Cave diving and DEMA

[Kelly Jessop]

It saddens me to even have to make this post,but if it accomplishes the goal then so be it. Over the last two years there has been a correlation between the DEMA show,and cave vandalism that has occured, hence acts of willful vandalism have occured around the dates of DEMA. This is notification that there has been successful prosecution of an individual under the cave vandalism statute,so there are people who are paying attention,plus the CDS has a vandalism reward fund for the reporting that leads to a conviction. Property managers and dive shops are being alerted to this,which will increase awareness,and help generate a paper trail.

[MengTze]

If there was a conviction, then it is a matter of public record. So name and shame. If you cannot, pls do advise of the county within which the individual was convicted so we can look it up.....

I for one want to know.

[scubadam67]

Kelly do you believe that this is caused by cave divers from other countries that don't understand that we don't do that to our caves here in the states? I'm in no way trying to protect them from their punishment as i would probably be put in jail for what i would do to someone that i caught vandalizing a cave. Maybe it is up to us as cave divers and shop owners and land managers to make ever effort to let these people know that not only do we not treat our caves this way we will not stand for it from them. If we don't make the effort to educate everyone that goes in our caves then we will continue to have people violate them. I will support any effort and action that this forum decides i only hope that it is proactive enough to stop any more damage from happening.

[Kelly Jessop]

Kelly do you believe that this is caused by cave divers from other countries that don't understand that we don't do that to our caves here in the states? I'm in no way trying to protect them from their punishment as i would probably be put in jail for what i would do to someone that i caught vandalizing a cave. Maybe it is up to us as cave divers and shop owners and land managers to make ever effort to let these people know that not only do we not treat our caves this way we will not stand for it from them. If we don't make the effort to educate everyone that goes in our caves then we will continue to have people violate them. I will support any effort and action that this forum decides i only hope that it is proactive enough to stop any more damage from happening.

Good points.

I don't know what the motive was for the past vandalism,and whether this is acceptable behavior somewhere else,our future access and enjoyment of the aesthetic value of caves cannot permit this to happen again. Florida law is specific,and different customs/behaviors don't condone these actions in the state of Florida,but I feel it is fair and necessary to educate others. My goal is to bring this back to our attention at this time to act as a preventative measure.

[scubadam67]

are there cave diving forums that are more country specific i know that cdf has a world wide following but there must be some south america and europe that we could try to explain our distress. would it do any good to put up posters at the dive shops where these people have to be going?

[MengTze]

digging on the net:

http://www.suwanneedemocrat.com/suwa...027102211.html

[Sludge]

You know, as recently as the 60s we used to litter without even thinking about it. There's even a scene in The Andy Griffith Show where Barney tears up a ticket and throws it on the sidewalk.

[Mark Vlahos]

You know, as recently as the 60s we used to litter without even thinking about it. There's even a scene in The Andy Griffith Show where Barney tears up a ticket and throws it on the sidewalk.

Barney also did other littering, one bullet at a time.

[dgschott]

If there was a conviction, then it is a matter of public record. So name and shame. If you cannot, pls do advise of the county within which the individual was convicted so we can look it up.....

I for one want to know.

Interesting... Did he make a donation?

A Brazilian man had allegedly carved his initials, P.Y., into a clay bank deep within the cave system at Cow Springs last year, according to the Suwannee County Sheriff's Office. The incident was reported on Nov. 12, 2008 by another diver said to have seen the man, Paulo Y. Matsutoni, exiting the cave just before the damage was discovered. Cow Springs is located near Peacock Springs in Luraville.

Kinard said that Matsutoni has agreed to make a donation to The National Speleogical Society-Cave Diving Section, which sponsored the restoration. Kinard said he hopes that part of the money will fund a video to educate the public on the proper treatment of caves.