Yet again another post begging OW divers to stay out of the caves!

[TracyN]

I know there have been several posts regarding this subject but it can't hurt to have another one. Please OW divers stay out of the caves! I was diving Ginnie Springs today and we had to deter two OW divers with gauges dangling and dinky flash lights from entering the cave. The worst part was that the other buddy was encouraging their buddy to go into the cave. I found out later that another team had also intervened on these two ladies who were dead set on getting into the cave. They would wait until they thought that all the cave divers were gone but they didn't realize that we like to hide in holes during deco. All I did was point down into the cave and sternly shake my finger no and they listened but man did they give us dirty looks on the surface. You could tell that they were mad about us interrupting their plans. They were lucky I decided not to turn them in to the management for carrying lights. I probably would have had there been someone around.

 

[Nwcid]

I don't get this part "They were lucky I decided not to turn them in to the management for carrying lights."

I don't live in cave country. I have only been diving just over a year with about 75 dives now and got a can light at about 25 dives. I have NEVER dove without a light even when we were in HI a month ago we had our can lights.

 

[TracyN]

I don't get this part "They were lucky I decided not to turn them in to the management for carrying lights."

I don't live in cave country. I have only been diving just over a year with about 75 dives now and got a can light at about 25 dives. I have NEVER dove without a light even when we were in HI a month ago we had our can lights.

There is a specific rule at Ginnie Springs that says OW divers cannot have lights in the Devil's System. There are signs everywhere that say no lights allowed. If OW divers are caught with lights over there they can get kicked out by the management since it is violating their rules. The theory is, if they don't have lights they can't get very far into the cave

 

[windapp]

They were lucky I decided not to turn them in to the management for carrying lights. I probably would have had there been someone around.

Only lucky if they headed your warning. The worst consequence you would have suffered would have been that two very alive idiots would despise you.

 

[BDSC]

The problem, well it's not really a problem I guess, but those folks who need to heed the warning are not likely, for the most part, to be found on SB. So it's really like preaching to the choir.

 

[HIGHwing]

...They would wait until they thought that all the cave divers were gone but they didn't realize that we like to hide in holes during deco. All I did was point down into the cave and sternly shake my finger no and they listened but man did they give us dirty looks on the surface. You could tell that they were mad about us interrupting their plans.

The should have bought you dinner and drinks at the Great Outdoors instead.

 

[kelemvor]

The should have bought you dinner and drinks at the Great Outdoors instead.

There's a new joint around the corner called "The Dive". Better atmosphere.. well maybe not better, but more my speed anyway.

 

[divingpyrate]

OK you stay off our reefs
Sorry just had to do that, I know it is not your intent. But your methods are hardly effective.
It sounds a bit presumptuous

Education and protection of dangerous areas I understand.
In my off roading days we lost a lot of good trails to people not respecting the areas
But really, posting a thread and lopping all open water divers together is just not the best way to get your point across

 

[TSandM]

You know, I simply do not understand the mindset of the people who come into these threads to harass and criticize the folks who are trying to keep people from dying.

No, the folks who tried to get into the cave with Tracy aren't probably SB readers, but 100,000 other people are -- and if we get the message across to even a few of them that caves are not good places for people without the training to dive them safely, we will have saved some lives. I see it in the same category as pushing gas management education. We know there are a few pretty reproducible ways for people to die while diving -- running out of gas is one, and going into cave systems without the training to do so is another. What is wrong with spreading the information?

 

[covediver]

having been only at votex and morrison when i lived in that part of the world, pardon my ignorance in this question. if the caves are so dangerous that management has to prevent divers from carrying lights, why do they let OW divers in the place to begin with? haivng said that, if the divers assume the risk a bit of friendly disuasion goes a long way, but ultimately it is their decision to die or not. diving is privately regulated for competitive purposes, not publicly regulated for protective purposes. that said, the divers you describe do pose a threat to others, sounds like they were silt-out generators.