Guidelines Guidelines

Temporary Lines
Guideline Protocols Used by diving team to connect to the cave’s main line
• Reels / spool
• Primary reel >400’
Line Markers • Diver #1 runs reel
• Don’t use other teams’ tie-off’s
Permanent Line
• Don’t cross above other teams’ lines
Simple guideline navigation • Don’t move or touch other teams’ lines or gear
• Preferable to go around other teams’ lines to prevent confusion
under stress
• Primary tie-off MUST BE IN OPEN WATER. Preferable ~10ft/3m
• Secondary tie off in the overhead. Preferable in 20ft/6m
• Placements on straight line
• Tie-offs to avoid line traps
Number one cause of cave diving fatalities has been the lack of • Last man out retrieves line
having a continuous guideline to the surface • Leave line in place if exiting from OOG or emergency

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Guidelines Guidelines

Primary Tie-Off Secondary Tie-Off

• Allows for direct ascent with no visibility and in open water
• Preferable to tie at 10ft/3m • Must be in the overhead
• Preferably at 20ft/6m – Good for deco, O2 bottle drop
• If no viz in OW, tie primary on land, outside water
• Takes stress off primary tie
• Primary tie – unlock reel, wrap loop around object, reel through
loop, choke back to lock w/ double wrap around object • Keeps tension and continuity on line

Team Provides Team Provides

• Find and illuminate tie off points • Find and illuminate tie off points
• Travel direction, placements • Travel direction, navigation, placements
• Light – direction and position • Light – direction and position
• Help undo the tie off on exit • Help undo the tie-off on exit

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 Guidelines Guidelines

Placements Primary Tie-Off Procedures (Tying into the Main Line)

• Keeps tension on line • Signal team “tie off”

• Keeps line out of the way and clean • 3 turns over the mainline
• Avoid unnecessary tie-offs • Double-ender / bolt snap clips on reel line,
• All team members can do it pointing toward exit
• Is not required • Preferable near the start of the mainline,
but in heavily used caves, it’s good
• Not acceptable if line is making a 90 practice to leave several feet between end
degree turn (horizontal or vertical) of mainline and tie-off point to allow other
• Risk of line traps teams to tie behind you

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Guidelines Guidelines

Line Markers Line Markers

Cookie (non-directional)
Directional
• Doesn’t provide any direction REM
• Provides direction information information • Directional to the team only.
• Double wrap attachment • Single, double, and no wrap Does not cause confusion
• Arrows point to the nearest exit • Used to mark team’s exit against with other teams
• Can cause confusion with other system arrow, mark penetration • Can be used in place of an
teams point (circuit), or to indicate a arrow and cookie
landmark (possible lead, etc) for
later use
• Does not cause confusion with
other teams REM (double wrap)
REM (no wrap)
REM (single wrap)

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 Guidelines Guidelines

Storing Line Markers Sharing the Primary Reel (Multiple Teams)

• Each cave diver needs a minimum of 3 • All teams must discuss and know each team’s dive plan
directional and 3 non-directional • Each team places a non-directional marker on the
• Individual markings, colors for quick primary reel line at the tie-off point
identification • When exiting, each team must remove only their team
• Can be numbered marker
• Stored in pocket – if used often, can • Last team’s marker indicates all other teams are out, so
store on chest d-ring they remove their marker and reel out
• When in doubt, leave in place

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Guidelines Guidelines

Permanent Lines T’s, Y’s, Trifurcates

• A “T”, also called a “Y”, is a split on the line,
• Lines laid by explorers when the cave was originally presenting the diver with a navigational
explored decision
• Are marked with directional markers (arrows) placed by • Trifurcate is when line splits in more than two
the explorers directions. Operationally, “T’s” and
• Used not only as a continuous guideline, but also for trifurcates are treated the same
survey by original explorers • May have several exits, including exits
• Typically gold kernmantle rope in popular caves different than the team’s. If several exits
exist, double arrows will indicate the nearest
• Other materials include nylon braider, and also nylon
exit
twisted
• ALL T’s, Y’s, and trifurcates MUST BE
• Provides cave divers a guideline to visit the cave
MARKED WITH NON-DIRECTIONAL
Exploration Reel with #18 line
• Allows for exit, including no-vis MARKERS

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 Guidelines Guidelines

Understanding T’s Marking T’s

Double exit T. Exits exist

in both directions, with the
T with permanent closest exit to the left,
marker (line arrow), indicated by the double
Exits right and left. Left exit is marked with a REM. arrows. The team’s exit is
Exits left and right, equidistant
closer, indicated by double arrows to the right, marked by the
REM.
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Guidelines Guidelines

Spool Protocols
When Arrows Reverse
• Used to ensure a continuous guideline
• Arrows reverse when there are two exits equidistant • Often used to connect two permanent lines that are not connected
(“jump” or “gap”)
• Team marks the first reverse arrow with a REM,
indicating their exit direction • Typically tied from a REM
• Tie off not required unless 90 degree (horizontal or vertical)
• Subsequent arrow don’t need to be marked, but if
there is any uncertainty, they can be marked • If other teams’ have ties into the line, proper etiquette is to tie into the
line on the exit side of the exiting team. This ensures that on their exit
Procedures: they don’t encounter your line / temporary T and eliminates confusion
• Diver #1 signals team “reverse arrow” and on their exit
illuminates the reverse arrow • Double-ender clipped to spool/reel line (indicating exit direction)
• Team signals “Ok” • NEVER use a safety spool for any reason other than emergency

• Diver #1 places a REM on the team’s exit side of • If there is a team separation / lost diver, all spools and reels are to be Photo by Nick Ambrose
left in place. DO NOT REMOVE ANY EQUIPMENT FROM THE CAVE
the arrow

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 Guidelines Guidelines

Gap Protocols Jump Protocols

• If no permanent marker, attach non-directional • If no permanent marker, attach REM marker (pointing to your exit)
marker to line you will be leaving to line you will be jumping from.
• Tie-off not required unless 90 degree turn • Permanent marker (arrow) is preferred
(horizontal or vertical)
• Tie-off not required unless 90 degree turn (horizontal or vertical)
• Placements may be applied
• Placements may be applied
• Leave other teams’ spools on cave side
• Leave other teams’ spools on cave side
• Clip double-ender to spool/reel line, indicating
exit direction • Clip double-ender to spool/reel line, indicating exit direction
• NEVER use a safety spool for any reason other • NEVER use a safety spool for any reason other than emergency
than emergency • NO VISUAL JUMPS

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