Survey Question

[OutlawCaver]

2 questions:

How often do you cave dive? Anwser before reading next question please.



How often would you cave dive NOW if it was like it was in 1976 and the end of the line in many caves was less than 2000ft?

[Kelly Jessop]

2 questions:

How often do you cave dive? Anwser before reading next question please.



How often would you cave dive NOW if it was like it was in 1976 and the end of the line in many caves was less than 2000ft?
I think the question is quite relative to the technology and our equipment. In 1976 there were larger tanks,but lights and other equipment wasn't at the level they are now. Did you realize that a swim from P1 to Olsen was considered a major push no different that trying to swim to the Heinkel? To answer your question,probably the same as I do now,but 2000' would be an impressive dive for the day.

[FW]

2 questions:

How often do you cave dive? Anwser before reading next question please.

How often would you cave dive NOW if it was like it was in 1976 and the end of the line in many caves was less than 2000ft?

To put this into perspective. I looked at my log book for last year, and for 1976. I actually dove more last year than I did in 1976. In fact, I dove more last year than any other year in my 35 years of cave diving.

I think it may partly because we know of more caves now, than we did in 1976. Also the speed limit is 15mph higher than it was in 1976, and I can get places faster.

If you think we have explored it all, you are wrong. I probably saw as much virgin cave last year as I did in any of the 35 previous years.

FWIW, there were only a total of 2 scooters that were used for cave diving in 1976 :-)

[Tegg]

2 questions:

How often do you cave dive?

I try to do at least 150 cave dives a year.





How often would you cave dive NOW if it was like it was in 1976 and the end of the line in many caves was less than 2000ft?

I would do the same. I cavedive as often as I can get "permission"... :lol:

I of course would have laid ALOT more line though... 8)

[OFG-1]

Greetings
I dove more in 1976.
Jenny and devils were free, as was Peacock. We could camp at Orange Grove.
Thunderhole was readily open.
Alachua did not have any guides.
Cherokee looked pretty good, Big and Little Dismal was open, So was Emerald.
There was only about 100 active cave divers. No crowds. Very peaceful.
There was not a stupid iron grate at Jenny which is a very pretty, short cave dive.
LaFayette Blue was open and looked pretty good.
Same with Falmouth.
There was no big fence across the Wakulla river.
There was a access road that allowed you to get REAL close to Numero Uno and stay well hidden.
Air was free where I worked.

NOW don't get me wrong, If you made Hill 400 in Devils, that was a good dive. Same for the end of the Florida Room in LR, the three way split was a real big dive. Orange Grove to Peacock was a GREAT BIG dive.

DiPolder was just being found. Same with Harvey's. Cathedral was Crystal Canyon, and Gould's before that. Bill Royal was still alive and diving Warm Mineral.

No multiple stages carried. You might take one. You set up stage dives, or at least I did. No dive computers. Air deco. Navy tables. Dry suits were unaffordable, somethings don't change.

I had a farallon Mark II scooter. It had a on/off switch only. It had one speed.

But most importantly, I was 24 years old .

[John L.]

I dive usually two dives in a day, once a week. I faithfully drive from Winter Haven to cave country 3 hours to Ginnie, 3 1/2 to Peacock. Yes I would still make the trip if the cave was only 2000 feet. Hell, I would do it if it was 200 feet.

[rchrds]

2 questions:

How often do you cave dive? Anwser before reading next question please.



How often would you cave dive NOW if it was like it was in 1976 and the end of the line in many caves was less than 2000ft?

Uh- I'm not sure I understand the purpose of the second part of the question.. but... I guess I alternate between as many as 5 dives on the weekend (river poking) and at least on dive, sometimes 2 on days during the week. But there is a lot of variation. I dont log anything, so it's a little hard to give a cumulative idea.

I think that I would dive the same amount in the early days, as my diving is completely work dependent, as it would have been then- and there is just as much new cave close to me as there was then. (Not all of it is virgin, but new to me is new to me.)

J

[Gary]

It varies and times change. The last 5 years I've done about 80-90 dives each year with just a handful in Open Water (so 70-80 cave dives). The five years before that it was about half that. A years before it was over 100 a year but they were shorter and before that it was even more but in single tank.

