How do you go from learning to scuba dive to organising a cave exploration expedition? Maja Music joins me to share her journey into sidemount diving, CCR cave diving, and leading a project in Slovenia’s Križna Jama and Nova Križna Jama.
In Episode 125 of Speaking Sidemount, we explore the foundations behind that progression: consistent practice, mentorship, supportive dive buddies, and the confidence to turn an idea into a real expedition.Maja takes us behind the scenes of assembling the team, working with scientists and local cave guardians, and moving more than half a tonne of equipment through demanding cave passages. We discuss the team’s exploration to 153 metres, why they stopped pushing deeper, and how a fresh look at the shallows revealed new passages, decorated chambers, and suspected cave-bear remains.
Then Maja shares the full story behind our opening teaser: a lost bailout cylinder, an inflating rebreather loop, and zero visibility during her own shallow exploration dive. It’s a candid conversation about training, diving under pressure, team communication, and learning from an incident.
We also talk about burnout, mental health, honesty with your dive buddies, and why becoming an explorer involves much more than diving deeper.
If you enjoy the episode, please like, subscribe, and share it with your dive buddies—it really helps more people discover Speaking Sidemount.
Leave a comment: What has made the biggest difference to your development as a diver?
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🤿 MAJA & NOVA DIVING
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Maja Music — NOVA team profile - https://www.nova-diving.com/about
NOVA Diving website - https://www.nova-diving.com/
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Križna Jama Expedition - https://www.nova-diving.com/projects/krina-jama-expedition
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🟡 THANK YOU, XDEEP
Speaking Sidemount is proudly supported by XDEEP. The XDEEP Exploration Support Program supported Maja’s expedition.
XDEEP dive equipment - https://www.xdeep.eu/
XDEEP Exploration Support Program - https://exploration.xdeep.eu/