Remember that time at band camp,when Wes..

As it is human nature that emotions run deep on the loss of a loved one, a mentor, a friend , a hero , a leader or anyone that we hold in high esteem, their passing on causes us to wonder why or how. I have seen on this forum and others forums, people expressing a great love and respect for this man. At the same time threads of accident analysis have begun. I have no problem with either but I see emotions and bickering have been initiated on the TDS and it can possibly happen here. I thought how about a thread that in it, we can all share some story or insight to honor the life of Wes Skiles, something that can make us smile, laugh, cry or go wow. Please understand I mean no disrespect, what I have experienced in the few times I have been in his company is a man who liked to laugh, have a good time, passionate in his beliefs , loved his family/friends, unselfish and gracious in his ways. Here is one of my Wes stories.

I think it was in 2003 that I volunteered for a clean up at a spot called Vampire Sink in High Springs. Basically some dry cavers and wet cavers were supposed to meet and pick up trash where people had been using as an unofficial dump site. I was an intro level cave diver at that time , green as can be. Well I pulled up to the spot and joined the others waiting for the organizers to show up. Well it turned out to be Wes and Brian((FSS) , with no hesitation the cleanup began, people with bags picking up trash , people with chain saws cutting out trees that had fallen and me standing around looking lost( I knew no one there), then a loud voice says " what are you doing get down there and help pull out that wash tub" it was Wes. The trail that leads to the bottom of the sink is steep, narrow and has loose gravel and tree roots. So I go down and up about a dozen times hauling junk up to a dumpster then down again. I guess i was tired or just clumsy but on a steep section going down I trip on a root and start to go down hard, as I try to stop all I'm doing is slipping and my feet can't move fast enough, people are getting out of the way to avoid me taking them down with me and rightly so. Next thing I know an arm juts out and clotheslines me, BAMM...next thing I know I'm on my ass on the ground. The fateful fall is over and as I pull my jaw back in place a hand reaches down , picks me up and I hear "..its not break time yet". It was Wes, quite possibly saved my butt from a serious injury or worse. Later that day , I think after noticing my CDS t shirt, he assigned me the task of assisting a cavediver that would be doing the underwater cleanup. I got to meet and work with the Godmother of cavediving , Cindy Butler. While she dove and I held her rope, Wes came down to the water and we BS'd for awhile, I was in awe that the legend was so humble and natural, he asked about my jaw, we laughed, I thanked him. The whole day he was talking and directing, keeping things positive and lively with the volunteers. I thought later here is a guy who probably has a million other options for a Saturday but he choose to sweat and assist at some cleanup with a bunch of average joes. Later I would recognize that spot in Waters Journey, where Jill and Tom surface to some floating trash and a car battery. The man has an charisma that was infectious to all.

Allright anybody else...

Wes had an incredible amount of knowledge on different cave systems,and he helped me with some research that I was doing on particular cave systems,for the NSS convention guide book,” It is the single largest flowing tributary in the XXXXXXXXXX Cave System and likely represents over a third of it’s total flow. There seems to be periods when the slime (some kind of sulfur reducing bacteria most likely), blooms. It’s actually quite bizarre. It seems to occur only in isolated stretches of the cave. Lot’s of restrictions, flow, and very neat geology. Some rooms, very much a fracture controlled system. The greatest obstacle of what is many on the path to the back of the cave is the sandvalance passage. This is a 45° downward angle sand restriction that you must force to avalanche in order to pass. It’s about a 70’ long sand slope. Once I figured out that we would be able to get both down and back out, I got to the point where I would actually ride the avalanche to the bottom. When you return you must cause the sandvalanche restriction to collapse at the top by digging at the bottom of the slope”.

Many don't know that the Courtyard almost could have been called the Skilesyard. Wes was fairly young and was exploring a very small passage in Madison. He ran out of line,but it was too small to back up or turn around. He had to swim a short distance ahead with no line to find a place to turn around. When he completed his decompression Court Smith was standing near the water,and Wes said he told him (later with regret) where he was exploring. That day Court Smith enters the same spot and breaks through to what we know as the Courtyard.

