by GroundquestMSA » Feb 24, 2012 1:26 pm
The purpose of this tale is not to encourage bad behaviour or unsafe practices. The NSS and its members proclaim the message of safety loudly and persistently. Listen to them.
My intention is to gauge the reactions of fellow cavers to the sins I committed Wed. afternoon. If you read this, try to seperate yourself from the conditions that you normally cave in, and think about my circumstances. I ask this because it is my intention to eventually publish a complete report on the caves of my county, and I intend to include narratives that describe my trips and photos that reveal our attire. I want to know if these will portray me as a irresponsible, dangerous, disrespectful idiot, or if cavers in general have the ability to make reasonable judgements based on individual situations.
After looking at topo maps, I picked a previously unchecked area with features similar to those where several other local caves are located. Clad in jeans and cotton shirt, I headed that way. I very responsibly obtained permission from a major landowner to walk his property. We found numerous surface sinks and checked them all with no results until we reached the property line. There, of course, I saw just across the fence, the most promising sinks of the day, which I promptly stepped over to have a look into. One of these yielded a tiny entrance among a pile of sticks and leaves. So after digging the junk out of the way, in we went, (I and another anonymous fiend) with one Energizer headlamp strapped to each of our helmetless noggins, and pretty pink glowsticks as station markers. The cave was of typical Ohio extent, 99 virgin feet, 9 virgin inches. We took 2+ hours to survey, though, since it was a very challenging little thing. Great fun was had, including wedging our way along the ceiling in 15' canyon passage, squeezing through impossible cracks on my side with a cold compass in my armpit, rounding a bend with my head to the floor to come face to face with considerable deposits of furry turd, and using the lone bat we saw as a station (we didn't disturb the little creature). We made it out alive, and reported to both the fellow who gave us permission and the jovial vicim of our tresspassing, who was tickled to learn that he was a cave owner. The only really non-typical part of this trip was the lack of backup lighting. I usually carry two lights.
I ask you for your thoughts. Would you allow me to join your caving trip if I asked? Would you assume that I always wear jeans? That I am always unprepared, unsafe, or unwise? I personally feel that my methods are entirely appropriate for the area I cave in. And I'm accomplishing a lot. Since last spring, we have finished 18 original surveys, 7 of them of virgin cave. To present a respectable report to the caving community, though, must I strictly adhere to the very sound and practical (but in my case restrictive) guidelines set forth for general caving safety?