BTW, I'm not part of any "group". Geoff Kelafant ----- Original Message ----- From: <Hypohippo@ao*.co*> To: <kelafant@we*.co*> Cc: <cavers@cavers.com> Sent: Tuesday, March 21, 2000 8:33 PM Subject: Re: cave deaths > > > Geoff: > > I appreciate your thoughtful insight regarding this matter of cave deaths. > Now yours is the type of posting that is well thought out, meaningful, and > full of good information that can be of benefit to the members of this group > including myself. > > As far as your assuming that I meant being killed in a cave is inevitable for > all cave divers is completely off base. What I said was that "as long as > people continue to dive in caves their will be deaths. That is a simple fact > of the sport. I have been diving caves for many years and I am well aware > that even the most safe and sophisticated cave divers do perish in caves no > matter how well they are trained or how experienced they are. The same is > true for mountain climbers. Take Alex Lowe for example. He was probably the > most accomplished mountain climber in the world and died on a mountain by > elements out of his control. Same with Anatoli Bukerov, Lopsong Shombo Sherpa > etc. etc. etc. etc.(forgive the MIS spellings of their names) > > It was not my intention to insitgate a long drawn out argument on this > matter. I just simply wanted to point out that when someone is killed in a > cave there should not be gleeful smirks of joy. > > As to your point that you and many others have to suffer the consequences of > a death with landowners, the State, etc., is well taken. I completely > understand this concern and I too agree that people who are diving out of > their limits (in this recent case, way out of their limits) should be > discussed and investigated in a serious way. And if "training agencies" are > actually encouraging "intro to cave" divers to dawn on a pair of doubles and > head down to the Dome Room they should be severely punished. > > I understand what you and your group are trying to do. You are trying to make > diving safer which is of great benefit to the "community." I just feel that > some of our members would gain a lot more respect from us "non sided" members > by not taking the death of a "fellow diver" with so much sarcasm and glee. > > Much can be learned from the group (WKPP) which has penetrated the furthest, > dove the deepest, laid the most line, and has the best safety record in the > history of the sport. This is a non debatable fact. My thoughts are to use > these facts, when commenting on a death, in a straight forward, non sarcastic > way while respecting the souls of the dead who undoubtedly died a horrendous > death. I believe that taking this type of approach will go a whole lot > further with the diving public as well as the general public. No one > appreciates sarcastic smart ass comments in the face of a true tragedy. > > Thank you for taking the time to respond. >
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