Accreditation

UIS Cave Diving Commission

Accreditation as Subaquatic Speleologist

As a result of lack of understanding of its specificities, Speleological Exploration by the means of cave diving has become difficult or is on the verge to become impossible in some countries. To obtain authorizations, Subaquatic Speleologists are asked to present certification cards issued by recreational commercial cave diving agencies.

To distinguish our Speleological practice from the recreational form of cave diving, the commission during the 2009 International Congress in Kerville/Tx (USA) thus has adopted the term of “Subaquatic Speleology” (Subaquatic Speleologist and Underwater Caver) to designate Speleologists that explore caves and artificial cavities by the means of dive gear.

It has also been decided to implement a formal accreditation to endorse Subaquatic Speleologists facing such situations. This accreditation ”Habilitation as Underwater Caver” is delivered by the President of the Cave Diving Commission of the UIS upon request.

To substantiate their request, applicants should prove that they are proficient with the skills and techniques of cave diving commonly used in their home country, submitting a complete* application file to the cave diving delegate of their Speleological Federation who will approve or disapprove their request.

The approved application file will be transmitted by the delegate by email to the President of the Cave Diving Commission of the UIS who will then deliver the accreditation documents to the applicants without charging any fees.

* The application file must document a.o. the number of dives, the name of the caves, depth, distance and time as well as the equipment used like OC Air-Mixed Gas or Rebreather.

Recognized Habilitation Levels

The commission has defined several levels of habilitation, each attesting to recognized expertise in specific areas of cave diving:

Full Cave Diver: This level recognizes comprehensive competency in cave diving, enabling individuals to operate autonomously and safely in complex cave environments.
Full Cave Diver Trimix: This habilitation goes beyond “Full Cave Diver” by attesting to proficiency in the use of helium-based gas mixtures (trimix) for deeper or longer dives, where binary gases (air, nitrox) are no longer suitable.
Full Cave Diver CCR Trimix: This is the most advanced level, recognizing competence in cave diving with a closed-circuit rebreather (CCR) and the use of trimix. CCRs offer significant advantages in terms of autonomy and gas management but require extensive training and experience.
Instructor: It acknowledges and integrates their ability to train and transmit the specific knowledge and skills required for exploratory cave diving.

UIS Cave Diving Commission

Accreditation

Recognized Habilitation Levels

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