What line do you prefer follow?

[JerseyJersey]

While in reality it doesnt matter what color or physical attributes the line has as long as it is in good shape and can be followed..... those trained in Florida have a comfort level when seeing gold, whether they admit it or not. It is just something that comes from the initial training.

Not a complacency but the knowlege that this is the gold line. Different than the white line ...... when I see it I know it goes out. When I cant see it...it could be purple with pink polka dots and now the arrows and markers are important..... and those could be purple too.....

[Jax]

I find that the more pristine caves lack goldline.




As for the line itself, outside factors not-withstanding, I really don't give a **** what its made of...

Does that mean if I volunteer pink line, you'll use it?

[Line Squirrel]

I perfer Primer Cord. In the unlikely event I have an issue and need to get out fast.....

[FW]

I perfer Primer Cord. In the unlikely event I have an issue and need to get out fast.....

If you detonate it, you better get out fast

[sskasser]

If you detonate it, you better get out fast

Parts of you will, for sure

[TJDiver]

While in reality it doesnt matter what color or physical attributes the line has as long as it is in good shape and can be followed..... those trained in Florida have a comfort level when seeing gold, whether they admit it or not. It is just something that comes from the initial training.

Not a complacency but the knowlege that this is the gold line. Different than the white line ...... when I see it I know it goes out. When I cant see it...it could be purple with pink polka dots and now the arrows and markers are important..... and those could be purple too.....

Speaking as one that has less than a dozen post-training cave dives...yeah...that big, secure looking gold line gives me a warm fuzzy feeling. Hi...my name's John, and I'm a noob.

[CaveBuddy95]

Hi John!

The fuzz of the GL is one thing but as mentioned earlier, JerseyJersey said 'it goes out'. Well, at least one end of it goes out and that is the tricky part ins't it..??
As for system markers, they don't necessarily indicate YOUR exit.

This is the sort of complacency that GL tends to create, I think. Just rely on the color/thickness of the line and the system arrows and don't pay attention to the cave details so much. Thinking that you may have to find your exit without the line is an interesting factor. Isn't it..??

ps: when I say 'you' I don't point anybody in particular.

[JerseyJersey]

Hi John!

...This is the sort of complacency that GL tends to create, I think. Just rely on the color/thickness of the line and the system arrows and don't pay attention to the cave details so much. Thinking that you may have to find your exit without the line is an interesting factor......

And this changes if the line is pink or white or barbed wire?

[CaveBuddy95]

In a way I think that the false comfort blanket offered by seeing the GL from afar may induce bad line awareness and create hazardous situations.

As for barbed wire, only in training caves, perfect for touch-contact light out exit!!

[DA Aquamaster]

In a way I think that the false comfort blanket offered by seeing the GL from afar may induce bad line awareness and create hazardous situations.

my understanding is that in MX white line is preferred as in cave that are highly decorated, have great viz, large passages and little or no silt, large diameter gold line can be seen at a much greater distance and results in divers straying farther from the line and consequently doing more damage to the caves.

In that sense, I suspect you are right that gold line in a N FL cave may lead to bad habits where divers may be so far off the line that a sudden silt event could leave you off the line.

In our full cave class the instructor made it clear that in a silty cave the priority was to get on the line as soon as you donated the gas to an OOG diver, that the hose is long for a reason and that you want to be on the line if he breaks trim and blows the viz or if a free flow percolates stuff off the ceiling and blows the viz.

That applies to any line but the point is some divers do tend to conduct dives without good SA or line awareness or without thought to the consequences in situations where the viz may go south in a hurry.

We have had some interesting dives in some tight and silty side mount tunnels where I didn't care what kind of line it was - as long as I was on it, properly oriented and knew which way was out when it was time to leave.