Survey Protocol


Any exploration without surveying is considered irresponsible,
un respectful and no fair with the cave revealing its secrets.
In fact is the only way to plan for effective further exploration
and prove you been there and are working on the area,
minding to maintain the exploration etiquette protocols.

Adequate surveying will finalize in mapping which assist in
dive planning minding diver safety but as well bring more
understanding of the cave itself. Mapping is a whole topic
itself.

In the old days solo diving was the rule and not the exception
like in modern team diving, which besides been safer (as the
increase in redundancy in case of failures), is definitely more
fun to share it with friends.

So traditionally the solo explorer will lay the line in and survey
on the way out, as normally will not comeback in a long time if
at all. This old technique has taken its toll on divers. The
most recent the decease Cave Diving Instructor Steve
Berman which mapping his backyard cave famous Genie
Spring in Florida USA, he run out of back gas in a solo single
scooter, stage survey cave dive, he was found 150ft-50 mt
form his stage bottle and scooter. No failures found.

So if we are to learn from this we can’t stick to the old ways
and most rethink our surveying techniques. Surveying out
takes much longer than exploring while laying line. Surveys
are done careless as you basically rushing out, you can’t be
rushing to make a good survey, but obviously if you focus to
much then you run out of gas.

In any case we survey on the way IN cause if something goes
wrong you call the dive and have all the data till you were.

Ok, so how about you laid the line, and as you go survey?
Then you have a really experience explorer-surveying team.
and/or are diving rb’s.

Even so personally I think the best is to survey in a second
dive giving you more familiarity with the area, plan the dive
accordingly. Besides letting you observe better the passage
you just visit and hopefully find new leads to explore.

So to start a survey you must be adequately prepared you
need to set up your line before going exploring and/or
surveying. There are different ways to mark the line most
common with tape and with knots. Taping line can be mark
with a pen marker but most be laid in progressing order which
creates confusion when you restart or go in several side
passages also in zero viz is helpless the drawn arrows.

Knotting the line has advantages that it will not erase with
age and can be felt during survey even if in momentary low
viz as is common in unexplored passages. Arrow markers
replace the drawn arrows even in zero visibility.

We use knots but can not be to far apart or in a short shot
your line will have not markings, Mexico caves have been
explored and survey with 3mt – 10ft knots proving effective
for even the smallest passages. Yep that is a lot of knots in
over 250km of cave passages explored.

Then you need to lay the line without damaging the cave or
endangering divers using the line in a zero visibility scenario,
here were those several hundreds of cave dives prior using
your primary reel will come handy.
What? Your reel skills are weak? Well EOL (End Of Line) is
not a good place to learn, however surveying will strength
your skills.

BTW number one diver is always the one with the reel, never
go inside unexplored passage, with the line behind you.

At some times not mark line passages need to be re done, as
in place new marked line in order to survey it, and then
remove old line, basically you have to clean somebody else
mess.

So the adequate protocol to survey:

So we dive preferably in 3 diver team for a lay line + survey
dive, one diver job is to laid line , second diver is to survey
third diver has the hard job of maintain team together and
keep dive time in control. In reality everybody is supposed to
be assisting other areas as in to help place the line if need it,
give Light, memorizing features and obviously keeping dive
times in control.

In a two people team the job must be divided in at least 2
dives, one to lay the line and one two survey.

Also a couple teams separated could work. Obviously one is
running the line, while the second team is surveying it

The data recollected must be extremely organized and
reference or it will create wrong info which then has to be
redone.

Here is an example of the data management with our Survey
Report Sheet.

I copy exactly that in my wet notes and use my arm compass
(remove it), then complete info out of the water same day
while is “mind fresh” into the survey report sheet.

You need to collect this data at least station number, line
azimuth bearing, distance to next station, station depth, side
of the wall or up, down, left and right distance to the roof,
floor, and walls for a 3D map also completing with comments
on that station helps better map drawing

Obviously practicing this on land is the best way to get
familiar with the sequence.

Now if you bother in doing all this share it when you are done!
Cave Explorer Knowledge Base