Thought about Cave Diving?

[stairman]

I know, I made a guest appearance in your pics

And for the record, me diving a computer was a joke, I *DO NOT* use such crutches on real dives.

Me diving a computer is also a joke, I dive with 2.

 

[wb416]

For the most part, I find cave diving to be the most peaceful and serene diving that I do.... but it is also the only dive activity/environment where I've lost friends. It's gives me "pause" when my head isn't in the game because its not an activity you do on autopilot.

 

[LiteHedded]

James,

I have to say that your recent cave videos are amoung some of the best I've seen. I hope you will find a way of continuing do so, because it makes being in VA when the caves are in FL much more tolerable, even if you take that distant job offer.

your scooter gots an extra handle!!

 

[DiverLS]

I'm a recent convert to Cave diving. Last year I worked hard for my Cavern and Intro Certifications. I made one nice non-training dive near the end of our vacation. The last day we jumped in Jenny, planning on doing the slot? and I made a birds nest out of my primary reel. So I switched to my secondary and did fine. We descended into the cavern zone for the first tie off and my buddy thumbed the dive. I thought it was his light didn't work. Nope - he didn't zip his drysuit all the way up. So we bailed. I straightened out the birds nest and we packed up. As we were driving out of Peacock, I told my buddy (he's my snuggle buddy too) that I had something to say that some people would think is negative. I continued with "I was disappointed that we had to abort that last dive." Yep - I got the bug.

Then we went diving in Mexico. Wahoooooooo.

We are leaving on Monday 11/22 to go back to Florida. I'm scheduled to take my Apprentice cave on 11/25 & 26. Yep - Thanksgiving is shot this year but heck, it's worth it. I know that people usually take the last 4 days all at once. Well, I'm 61 and want to take baby steps. Plus, 2 days of Intro kicked my butt. I have been diving open water for 22 years. This is completely different.

Then this May we are going back to Mexico. If I get the certification and I should if I don't get cocky, I can make one jump. That will open up tons of stuff.

Then in November of 2011 we will go back to Florida and hopefully I will be full cave certified.

Then it's back to Mexico in May of 2011 and I get to do whatever I want, but plan it very carefully.

 

[w ripley]

I'm a recent convert to Cave diving...Yep - I got the bug...Then we went diving in Mexico. Wahoooooooo...I have been diving open water for 22 years. This is completely different...Then in November of 2011 we will go back to Florida and hopefully I will be full cave certified...Then it's back to Mexico in May of 2011 and I get to do whatever I want, but plan it very carefully.

DiverLS your post is the reason for the OP - cave diving can be reasonably safe with training, and for those who haven't tried it yet it is just a lot of fun.

Thanks to everyone who posted (and for the great pixs).

 

[ucfdiver]

James,

I have to say that your recent cave videos are amoung some of the best I've seen. I hope you will find a way of continuing do so, because it makes being in VA when the caves are in FL much more tolerable, even if you take that distant job offer.

Thanks Bill! We just stopped by somewhere in town (about 1 mile from Great Outdoors) that was clear for the first time since I've been certified. Not sure how clear it will be once we drop down some to where it opens up, but I will know tomorrow, fingers crossed we can take video!

Typical viz-

Today's viz-

Our other wasn't as lucky...we actually dove here and never got more than 2-3ft of viz...river is clearing, but this spring isn't, I don't get it!

 

[Xenia]

James,

I have to say that your recent cave videos are amoung some of the best I've seen. I hope you will find a way of continuing do so, because it makes being in VA when the caves are in FL much more tolerable, even if you take that distant job offer.

+1

My goodness Bill, you are addicted. I check SB every two years and I see you are trying to sell 'drugs' to other people as well!

I am not into cave diving because of the risk, I love it because it is beyond description beautiful. The calmness being a few thousand feet back in a cave, the beauty of the rock, the clay banks, the fossils...

I do not think cave diving is for everyone though. If you get into it after visiting Ginnie cavern, Blue Grotto or get a cavern tour, by all means do it. But it does test your limits.

I make peace with myself that I may die cave diving. I am very conservative with the dive plan but it still may happen.. and I think it is worth the possibility of something like this to be able to see such beauty.

I will be back with more wisdom in another couple of years.

 

[TSandM]

The decision to spend time underwater is an assumption of risk. There are things in open water than can kill me -- a bad downdraft can do it; being washed away from the boat can do it. In fact, combine the latter with a leaking dry suit, and you don't actually have all that much time.

I consider those things to be in the same realm of likelihood as having the cave collapse on me or between me and the exit. In the places where I cave dive (on established lines, where there is a fair amount of traffic) most of the instability has already been provoked. But it could happen -- I know that. It's unlikely, and I can live with it.

Far more likely is that I will get lost or confused or blow the viz or do something human-derived that will put me at risk. I work very hard to try to minimize those risks, over which I have some control. The only way to eliminate the risk of cave-in is not to cave dive at all, and that's not an option.

Thal, the folks whose deaths shake you were folks who pushed limits, who did aggressive dives on the edge of the envelope. Line following cave tourists like me aren't taking that kind of risk. We're taking higher risks than open water divers, for sure -- but not Sheck-sized risks.

 

[Xenia]

Diving the cave without training can kill you... but the cave can kill you as well. Sheck said that first not me. His survival relied on thinking all the time about the what ifs, the ways the cave could kill him, and tackle these.

It is overhead and you realize what I mean by that. There is no way out when you are back 2,000 feet in the cave. Even if you have done everything right, it may be a bad day. Conservatism can keep you alive, training can keep you alive but there is no guarantee... such is life, no guarantees.

Most people that have died in caves have made mistakes that we learn from, this is the first and last class in a cave class: accident analysis.

But how can you be that sure you will not make the same mistake? Complacency is a big enemy. Be on alert all the time... and of course have fun!

 

[Kevin Carlisle]

If you want to talk safety I think cave diving is safer than the actual trip to get to the caves. Very few people died because of the cave, most died from from complacency as Xenia said. Like with Bruce and severaal others it was the small shortcuts that did them in. Personally I think we control just how dangerous the dive is, wether the do a 4k foot swim or a cavern dive.