Wes Skiles Condolences

[Sludge]

I'll never forget when the Friday Night Social at the 2001 CDS Workshop was held at his house, out in the yard. I was still a relatively new cave diver, but through mutual friends he knew I was a gear junkie. We spent almost an hour in his garage, with him showing me various doodads, thingamajigs, and other neat toys.

RIP, buddy.

[wingman]

So sad to hear this. I just saw him filming Agnes at ginnie a couple weeks ago. Last time I had a chance to talk to him was at the UF Water Institute Symposium a few months ago where he attended a number of presentations and contributed passionately to the discussions regarding spring conservation. He will be missed on many levels. Bill Huth

[Garth]

My thoughts are with his family. This is so sad. Although I never met Wes, I watch the NOVA special every day I have off. I think i've seen in close to 25 times now. The filming of the diving is unbelievable. I actually just watched it this morning again and now I've for the first time hear of this. I don't know what to say but he will be missed by many people who have had the pleasure of meeting him and by those like me who wished to have met him.

[ibis06]

For life and death are one, even as the river and the sea are one.
Kahlil Gibran

http://www.gainesville.com/article/2...es-Skiles-dies

[giles45shop]

My thought and prayers to his family. Although I never had the chance to meet him, he was one of those "hero's" of the cave diving world whose name was synonymous with cave diving. His legacy will live on in the many photos, films and articles that he created in his lifetime of dedication to our sport.

I have his National Geographic photo of Diepolder as my screen saver on my office computer and was looking forward to getting the most recent Nat Geo magazine with his cover shot.

RIP, your legacy lives on.

John

[scooter]

I, as are many others, am in shock. Every time I talked to Wes he made me feel at ease, he had a presence of calm leadership. His imprint on our industry is huge. He will certainly be missed by many.

[packman]

rest in peace, Wes

[Shan]

Oh, I have shrugged off the noise and calamity of modern day
and floated through the depths on bubble-glistening fins.
Downward I have drifted and joined the ebb and flow of wind-driven currents,
and done a thousand things you would never have dreamed of.
Dipping and swooping deep in the limpid pools of silent seas,
Floating…. Drifting….
I've chased shimmering schools of fish,
laughed through coral-carpeted canyons,
and eased my rubber-covered body through the floorless oceans of blue.
Deeper and deeper into the bone-chilling depths
I've descended to the sand covered bottom of the universe,
with peaceful reserve, where sunshine nor rain have ever danced.
And…. While with silent questioning mind,
I've slipped through the blue un-trespassed serenity of the heavenly sea,
Raised up my face
and felt the cool embrace of God

[Howard]

What a loss this is. I met Wes and had dinner with him in '94 and was impressed at how down to earth and easy to talk to that he was. His cave photography especially the famous Dipolder 3 was one of the reasons I started cavediving.

[Bobby]

Life and work have taken me away from NFL for too many years. One of the best memories was of going to Wes's for New Years. It has been too many years and now New Years will never be what it was in times past. I keep expecting this to turn out as incorrect. I guess it has not set in that he is truly gone. Sometimes things like work and day to day things seem to let people fall out from contact, then one morning we find that they are gone forever.

Bobby