[cavediver]

I see quite a few members from the 'other' forum so it sort of feels like home over here. As for me, I own and shoot many firearms but I really enjoy my Rugers the most. My list includes:
.270 Win M77
.357 Blackhawk 1776-1976 Bi-centennial edition
.22 Bearcat (1970 Christmas gift from my Dad)
KP95DC (2 of them)
KP345PR
KP97DC (my most recent purchase)

Besides guns I'm always ready to discuss cave diving, it's a real passion of mine!

Cheers,

cavediver

 

[sheepdog]

Welcome-it's a real homey place-'cept you don't get yard work!! 'Splain this cavediving???????

 

[Calvin Wiles]

Welcome !!! Make yourself at home and join right in. I think you will like it here.

 

[cavediver]

Thanks for the welcome.

Cave diving (also known as the worlds most dangerous sport):

It would take a book to really explain it but basically it involves lots of training, experience, love of the water and the urge to explore and go where others have never been and would be afraid to go if they had the chance. We wear large double cylinders (tanks) on our backs, a couple more clipped to our front, HID lights, reels, dry suits and the equipment list goes on and on. Some caves are so tight that you have to pull and crawl your way through the passages and others are huge with big rooms and some are a little of both. Some that we dive are as deep as 300'. Most of our diving is in the north Florida cave systems along with some fantastic ones in Mexico.

I also do a lot of deep wreck diving in the Great Lakes and off the east coast. We dive perfectly intact schooners and barq's that have been on the bottom for over 150 years. Many have the masts standing, rigging in place, ships wheels, bells; you name it and it's there. They are deep and and it's cold so they're incredibly preserved. I've been doing this since 1971 so I've got just a few dives under my belt!

Thanks for asking!

 

[sheepdog]

Fascinated by the song and story of Edmund Fitzgerald-have you seen it?

 

[Calvin Wiles]

You have a lot more nerve than I have. I don't even like to go down in dry caves. It sounds exciting though. Would be like exploring. Maybe we'll have someone else on the Forum that dives.

 

[cavediver]

quote:Originally posted by sheepdog

Fascinated by the song and story of Edmund Fitzgerald-have you seen it?

No, haven't seen her except in photos. She rests about 530' deep and that is beyond the practicle depth limits of open circuit scuba which is around 330'. To be safe enough to really explore it would need to be a surface supplied commercial dive with a decompression chamber on board; just not practicle but I would love to see it if it were possible!

 

[sheepdog]

Do you get to retrieve anything? Have you ever found in the underground caves evidence of those before you? Is the water in underground caves clear or murky?

 

[RNettles]

Welcome to the Forum CaveDiver... Pull up a stool and sit a spell... I am so glad to have ya here...

 

[cavediver]

quote:Originally posted by sheepdog

Do you get to retrieve anything? Have you ever found in the underground caves evidence of those before you? Is the water in underground caves clear or murky?

We don't take anything from the Great Lakes wrecks, everything is left so that others will have a chance to see it in the future. They'll still be there a hundred years from now because the deep cold water protects them. The underwater caves in Florida have never been dry therefore nobody has been there before us divers. Mexican caves were dry during the last ice age so they are highly decorated with stalactites, stalagmites, flow-stones and such and are absolutely beautiful. The basins of these caves, called cenotes, were used by the Mayans for drinking water as well as for religous ceremonies (human offerings and such). Underwater visibilty in Florida caves can be anywhere from 2' to 150' with 60-100' being average. Mexican caves usually have 100'+ visibility all the time.

 

[2400]

Welcome to the forum, glad you're here! New guy buys cigars.

 

[gl_colt]

Welcome.
I have realized a limit that I have.
Underground is OK,underwater is OK but underwater and underground
at the same time is not for me.

 

[Keith Smith]

quote:Originally posted by cavediver
KP97DC (my most recent purchase)

You bought Calvin?

 

[Calvin Wiles]

Fortunately what he bought was worth more that me. I'd hate to be on the auction block beside one of them sleek KP97's. I might get embarrassed. [:I]