Sixth Grade
Worksheets
Cave Diving
If you don't mind being underground and underwater at the same time, there is a unique extreme sport for you. Cave diving is when a person uses SCUBA equipment to explore underwater caves. It is one of the most dangerous sports in the world, but people who love it say that the underwater views are spectacular. Cave diving is a great challenge for people who like to explore and study caves.
Why might a person like this extreme sport? Cave diving can lead to exploring caves that may have never been explored before. The diver can see amazing stalactites and stalagmites. Stalactites point down from the top of the cave. Stalagmites point up from the bottom of the cave. Lots of stalactites, stalagmites, and columns make the caves look like underwater castles.
Unlike traditional SCUBA divers, cave divers often can't swim straight up or down. The diver often has to swim long horizontal distances to reach a new passageway or opening to the cave. This is called penetration diving. It is dangerous because in an emergency, the diver can't go right back up to the surface easily. Caves are dark and can have strong water currents.
