Sitting around after a dive recently I realized that other people are probably not cave diving for the same reason as I do... so I decided to ask what motivates you.
Ok, putting on the flame retardant now...:armytank
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Sitting around after a dive recently I realized that other people are probably not cave diving for the same reason as I do... so I decided to ask what motivates you.
Ok, putting on the flame retardant now...:armytank
I voted several..................personally think it is one of the coolest things you can do in your spare time besides *** and *** and ******* and ******************* and sleeping. :-)
I have been cave diving since 1982. I was introduced to the area while I was assisting with O.W. checkouts for a shop in Eastern Ky. Once the curiosity bug bit,a group of friends and I came back and began our caving career. We watched and listened carefully and were very fortunate to meet some great divers and learned the sport from some of the originators. We were certified Full Cave in 1984. I recall when some of the most well known names now were working the counters at Branford and Ginnie. Aluminum 80's, horse collar b.c.'s and Ikelite pistol grip lights were not uncommon and most divers knew each others names. Time and technology make a change in all. This November made 25 consecutive years and I keep coming back 3 or 4 times a year because at 59 years old I still like and accept the challenge, the cave passages are still as beautiful,I am still as curious(or forgetful) about what lies ahead and I know that my cave experiences have made me a better all around diver.Next trip I hope to learn or maybe remember some of your names. Thanks for the space , Chuck <><
My brother tried to get me into spear fishing when I started diving. A few times out and I felt that it was totally ridiculous. No offense to those who like it but its not my bag.
Get up early as hell. Hope weather is good. Drive to boat. Hope weather is good. Load 5 people on a 23 foot center that has seating for 3 and shade for 1. Pay $5 bucks a gallon for gas that doesn't have road tax added. Watch that gas go into said boat that burns 40 gallons an hour. Ride out to location for 1 an a half hours. Maybe spear a grouper for dinner maybe not. Pray weather is still good. Try two other locations for the maybe grouper dinner.
Ride 1.5 hours back in. Pray weather is still good. Help cleaning gas guzzling boat. Drive home realizing the 6 grouper fillets in the ice bag cost you about $150 Spend hours cleaning salt out of gear. Notice salt on the reg at the next cave dive.
I'd rather
Drive to the site.
Pay an iron ranger 3 bucks.
Do a dive.
Drive to Mc Ds for lunch in the AC.
Do another dive.
Lightly pack my stuff.
Drive home picking up beer and grouper fillets for $8 a pound.
Give the gear a light rinse while the fish is on the grill
See. Cave Diving is awesome!
And if I want to look at fish I will be glad to visit the aquarium.
I see your problems with spear fishing... I grew up on a canal in the Keys. You looked at the radar, walked to the boat, and were out in the back country in 15 min. I stopped spearfishing because I started to feel bad about stabbing the fish (I'd rather dive with them : ) The only problem with getting fillets from the store is that they are just not as yummy & fresh.
You left out the most important one! - "Natural progression from caving"
I started vertical caving, so I could see parts of the caves I couldn't get to otherwise. I started cavediving for the same reason.
Those of you that started diving first, and have never been in a "dry" cave, have no idea what you are missing!
My primary motivation (when I was not injured and was diving) was to work with local karst scientists to assist in exploring/mapping/sampling/conserving/stewarding local and foreign caves and karst systems while doing everything in my ability to enable fellow cavers in their pursuits as well.
I was a neophyte dry caver when I took my open water check outs at Ginnie so this just sent me further into the darkness.At the time I started cave diving training in Florida (no local training is available other than mentoring which takes years due to local conditions) Dr Sawatzky and the Toronto Caving Group (and John Reekie amongst others)were in full blown exploration Mode in a few large Ontario cave systems.The only reason I took training for cave diving was to be able to explore and map Canadian caves as few have interest,if locals will not map their own stuff;who will?I also had the fortune to be in contact with many British ex- pat cavers In Canada so seeing as our systems are similar I gained a huge passion for our types of caves and they became my preference.
