What is Missing from the Mill Pond Missing Diver Thread?

[sandy]

Agree with Brandon and Joe on talking to divers with more experience than me in a new cave or section, remembering all that my instructor taught me, and how rusty or smooth I am at the time. It protects my family, me, and the cave.

Just thinking outloud - what about a special arrow to designate areas that are side mount only. Using the Squirrel Passage as an example, would writing "SM" on the double arrows designating the jump or a single arrow with "SM" at the point where the passage narrows down to side mount be an option. Or would a certain color for any area to use caution be useful. For example, use a colored arrow with "SM" for the Squirrel Passage or a colored arrow with "Silty" for the Dark Water Tunnel at P1. Of course this may encourage some people to proceed down the route.

[whodunit68]

Colours I think dont work for several reasons (consistency, colour-blindness, viz, etc) but the idea of a notation sounds pretty good to me. What would be the harm?

[Sludge]

Maybe the root of the problem here is training.

Fixed it for you.

[ianr33]

People just need to stop being stupid.

I first dived the passage where this latest incident happened a few years ago when I was diving backmount. It starts off being decent sized,takes a right turn then suddenly gets small. We turned and headed back to the gold line. One glance at the narrower passage ahead told me it was no place for backmount.

[LiteHedded]

dumbing down the cave with new arrows and all that nonsense seems like a worse idea than smartening up the divers

[JamesK]

dumbing down the cave with new arrows and all that nonsense seems like a worse idea than smartening up the divers

I agree. What always amazes me is the divers who think that you can't have an amazing dive and stay on the mainline. I have no reason to do jumps and side tunnels until I learn as much as I can on the mainline. I feel too many divers just want to say they have "been there done that" and don't want to tell other divers when they ask how there dive was "it was just a nice mainline dive".

[Kevin Carlisle]

I agree with the training being the issue but Ian and Brian hit it on the head. We dont need signs or more crap in a cave. We need smarter cave divers.

[Keith]

+1 for training and slowly learning the cave systems by diving them. Maps and arrows are ok but nothing teaches the cave like experience.

I am not a skinny guy and I must know my limitations when I see or feel them and turn the dive. My training should prevent panic and get me out in zero viz.

[LiteHedded]

best dives i've ever had have been on goldline/mainline

[bpcfire1]

I wonder if when you signed the waiver at dive spots or chked in, they could give you a map of the cave system with areas that could be dangerous marked on the map. You only get a map when you produce a cave card.


James, you are NEVER suppose to disagree with me....

Steve...you are the MANN