Accident waiting to happen

[bouteloa]

Grrrrr. I own a large limestone cave and with a stunningly beautiful spring that emerges at the entrance. About 100 yards inside the cave is a room where endangered bats hibernate. There are also a number of sensitive species in the cave.

I keep the usual entrance to the cave gated and locked all winter to protect them. I invite the cavers to come caving once a year in the summer.

Yesterday I was informed that a cave diver had announced that he had bypassed the usual cave route by entering the spring entrance to the cave and swam through until it opened up into a room.

Now that he has blabbed this all over, I need to figure out a way to block entry through the cave spring while not creating a situation that might trap and drown a diver.

Suggestions?

Grrrr.

 

[CheddarChick]

Wow, now that the beans are spilled most uncaring individuals who think they can get away with it are going to try. How about a metal grate over the entrance?

 

[superstar]

A shotgun may do the trick.

 

[Dive Right In Scuba]

Its unfortunate that he would abuse the situation. Some people have no common sense and tend to ruin things for the others. Is there anyway to install a gate in the water so divers cant even get in to dive? Then you dont have to worry about endangering a diver, because they cant even get wet.....and also post signs that say trespassers will be prosecuted? Im not sure if this is possible without knowing the layout of your place, but maybe this helps somewhat

 

[slingshot]

Bouteloa, is access to the spring also on your property?
Sounds like you are trying to be a good caretaker of the site, and I wish you luck.
I've seen caverns in Florida with chickenwire and metal gratings over entries, but
these have tended to be smaller (eg doorway sized) openings.

 

[Diver Dennis]

If you own the property, then you can install the same type of cameras that deer hunters use, sold by Cabelas. They will take photos of the perps without them knowing it. If you have No Trespassing signs there, you got 'em.

 

[bouteloa]

The Fish and Wildlife Service put a gate in the entrance about 15 years ago but until now, no one ever thought that it could be bypassed by swimming in through the spring.

I do own the spring but I am afraid that a metal fence will trap debris and clog up - perhaps flooding the cave.

Signs don't seem to deter jerks. And signs and cameras mean lawyers and court. Ugh.

Years ago, I put nails in a board and hid it nail end up in the tall grass. It was pretty evident that some trespassers had a bad day driving on that.

We are going to take a cave diver in to assess what we can do.

 

[gregmontalbano]

I think the cave diving signs would deter most regular divers, i'd try the no trespassing signs and a metal grate, the cameras won't hurt. Go all out. Good luck

 

[k4man]

I'm with "superstar", but I'd use slugs rather than pellet shot!

 

[SparticleBrane]

...you could always charge admission to trained cave divers...