I was fortunate to have gained access to a large database of Canadian Caver magazines chronicling the prolific worldwide explorations being done by McMaster University cavers and cave divers through the MUCC under Dr.Derek Ford.This totally cemented my passion to pursue exploration with science in my local caves.I was slowly shown local sites and mentoring here and there began but unfortunately I was injured so my plans were severely sidetracked.I have since become a proficient caver and spend all my time searching for new cave systems to map and record data in order to prevent their destruction from encroaching development.Cave mapping/digging(glacial debris and erratics only to return the natural state)cleanups/data recording/trip leading and recording of new karst features (all) along with caves feeds my passion well.I am slowly learning photography in caves as well to document incremental changes over time due to nature and caver traffic.
Beyond this ,I love to explore any cave as they all have their own nuances,virgin cave is an extremely rewarding experience as well plus the simple drive to see where the cave goes.We always cave in and survey out though as our primary goal is to gain data.I also enjoy drawing cave maps and poring over air photos for days on end to find that next system.I discovered 3 new systems recently that are local to me and did a little bit of diving with David Sawatzky (he did the lion share) but I am far too busted up now to continue.Despite this I am still passionate and do whatever I can to get fellow divers into systems to gain more knowledge.I am a NSS/NSS-CDS member along with the QSS ( Quebec Speleological Society/Toronto Caving Group and the CRF/CKKC.I now support cavers and cave divers on these groups caving projects in whatever manner I am able to.
I feel very fortunate that the CRF accepted my membership and had the wonderful experience of helping organize a successful trip into Roppel cave with some of the most experienced and top cavers going.This was one of the most rewarding experiences I have had in caving.If I can accomplish even a 10th of what some of the participant's have in regards to contributing to karst and cave knowledge I will feel very happy with what I will have experienced.As my health increases I hope to contribute to as many cave projects as I can manage to donate time to.
Thats me in a nutshell.
Wow I guess I rambled on,I feel like the guy who showed up in a suit for a casual affair :0
I choose a few. I had a decent amount of OW experience when I started at UF, as a poor college kid the local springs were the only place I could afford to go diving and there's only so much OW diving you can do before you want more, so I got cavern certified. Same process repeats itself until I was full cave. After I graduated I stayed close enough to dive and still love it, although I don't get to do it nearly as much as I did as a student. I guess "because it's in my backyard" is what it boils down to.
Conservative diving is actually a healthy activity enriching one's mind & cleansing one's lungs, blood gases, & heart tissues. Besides stimulating our minds it brings a network of new companions of which to share the activity with-!
:smt114
J.
Agreed! I was a "dry" caver (more accurately a "mud caver"!) long before I started diving. Once I started open water diving, getting into cave diving was just a matter of time. It's great to float effortlessly through caves instead of crawling and rigging ropes. Still got my carbide lamps and Gibbs ascenders, though.Quote:
Originally Posted by FW
the poll choices don't quite capture it for me, so i didn't vote.
i do think the caves are beautiful, and i do love the gear, but the main reason is the pursuit of perfection. it's just so zen, being so aware and concentrating and yet with such a free-floaty mind thinking about nothing except jean singing. i'll never get to perfect, but the journey is worth the effort.
and i found cave diving on my first post-ow dive. my last checkout was at devil's den, and my ow instructor is a cave diver, but he wasn't in that mode. but my first post dive was in ginnie with bobby franklin, who is lovely in the water, and i thought 'i want that. that's what i want to be when i grow up.'
so i was headed for cave from logged dive 2!
Beacuse there is a pot of gold left by elves in one of these caves. I know there is. Forrest told me so. And I WILL find it, Oh yes, I will find it. HaHaHaHahahahahaha................
I thought we setteled this a couple months ago, it's in the deep section of JB.Quote:
Originally Posted by OFG-1
Oh good Lord,..the "pot of Gold". lol
I do it for the exploration. Nothing beats the sound of your exhaust bubbles, and seeing whats around the next corner.
Mine's for religious reasons. The answer can be found in Gen 1:26-29. (Yes, go dust off your Bibles and look it up.)
To have dominion over the Earth means you first have to explore as much of it as is humanly possible. Then subdue what you find. So for me, cave diving is fulfilling my call to help humanity know what we've been given. So virgin cave is my ultimate goal.
