Martha and I recently returned from attending the Annual Meeting of the Cave Diving Section of the National Speleological Society (NSS-CDS) near Gainesville, Florida. This was only the second time I have attended the organization’s annual gathering. The first was 52 years ago, in 1974.
On that occasion, I was invited by the director, Sheck Exley, to present a slide show on the exploration of Blanchard Springs, a project I had just completed. Sheck, who founded the NSS-CDS in 1973, is now widely recognized as one of the pioneers of modern cave diving. Sadly, he lost his life in 1994 at the age of 45 while attempting a record-setting dive in one of Mexico’s deepest sinkholes, more than 1,000 feet deep.
This year, I was invited by the current chairman of the NSS-CDS, Fred Stratton, who also provided a review of my book. One interesting contrast between my two visits is the growth of the organization. When I attended the meeting in 1974, there were only about ten people present. This year, attendance was close to 200.
It was a very enjoyable event and a pleasure to spend time with a group of like-minded individuals. Many attendees were over the age of 50 and still actively involved in highly technical deep-diving activities. The sport has evolved considerably and now relies heavily on advanced rebreather technology, often replacing traditional scuba tanks for deep exploration.
Interestingly, the primary focus of the meeting was not diving itself, but the protection of Florida’s fragile groundwater systems in the face of rapid development. Much of Florida’s drinking water lies only a few feet below the surface, and continued construction over these aquifers makes groundwater contamination an increasing concern.
We met many interesting people during the meeting and hope to stay in touch with them as they continue their diving adventures.
Glenn