Tightest Sidemount Cave System ?

[DA Aquamaster]

Another old addage with that from flying is the statement "I'd rather be on the ground wishing i was flying then flying and wishing i was on the ground."

How about : The three most useless things to a pilot are:
1) altitude above you,
2) the runway behind you, and
3) fuel you left in the truck.

[LCF]

I've enjoyed reading this, but I keeping coming up with the same question: Do you guys really ENJOY cave this tight, or are you hoping it will open up into something more comfortable and more visually impressive? I know I don't mind going through a restriction, but I don't enjoy long sections of restricted passage. I dive caves mostly to look at them, and I don't see all that much when I'm wriggling through something unfriendly

[Bobby]

I can't speak for others but I always have the hope and mind set that it will open up into big passage. I have gotten into some long stuff mostly because it seemed better to move forward rather than attempt to turn in what I had just passed. As I have gotten a bit older though I have found that I will find a way to turn earlier and leave stupid (IMHO) small stuff for others.

Bobby

[FW]

I have to agree with most of what Bobby said

[netmage]

It took a very scary incident in cow to make me accept a backmount ccr and bailout as my wiskers... If they don't go - I don't go....

[RN]

It's a little bit of both. I go into tight passage looking for something more. I also enjoy the challenge of getting through tight passage. But I do always keep in mind that whatever I go through, I have to come back through.

[icestac]

I've enjoyed reading this, but I keeping coming up with the same question: Do you guys really ENJOY cave this tight, or are you hoping it will open up into something more comfortable and more visually impressive? I know I don't mind going through a restriction, but I don't enjoy long sections of restricted passage. I dive caves mostly to look at them, and I don't see all that much when I'm wriggling through something unfriendly

I enjoy 'intimate' cave like the borehole before the crypt... just beautiful IMO even though it is not sidemount. I can also enjoy low bedding planes like the entrance to Jug. But I don't enjoy small boreholes that last any longer than one body length.

[aainslie]

Tight sections can lead to huge cave. Ginnie is one example. the Crack is another. And there's a pretty cool section of Cow that suddenly opens up after some godawful crawling. The sudden opening is one of the biggest thrills a caver can have, IMHO.

It's also nice to know that your new find won't be visited by too many people after you.

[rchrds]

Pool of the naked frogs is not in Briars- that is in Climax Cave, GA. And yes, we (among others) have humped tanks back there, and yes, there is LOADS of virgin there- A whole layer of cave in the water below the dry cave portion. Getting there, however, is NOT easy. And people have taken tanks into Briars as well, though the results were less spectacular- there is passage, but not any where close to the same order.

[atedeschi]

I dont know if this should be another thread, but I would like to ask when pushing in an unknow passage either virgin or new to you what if it does not open up. How do you plan for that? I know some common sense plays a part but what about things you didn't realy think of or have learned. I been diving sm for a few years now and feel pretty squared away and been in some tight areas and sm only caves but this is always one of those things in the back in my mind. Besides just saying backup was wondering if anyone could elborate. PMs are welcomed as well as not to side track this thread to much.