To subdue your find??? is that good?
It sounds like a pirates creed.:smt104
hum...i always thought it makes me more interesting sitting in a group of friends or co-workers..."what do you do for fun?" There are the usual answers ....Play Nintendo Wii, camp, I have a family i dont do anything for fun, drink and bar hop (theres nothing wrong with that though) I get to say"I cave dive!" and better yet I bring back video and photos of these beautiful places to share witih others that makes it so wonderful. Its just uniqe as we all know and its a great conversation piece =)
after OW diving for years and too many trips to cozumel to count, i took the ferry over to playa and went on a guided cavern dive on a whime. when is saw the sign saying go no farther, i had to know what was down there.
had to wait four years before i got a chance to start cave classes and three years to finish.(work in iraq, not a lot of cave diving sites here) now i know whats there and i still want to go see it again and again.
Well, I'm a "wreck diver" from NC. These cave divers come up here to go diving and talk about the caves endlessly. One of our "wreck diving" buddies is also a cave diver. Every time we went diving on his boat, all he'd talk about is caves. I mean we are sitting over the City of Houston (Passenger liner that sank in 1878 ) one of the greatest wrecks off our coast, and Don was talking about the Hinkle. The only thing I was thinking about was splashing on the wreck to see what she had to reveal today.. Basically my buddy and I went down there to see what it was all about. Admittedly, I had doubts and reservations about what to expect, however, I do recall being in Ginnie in the early 90s with an instructor buddy, and looking down from the basin (where we were) into Devil's Eye...wondering what the hell was past that sign. Well, now I've seen a little of what was past that sign, and I want to see more. The caves are beautiful and have a little tug on you. I do enjoy cave diving, and plan to progress in my training with Courtney....a great guy. So, when the ocean reveals its ugly side in the winter, spring, and fall.......I'll see you all down there!
I cave dive because I already had the equipment, I wanted to see what was there, it will improve my capabilities in the ocean, and I want to know what is around the next corner. I am way psyched, and look forward to my next trip down there this month. Yeeehaw! Plus my dive today got blown out, and all I can think about right now is cave diving.
Growing up swimming in Madison Blue and watching the cave divers show up constantly, I knew there had to be something to it. However, on one of those times a diver had an unfortunate accident and did not return. After this I said I would never dive in a cave period end of discussion. Some years later I got certified and started diving every spring around, until that became old. I took a Cavern class to improve my skills and had no intentions of cave diving, however life took an unexpected change. At the end of the class, my instructor took us in the Devil's Ear up to the Lips, and made us turn and leave. Like so many of you, this made me want to see what's around the next bend, so I had to get into a cave class to see around that next bend. Well as you know, I guess you should not say never:-D.
And what cavern instructor was that?Quote:
Originally Posted by contender
That brings back memories...Quote:
Originally Posted by fpsndiver
I used to work for Denny Breese who was the first to discover and put divers the City of Houston back in 1987 or 88. I was in the team of divers that made the first dives on the wreck. Very cool dive with that single piston steam engine sticking up from the bottom like a church steeple.
Burke,Quote:
Originally Posted by Burke
You want to walk down memory lane a bit more? Click here for a flashback.
I have spent a lot of time on that wreck, it is one of my favorites. You spend any time with Wayne Strickland? He was the original guru there. He even started a museum with the artifacts originally brought up from the Houston. Southport Maritime Museum. At any rate, hope you get a chance to watch the vid I posted there, should bring a smile to your face.
I'll be on the City of Houston tomorrow afternoon, and I'll give her a hello for you. We are heading out to 18 Fathom, then the Houston tomorrow morning. I am psyched right now. back to your regular thread, and apologies for the hijack.
I posted a longish story about my experience, but when I hit the post button, it asked me to log on again and apparently dumped my post. I'm too irritated to retype it right now...Quote:
Originally Posted by fpsndiver
Sorry, I can't access the video. It's blocked from my location.
