Move from Cavern into Cave
IANTD Introductory Cave Diver is the next overhead step after a diver has learned light-zone cavern or limited mine procedures. The official IANTD page describes the Introductory Cave or Mine Diver program as an introduction to the cave diving environment for sport divers. It moves the student beyond basic cavern awareness while still keeping the training within defined limits and emphasizing disciplined overhead procedures.
The course is intended for divers who already hold an appropriate overhead entry credential. IANTD lists certification prerequisites as IANTD Wreck Diver, IANTD Cavern Diver, IANTD Limited Mine Diver, or equivalent. Students must be at least 15 for diver qualification with parent or guardian authorization when required, and must provide proof of at least 30 logged dives. No dives may be conducted deeper than 132 feet or 40 meters during the program.
Training includes academic sessions, confined-water sessions, and overhead dive sessions using the IANTD Introductory Cave Diver Student Kit. At Extreme Exposure in High Springs, Florida, the course is a serious step into cave procedures: divers refine line work, communication, buoyancy, gas planning, emergency thinking, and team discipline while learning how cave environments change the consequences of ordinary mistakes. It prepares divers for more advanced cave training only after comfort and judgment are built at this level.
