Thought about Cave Diving?

[Mark Michaud SELAUSAR]

Here's some wildlife for you to see. This was last week at JB. I forget who I stole this from, but it was the same when I was there last week too. Had to fight the fish for deco space.

 

[Thalassamania]

...

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.

Yeah, I hear you ... it's not that I expect that sort of thing to happen to everyone who cave dives, it's more that I know myself and my propensities ... "monsters from the id" may not be the real story, it may be "monsters from the ego" and "monsters from the superego".

 

[mrmccoy]

Here's some wildlife for you to see. This was last week at JB. I forget who I stole this from, but it was the same when I was there last week too. Had to fight the fish for deco space.

Glenfwb took that pic from our dive last weekend at JB.

 

[GLENFWB]

Stolen from me Mark....but you are welcome to it!

Here's some wildlife for you to see. This was last week at JB. I forget who I stole this from, but it was the same when I was there last week too. Had to fight the fish for deco space.

 

[Mark Michaud SELAUSAR]

Stolen from me Mark....but you are welcome to it!

That's right. I have way too much going on right now. My "total instant recall" is needing to be serviced right now.

 

[feMailnitroxdiver]

Thank you for all of your information.
feMailnitroxdiver

 

[karstdvr]

I am on the fence about encouraging people to cave dive.

I am not even on the fence,I fell off. I don't encourage people to cave dive,but will make myself available to answer questions and mentor. Between losing a couple good friends in cave diving accidents,to having some "come to Jesus moments".I would feel awful if someone got into cave diving because of encouragement from me,and the sport really wasn't for them,and they drowned. Cave diving looks so benign and easy,until something really goes wrong,and as much as you can discuss it on forums,you really don't know how you are going to react. It is fun to learn a new skill and want to share it with the world,but unfortunately this isn't gourmet cooking.

 

[tyesai]

Just curious, how many cave divers are spelunkers too?

I've been in two caves, Blanchard Springs Caverns in Arkansas, wich was beautifull, and I've been to the Underground City of Derinkuyu in Turkey, wich isn't really a cave but it was clausterphobic, lol. I remember at one point my kids hauling ass down a tunnel and I was hunched over with my shoulders dragging along the top, starting to get a stomach cramp with no way to stand up and work it out thinking, **** this, I'm out.

I don't see cave diving in my future but I love reading about it. Thanks!

 

[Cave Diver]

Just curious, how many cave divers are spelunkers too?

Not I. Those guys are nuts! :shocked2:

I'd much rather float peacefully into the bowels of the earth than try and climb down on some little rope and break my neck!

 

[giles45shop]

I am not even on the fence,I fell off. I don't encourage people to cave dive,but will make myself available to answer questions and mentor. Between losing a couple good friends in cave diving accidents,to having some "come to Jesus moments".I would feel awful if someone got into cave diving because of encouragement from me,and the sport really wasn't for them,and they drowned. Cave diving looks so benign and easy,until something really goes wrong,and as much as you can discuss it on forums,you really don't know how you are going to react. It is fun to learn a new skill and want to share it with the world,but unfortunately this isn't gourmet cooking.

+1 to that. The internet makes it seem "the cool thing to do", but it's hard to get people to understand there's a HUGE mindset difference between recreational diving ("look at the pretty fishes") and cave diving ("here's how to avoid dying").

Lot's of people have the skills, but as Kelly indicated, it's how you are going to react when something goes wrong that's the big unknown, regardless of how you think you "know" how you are going to react. In a cave, you may only have one chance to get it right and if not, you have a high probability of dying.

I'm admittedly a beginner at cave diving and I don't claim to know exactly how I'm going to react in a really bad situation. Fortunately, I've experienced some "minor" situations in caves to date (air share in complete silt out, unexpectantly torn regulator mouth piece, etc.) which came out okay, and gave me a little taste of what a "bad" situation might be like. Hopefully, training, experience and remaining calm will keep me alive when a "bad" experience happens. If you aren't able to look inside yourself and really think about this, you probably shouldn't be cave diving.

One thing that stays in my mind is what happened to the previous owner of my doubles. I bought them from him on a Friday afternoon, he died in a cave three days later on a dive he didn't have the proper training for.

John