New access rules to Eagles Nest and Burford.

[Sylvester Muller]

I have an update that I brought up at the NSS-CDS Board meeting on June 3rd in Lake City. I had spoken with the head of the FWC and they will be instituting the recommendations brought up in the focus group back in March.
Eagles will only be open to swimmers and permitted cave divers only.
Cave divers may obtain a permit online where they will self-attest to being full cave, trimix, and one hundred post cert. dives or equivalent.
Once the permit is purchased, it will be displayed on the dash of the vehicle at the site. Permitted divers will not have to pay the daily use fee, as the permit is an annual pass.
There was also some new signage with a phone number to report un-permitted divers.
To dive Buford the process is similar but one must only be a cavern diver or higher.

The rules are being written, no date as to when these will be put into force.

Thanks
TJ Sylvester Muller

 

[ScubaInChicago]

Closer and closer, the nanny state

 

[oldschoolto]

So a person can go on the site a say I'm a cave diver and have 150 cave dives and get a permit.. And what about the guy with 90 dives? IMHO, More rules and regulations for nothing.... They'll just close it off when the next dive team with a 1000 dive total die ... Great job...

Jim..

 

[Patoux01]

And what about the guy with 90 dives?

He goes and does 10 more. The cave is not gonna leave in any near future. I guess he can also just say he did 100.

On the other hand, this should prevent people from teaching courses there, which as I seemed to read here was considered like quite an issue.

 

[oldschoolto]

Sounds like caves playing the stay away from "our site"... I see this blowing up in their faces..

Jim...

 

[karstdvr]

ie ... Great job...

Jim..

Absolutely great job. Thank you TJ and team for their endless time on working on this. Eagles Nest has a history of being closed without warning because it is easier to close a property than manage it when you have limited resources. There have been people working very hard behind the scenes to get the site reopened, and working continually to keep it open after each accident. This last time they faced an outraged community that even generated a petition to close it. It is hard to face such opposition, and succeeded in negotiating a plan where closure is often seen as the viable option. I have been personally involved in opening, reopening or maintaining access at 10 systems. It is hard work, and rarely the satisfaction because someone will complain that they don't have unfettered access, even though you are having to negotiate with the needs/demands of the land owner. So thank you TJ, NSS-CDS, and all involved, you did a great job, and it is greatly appreciated.

 

[Jack Hammer]

Funny how people who do the least complain the most...

 

[kensuf]

I attended the FWC meeting along with TJ to represent the NSS-CDS. In attendance were the representatives and heads of PADI, TDI, NACD, IANTD, KUR, the IUCRR, and DAN. There were at least four people there that had recovered bodies from the cave.

Option 1 being explored by the FWC was bowing to pressure from the public that were complaining to elected officials about the "killer cave" and closing the site down for all.

Option 2 was to come up with a viable plan that would allow the site to remain open for qualified and experienced divers.

Everyone in attendance decided option 2 was the better option.

Cave diver certification, 100 full cave dives, and trimix training do not strike me as outrageous or too much to ask for the "Mount Everest of cave diving".

 

[CuzzA]

Ken,

I'm glad to hear a good solution came of you and others efforts. It doesn't fall under nanny state when the citizens of their own land are demanding action.

There will be more deaths there, but by making it absolutely clear in the eye's of the ignorant to cave diving public, that the victims clearly knew the risks, violated rules, etc., hopefully, it will deflect from the site and put the spotlight back on the individual who dives outside their training. Of course the media will sensationalize every incident, but at least when they interview FWC et al. they can point to the rules being broken.

 

[kensuf]

Ken,

I'm glad to hear a good solution came of you and others efforts. It doesn't fall under nanny state when the citizens of their own land are demanding action.

There will be more deaths there, but by making it absolutely clear in the eye's of the ignorant to cave diving public, that the victims clearly knew the risks, violated rules, etc., hopefully, it will deflect from the site and put the spotlight back on the individual who dives outside their training. Of course the media will sensationalize every incident, but at least when they interview FWC et al. they can point to the rules being broken.

That was kind of our thinking too. There will be a sign that will be posted explaining the requirements to dive there. It will be put at the front entrance gate to the property, so everyone entering the location will see it before making the 30 minute drive to the water. Anyone that is diving there will need to attest they have the minimum training and experience to dive there and that they completely understand the risks.