The last time I saw Wes was a few weeks ago at Ginnie, he had a film crew there and was working with Agnes on some sort of documentary film about rebreathers according to Agnes who came over while I was in the water at the steps about to dive my new meg copis. I didn’t get a chance to speak with him that day because by the time I was out of the water they were already gone. I did get a chance to see him at the UF water institute symposium in February. He took the time to attend a session where a paper I had coauthored on valuing ecosystem services from the ACF river system was being presented. That evening at the poster session/social I had the opportunity to share a drink with him and chat about things as we walked and looked at the posters. I asked him about projects he was considering and among others with a grin and a twinkle in his eye he began to tell me about an idea to do a Charlie’s Angels type film only the angels would be cave divers and we had fun sifting through the merits of current Hollywood actresses that might be able to play the three parts (he definitely had the cave diving stunt women in place). I’m sure he had himself in mind for the Charlie Townsend role and I offered to be Bosley and he just laughed. During that same meeting Wes was in at least two other sessions I attended as well. As always he had insightful comments and a focus on educating the public about springs, ever the ambassador. It was clear the level of respect he commanded from others. After leafing through the august national geographic and reading the chief editors note on page 4 that begins in four big bold words, Photographer Wes Skiles descends…. knowing he will not have that opportunity again is sad but the images he has left us will last forever. I already have the pullout poster up in my office. Bill Huth

While editing some of the Water's Journey films in Jacksonville, I had the opportunity to stay with Wes's Mom Marjorie Skiles. I developed a very deep friendship with her and she was an extraordinary woman. She shared many stories of Wes's youth. She would load the surf boards on the car and pull Jimbo and Wes out of school. She would look the other way when she learned Wes was skipping class to go to the springs. She even learned that he once dragged a teacher/friend along, skipping school too. As Marjorie slipped into the last days of her life, riddled with cancer, I saw the tenderest side of both sides of the Skiles family. Terri's family as active in the care of Marj and nurturing of each other.
Shannon Caraccia and I were reflecting that Wes's family is a true Tribe, with Terri gently enabling the whole grand production from behind the scenes, maintaining a homestead, holding the business together, keeping Wes on track, slipping a family album in his luggage or finding his wallet, which was lost once again. A gift from Wes and Terri is that we are all a Tribe in this community. As we nurture and protect each other, let's be gentle and loving. Its a shame to wait for a gathering around a passing to share our appreciation and respect for each other. So thanks to everyone out there for sending the extended Tribe their love and support. This is a wonderful community that shares a common bond of loving our springs. In Wes's honor, please stand and unite in their protection and together let's help Wes finish his work.

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Originally Posted by JillHeinerth

In Wes's honor, please stand and unite in their protection and together let's help Wes finish his work.

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Well said.

Very enlighting Jill......... and yes what a great tribe.

Safe Dives

John

(moving my response to a different thread)

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Originally Posted by ynot

I never met Wes but he did have a link with cave diving here in Aus

Skiles link to Australia came in 1988 when he was invited by Andrew Wight to the Nullarbor to explore and film Panniken Plains cave for the documentary "Nullarbor Dreaming" with a team of Australian cave divers. The expedition almost ended in disaster when a freak storm dumped 400mm of rain in 25 minutes on the plain above causing an estimated 300 million litres of water to flow into the cave collapsing part of the cave entrance and trapping most of the team below ground. Skiles was a consumate professional, filming his own precarious exit from the cave about 24 hours later as he crept through the very loose rockfall while whispering a running commentary into his camera. Those who saw the doco will remember this footage

Tony

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I've seen the video from that event. It was CrAzY! And then Wes was trapped by the flood in Huautla. Not so serious 'cuz they just had to wait for the water to drop (albeit with limited food), but they didn't. They took pics in the torrent and exited.

I met Wes in 84 at the old dive shop at Branford spring. We were open water divers buying lights and a reel. I remember him telling us we really needed further training before our testoterone got the best of us. He must have been just helping out because we never saw him there again but also started getting fills at Dive outpost about that time and didnt patronize the old Branford shop much after that. While diving Laff blue, we saw that a sink there was named after him and thought it was cool that we new him, somewhat. Dying sucks but Wes passed on doing what he loved most in life and that beats being propped up in some bed anyday. R.I.P brother.