Nice video, and well edited Tom. Great choice of music tooQuote:
Originally Posted by fpsndiver
In the type of work I am in, there are cell phones, irritating people, deadlines, schedules, inept subcontractors, etc. I do most of my cave diving solo, and the thing that I absolutely love is hitting the water and feeling my mind clear as I submerge. When I hit the entrance I am not thinking of anything but the dive (the line, the light, the cave) until I am back on the surface. Even in deco, I'm just in a very nice, peaceful place, and the stuff on the surface just has to wait a while.
Mark
I've had similar experiances with this new software. I do a quick "double tap" on the back space key and it kicks me back a page, loosing everything I typed :smt013Quote:
Originally Posted by Burke
CTRL-A, CTRL-C...on a regular basis :-D
Yeah... I normally do, but just when I get complacent, I get hit again.Quote:
Originally Posted by sskasser
Trying again...Quote:
Originally Posted by Burke
Wayne was the first one to begin running commercial charters out to the wreck and put recreational divers on it. During those trips, he collected a lot of artifacts. When I would go by his shop, he would have artifacts everywhere. I was a little envious because all I had was a stack of dishes. Well, and a lot of great memories! I can also probably claim rights as the first to ever dive it.
In 1987, my second ocean dive after certification was on the City of Houston. I dropped down to the bottom (90fsw), swam around, found a good spot, fanned my hand over the sand and exposed a stack of china dishes. They were concreted together and I spent the rest of the dive trying to work them free. I checked my pressure gage and saw that I only had about 1,200 PSI and realized that I was running out of time. I wasn't sure that I would get another chance, so I pulled out my knife and used it to pry a stack of dishes free. At the time we were diving it the wreck had not been identified. Wayne would identify it some time later. Now, 20 years later, I still have those dishes.
The first dive earlier that day was on a wreck called the Casket. It was an English Bark that sank in 1892, IIRC. Me and another diver were the first and maybe the only divers to ever dive it. I say that with confidence because when we got to the bottom the ship's bell was just sitting on the wreck. He brought the bell up and it had the ship's name engraved on it. That's how we identified it. We came back some time later to dive it again and the shoal had shifted and the water was only 8ft deep, where it had been 30ft before. Apparently, the wreck was uncovered and then reburied by the shifting shoal. Who knows if and when it will ever be exposed again.
We did a lot of dives on the 18 Fathom wreck too. The plan was to salvage the Manganese ore. We did a video survey and ran a quarter inch line with small floats from stem to stern to used as a survey reference. Since it was poly line, it should still be there along with a 50-inch pinch bar we left inside the frame of cargo hold number 2. If you're feeling froggy, I would love to have that pinch bar back. J
I was originally hired to maintain the electronics, but Denny paid to get me certified so I could help with the diving. I was very fortunate to get the opportunity to dive with a treasure hunter / commercial dive exploration, though I was only able to do it for 18 months or so. I also got to work on the motion picture The Abyss, but that's a whole 'nother story…
I got to see the video today. Great Job!Quote:
Originally Posted by fpsndiver
vis wasn't so good today on the Houston, but good dive regardless.
glad you got to see the vid.
Tom
I'd love to talk this over with you Burke....the dives today were alright.......I'll be down there in the greater cave country area on MLK weekend...if you are gonna be around, I'll PM you my cell....so maybe we could discuss this and caves over a frosty at Kazbors.Quote:
Originally Posted by Burke
Tom
I'm not sure about MLK, but I was planning a trip for President's day in February.Quote:
Originally Posted by fpsndiver
I'll definitely keep you posted...
I'm with Santa.Quote:
Originally Posted by FW
My thoughts exactly. And when I can afford $226,000 for the new jetpack coming out this spring with 9 minutes of run time, *that* will be the next natural progression. ;-)Quote:
Originally Posted by Duncan Price
http://www.jetpackinternational.com/equip.html
Marbry
Oh HELL yeah! I'm going to start saving my pennies for that one!Quote:
Originally Posted by Webmaster
Two reasons.
1) Cave diving groupies.....
2) I was trying to trade my crack cocaine habit for something safer and cheaper........This one has really backfired !!!!! :-D
TJ beat me to it.Quote:
Originally Posted by cavediver256
"Chicks dig it." There is nothing that gets a group of OW chicks interested in you faster then telling them that you cave dive with a rebreather. It is like being a rock star. And we all know why boys want to be rock stars, the chicks. The girlies just go nutts. When you go on to tell them that you will be spending months away from home and will care for your gear more then them, they really go nutts. They start to drool and touch you. I have this on account from a close friend.
