it be a good idea to leave the cookie? So that you know if you use more than a third of your air before you reach the cookie and thus could turn back?

[@BlueWorldplus]

Yes, that's what the cookie is for. But at the end of both dives, you want to remove your cookie so the place doesn't end up with a zillion cookies.

[@danieltakawi9919]

@@BlueWorldplus No I mean wouldn't it be better to remove it after you've done the traverse?

[@mikea5745]

@@danieltakawi9919 In theory there is maybe a tiny benefit to leaving it on the second dive if you turned rather than completing the traverse, but it wouldn't be worth it. You don't want to leave the cookie behind. Leaving the cookie behind after your second dive puts more pressure on you to do another dive to retrieve it