I don't know the stats, but yes, cave diving is definitely
more dangerous than dry caving. There's a saying, "There are old
cave divers and there are bold cave divers, but there are no old,
bold cave divers!" When you're that dependent on technology, any
little thing can do you in. You don't have the luxury to wait for rescue.
Mark
At 01:22 PM 2/18/2011, Fritz Holt wrote:
I believe cave diving is a form of caving. Although there are
probably far more dry land cavers than divers, I wonder if the
percentage of deaths among divers is greater. I would think so. Does
anyone have any stats on that? In line with Mark's post, I believe
we have had more than one death from drowning here in our own
Jacob's Well. I believe the disturbed silt reduced visibility to
zero and divers became disoriented. I will leave this form to the
pros, but of course they die also. Because of my past history with
Goodenough Spring south of Comstock (now inundated by Lake Amistad),
I think the dive there to about 400 feet just a few years ago is the
most interesting. Before it was covered, I found it to be the most
beautiful desert oasis in Texas.
Fritz
-----Original Message-----
From: Mark Minton [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: Friday, February 18, 2011 10:31 AM
To: [email protected]
Subject: [Texascavers] Re: Caving Alone
Further down in Fritz' post, Jim McLane said:
>Just what's wrong with caving alone? With the exception of Floyd Collins'
>entrapment in 1925 (he wouldn't have died if the local coal miners
>had gone to
>work promptly to free him) I challenge you to point to even one
single modern
>fatality that has occurred because a person was caving alone.
Plenty of cave divers have died alone in a cave, but it's
not clear that many of them would have fared any better with a
buddy. In fact I think solo sump diving is often considered safer
than having a buddy because the buddy can be more hindrance than
help. Probably the most famous case of a solo caver disappearing is
Alex Pitcher, a young Brit who disappeared in the Gouffre Berger in
1987. His body was not found until the following year, in a
previously unknown passage where he had fallen and/or been entrapped
by falling rock. It was a famous mystery.
Mark Minton
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