Royal Spring 3/4/12

[Sludge]

So...they got their OW certs on Sunday and went diving in a cave (as opposed to cave diving) with their OW instructor on Monday. Gives a bad name to people from Georgia.

As I recall the incident, there are more wrong things in that story than right things. My memory isn't perfectly clear, but as I recall, the kid was 17, his dad's friend had been certified several months (the kid had indeed done his Dive #4 earlier that day), and the instructor loaned him a light to explore under the ledge, but had admonished him to NOT enter the cave - but then the instructor left the premises.

The sight of the dead kid lying on his back on the 15' platform (in the recovery video) with a mask full of blood and mucous was the most disheartening thing I have ever seen. I remember several days later describing the video to my mother and she stood there in tears - still a kid, and dead because of a stupid decision.

Maybe the family should have released THAT video to be shown in dive shops all over Florida - it would be a thousand times more effective than "A Deceptively Easy Way to Die."

[Unregistered User]

Maybe the family should have released THAT video to be shown in dive shops all over Florida - it would be a thousand times more effective than "A Deceptively Easy Way to Die."

No truer words were ever spoken.
+1

[Kelly Jessop]

Someone mentioned that some cave dives need an analogy of like snow skiing where there are black diamond slopes. This dive is a Darwinian dive,because someone will remove themselves from the gene pool. I have talked to people like Woody Jasper etc and they say the same thing,the only reason they go in there is to remove the victim.

[tomhauburn]

Someone mentioned that some cave dives need an analogy of like snow skiing where there are black diamond slopes. This dive is a Darwinian dive,because someone will remove themselves from the gene pool. I have talked to people like Woody Jasper etc and they say the same thing,the only reason they go in there is to remove the victim.

I have heard the same from another old timer who goes in places most would not even think about. This person said he is always in favor of keeping cave open but would not mind a grate here.

[deepdiverbob]

As I recall the incident, there are more wrong things in that story than right things. My memory isn't perfectly clear, but as I recall, the kid was 17, his dad's friend had been certified several months (the kid had indeed done his Dive #4 earlier that day), and the instructor loaned him a light to explore under the ledge, but had admonished him to NOT enter the cave - but then the instructor left the premises.

The sight of the dead kid lying on his back on the 15' platform (in the recovery video) with a mask full of blood and mucous was the most disheartening thing I have ever seen. I remember several days later describing the video to my mother and she stood there in tears - still a kid, and dead because of a stupid decision.

Maybe the family should have released THAT video to be shown in dive shops all over Florida - it would be a thousand times more effective than "A Deceptively Easy Way to Die."

I saw that same video a few years ago I believe. However, either video you mentioned is effective to the right person, but some people, no matter what you show or tell them, they are going to do what they are going to do. I saw the "A Deceptively Easy Way to Die." in my OW class, and that has stuck with me to this day. When I met Lamar a few years ago, I made sure to thank him for that.

[Sludge]

I don't know, Bob, there's a difference between bad acting and a close-up of a dead teenager...

[Greenwood_60]

I think the Rescue 911 episode with Woody would work pretty well.

[deepdiverbob]

I don't know, Bob, there's a difference between bad acting and a close-up of a dead teenager...

I totally agree with you. I am going with the idea of you cant say the wrong thing to the right person in sales. Same thing here, some people are going to do the stupid thing no matter what you show them.

[JamesK]

I think the Rescue 911 episode with Woody would work pretty well.

Yes, that would probably help as well.

[allen]

I think that there are a few places that should have an additional note on the Grim Reaper sign: "This is an advanced cave dive. It should not be attempted by anyone who has not done 50 sidemount cave dives (or some other requirement appropriate for that cave)." If I had discovered Royal Springs cave while diving in the spring, I might have been tempted to go in as far as my primary reel would take me. Now that I know about the silt and, even more, the bad lines, I'll stay out. Nevertheless, my limits need not be everyone's limits.