Post by Sharon Faulkner on Aug 10, 2006 6:53:16 GMT -5
Spelunkers to convene at Western
Greg Applegate
7/25/06
Cavers from around the world will descend upon Western for the National Speleological Society (NSS) Convention August 7-11. This convention last came to Washington in 1972. This will be the convention's first time to Bellingham.
The NSS convention is a scientific and social event during which cave recreationists and cave scientists meet once a year in a different region of the United States. The society, headquartered in Huntsville, Ala., will use Huxley College, the Wade King Student Recreation Center and the Western Gallery for their convention.
Bellingham resident and NSS member Dick Garnick said approximately 600 people registered for the convention and he expects 200-300 more to sign up. Garnick is part of the local caving club and sponsor, the Cascade Grotto located in Seattle. Garnick has been involved in the caving community for 21 years. "I've been doing it as an obsession," Garnick said. "Within the caving community, there are so many different areas that just about anybody can get involved in - geology, biology, cave photography and painting, ridge walking and many others."
Garnick said he convinced the Cascade Grotto to sponsor the convention in Bellingham because the area is beautiful and Western has the resources to support the convention. He helped organize another, shorter caving convention, the National Cave and Karst Management Symposium, at Western in 1997. Garnick, facilities chairman for the convention, said he doesn't have a favorite cave, but enjoys photography and ridge walking. "The best ones that I enjoy are the limestone caves which are formed by a calcium carbonate," Garnick said. Calcium carbonate formations are created by water running over rock, dissolving the rock and re-depositing it in a different position, Garnick said.
Dave Decker, chairman of the Cascade Grotto and logistics chairman for the 2006 NSS Convention, has been a member of the NSS since 1988. He said his interests in speleology range from exploration and sport to mapping and geology. His favorite part of speleology is speleogenesis, which is the process of cave formation influenced by sulfuric acid. "I've always been fascinated by the number of ways a cave can form," Decker said.
Hester Mallonee, a Cascade Grotto member, is program chair for the upcoming NSS convention. Mallonee said the NSS has 12,500 active members from around the world. The society formed in 1941 to advance the exploration, conservation, study and understanding of caves in the United States. "The goals of the convention is to bring everybody together that has an interest in caves," Mallonee said. "A responsibility for caves, knowledge about caves and to share knowledge both in a scientific forum and a recreational forum."
Van Bergen, the convention's vice chair, has been involved with caves since 1990. He has been part of the NSS since 1994. Bergen said the convention will give cavers a week of educational seminars during the day and time for socializing during the evening. The evenings are a chance to share their experiences and catch up with friends. "Cavers are a very close-knit group, because we routinely trust each other with our lives," Bergen said.
The last day of the convention consists of a banquet and awards ceremony for photography and artwork. Ronal Kerbo, the National Cave Management coordinator, will speak at the banquet.
Bergen said he enjoys caving because it's cool, quiet and very beautiful. "Many specialize in photographing, surveying and mapping what they find," Bergen said. "Me, I just enjoy being underground. You never know what you're going to find around the next bend."
www.westernfrontonline.com/
Greg Applegate
7/25/06
Cavers from around the world will descend upon Western for the National Speleological Society (NSS) Convention August 7-11. This convention last came to Washington in 1972. This will be the convention's first time to Bellingham.
The NSS convention is a scientific and social event during which cave recreationists and cave scientists meet once a year in a different region of the United States. The society, headquartered in Huntsville, Ala., will use Huxley College, the Wade King Student Recreation Center and the Western Gallery for their convention.
Bellingham resident and NSS member Dick Garnick said approximately 600 people registered for the convention and he expects 200-300 more to sign up. Garnick is part of the local caving club and sponsor, the Cascade Grotto located in Seattle. Garnick has been involved in the caving community for 21 years. "I've been doing it as an obsession," Garnick said. "Within the caving community, there are so many different areas that just about anybody can get involved in - geology, biology, cave photography and painting, ridge walking and many others."
Garnick said he convinced the Cascade Grotto to sponsor the convention in Bellingham because the area is beautiful and Western has the resources to support the convention. He helped organize another, shorter caving convention, the National Cave and Karst Management Symposium, at Western in 1997. Garnick, facilities chairman for the convention, said he doesn't have a favorite cave, but enjoys photography and ridge walking. "The best ones that I enjoy are the limestone caves which are formed by a calcium carbonate," Garnick said. Calcium carbonate formations are created by water running over rock, dissolving the rock and re-depositing it in a different position, Garnick said.
Dave Decker, chairman of the Cascade Grotto and logistics chairman for the 2006 NSS Convention, has been a member of the NSS since 1988. He said his interests in speleology range from exploration and sport to mapping and geology. His favorite part of speleology is speleogenesis, which is the process of cave formation influenced by sulfuric acid. "I've always been fascinated by the number of ways a cave can form," Decker said.
Hester Mallonee, a Cascade Grotto member, is program chair for the upcoming NSS convention. Mallonee said the NSS has 12,500 active members from around the world. The society formed in 1941 to advance the exploration, conservation, study and understanding of caves in the United States. "The goals of the convention is to bring everybody together that has an interest in caves," Mallonee said. "A responsibility for caves, knowledge about caves and to share knowledge both in a scientific forum and a recreational forum."
Van Bergen, the convention's vice chair, has been involved with caves since 1990. He has been part of the NSS since 1994. Bergen said the convention will give cavers a week of educational seminars during the day and time for socializing during the evening. The evenings are a chance to share their experiences and catch up with friends. "Cavers are a very close-knit group, because we routinely trust each other with our lives," Bergen said.
The last day of the convention consists of a banquet and awards ceremony for photography and artwork. Ronal Kerbo, the National Cave Management coordinator, will speak at the banquet.
Bergen said he enjoys caving because it's cool, quiet and very beautiful. "Many specialize in photographing, surveying and mapping what they find," Bergen said. "Me, I just enjoy being underground. You never know what you're going to find around the next bend."
www.westernfrontonline.com/