Our choice for gas

I owe Lamar and
Lee Ann a helluva
lot, so they always get a free plug

Sidemounting (and Other Specialties)

Ten years from now, your back will thank you: Sidemounting is about a lot more than just getting into low, wide spaces. A number of mature sidemounters seldom, if ever, venture places they could not go using backmount. So why do these divers choose to sidemount?

They simply don’t want their ability to cave dive into their 50s and 60s jeopardized by a back injury caused by wrestling with heavy doubles.

Sidemounting offers numerous benefits.

• You can carry your cylinders into the water one at a time, with minimal risk to your back.

• At many sites, you can even roll your tanks to the water, using a standard hand truck.

• When you travel, you are not limited by the availability of backmount doubles. So long as there are single cylinders available, you can sidemount.

• You can finally look up and clearly see what is in front of you — without banging your head on a manifold.

• You never again have to worry about gas loss due to catastrophic manifold failure — or about your ability to reach your manifold’s turnwheels in an emergency.

And, yes, sidemount is perfect for getting into tight spaces (but there is nothing that says you have to).

Cave Diver Harry’s specializes in helping cave divers make the move to this versatile configuration. (There is a lot more to sidemounting than most divers can teach themselves; it helps immensely to draw on others’ experience.) We also specialize in the use of the Dive Rite Nomad, which is by far the most versatile and highly configurable sidemount harness available.

There are two sidemounting programs available:

Sidemount Orientation: This one-day program program provides certified divers of any experience level with a solid introduction to sidemounting. It covers everything from finding the right sidemount configuration for you, to dive planning, emergency procedures and more. This is the perfect starting point for those whose interest in sidemounting may extend only to just getting a load off of their backs — but it can also be a good preparatory program for those wishing to continue on into the Sidemount Specialty course. This program (or equivalent sidemount certification from another agency) is essential for anyone wanting to complete any portion of their basic Cave Diver curriculum in sidemount. Completion of this course results in a PADI Open Water Sidemount Diver specialty certification.

NSS-CDS Sidemount Cave Diver Course: If you are serious about getting into the kinds of places that only sidemount will let you go, this is the program for you. It is an experiential program devoted to advanced penetration and exploration techniques. To qualify for this course, you must have logged at least 50 cave dives past completion of your full Cave Diver course. Prior sidemount experience is a must.

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Other Specialties

Other specialties we teach include:

• Stage Cave Diver: When you have seen just about all that can be seen using a third of back-mounted doubles, the first step in extending your range is to learn the safe and proper use of stage bottles. It’s not something you can learn yourself, however. Knowledgeable and experienced guidance helps. That’s what we provide.

• DPV Cave Diver: If this was the Marine Corps, we’d refer to diver propulsion vehicles as force multipliers. They get you farther, faster, with less gas. They can also get you in serious trouble equally as fast. Safe DPV use not only requires a unique set of skills, it also requires an entirely different approach to dive planning and gas management. Find out why this is not a do-it-yourself learning opportunity.

Each of these programs has specific prerequisites and equipment requirements. Contact us for more information.

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