Labeled line arrows
I think that it is appropriate and necessary to study a map and gradually develop a mental map of the system and that relying on labeled arrows would tend to create less aware divers. Afterall, being able to do "complex navigation" is part of being a full cave diver.
There shouldn't be "trial and error"! It's a simple matter of planning a route, getting it clear in your head, then executing it. Do each side of a circuit before closing the loop on it. If necessary draw it out in your wetnotes before venturing in. Jeff Hancock's map is an excellent tool to help this, and if you split the cost amongst a couple of you it's well worth it even for the price sensitive diver. At the end of the day it's YOUR job to know exactly where you are at any given moment - and not by reading off some arrow.
I see putting names on the various areas as being similar to diving deep with computers - it sets up the danger that you don't plan your dive properly, or have a good enough mental map of how the dive is going to go beforehand.
Plus there are some pretty childish people in our community unfortunately - witnes the grafitti at various points around the cave. Imagine if these clowns decide it'd be funny to change those arrows around a bit.
I have about 40 dives in Ginnie post-classes. I've seen about 80% of what's on Jeff's map (and a couple of passages that aren't) in those dives - and I've repeated quite a few several times. With an average of 3 dives per day, and a fee of $20 per day, that's 80% of the cave for about $300. I view that as a bargain.
And to go a step further, remember that for $20 you get better security (not perfect but better), maintained steps and tables, cleaning, showers and toilets, food nearby, etc etc etc..
Lastly, consider who does the line maintenance in Ginnie - and go ask them if they'd put signposts all over the cave. Please record and post their response - I suspect it'll contain some ripe language!!!
Andrew Ainslie
Almost extinct cave diver
Well pardon my photographic ineptness but here's an image of what might happen, the words upon close inspection are NOT FUN...guess that might be info for someone making a decision about whether or not to continue down the line (jump off of gold) or it is perhaps a comment after having been down the line...bet you can't guess where this is in ginnie.... Bill Huth
photo taken today (this am)
http://cavediver.net/photopost/showphoto.php?photo=6795
"With regard to cave diving, the great thing is to be carried where you could not have imagined you would ever be, and then to come back alive."
"Wilderness. The word itself is music." Abbey, Desert Solitaire
One guess via a pm was lips bypass, that was not correct...hint: very few people swim to this spot....
"With regard to cave diving, the great thing is to be carried where you could not have imagined you would ever be, and then to come back alive."
"Wilderness. The word itself is music." Abbey, Desert Solitaire
signs
LOL!Lastly, consider who does the line maintenance in Ginnie - and go ask them if they'd put signposts all over the cave. Please record and post their response - I suspect it'll contain some ripe language!!!
Hey nobody said anything about putting signposts all over the cave.I dont see any harm in Madison,with the godzilla jump marked.A cookie with a passage name written on it sure as hell aint clutterin up nothin.And I have a map of Ginnie but there are passages that arent on there,hence the trial and error remark.Anyway theres nothing quite like having someone with you that knows the system.
Yup, that and a set of spools get's you a long wayOriginally Posted by stairman
Yeah, I see your point. That's probably the old map. Jeff's map has the vast majority of the lines on it.
Andrew Ainslie
Almost extinct cave diver
unmarked passages
Putting markers in the cave for every jump is a bit dangerous I think. If you remember back to being a cave diver just starting out how many side passages do you remember noticing on your own? Probably not many.
It seems to me that there is a natural process of becoming more comfortable on a cave dive that allows one's senses to open up and notice more and more as they accumulate experience. If people start labeling each and every jump more divers will start noticing the passages before their natural process would have allowed. I am not saying that it is our job to protect the divers, they need to be mature enough to follow the rules and know their own limits... but why make it easier for someone to find themselves in a dangerous situation where they are more likely to DAMAGE THE CAVE?
The line isn't there to get us INTO the cave, it is there to get us OUT. I don't think labels get us out any better than line arrows.
I suppose it might not be a good idea in that someone might rely on whats written and in zero vis not be able to desifer.
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