Why do you cave dive?

[Moonfuzzy]

Sitting around after a dive recently I realized that other people are probably not cave diving for the same reason as I do... so I decided to ask what motivates you.

Ok, putting on the flame retardant now...

[MengTze]

I voted several..................personally think it is one of the coolest things you can do in your spare time besides *** and *** and ******* and ******************* and sleeping.

[Chuck from KY.]

I have been cave diving since 1982. I was introduced to the area while I was assisting with O.W. checkouts for a shop in Eastern Ky. Once the curiosity bug bit,a group of friends and I came back and began our caving career. We watched and listened carefully and were very fortunate to meet some great divers and learned the sport from some of the originators. We were certified Full Cave in 1984. I recall when some of the most well known names now were working the counters at Branford and Ginnie. Aluminum 80's, horse collar b.c.'s and Ikelite pistol grip lights were not uncommon and most divers knew each others names. Time and technology make a change in all. This November made 25 consecutive years and I keep coming back 3 or 4 times a year because at 59 years old I still like and accept the challenge, the cave passages are still as beautiful,I am still as curious(or forgetful) about what lies ahead and I know that my cave experiences have made me a better all around diver.Next trip I hope to learn or maybe remember some of your names. Thanks for the space , Chuck <><

[Gibby]

My brother tried to get me into spear fishing when I started diving. A few times out and I felt that it was totally ridiculous. No offense to those who like it but its not my bag.

Get up early as hell. Hope weather is good. Drive to boat. Hope weather is good. Load 5 people on a 23 foot center that has seating for 3 and shade for 1. Pay $5 bucks a gallon for gas that doesn't have road tax added. Watch that gas go into said boat that burns 40 gallons an hour. Ride out to location for 1 an a half hours. Maybe spear a grouper for dinner maybe not. Pray weather is still good. Try two other locations for the maybe grouper dinner.
Ride 1.5 hours back in. Pray weather is still good. Help cleaning gas guzzling boat. Drive home realizing the 6 grouper fillets in the ice bag cost you about $150 Spend hours cleaning salt out of gear. Notice salt on the reg at the next cave dive.

I'd rather
Drive to the site.
Pay an iron ranger 3 bucks.
Do a dive.
Drive to Mc Ds for lunch in the AC.
Do another dive.
Lightly pack my stuff.
Drive home picking up beer and grouper fillets for $8 a pound.
Give the gear a light rinse while the fish is on the grill

See. Cave Diving is awesome!
And if I want to look at fish I will be glad to visit the aquarium.

[Moonfuzzy]

I see your problems with spear fishing... I grew up on a canal in the Keys. You looked at the radar, walked to the boat, and were out in the back country in 15 min. I stopped spearfishing because I started to feel bad about stabbing the fish (I'd rather dive with them : ) The only problem with getting fillets from the store is that they are just not as yummy & fresh.

[FW]

You left out the most important one! - "Natural progression from caving"

I started vertical caving, so I could see parts of the caves I couldn't get to otherwise. I started cavediving for the same reason.

Those of you that started diving first, and have never been in a "dry" cave, have no idea what you are missing!

[Arnold Mesiser]

My primary motivation (when I was not injured and was diving) was to work with local karst scientists to assist in exploring/mapping/sampling/conserving/stewarding local and foreign caves and karst systems while doing everything in my ability to enable fellow cavers in their pursuits as well.

I was a neophyte dry caver when I took my open water check outs at Ginnie so this just sent me further into the darkness.At the time I started cave diving training in Florida (no local training is available other than mentoring which takes years due to local conditions) Dr Sawatzky and the Toronto Caving Group (and John Reekie amongst others)were in full blown exploration Mode in a few large Ontario cave systems.The only reason I took training for cave diving was to be able to explore and map Canadian caves as few have interest,if locals will not map their own stuff;who will?I also had the fortune to be in contact with many British ex- pat cavers In Canada so seeing as our systems are similar I gained a huge passion for our types of caves and they became my preference.


I was fortunate to have gained access to a large database of Canadian Caver magazines chronicling the prolific worldwide explorations being done by McMaster University cavers and cave divers through the MUCC under Dr.Derek Ford.This totally cemented my passion to pursue exploration with science in my local caves.I was slowly shown local sites and mentoring here and there began but unfortunately I was injured so my plans were severely sidetracked.I have since become a proficient caver and spend all my time searching for new cave systems to map and record data in order to prevent their destruction from encroaching development.Cave mapping/digging(glacial debris and erratics only to return the natural state)cleanups/data recording/trip leading and recording of new karst features (all) along with caves feeds my passion well.I am slowly learning photography in caves as well to document incremental changes over time due to nature and caver traffic.


Beyond this ,I love to explore any cave as they all have their own nuances,virgin cave is an extremely rewarding experience as well plus the simple drive to see where the cave goes.We always cave in and survey out though as our primary goal is to gain data.I also enjoy drawing cave maps and poring over air photos for days on end to find that next system.I discovered 3 new systems recently that are local to me and did a little bit of diving with David Sawatzky (he did the lion share) but I am far too busted up now to continue.Despite this I am still passionate and do whatever I can to get fellow divers into systems to gain more knowledge.I am a NSS/NSS-CDS member along with the QSS ( Quebec Speleological Society/Toronto Caving Group and the CRF/CKKC.I now support cavers and cave divers on these groups caving projects in whatever manner I am able to.


I feel very fortunate that the CRF accepted my membership and had the wonderful experience of helping organize a successful trip into Roppel cave with some of the most experienced and top cavers going.This was one of the most rewarding experiences I have had in caving.If I can accomplish even a 10th of what some of the participant's have in regards to contributing to karst and cave knowledge I will feel very happy with what I will have experienced.As my health increases I hope to contribute to as many cave projects as I can manage to donate time to.


Thats me in a nutshell.

Wow I guess I rambled on,I feel like the guy who showed up in a suit for a casual affair :0

[OneBrightGator]

I choose a few. I had a decent amount of OW experience when I started at UF, as a poor college kid the local springs were the only place I could afford to go diving and there's only so much OW diving you can do before you want more, so I got cavern certified. Same process repeats itself until I was full cave. After I graduated I stayed close enough to dive and still love it, although I don't get to do it nearly as much as I did as a student. I guess "because it's in my backyard" is what it boils down to.

[JE]

Conservative diving is actually a healthy activity enriching one's mind & cleansing one's lungs, blood gases, & heart tissues. Besides stimulating our minds it brings a network of new companions of which to share the activity with-!


J.

[MORGAN]

You left out the most important one! - "Natural progression from caving"

I started vertical caving, so I could see parts of the caves I couldn't get to otherwise. I started cavediving for the same reason.

Those of you that started diving first, and have never been in a "dry" cave, have no idea what you are missing!

Agreed! I was a "dry" caver (more accurately a "mud caver"!) long before I started diving. Once I started open water diving, getting into cave diving was just a matter of time. It's great to float effortlessly through caves instead of crawling and rigging ropes. Still got my carbide lamps and Gibbs ascenders, though.