Post by L Roebuck on Jul 30, 2006 8:28:10 GMT -5
Divers crave the caves despite dangers
By KARI COBHAM
Staff Writer
For Taylor Smith, there's a brazen thrill in holding his breath and diving deep into the cave from which Blue Spring flows.
"I like feeling like I went down there with nothing," said Smith, 17. "It's a lot more hard-core (than scuba-diving)."
The Orange City spring's cave attracts its share of scuba divers, despite inherent dangers. But intrepid DeBary teen Smith is an aficionado of the lesser-known sport of free diving, also known as breath-hold or skin diving, in which swimmers dive without an air tank, regulator or wet suit. They breathe deeply on the surface to slow their heart rate and jackknife downward with slow kicks to exert less energy.
Free divers who choose to venture into spring caves sometimes seek out underwater air pockets -- trapped bubble trails from scuba divers who've gone deeper -- so they can catch a breath and stay longer.
Blue Spring Park Ranger Wayne Hartley said recently that depending on pockets for air under water is a bad idea. And it proved almost deadly for Smith in mid-June when he plunged into the cavernous Blue Spring and spied one.
"He told me he was going down for a bit longer," said younger brother Wesley.
Taylor Smith gulped the carbon dioxide-filled pocket and suffered a seizure on his way to the surface. With the help of other divers, Wesley dragged his unconscious brother from the water and immediately began cardiopulmonary resuscitation, hoping to kick-start a pulse. The CPR, learned from mother Diana, a registered nurse, saved Taylor's life, but the stunt will keep him out of the water for six months.
"No air under water is safe," said Diana Smith, an avid scuba diver.
Taylor's accident wasn't the first close call for divers attracted to the Blue Spring cave. In 2002, there were at least two incidents in which free divers nearly drowned there. No scuba-diving fatalities there are on record with the National Speleological Society, which tracks cave-related accidents in the Americas. But at least 58 cave divers have died, 31 of them in Florida, during the last 11 years, the society's records -- which are admittedly incomplete -- show.
"Lack of training is the leading cause of accidents," said Tracy Grubbs, lead scuba-diving instructor and trained cave diver at Spruce Creek Scuba.
Grubbs, 35, prefers diving with breathing equipment.
"You can only hold your breath so long," he said.
Grubbs cave dives sometimes in Blue Spring, but also spreads out his underwater ventures beyond Central Florida's DeLeon and Alexander Springs, where cave diving isn't allowed because of the dangers and liability issues.
"Most of the cave systems are in North Florida and that's where people from all over the world come to get training," he said.
Divers must be cavern- or cave-trained to go deeper than 60 feet at Blue Spring, Grubbs said. Anyone else will not be allowed to dive with a light to discourage the untrained from taking chances below the surface.
"We have a slogan: Thank God all divers live," he said. "T-G-A-D-L."
The letters represent training, guidelines, air, depth and light -- cautions against cave diving without training, a way in and out of the cave, following air rules, not going in too deep and always having a light.
Diving without the option of surfacing immediately takes some getting used to.
"Anyone who tells you they haven't gotten that feeling of anxiety under water is lying," he said.
Despite the inherent dangers of diving san scuba gear or even into the nooks and crannies of caves with equipment, love for the sport is kicking.
"I tell people imagine being in (Utah's) Bryce Canyon," Grubbs said. "Fill it with water and you're swimming through that type of 'colorization.' "
For Jan Neal, author of "Mastering Breath-hold Diving," the chance to experience a different world unfettered by a tank and suit is unparalleled.
"Free diving is a challenge, but you have a more sensual experience with the water when it touches your skin," Neal said. "It's like flying in the air you breathe."
kari.cobham@news-jrnl.com
Full Article: www.news-journalonline.com/NewsJournalOnline/News/Headlines/frtHEAD02073006.htm
By KARI COBHAM
Staff Writer
For Taylor Smith, there's a brazen thrill in holding his breath and diving deep into the cave from which Blue Spring flows.
"I like feeling like I went down there with nothing," said Smith, 17. "It's a lot more hard-core (than scuba-diving)."
The Orange City spring's cave attracts its share of scuba divers, despite inherent dangers. But intrepid DeBary teen Smith is an aficionado of the lesser-known sport of free diving, also known as breath-hold or skin diving, in which swimmers dive without an air tank, regulator or wet suit. They breathe deeply on the surface to slow their heart rate and jackknife downward with slow kicks to exert less energy.
Free divers who choose to venture into spring caves sometimes seek out underwater air pockets -- trapped bubble trails from scuba divers who've gone deeper -- so they can catch a breath and stay longer.
Blue Spring Park Ranger Wayne Hartley said recently that depending on pockets for air under water is a bad idea. And it proved almost deadly for Smith in mid-June when he plunged into the cavernous Blue Spring and spied one.
"He told me he was going down for a bit longer," said younger brother Wesley.
Taylor Smith gulped the carbon dioxide-filled pocket and suffered a seizure on his way to the surface. With the help of other divers, Wesley dragged his unconscious brother from the water and immediately began cardiopulmonary resuscitation, hoping to kick-start a pulse. The CPR, learned from mother Diana, a registered nurse, saved Taylor's life, but the stunt will keep him out of the water for six months.
"No air under water is safe," said Diana Smith, an avid scuba diver.
Taylor's accident wasn't the first close call for divers attracted to the Blue Spring cave. In 2002, there were at least two incidents in which free divers nearly drowned there. No scuba-diving fatalities there are on record with the National Speleological Society, which tracks cave-related accidents in the Americas. But at least 58 cave divers have died, 31 of them in Florida, during the last 11 years, the society's records -- which are admittedly incomplete -- show.
"Lack of training is the leading cause of accidents," said Tracy Grubbs, lead scuba-diving instructor and trained cave diver at Spruce Creek Scuba.
Grubbs, 35, prefers diving with breathing equipment.
"You can only hold your breath so long," he said.
Grubbs cave dives sometimes in Blue Spring, but also spreads out his underwater ventures beyond Central Florida's DeLeon and Alexander Springs, where cave diving isn't allowed because of the dangers and liability issues.
"Most of the cave systems are in North Florida and that's where people from all over the world come to get training," he said.
Divers must be cavern- or cave-trained to go deeper than 60 feet at Blue Spring, Grubbs said. Anyone else will not be allowed to dive with a light to discourage the untrained from taking chances below the surface.
"We have a slogan: Thank God all divers live," he said. "T-G-A-D-L."
The letters represent training, guidelines, air, depth and light -- cautions against cave diving without training, a way in and out of the cave, following air rules, not going in too deep and always having a light.
Diving without the option of surfacing immediately takes some getting used to.
"Anyone who tells you they haven't gotten that feeling of anxiety under water is lying," he said.
Despite the inherent dangers of diving san scuba gear or even into the nooks and crannies of caves with equipment, love for the sport is kicking.
"I tell people imagine being in (Utah's) Bryce Canyon," Grubbs said. "Fill it with water and you're swimming through that type of 'colorization.' "
For Jan Neal, author of "Mastering Breath-hold Diving," the chance to experience a different world unfettered by a tank and suit is unparalleled.
"Free diving is a challenge, but you have a more sensual experience with the water when it touches your skin," Neal said. "It's like flying in the air you breathe."
kari.cobham@news-jrnl.com
Full Article: www.news-journalonline.com/NewsJournalOnline/News/Headlines/frtHEAD02073006.htm