This is indeed an excellent resource IMHO, David, and one I pass out or encourage folks to download at the various youth group caving talks I give. The NSS will send you copies for free, in quantities of 50 or less. Anything more than that they request you make a nominal donation fee to cover printing and shipping. You can see a complete listing of their brochures at http://caves.org/brochure/index.shtml While you're perusing their fine catalog of caving resources, JOIN THE NSS!!!! Mark
________________________________ From: David <[email protected]> To: Cavers Texas <[email protected]> Sent: Saturday, October 22, 2011 6:37 AM Subject: [Texascavers] a cave related web-link Below is a link to a PDF which should be listed on any grotto's web-page under a section for new cavers. http://www.caves.org/brochure/NSS%20Guide%20Color%20809.pdf Kudos to all the people that did the work on that. This booklet should be printed out and put in the new attendees packets at grotto meetings, or put on a table with freebie brochures about caving. Your grotto does that. Right ? Or the link should be in a welcome e-mail to new members that have just joined your grotto. For example, the e-mail [ or Facebook message ] could read "Hey, Jane ( or Joe ), welcome to the grotto, here is some cool info on caves for you to read. Let's go caving soon ! " When I attended my first grotto meeting, the grotto there did not have such things. But they did have a paper tri-fold hand-out that had some basic info about the NSS. I don't agree with the initial wording in the Forword that says we "explore cave for sport." I believe it should say "for recreation." And the 2nd line, describing a "sport caver," seems odd for such a brochure. I don't know anybody that has ever considered themselves a sport caver or labeled someone else as a sport caver. And then it goes on to say, this Publication "deals with the sport of caving." In addition, the wording about quickly dying and starving to death needs could be described better. There could be a link in this part to American Caving Accidents. ( Are those on PDF yet ? ) And how many of you really cave with a large plastic trash bag inside of your helmet ? And what is wrong with a new caver using a hockey helmet, or a kayaking helmet, etc. on their first few trips ? I have seen experienced cavers use motorcycle helmets. [ Helmets are still one of the most expensive of the caving gear items, so I don't believe a new caver should be encouraged to purchase a real caving helmet right away. I think a grotto should have cheap helmets available for new cavers on their very first trip. ] I think the brochure should mention the types of caves for first-time cavers to avoid. Like alpine caves, or caves with deep pit entrances or caves with rivers or streams flowing into them, or caves that require crawling in running water, or caves with bad air, or free-diving in caves, glacier caves, or caves with lots of bats, caves with lots of swimming, sea caves, etc. The little graphic symbol on the photos in the brochure doesn't do anything for me. But I do want to emphasize that I liked the booklet. David Locklear caver in Fort Bend County, Texas NSS # 27639 --------------------------------------------------------------------- Visit our website: http://texascavers.com To unsubscribe, e-mail: [email protected] For additional commands, e-mail: [email protected]
