NSS-CDS Annual Workshop and Cave Trips
By Team Vinzant, Caren Beck, Brian Williams
Part 1

More... Bat Cave Trip Warrens Trip

The FSS was asked to participate in this years NSS-CDS Workshop. (National Speleological Society Cave Diving Section). This is an annual event and the workshop for this year was held at the Sheraton on Bivens Arm Lake, in Gainesville, FL. The facilities were great and over 400 attended.

Team Vinzant arrived at Brian William's house Friday night before the NSS-CDS Workshop. Brian was a little stressed between trying to get the club helmets in operating condition and putting together the display table setup and printing last minute forms. Saturday we loaded up and headed to Gainesville. It took only a few minutes to set up our table. Brian had a display with climbing and caving gear, a cave photo display, numerous brochures and cave trip sign up forms. We put one of our cave albums on the table also.

The FSS table stayed as busy as any of the other vendors. Many of the cave divers had never thought much about “dry caving” and were very interested to find out there were dry caves in Florida. The trips to Bat and Warrens caves filled up quickly. We were turning away caving hopefuls by lunch time. We tried to attend as many talks as possible, and between speakers we would take turns working the FSS table.









On Sunday we held a Vertical Workshop outside at Warrens Cave Preserve for anyone who wanted to attend, (and did not mind stepping through a little poison ivy). All the participants for the cave trips met at Warrens where we handed out helmets and release forms. Nine cavers went into Warrens, led by the Vinzant’s, while two trips totaling 23 people went to Bat cave, led by the Beck’s, and Adam Shearer. Mike and Sandy Poucher held a cave survey workshop at Bat Cave also. Brian Williams, Paul Smith, Buford Pruitt and Leigh Vinzant taught the vertical workshop outside of Warrens and the attendees were able to drop into the cave for some practice with their new found skills. Seems like everyone had a great time and we made some new friends. It was nice to be able to share some of our knowledge and cross-train with the cave diving community.