Tightest Sidemount Cave System ?

[TONY CHANEY]

Best thread I have read in a long while. I really enjoy the stories from days gone by. Please keep them coming.

[FW]

I am pretty sure I have an answer for you now, it has to be Tank Cave in Australia

Tony and Rubis mentioned this post in the Agnes Milowka thread. There is one thing I don't like in THIS thread. If prople keep looking for tighter caves to explore, there will be more accidents like Agnes'.

I dive sidemount, and explore some caves most people wouldn't dream of going into. However, my main goal is to find new cave, not set any damn records. If the cave gets too dangerous, I leave. There are plenty of other caves in the world that haven't been explored at all, to risk my life for a few more yards of passage.

There is an old saying among pilots: "There are bold pilots, and there are old pilots, but there are no old, bold, pilots". It is interesting that Agnes mentioned "pushing the envelope" on her website. That is actually a pilot's experssion derived from testing the flight "envelope" of a new aircraft. It is why many test pilots have died.

[TONY CHANEY]

If the cave gets too dangerous, I leave. There are plenty of other caves in the world that haven't been explored at all, to risk my life for a few more yards of passage.

+1. I know my limits and I know when to not push them. I am so young in my cave training and for now, main line if still fun to me. Forrest, sorry for your lost of Agnes. I was checking out her pictures a while back, post Peacock conneting report. Damn what a great diver she was.

[Sludge]

I was checking out her pictures a while back, post Peacock connecting report.

I am fortunate to have the draft copy of the upcoming UWS saved on my computer, and I just went back and read her and James' article on Peacock/Baptizing. When I did the proofing several weeks ago I made a mental note of a few questions I would ask the next time I saw her, which I assumed would be at the next workshop.

Darn.

[RN]

tony and rubis mentioned this post in the agnes milowka thread. There is one thing i don't like in this thread. If prople keep looking for tighter caves to explore, there will be more accidents like agnes'.

I dive sidemount, and explore some caves most people wouldn't dream of going into. However, my main goal is to find new cave, not set any damn records. If the cave gets too dangerous, i leave. There are plenty of other caves in the world that haven't been explored at all, to risk my life for a few more yards of passage.

Exactly!!!

[Marc Bryan]

There is an old saying among pilots: "There are bold pilots, and there are old pilots, but there are no old, bold, pilots". It is interesting that Agnes mentioned "pushing the envelope" on her website. That is actually a pilot's experssion derived from testing the flight "envelope" of a new aircraft. It is why many test pilots have died.

I use a variation of that saying in all my classes. I just substitute "diver", for "pilot". It is always something I keep in the forefront of my own mind when diving new to me cave, or new to me passages.

[JE]

IE: July....little devil....backdoor to Bonnet......Wekiva etc ! Woody/Cindy & TM can all tell you some great stories{ Gene Broome, uhm..........Uncle Gene........Glad to hear he is still around.
Enlcosed is an unlined sink in NW Iowa.....thisl is my friend JoJo who is doing great now, after many months of recovery from two strokes, & open heart surgery.....the pond is in her back yard, & I've already asked her if we all can come visit ^)^ ! She told me an underground river flows 100' below this pond with clear water. I know of only one other spot with karst in Iowa.....that is in Osage.
take care. Yak

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[gasdiver]

I use a variation of that saying in all my classes. I just substitute "diver", for "pilot". It is always something I keep in the forefront of my own mind when diving new to me cave, or new to me passages.

I heard the diver version of this saying, for the first time, over 30 years ago.

[DA Aquamaster]

I dive sidemount, and explore some caves most people wouldn't dream of going into. However, my main goal is to find new cave, not set any damn records. If the cave gets too dangerous, I leave. There are plenty of other caves in the world that haven't been explored at all, to risk my life for a few more yards of passage.

There is an old saying among pilots: "There are bold pilots, and there are old pilots, but there are no old, bold, pilots". It is interesting that Agnes mentioned "pushing the envelope" on her website. That is actually a pilot's experssion derived from testing the flight "envelope" of a new aircraft. It is why many test pilots have died.

It's worth noting that it is not just test pilots or new aircraft. For example, many jet aircraft have a "coffin corner" in the envelope since indicated airspeed goes down with increasing altitude while mach number goes up as altitude increases. In simple terms the minimum true airspeed you can fly the aircraft at rises with alitude until it intersects the maximum speed you can fly the aircraft at before you have control problems or have parts fall off. Consequently, in that area of the envelope just a few knots of airspeed may separate fatally too fast from fatally too slow and going just a little higher can move that margin to zero.

Whether it is pushing thirds, making visual jumps or pressing into restrictions or other cave hazards that could suddenly get interesting, the closer to the "edge" you get, the greater the risk, and you should be asking yourself whether its really some place you need or want to be.

[wingman]

Whether it is pushing thirds, making visual jumps or pressing into restrictions or other cave hazards that could suddenly get interesting, the closer to the "edge" you get, the greater the risk, and you should be asking yourself whether its really some place you need or want to be.

Another old addage with that from flying is the statement "I'd rather be on the ground wishing i was flying then flying and wishing i was on the ground."