The Next Generation

[Alan Owens]

How can we make a difference without offending those who came before us and those who have worked so hard to get us where we are today? I am as open at they come for new suggestions and want to know where to start being assertive but not aggresive? As part of the "next generation" I want to help in every way possible but need direction from the first generation on where to start and where do we go from here?

John Spann

No hand prints between Challenge and Olsen.

[WEPIV]

I'm enjoying reading this thread and I often dive with the person who started it -- John Spann.
I'm 44 years-old and have been swimming and diving in Florida's springs since I was a child but I only started doing technical dives in recent years and was certified full cave about a year and a half ago. So, this is all interesting for me as I've been around some of these dive sites for years but I'm seeing new parts all the time as I dive deeper and further.
What I have done is to try to read everything I could (and can) get my hands on about cave diving and its history in addition to talking to (and hopefully mostly listening to) as many other divers as I can who have been diving these caves for decades. (It helps to have a great instructor(s) too obviously.)
Also, places like the newly reopened Cave Diving Museum, (great work Cindy and others!), and events held by groups like the NACD and NSS-CDS. (I'll be at my church camp, Camp Weed, this weekend.) We also talked about doing some video/oral cave diving history, which I would like to pursue. And then, of course there is just getting out there and diving....
Even though I'm in my 40's I am a "new" cave diver and I fully believe in learning something and improving every day I can. Thanks John for starting this talk....

Gene Page

[Jerry]

The "Next Generation" also needs to remember land owner relations. Taking apart a padlocked gate to access a closed site is the fastest way to get a site closed permanently.

Remember sneak diving is only cool if you don't get caught.

Jerry