Instructor Spyros Kollas.

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Healing mineral springs 30' from the center of Athens...

The Athens Vouliagmeni Lake!!!

Vouliagmeni means sunken and it is a small brackish water lagoon, that water comes from the mountain of Hymmetus.
After an earthquake the cavern collapsed probably during the middle age.
It continuous deep to the mountain in an underwater cave that it is very difficult to trace even by sonar.

The water temperature is 23 - 24 degrees Celsius 12 months a year and increases as far as you go further into the caverns and the cave.

For now the entrance to the cave is prohibited.

With the comfortable water temperature and the fish-spa, the lake functions as a year round spa too.

More about the lagoon here

You can also see more pictures here

Cavern Mapping Project

The lagoon has 4 big and deep caverns with crystal clear water and the maximum depth of each is 35 - 40m.

We will start the mapping of all the four caverns on Saturday 07/02/2015 and we will be conducting dives until the end of April.

This is an official invitation to anyone who is interested in cavern diving and who would like to join us and participate to this project.

This a great opportunity to dive the most unique place in Europe. Different kind of anemones, soft corals, fish-spa, warm water and amazing caverns are just some of the things you will enjoy in this place.

Read more information about this endemic kind of paranemonia which can be found only to Vouliagmeni Lagoon Attiki Paranemonia Vouliagmenisis

During the dives the participants will be supported with video debriefings, webinars, notes and seminars in order to help them to improve their existing knowledge and skills and to become even better, safe and thinking team divers.

For those who want to participate but have not yet certified as cavern divers, i will conduct two cavern classes, one in the beginning of the project 14/02/15 and another one on the 7th of April.

Sea Breaze will support the teams with cylinders, gases, sofnolime and additional equipment that maybe need.

The cost per dive is 30.00 euro

Included:

Insurance
Tanks
Survey and Mapping Handbook
Survey and Mapping Instructions
Cavern diver manual & additional notes

Not included:

Entrance fees to the lake 35.00 euro
Gases
Transportations

NOTE 1: Participants can attend the project with equipment that are certified to use, such as single or double cylinders, sidemount and rebreather.

NOTE 2: If not yet certified as cavern diver and the dates for the programmed classes do not fit to your schedule, you have the option to go for at least 6 dives in the project in order to apply for your cavern diver certification with 50% discount.

For your accommodation you can take a look here

For more details contact me here or leave your comment bellow.

Supported by

Are you at least PADI Advanced Open Water Diver or equivalent or higher?
Are you already certified as cavern diver and you want to learn new techniques and diving procedures or just to enjoy cavern diving in Greece?
Do you want to try the absolutely correct equipment for diving in overhead environments?
Do you want to explore hidden secrets of caves around the world?

If you are looking for adventures in the wildest parts on the earth, then you will need the Cavern Diver certification!

Cavern Diver course from17 to 21 of December 2014 !!!

Cavern diving is defined as any dive conducted in the ambient daylight zone at the entrance of a cave. The ambient daylight zone is the area near the cave entrance where you can see natural light and have access to the open water at all times.

There will be four training dives during the training. The first one will be from the shore in shallow water in order to practice in the use of the lines, roles in the team and emergency procedures.

The last three dives will conducted in several cavern areas. These penetration dives will be within the ambient daylight zone and 40m distance from the surface (including vertical and horizontal distance).

From Wednesday 17^th till Friday 19^th we will go through the

Theory:

Environmental protection
Accident analysis
Formations, underwater caves and terminology
Different types of entrance of underwater caves
Risks in caves
Equipment
Types of lines
Dive Planning and Procedures
Communications
Psychology and stress
Troubleshooting and emergency procedures

Land drills:

Line laying
Primary and secondary tie
Placements (methods and techniques)
Buddies & Formations
Communications (with contact - with lights - written)
Reel out

On Saturday 20^th and Sunday 21^st we will conduct the training dives that include

U/W Skills:

Trim - Buoyancy – Finning techniques.
Out of gas (OOG) procedures (2m long hose) / Location of the donor and recipient depending on the situation and the environment.
Primary - secondary ties and team positions.
Following the line techniques - group formations, permit procedures and roles.
Following the line in low visibility.
Following the line while OOG.
Line laying and reel out.
Rotation and changes of direction while on the line.
Placements of the line.
Pressure checks.
Communications and signals.
Primary and back up light handling.
Lost line procedures

In addition to natural advantages of the surrounding area of Vouliagmeni, there are three compelling reasons for diving the caverns of Vouliagmeni Lake

Warm water
Minimum Water temp in the Cavern is a high 25C / 76F all year round so no need for bulky uncomfortable dry suits and short dive times due to discomfort from getting cold.

Great Visibility
The water is crystal clear with average visibility is in the range of 60m / 200ft so that you can see more of what you expect to see.

Dive all year round
The conditions in the caverns change very little throughout the year and can be dived all year long so you do not have to worry about planning your cavern diving trip having seasonal limits.

Natural Fish Spa!!! No extra charge :)

The surrounding area of the lake with a luxury restaurant cafe

CAVERN DIVING IS AN AWESOME DIVING EXPERIENCE

Cavern Diving is different from open water diving as you dive in overhead environment without direct access to the surface during the dive.

For this reason it is very important that you only Cavern Dive with a properly certified guide who will give you a thorough pre dive briefing which will include the procedures and safety rules to ensure that your dive is both enjoyable and safe.

If you wish to dive in the Caverns of the Vouliagmneni Lake without a guide then you will first need to complete a Cavern Diver Course in order to learn all the theory and the skills so to dive safely in this environment.

If you wish to Cave Dive, you need to take further training and equipment in order to do it safely and enjoyable.

Cost: 250.00 euro

Including:
Diving manual and notes
Theory
Training dives
Certification
Back plate – wing BCD system
Liability insurance
Pictures and videos from the training

Excluding:
Lake entrance fees
Gases (Nitrox 32%)
Additional equipment

NOTE: Sidemount certified divers can participate by using sidemount setup.

In case of you wish to conduct the Cavern class in Sidemount configuration, you need to take the sidemount class before the beginning of the Cavern class. The duration of the SM class is 5 - 6 days with theory, land drills and six training dives. The cost for the Sidemount class is 500.00 euro.

ATTENTION: For those who will choose to take both classes they will take the all package with a discount of 30%!!!

Don’t miss this great opportunity to visit Greece and dive the most unique place in Europe!!!