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Graffiti

PostPosted: Mar 8, 2015 8:43 am
by msm0711
I just visited a cave in North Central SC this past week and was disappointed to see that in the 2 years between visits, the graffiti had more than doubled. The cave is pretty small, maybe 70 feet long, with 20 of that being a narrow crawl, but it's literally covered. It's paint on top of paint. I don't remember ever having an urge to spray paint anything when I was younger, and still can't see why anyone would carry spray paint out into a wilderness area, crawl in a hole and start spraying.

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Re: Graffiti

PostPosted: Mar 8, 2015 1:20 pm
by leeboop
Wow. So not cool. :down: :down: :down: :down: :down:

Re: Graffiti

PostPosted: Mar 8, 2015 3:47 pm
by Chads93GT
70' long cave with no decorations I see. Looks to be a prime example of a cave gate...........

Re: Graffiti

PostPosted: Mar 9, 2015 6:49 pm
by tncaver
Doesn't look worth a cave gate to me. 70 feet long, no formations, any cave life could have already been killed by the chemicals in the paint.
Gating the cave would likely shift the spray painters to another location whether a cave or outdoor tourist spot (ie:spread more vandalism to new places). Sometimes it is best to have a sacrificial cave and let it be.

Re: Graffiti

PostPosted: Mar 9, 2015 8:24 pm
by Grandpa Caver
I spent my "formative years" as a caver in proximity to a widely recognized sacrificial cave. Most cavers at the time accepted it's necessity. One day during a minor property cleanup I suggested placing a trash barrel on site. The nearly unanimous reply was "Oh no. A barrel only attracts trash and trash only attracts more trash". That answer changed my mindset.
Eventually the cave became managed, a major cleanup (still ongoing) was initiated and it now serves as a "learning cave" teaching a different lesson. No surrounding caves have noticeably suffered over the years and my observations would indicate less local vandalism than occurred than back in the day.
IMO: Vandalism in any form only attracts vandalism.

Re: Graffiti

PostPosted: Mar 10, 2015 7:48 am
by tncaver
Hey, Granpa. That's not a bad idea and it beats the heck out of gating. Cleaning up a cave is always a plus, gating is a negative. Your idea to place a trash receptacle may or may not have made much difference. So long as there is no gate, there is no reason for anyone to
look elsewhere for a place to spray paint. I agree that when grafitti is present it invites more. So cleaning up a cave may work provided ALL
the grafitti is removed. Providing a trash receptical may work once the grafitti is all gone. But someone will always have to empty that thing.
If that receptical ever fills up then trash will begin to overflow.

The Spencer Mountain Grotto used to empty trash barrels at Camps Gulf Cave. That actually seemed to work pretty good but it was a hassle
for the grotto. But once the state bought the property and started leading van loads of tourists to the cave, the trash barrels quickly over filled,
and grafitti became a problem. Once tourists knew the location of the cave, they would come back on their own and do whatever they pleased.
Now the state has a big gate across the road to prevent vehicles from going there. That helps reduce traffic a lot although the irony is that the state is the one who increased traffic at the cave in the first place. I remember long ago before the state owned the cave, there
was just about zero grafitti at the cave. Back then only cavers knew about the cave. Once locals and tourists were brought there in van loads
by the park system, things got out of control. Probably the only reason they didn't gate the cave is due to the expense of gating such a large
entrance.

Re: Graffiti

PostPosted: Mar 12, 2015 2:27 pm
by Chads93GT
Trash can at this cave? At least you could throw your spray paint cans away when you use them up.................

I was kidding about the gate. Those who get grants for such thing would use this cave as a grant to get money and actually gate it. It happens................In Missouri.

Re: Graffiti

PostPosted: Mar 12, 2015 3:47 pm
by tncaver
I know what you mean Chads93GT.