Cave Accident in the past

[tomhauburn]

Cave Diving Accident

If anyone has any information related to the accident that occurred with regards to my relative a long time ago I'd like to hear the story in a PM. I've been told very little about it but that he was a firefighter from Dauphin Island, AL and I'm not even sure what his first name was, but that he was distantly related to me and his last name was Dismukes.

Send it to me in a PM or to Tomeauburn@aol.com

Thanks
Tom Hundley

[FW]

Any other information, like approximate year, cave name, etc?

[tomhauburn]

Forest I wish I had them but I do not, only would say it was at least in the 80/s or 90's. I asked and did not find anything. I tried a search engine and spend a lot of wasted time last night.
Tom

[FW]

The accident reports don't usually have names, so that would be a hard way to trace it. The only other chance would be newspaper accounts. A lot of the older ones aren't online anywhere.

[gregfl]

Diver Drowns in Williston Spring
Friday, July 14, 1995
WILLISTON - A Mobile Ala., firefighter drowned while diving in Levy County on Thursday afternoon with another Mobile firefighter.
The drowning victim, identified by the Levy County Sheriff's Department as Steven Christopher Dismukes, 28, was pronounced dead after his body was recovered from Devil's Den at 8:30 pm Thursday. Devil's Den is a privately owned spring outside Williston on Levy County Road 505, a mile north of Alt. U.S. 27.
The man diving with Dismukes, Samuel Howard Williams, 35, told investigators that he noticed Dismukes was missing at about 3:30 pm. Williams went back to the surface to pick up a fresh tank of air, but was unable to find Dismukes when he returned to the opening of the cavern where the two had been diving, according to sheriff's spokesman Lt. Chuck Bastak.
Cave divers from the National Speleological Society -- Lamar Hires and Mark Leonard of Lake City and Woody Jasper of High Springs -- found Dismukes in about 35 feet of water Thursday evening.
A preliminary investigation showed that both Dismukes and Williams were certified as open-water divers, but it did not appear that either diver was certified for cave diving.
End of article
Additional Information: Apparently the divers decided to pull down the fence which blocks off the cave section at Devil's Den. They did not have the proper training or equipment to cave dive. On top of that, the cave system at Devil's Den is supposed to be very low flow and high silt, as well as a tight squeeze. The type of system that trained cave divers would probably say, "There's no way you're getting me into that hole".

[tomhauburn]

I'm long over due to thank panout for first sending this info to me in a PM and also I'm thankful you also found it. It cleared up things for me and my family. This is not the easiest sport to sell to you family esspecially if they think someone who was trained died in the family already. While its sad that my distant relative died at all, it does clear the air with what happened and opened up a better understanding.

Tom Hundley

[JE]

Cave divers from the National Speleological Society -- Lamar Hires and Mark Leonard of Lake City and Woody Jasper of High Springs -- found Dismukes in about 35 feet of water Thursday evening.

Additional Information: Apparently the divers decided to pull down the fence which blocks off the cave section at Devil's Den. They did not have the proper training or equipment to cave dive. On top of that, the cave system at Devil's Den is supposed to be very low flow and high silt, as well as a tight squeeze. The type of system that trained cave divers would probably say, "There's no way you're getting me into that hole".

A TD friend of mine once described the system as "heavily laden with clay & silt......A humoungus underground pasture as large as a football field, once you reach the main ballroom"-! " not a good place to explore"-! I've seen the site a couple of times, & though it is spectacticular, I personally don't think pushing beyond 'gated' areas is a good idea. Often, we are intrigued by 'what-lays-beyond'-! Without considering the consequences of human error or failures. I'm saddened that you lost a distant relative there, Tom. It could have been anyone of us, out for adventure. The common ground rule here, again, is to explore with-in our limits, & safely. The gates at Ginnie's Ballroom, Devils Den, Morrison Spgs, & Vortex are there for a reason.
Just my own thoughts on this subject

je

[DogDiver]

Just for information only, is there a map of the system out there? I am collecting them for future display. Ken

[Chunky]

The gates at Ginnie's Ballroom, Devils Den, Morrison Spgs, & Vortex are there for a reason. Just my own thoughts on this subject

Anyone here been beyond the gate in Ginnie, before the gate was installed? I'm curious as to what it's like back there. No intention of diving it, just curious. What was the reasoning behind installing the gate there? Other than hearing that a bunch of people died back there I have not really heard anything else about it....


Thanks!
Martin.

[lowvoltguy]

The gates at Ginnie's Ballroom, Devils Den, Morrison Spgs, & Vortex are there for a reason. Just my own thoughts on this subject

Anyone here been beyond the gate in Ginnie, before the gate was installed? I'm curious as to what it's like back there. No intention of diving it, just curious. What was the reasoning behind installing the gate there? Other than hearing that a bunch of people died back there I have not really heard anything else about it....


Thanks!
Martin.

2nd that ... I'd love to hear what's back there or just see a map ...