Cave Diving Etiquette, Ego & Evolution – A Conversation with Terrence Tysall

Broadcast from High Springs in the heart of North Florida cave country, this episode of Pod Diver Radio goes deep into cave diving etiquette, culture, and how tech training has changed over the last few decades. Joe sits down with his original cave instructor, Terrence Tysall – now NAUI's Director of Training and VP of Operations, Cambrian Foundation co-founder, former Texas A&M DSO, and long-time explorer. They look back at the early days of cave and trimix diving, mentorship from legends like Tom Mount, Bill Hamilton, and Sheck Exley, and how today's gear and training culture have reshaped who's going into the overhead. Using real recent dives at Ginnie Springs, Little River, and Peacock as case studies, Joe and Terrence break down what good cave etiquette looks like – exits having priority, scooter behavior in the Eye, not dropping on top of someone's deco, and how to interact with open-water divers in caverns without being "that" cave diver. Terrence also tackles bigger questions: – Why are some instructors only tech diving when they're teaching? – How social media and ego are driving Dunning–Kruger in the caves – Why checklists, gas analysis, and old-school line protocols still matter in a high-tech world – Five practical ways we can bring the community spirit back to cave country If you dive caves—or want to—this episode is a reality check on how we treat each other underground and how to keep the culture from devolving as the sport grows.