I was at the service last night. I shared this story several times with some of my fellow divers. It was clearly obvious at the service Wes directly touched many lives. In doing so, every contact is a chance for a better future, a seed for another exploration, or even the drive to capture the next great image.

While driving home and reflecting on my little slice of the pie, I felt compelled to share it when I had the opprotunity.

I had only ever met Wes in passing and exchanged a few "regular guy" hellos with him. Nothing more than that.

One day I was in the Winn Dixie before going over to Ginnie. I was some shirt with a dive logo on it. As I was checking out, there was a young teenage girl of maybe 14 or 15 bagging my purchase. She saw my shirt and asked me, "Do you know Wes?"

I replied "We've said hello a few times."

Then she relayed to me the following:

Wes is a really neat guy. He came to my school and showed us a bunch of pictures. He also told us we need to protect the environment. I told my parents about it, and now my family recycles at home. My friends and I have started an ecology club.

It has struck me over the past few days, Want to change the world? Is there a better place to start with than with the youth ...

Do you know Wes?

Jeff

WOW, what a memorial service. Over a thousand people I'd say. Great words from the pastor, family and friends sharing stories of the man, tons of food, beer(thanks Curt), fireworks, good music and even a viking style burning boat funeral pyre. I got there a little early because I wanted to test out some gear that was recently serviced ( I can't see going to Ginnie Springs and not getting wet) and the Ballroom is perfect for that, family and friends were just setting up at that time, when I surfaced it was like a concert scene, hordes of people hanging out being very cool with each other, me like a dork walking out in full cave gear. It was a beautiful evening in memory of a beautiful man. A lot of people will miss Wes but as was stated by his brother, "Wes will always be with us". Driving home I had a revelation that it could not have been any other way for the dude. He led the way in cave diving, pushing caves and laying line for others to follow, led the way in cave photography, in underwater cinematography, in Springs conservation and protection, in his family life .... why would it be any different in his passing on? He once again has led the way... this time to the eternal paradise he believed in...leaving markers and laying line for all to follow.

I did not know Wes as a close friend but was fortunate to make a few of his New Years get togethers and see him around the caves. Months ago we ran into each other at Wayne's and we talked about getting older and the need for lenses to read our guages, I was having problems getting mine to work. Fast forward to a few weeks ago and Wes came up to me, a guy he hardly knew, and asked me how the lenses worked out. That was the thing that amazed me about him, no matter who it was he showed personal interest and made you feel welcome. The first New Years I went to a friend invited me. I felt uncomfortable because he was a celebrity and I did not want to crash his party. Within minutes of being there I quickly discovered that Wes did not know a stranger, he was friends with every person he came in contact with. His stories were epic but his interest in others and humility were larger than life.

Bobby

i got the chance to meet Wes at this years CDS conference. I was getting ready for a trip to Mexico and planned on working in a cave that he had helped explore. It was such a rush for me to have one of my heroes talk about something so passionate to us both. He was truely interested in what I was doing even with all the projects he had going. What a great man and leader in our sport. Thanks Wes you will be missed.

I saw pics of the crowd yesterday, very impressive. I wanted to attend but could not get the day off. Wish it would have been this Saturday. The guy really did live the dream.

I first met Wes when he was just a kid. He was actually living in a Chevy van, with no permanant address, or job. He became an OW instructor, and went through one of the first NSS-CDS instructor institutes. He told me he was going to make a living teaching cavediving. I laughed at him, because there were already a dozen or so instructors, and none of them were breaking even, much less making a profit. Later, he showed me his "new" Nikonos underwater camera, with a single strobe, and said he was going to become an underwater photographer. I laughed again, because I had several Nikonos and strobes, and I knew how hard it was to sell a picture.

I think there were seveal reasons he made it. One might have been to prove I was wrong :-)
However, I think the major reason was Terri. She kept him on track, and insisted he actually finish one project, before going on to another one. There is an old saying, "Behind every great man is a great woman". I think there is a lot of truth in that.