Mailing List Archive

Mailing List: cavers

Message Display

Joel, I agree with you 100%. You are so right on this.

Joel Markwell wrote:
>
> Trey,
> 
> This is the problem as I see it. Inconsistent lining practices. Line & arrow
> wars. Hidden cave. Distant cut-backs at entrances. These are all indications
> of a muddled system that really isn't a system, but a collection of
> individually-lined caves that the diver must then try to figure, at a given
> point, which exit arrow really leads to a close, gap-free exit.
> 
> Over time the entrance lines have been brought closer to air and light and
> in individual caves the gaps have been improved, but overall the reaction
> is, "I can handle it, so why change it?" Sure, I can handle it, but couldn't
> it be better done?
> 
> Once again, the ego and distrust that exists in cave diving today helps to
> perpetuate an unsafe system. It's inconceivable to imagine a congress of
> interested cave divers meeting to bring order to the chaos that had any real
> representation in all segments of the cave diving society.
> 
> Last trip I sat and listened to an hour-long soliloquy about the latest "who
> hates who" in cave diving and this didn't even include the WKP! It was
> mostly between N. Fla cavers. Add feelings about the WKP and you get the
> true picture, a Balkanized landscape of petty hates, jealousies, distrust,
> revenge, ignorance and long-held grudges.
> 
> Because of this it will be individuals who continue to make the changes,
> slowly and sometimes done, then redone by someone with a different view.
> 
> It wouldn't take an especially large intelligence to change things, but just
> will to do it and the consensus of enough divers who think it matters--fat
> chance.
> 
> Later,
> 
> JoeL

Navigate by Author: [Previous] [Next] [Author Search Index]
Navigate by Subject: [Previous] [Next] [Subject Search Index]

[Send Reply] [Send Message with New Topic]

[Search Selection] [Mailing List Home] [Home]