Tribal Chestnut
Member
Thought I'd say hello to the divers as that's why I'm here.
Since I started to get more comfortable underwater, squeezing through wrecks and generally feeling less clumsy in the water, the idea of cave diving started to seem like a not too daft proposition, especially after I was coerced into doing a cavern course which I loved.
I've seen plenty of videos shot in France, Mexico, etc, which tempted me further, so I thought I'd have a stab at 'normal' caving first to see how I faired and if I'd be happy in some more constrained passages a little way from daylight.
So far I've just tarted about around some of the Burrington Combe caves and a trip to Swildon's, but I'm absolutely loving it.
The 'dry'(ish) caving side of it all is such fun that I'm not sure I'll ever feel the urge to dive, my only regret is not doing this earlier in my life.
I plunged through Swildon's sump 1, so could see myself maybe taking some gear down to get me through some of the other sumps (please no one get excited, I can't afford to die at the moment so anything I do will be done safely), but with the way things are going I can't ever see myself having the urge to dive seriously/properly/whatever in caves.
Today was pretty good as I took my daughter into a couple of easy caves for the first time and she was quite happy - no claustrophobia issues & didn't even fuss about the spiders on the way into (& out of) Sidcot Swallet. I'm especially pleased as she was petrified when I took her into Gough's Cave and the Hellfire Caves when she was younger.
So I suppose this post is a 'thank you' to cave divers as without you I wouldn't have discovered such a bloody awesome activity that I can also enjoy with the little one.
Thanks!
Since I started to get more comfortable underwater, squeezing through wrecks and generally feeling less clumsy in the water, the idea of cave diving started to seem like a not too daft proposition, especially after I was coerced into doing a cavern course which I loved.
I've seen plenty of videos shot in France, Mexico, etc, which tempted me further, so I thought I'd have a stab at 'normal' caving first to see how I faired and if I'd be happy in some more constrained passages a little way from daylight.
So far I've just tarted about around some of the Burrington Combe caves and a trip to Swildon's, but I'm absolutely loving it.
The 'dry'(ish) caving side of it all is such fun that I'm not sure I'll ever feel the urge to dive, my only regret is not doing this earlier in my life.
I plunged through Swildon's sump 1, so could see myself maybe taking some gear down to get me through some of the other sumps (please no one get excited, I can't afford to die at the moment so anything I do will be done safely), but with the way things are going I can't ever see myself having the urge to dive seriously/properly/whatever in caves.
Today was pretty good as I took my daughter into a couple of easy caves for the first time and she was quite happy - no claustrophobia issues & didn't even fuss about the spiders on the way into (& out of) Sidcot Swallet. I'm especially pleased as she was petrified when I took her into Gough's Cave and the Hellfire Caves when she was younger.
So I suppose this post is a 'thank you' to cave divers as without you I wouldn't have discovered such a bloody awesome activity that I can also enjoy with the little one.
Thanks!