ABOUT ME

Cave diver — Educator — Explorer

I am Skanda Coffield-Feith, a CAVE, TECHNICAL, and REBREATHER diving instructor.

When not training, I spend my time as a CAVE EXPLORER. I am based in Tulum, Mexico, a ten-minute drive from the world's longest underwater cave systems. 

I am originally from Melbourne, Australia, but my first dive was in Koh Tao, Thailand (2006), where I took my OW Course and was immediately hooked.

I spent some years diving in some of the best locations around South East Asia as a recreational diver before discovering that I could dive in Melbourne. While diving in my hometown, I was introduced to technical diving and heard about cave diving from another member of the University Scuba Club I was part of. During a trip to Mount Gambier, I was introduced to the famous Australian caves and decided to became a CAVE DIVER.

In 2014 I made it to Mexico for the first time, and completed OW Scuba Instructor Training, while at the same time  finished full cave diver training. After spending nearly six months staying in Playa Del Carmen and doing as much cave diving as I could, I was thoroughly hooked. A second trip in 2015 opened up the possibility of living and working in Mexico.

Cave explorer wearing a helmet and headlamp in a partially submerged cave passage.
A scuba diver underwater holding a notebook and compass, wearing a helmet and dive equipment.

Since 2016 I have lived in Tulum, making cave diving a full-time occupation. I have been guiding, and teaching during this time, as well as diving here.

I have also cave dived in Florida, Madagascar, France, Sardinia, mines in Belgium, Hungary, Romania, and Bosnia. Over the years, I developed my teaching, gaining experience training students through the cave levels (as I continued my instructor training) and learning from my mentors at ProTec Dive Centers. This has allowed me to draw on my background and education as a secondary school teacher and my passion for cave diving exploration.

I teach OPEN CIRCUIT CAVE COURSES up to CAVE DECOMPRESSION and SURVEY, as well as CCR TRAINING on the KISS SIDEWINDER.
Understanding certification is just the beginning, I can guide certified divers to the limits of their certification. Mentoring and coaching days focusing on a particular skill or training area can also be arranged.

When I am not teaching, I am out in the jungle exploring new cave systems, if not actively hiking around, I spend many hours resurveying existing cave lines. I have also been involved in remarkable exploration projects in Mexico, and Australia, and I am always looking for the next project!

courses and training

  • A cave diver in red diving suit exploring an underwater cave with a flashlight.

    Diver Certifications

    [2024] — DiveRite Choptima CCR + GUE Fundamentals

    [2020] — KISS Sidewinder CCR + Normoxic and Hypoxic Trimix CCR Diver

    [2019] — Cave CCR Diver

    [2018] — Overhead DPV Diver

    [2017] — Pelagian and JJ CCRs + Stage and Multistage

    [2016] — Cave Survey

    [2014] — IANTD /TDI Full Cave Diver + Sidemount Cave Diver

    [2012] — TDI Advanced Nitrox & Deco Procedures

    [2011/2012] — Cave Divers Association of Australia Deep Cavern and Cave Diver

  • Cave divers exploring a dark, rocky underwater cave with flashlights, illuminating the rough, jagged walls and floor.

    Instructor Certifications

    [2023] — TDI instructor crossover

    [2022] — KISS Sidewinder MOD 1 Instructor + Cave Decompression Instructor

    [2021] — Stage Cave Workshop + Advanced Nitrox Instructor

    [2020] — Cave Survey Workshop

    [2019] — Full Cave Instructor

    [2018] — Intro to Cave

    [2017] — Cavern

    [2016] — ABC/Open Water Sidemount Instructor

    [2014] — Open Water Specialty Instructor

EXPLORATIONS,
expeditions
AND projects

Venn diagram of atbash, affine, and LCD ciphers

[2023 -2025] — Naval area of Sac Actun, resurvey and exploration + Ongoing exploration in Muyil and Tulum projects

[2023-24] — Cenote Corazon del Paraiso exploration

[2023] – Pannikin Plains Expedition, Nullabor Plains, Western Australia

[2022] – Blue Abyss deep project, Plasma Torus

[2021] – The Void – deep cave exploration 

[2020] – Cenote Santa Maria exploration

[2019-2020] — Cenote Bruce Lee exploratio

[2018-2019] — Corazon del Paraiso AKA Chuup Ich resurvey and line clean up

[2018] – Madagascar Science Project

[2017-2019] — Mayan Blue Resurvey