Forwarded by Bill Mixon:
Begin forwarded message:
From: "Gene Page" <[email protected]>
List-Post: [email protected]
Date: January 15, 2009 3:51:56 PM CST
To: <[email protected]>
Subject: Re: Cow Springs Restoration Project News Release
***For Immediate Release***
Cow Spring Restoration Project
Jan 15, 2009
This week cave diving history was made not because divers
went deeper or further or invented a new kind of dive gear but by
making the world a better place. History was made this week when
four divers entered the darkness of Cow Springs in Luraville, Florida
and performed the world’s first underwater cave restoration. Fourteen
months ago pristine clay banks where damaged by unknown vandals diving
in the system. These clay formations which have been untouched by man
for thousands of years feature beautiful multi-colored layers. The
project was sponsored by The National Speleogical Society – Cave
Diving Section.
On January 5, 2009 the team led by Chicago artist Michael
Angelo Gagliardi, also featured photographers Gene Page and Jill
Heinerth. Wayne Kinard and Bill Bowden rounded out the stellar team.
Working in two knot current Michael Angelo used theatrical scenic art
as well as theatrical rigging techniques to sculpt the formation back
to its original form. The work site was 700 feet into the cave and
over 70 feet under water. The team worked for three days in a series
of two and a half hour decompression dives to complete the restoration.
Michael Angelo Gagliardi, is a well known Chicago
theatrical professional. He is a member of the International Alliance
of Theatrical Stage Employees Chicago Local #2 Stagehands. Michael
Angelo has toured the country with such Broadway shows as SHOWBOAT,
PETER PAN, THE LION KING and THE COLOR PURPLE. Most recently he was
head carpenter of JERSEY BOYS in Chicago. Galleries have shown his
art inNew York City, Chicago and Los Angeles. He is currently
represented by Effe Leven Gallery in Chicago. His art can be seen at www.Michael-Angelo-art.com
Gene Page is a motion picture and television still
photographer, with a background in photojournalism, fine art and
underwater photography. He also is a member of International Alliance
of Theatrical Stage Employees local 600 cinematographer’s guild. His
film credits include BASIC, THE PUNISHER and FOOL’S GOLD. Both he and
Michael Angelo are alumni of CW Post College of Long Island
University. More about Gene atwww.afn.org/~afn32018/
Best known as a pioneering technical diver, Jill Heinerth
combines a mastery of underwater technology with a formal fine arts
education to produce artistic documentation of the natural environment
above, below and inside our planet. Her credits include A WATER’S
JOURNEY for PBS, National Geographic – ICE ISLAND, and theHollywood
feature THE CAVE.
Please visit Jill’s website at www.intotheplanet.com/
Wayne Kinard was Michael Angelo’s assistant and dive
buddy. He is a well know dive shop owner in Fort White, Florida.
More about Wayne can be found at http://www.amigosdivecenter.com
Cave diver Bill Bowden acted as surface support and was instrumental
to the projects success.
The NSS-CDS is a not-for-profit conservationist
organization which promotes safe cave diving and exploration. Cave
Diving is a highly-technical form of diving and cave exploration.
More about cave diving can be found at http://nsscds.org For a copy
of this project’s report please e-mail Michael Angelo at [email protected]
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