If diving became a pain in the ass I'd cut back and dive less for a while or move to Mexico.

I find I'm too lazy to get out and do more then 100 big dives a year even if I have all the time in the world.

I suppose though if a new cave opened in my back yard with an escalator and free nitrox I'd get a lot of diving in for as long as there was still new passage I hadn't seen and the deco wasn't too horrendous.

[OutlawCaver]

What I was really trying to find out is this.

If you had the opportunity to lay line every dive, would you dive more often than you do just following explored cave?

If you are already laying line everytime you dive, don't bother answering the question. Instead just tell me where the going tunnel is.

[Gary]

If you had the opportunity to lay line every dive, would you dive more often than you do just following explored cave?
I wouldn't care. "New to me" passage that hasn't been beat to #### is enough.

I don't have to be first and I prefer showers and stairs to an unknown result for my effort. I hate gearing up only to find the cave stops after 50'.

[rchrds]

What I was really trying to find out is this.

If you had the opportunity to lay line every dive, would you dive more often than you do just following explored cave?

If you are already laying line everytime you dive, don't bother answering the question. Instead just tell me where the going tunnel is.

If I didnt have to drive two hours every time, yes, I would dive more than I do. Just to makes sure nobody beat me to publishing the map. (you DO survey as you lay line, dont you?) But, that is rarely the case. Actually, It turns out I can leave screaming borehole leads for many years, and nobody will beat me to it- Just have to have the appropriate nurd gate...
:)

J

[Cindy]

I would dive more if I didn't survey or lay line on my dives. It sounds romantic but laying line involves the nappy side of exploration. Study of areas to find prospective sites, ridge walking, landowner contacts, getting permits as need, checking the sinks only to find that eight out of ten don't do squat, finding a spot that does go and having to cut a road to dive it and then finally getting to lay some line, survey, create a map and share the information. Sharing the information not only encourages land owners to contact you but it gets divers interested in sharing some of the workload. It's not something that can be done once a month. My life is dedicated to this task, my money spent on it and most of my gear looks like it! By the way any interested divers who think they can hang for the process are welcome to email me at butler_cynthia@bellsouth.net. I have plenty for you to do. None of which will be routine, clear or easy. Cheers, Cindy :)

[Caver95]

What I was really trying to find out is this.

If you had the opportunity to lay line every dive, would you dive more often than you do just following explored cave?

If you are already laying line everytime you dive, don't bother answering the question. Instead just tell me where the going tunnel is.
Vince, give me a call.

[FW]

If you are already laying line everytime you dive, don't bother answering the question. Instead just tell me where the going tunnel is.

Tennessee, Alabama, and a little in Georgia :-)

Oh yea, and some in Florida and Mexico too....

FWIW, In 1976 everyone was saying that it had all been "walled out", or the end of line was to far/hard to get to.

[Cindy]

Is that why you quit Forrest, walled out all those caves to the limit of gear at the time? That sidemount rebreather you have should cure that! Cindy :)

[NitroxWarrior]

When I read this I thought were asking a question about Cave surveying...

[Cindy]

Cave diving forums are like having Thanksgiving dinner with your entire extended family. One person starts a converstation that may or may not have anything to do with what is going on, one person asks for food. Uncle Joe drinks too much beer and gets in a fight with your brother, two other people discuss their new job and maybe, just maybe, someone will give you the information you want like, 'when does the turkey get served?'. Have a cold one, grab a grain of salt and just enjoy, it's just entertainment. If you want real advice ask a mentor or pony up the money and take a class. Dive safe, Cindy Butler :)

[DeWayne]

Cave diving forums are like having Thanksgiving dinner with your entire extended family. One person starts a converstation that may or may not have anything to do with what is going on, one person asks for food. Uncle Joe drinks too much beer and gets in a fight with your brother, two other people discuss their new job and maybe, just maybe, someone will give you the information you want like, 'when does the turkey get served?'. Have a cold one, grab a grain of salt and just enjoy, it's just entertainment. If you want real advice ask a mentor or pony up the money and take a class. Dive safe, Cindy Butler :)

I never really thought about it in that light Cindy, but by golly you have it dead on there 8)