My Biggest Cave Diving Fear

[deepdiverbob]

I have always been told the best way to over come a fear, is to face it. I have confided in my cave diving buddies what my biggest fear is in cave diving, but I felt like I needed to go "public" with it, to see if I am an odd ball ( yeah, in more ways than the obvious) or if others share my fear. Anyway, my biggest fear in cave diving is a cave collapse. As far as I know, there has only been 1 fatality due to this, so it is indeed rare. I have read the account from Bill Gavin about that accident many many times, and it is always in the back of my head every single time I enter a cave, and sometimes it prohibits me from enjoying the dive as much as I should. There has even been a time or two that I have called the dive, because that thought wouldn't go away, and made me uncomfortable. I realize that anytime we enter the water, let alone a cave, we are accepting there is a level of risk involved. But the cave collapse is something that is out of the divers control, and no level of training or experience can prepare you for. Has anyone else thought about this, or share this fear, or am I just being a victim of an over active imagination?

[Slüdge]

It's all about probability. A cave collapse is about as likely as a car going out of control and running across a sidewalk. But that remote possibility doesn't stop you from using the sidewalk, does it? Even if someone tells you the story of it happening to a friend of theirs.

[BobK]

I have always been told the best way to over come a fear, is to face it. I have confided in my cave diving buddies what my biggest fear is in cave diving, but I felt like I needed to go "public" with it, to see if I am an odd ball ( yeah, in more ways than the obvious) or if others share my fear. Anyway, my biggest fear in cave diving is a cave collapse. As far as I know, there has only been 1 fatality due to this, so it is indeed rare. I have read the account from Bill Gavin about that accident many many times, and it is always in the back of my head every single time I enter a cave, and sometimes it prohibits me from enjoying the dive as much as I should. There has even been a time or two that I have called the dive, because that thought wouldn't go away, and made me uncomfortable. I realize that anytime we enter the water, let alone a cave, we are accepting there is a level of risk involved. But the cave collapse is something that is out of the divers control, and no level of training or experience can prepare you for. Has anyone else thought about this, or share this fear, or am I just being a victim of an over active imagination?

That concern has never bothered me. When I first started cave diving I was sure I would be nervous about going in the cave because I've always been a bit claustrophobic. Yet it doesn't bother me at all, even when I have to squirm past restrictions like Cow. What I do think about most is getting lost. I think that would be the worst thing to have happen to me. Because of that, I'm not big on visual jumps

[Jay]

Have you ever dove Jackson Blue?

For some reason, that first big breakdown bothers me more then a lot of other break downs I swam through.

[skip]

yes, i am gripped by the irrational fear of a cave collapse. I swallow hard and put in the back of my mind. I sometimes imagine getting caught alive on the wrong side and I hope I have the cool to accept it and enjoy the last bit of gas exploring some new passage (and running a guideline be damned!).

I saw a big rock in the middle of passage that was not there on a previous dive (tennessee cave)! I could see the ceiling where the missing piece used to be.

The last time I was in there I heard a major rumbling noise, way more than bubbles can do, and had one of those oh **** moments. I headed out as nimbly as possible and was so relieved to see the daylight in the cavern zone! When I exited, there was a group of college students with picnic coolers on the ledge overlooking the basin. They were of course startled to see me! I don't know if the noise was an actual cave-in somewhere I was not, or the pounding of feet overhead, or the cars driving up to the site.... But I was extra relieved to be floating on the surface in the warm sunlight!

-skip

[Tegg]

Even if someone tells you the story of it happening to a friend of theirs.

It happened to Billy and I at Anderson.

It is a real possibility at many of the dive sites that cave divers enjoy. More so in places where there is a good amount of breakdown and sand piled up.

I got spooked when it happened and have not really been "back" at Anderson since except for one dive. Although I do plan to return now that it has flooded and had a "shift" in things that hold everything together.

All one can do is be conscious and aware of their surroundings. I look at ceilings more now then I did before, and I tend to "listen" to the cave. I think in the end having something like that happen to you is part of this activity if you do it enough.

If it is something that is bothering you to the point of making the activity "stressful" then maybe there are other activities that would be better suited for you?

There are many thoughts in the "back of the mind" for a lot of cavedivers, what makes those thoughts an issue is when they start adding to your stress levels in the cave.

[Spd 135]

JB, That kind of a breakdown would be a best case scenario, at least it would be if you were under it. You would never know a thing. Me, I am still more afraid of mean women.

[saturation]

Reports of any cave diver lost due to a collapse have just been one, Parker Turner's event, please correct me if I'm wrong. A variations on this story is that the land slide may not have been a natural event, but it would seem the soil/sand around the opening was already unstable.

Most Floridian caves are formed when ground water erodes solid limestone, so the cave is quite stable geologically, unless there is an earthquake or the roof is fairly near the surface. Recall the recent heavy rains in North Fl had a lot of sink holes form and were these holes led to has not been reported, but these occur when the roof of these systems are close to ceiling; for cave dives these would mean shallow caves akin to Peacock springs which has multiple sinks holes, and a few possible emergency exits

Water alone, and add from high flow the pressure, assist in holding passageways open or erodes the opening to enlarge it more

I recall at least 1 collapse story in the past 10 years; one in Mexico ~ 2004, but these caves are surface caves that later flooded so they have different geologic stability and are fairly shallow; a watermelon sized rock came off the ceiling of a section at Devil's Eye in ~ 2007; and in 2008 I was hit by a football sized rock that came of the ceiling spontaneously I forget which cave, I think it was Jackson Blue.

In the Mexico situation, my cave buddy and his guide dove the cave system and found the line buried in a mound of dirt. The guide mentioned that passageway was clear only a few weeks before his arrival, suggesting a full cave in, there was no exit for a traverse. At Ginnie around 2007, the rock slightly increased the passageway through the Eye. In 2008, I was inbound on a cave dive with very high flow, when I felt this pulling sensation on my right thigh; I thought I had a reel come undone and or line wrapped around my leg so I signaled for a stop, checked everything on myself and finding nothing, looked back and found a new good sized rock on the floor.

[sskasser]

JB, That kind of a breakdown would be a best case scenario, at least it would be if you were under it. You would never know a thing. Me, I am still more afraid of mean women.

As well you should, Mark!


Bob, I know what you mean about the incident at Indian. It weighed on my mind in the days leading up to my first dive there, and during the first dive. That sand hill, and the one Joe mentioned at Anderson, gives me the creeps still. It's not a major pucker factor anymore, but it's definitely something that's "there."

That said, only you can work out how to handle this in your own head. Will these thoughts hamper your effectiveness during an in-cave problem, causing it to become worse (OOG, silt out, etc)? Do certain caves create the feeling more strongly, or is any cave? Are there any pre-dive meditations that are helpful?

For me, one thing that helped was anytime I found myself focusing on what happened at Indian, I forced myself to remember Billy and Joe's story of getting out Anderson safely...similar scenario...very different outcome.

Take care and dive safe!
Shirley

[MORGAN]

It seems as though I heard of a collapse at the Half Hitch in Madison. Can't remember where I heard it or any of the specifics.

Dry caving we used to say: "If a rock falls on you, hope that it's a little tiny one or a great big one!"

Mike