Since I am married to a cave diver, I avoid dangerous gatherings of open water chicks.
Hans
What do you think it would take to waterproof it? You could do Manatee to 10000 ft and back without going into deco. Hell, you could do it on a single tank.Quote:
Originally Posted by Webmaster
I want one!
Quote:
Originally Posted by aainslie
hmmm..... redundant jet packs. I wonder if we can side-mount them. I know I wouldn't want to have to swim one out. I see a handful of new cards to earn. This might be grounds of divorce.
Hans
I got basic cave almost a month ago.. I grew up in Greece, I was skin diving since I was very little. We have lots of wet, salty rocks over there. I never thought I would scuba dive in these!
Almost exactly a year ago, on my bday, my boyfriend who is a cavern instructor and has done his share on cave exploration wanted to get me to High Springs. I was just 1 year OW certified and couldn't believe theres something interesting to look, wet rocks. I loved my NC wrecks back then. After I these cavern tours... I got enchanted. I spent a year practicing for the class and diving caverns.
I don't know what it is. My last two dives for cert were in Little River... just pretty. My fingers were badly bleeding (all our previous class dives were in Devil's system, my skin is still there), but I so wanted to do the last dive, get in Little River again.
I try to tell the people I love what I see in there, get them to understand about the sculpture and the art but it's so hard to describe. It's a beauty beyond words.
Thank you to those that credited my input for loving the caves. I as well could not vote since the choices did not match for me.
Regardless of diving a cavern or laying new line in a virgin cave there is, for me, always one thing that catches my attention.
For me it is what is not there. The water under ground takes away the pieces that do not belong and leaves the sculpture of what should be.
Bobby
Hi Xenia,Quote:
Originally Posted by Xenia
I think you said it quite well. It's hard to describe, but if you are not a cave diver you cannot understand.
Cheers
Cris
To me its more freedom.No boat or grumpy captains to deal with.Currents are always predictable.Seas are always flat.Gear is much easyer to wash out.We go in when were ready and arent rushed.I like the 70ish water temps.And if on dry land,Id rather trudge through a cave with a few lights rather than crawl around on some rusting old ship in a boneyard.I do a saltwater boat dive or two each year,but the spring,caverns and caves is where I like to be.Caves first and formost.Randy...
Where's the option to hang out with friends and meet new ones?
well you can do that on a boat too.Quote:
Originally Posted by jj1987
True, just one of the major "contributing factors" as to why I enjoy diving in general. :)Quote:
Originally Posted by stairman
A key advantage to cave diving is the easy availability of post-dive barbecue!
Where to eat afterwards is always part of our dive plan.:)
Mike
I got tired of my dive buddies yaking up their breakfast on my head while they hung over the rail and I swam to the mooring line.
Which BTW is a good reason to loose the snorkel.
LOL - Dammit, you made me spill my tea!:)Quote:
Originally Posted by mmcauliffe
Mike
I did a boat dive yesterday. it was a lot of fun BUT...
I got seasick
There were 14 people in a space smaller than most bedrooms
We had to do 3 dives with 1 hr SIT's
Man, I miss the caves when I'm back in LA!
See any big things with teeth? Another reason to cave dive..........no things that want to eat you.Quote:
Originally Posted by aainslie
Really? What about alligators???
I watched the Blue Planet on BBC and followed two divers from the jungle out to the sea via some caves in Mexico. I saw the salt water/fresh water haloclines and the decorations and I said to my self, I have to do that before I die.
I did IANTD full cave CCR in Mexico in Feb 2008
Sadly for me the course was so challenging I cant say i really got to enjoy the caves but i plan to go back
Mien while Ill have a look at the caves in the Lot France and see if its something i can get into.
I am at heart a wreck diver, but you would have to have no sole not to find the caves of Mexico a magnetic draw to a diver.
ATB
Mark
You mean you're not all crazy?
guess it's just me :toimonster: