Spectator Sport

[cap n chris]

I can imagine cavers who can afford to join more than a couple of clubs are pretty happy with the club scene and are not bothered by the cost.

Axiomatic, and correct because of it.

 

[Peter Burgess]

OK - let's add that up.

?38 - membership plus BCA.
?30 - annual dinner (as far as I recall)
?0 - two trips down OFD

You are making it up, Mr Binding.

 

[Peter Burgess]

You can add ?4 per night cottage fees to that. I assure you that if club caving was expensive, I wouldn't do it. And annual dinners are not compulsory and I find it's not difficult to fit in if you don't go to them!

 

[cap n chris]

Your annual dinners are cheap (free booze is probably the clincher).

 

[Peter Burgess]

One good meal and a pint. All paid for by me. You are in the wrong club. Why not join us instead?

 

[cap n chris]

I assure you that if club caving was expensive, I wouldn't do it.

For you, Peter, club caving is a fabulous winner. This is because you have very well established connections, networking etc. and can get any trips organised that you fancy. For a complete newcomer to caving who knows NO-ONE at all, club caving can be a total washout in terms of getting any trips anywhere. Sure a club will accept a new member and then commonly fail dismally to do anything at all for that new member. Result, an ex-member who will feel they wasted their time and money. Instructed and professional caving wins these people over and often makes them super-keenies who subsequently join a caving club (directed towards a good one, obviously, that will not disabuse them).

 

[cap n chris]

You are in the wrong club. Why not join us instead?

I may well do that, Peter!

 

[jasonbirder]

I know (and cave with) ALOT of professional Caving Instructors...
None of them ever tell me about all "the proper" trips they've taken punters on...instead (here in Derbyshire) they moan about the constant Merry Go round of Giants Carlswark and Level 1 Mine trips...
If they ever do anything involving Ladders let alone SRT its noteworthy...
It doesn't seem to imply gangs of keen would be cavers going back again and again to get their Caving from professionals as an alternative to just getting on and doing it with mates...
More a mix of groups, families, stag do's, people given a voucher for Christmas etc etc...

 

[Peter Burgess]

Sure a club will accept a new member and then commonly fail dismally to do anything at all for that new member. 

We have a corker of a Social Secretary who goes out of his way to get new members involved. So perhaps you have found the answer - find the best person to involve the new members. You do many good clubs a disservice with that dismissive comment.

 

[Peter Burgess]

You are in the wrong club. Why not join us instead?

I may well do that, Peter!

You'll need a damn good reference! 

 

[cap n chris]

You know me well, can you vouch?

 

[cap n chris]

You do many good clubs a disservice with that dismissive comment.

The comment wasn't directed towards the good clubs, Peter.

 

[Peter Burgess]

The word "poor" would have fitted quite well - but I know what you mean. As for whether I can vouch, I can't dance anything. Hey, any old friend of Bru is welcome!

 

[jasonbirder]

My experience is that clubs these days are keen to get bodies on trips - so there is little "exclusiveness" rather more encouragement

Slightly different on very occasional trips into Caves where permits take ages to get hold of and numbers in party are low...but not sure that's an argument not to join a club...


Yeah XY Caving Club is rubbish...I did Lost Johns, OFD and Titan...then couldn't get on the Charterhouse trip...already booked up...not rejoining those b*stards is not a lament you hear very often is it?

Lets be honest - if I rocked up at the Wessex/SWCC/YSS any weekend and asked to join a trip - even as not a member of those clubs - I'd get underground wouldn't I

 

[cap n chris]

Yes; yes, you would. Because you are Jasonbirder! I wouldn't, though. Prolly.

 

[Peter Burgess]

Yes you would!

 

[jasonbirder]

Maybe that would be No I wouldn't because I'm jasonbirder

 

[Peter Burgess]

I think I can count on the fingers of one finger how many cavers I would say no to.

 

[Bottlebank]

I was trying to make the point that the (reported) good health of the Instructed Caving sector doesn't necessarily lead to good numbers coming into Caving

The former results in the latter and vice versa - if clubs were good at providing caving, instructed and professional caving wouldn't be up to much; people successfully getting the trips they want won't be bothering with organisations that are unsatisfactory in that regard. Why would anyone want to join a club if they can go caving on their own terms with everything provided for them?

Bollocks. Although there's room for both

Anyone joining us gets full instruction, no previous experience required, free on the job training, the opportunity to dig on up to sixty or seventy days a year or more (petrol money only), up to five or six weeks foreign trips (no instructor required although there are occasions when someone who knew what was going on could be handy) plus numerous UK sporting trips (again only cost is petrol), free gear loan, free advice (much of it conflicting), and if they want they can be on the committee (or they can be the committee).

All for ?10 a year plus insurance if they haven't already got it.

Beat that?

No, you can't.

Apply at www.earbypotholeclub.co.uk



p.s. did I mention they can cave in any cave in the UK and many more abroad, rather than simply doing the same old trips again and again?

 

[cap n chris]

Sold! I'm in.