NZcaver wrote:I have to admit I've found many Darwin Award stories quite entertaining. Some of that stuff you couldn't make up if you tried.
Aye, I also found myself giggling when reading this site, lots of videos on the net are showing the proof of the site's necessity. Lot of people doing a LOT of STOOPID stuff out there.
Still... the site has this to say...
SIDEBAR: "Although many people enjoy this pursuit safely, the National Speleological Society warns that the dangers of spelunking include falling down pits, being crushed by rocks, drowning, hypothermia, and slowly starving to death. They add that 'the rewards are worth the misery and risks.'"
Now I dunno about the "slowly starving to death... hypothermia will kill you before hunger and dehydration will. Still I agree the rewards are worth the misery and risks and Dale's quote (on the site) is right on as well. It's as safe as you make it. 30+ years of caving and I've yet to be rescued on a major call out... self rescued yes of course but having teams of rescuers come out to where I'm at... nope. So either way... I agree that Jones' entry here doesn't qualify under their criteria.