tech talk The expedition team members conduct predive checks in Wookey Hole Cave. Text by Nikola Valtosova Photos by Lee Callaghan Cave diving has progressed by leaps and bounds since its origins back in 1935. However, how many of us today really know what it was like to don a hard-hat suit, connect a sur- face-supplied, hand-pumped umbilical cord and literally walk along the cave floor in pitch black waters? The beginnings of cave diving can be traced Diving Then and Now to the Wookey Hole Caves in England. And 85 years later, divers like Ireland’s Matt Jevon are still doing their part to dis- cover this cavern’s full potential. The Wookey Hole Caves — Birthplace of Cave Diving How cave diving came to be Cave diving was in its infancy during the 1930s. In the beginning, explorers hundreds of years, yet the water-filled the next dry section. Thus, cave diving The first in the water team, and today, is considered one of did not look at cave diving as a form of sections of many caves kept explorers was born as a technique used to further The first divers to take the plunge on 14 diving’s unsung pioneers. If you do some sport or a diving method. Rather, it was from making progress. In the case of the cave expeditions, and has since trans- July 1935 were Graham Balcombe and further research on her, you can read more of a means to reach a specific Wookey Hole Caves, the original dive formed into both an activity and explora- Penelope Powell (who was affectionately her story and learn of her tremendous end while dry caving. Particularly in the crew’s goal was simply to get through tion tool in its own right. known as “Mossy”). It is worth noting that contributions (To find out more about United Kingdom, dry caving dates back the cave, bypass the water and reach Powell was the only female diver on the Powell, read the article, CDG Cave 74 X-RAY MAG : 100 : 2020 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS WRECKS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY TECH EDUCATION PROFILES PHOTO & VIDEO PORTFOLIO A memorial plaque at Wookey Hole tech talk Cave commemo- rates the first cave Wookey Hole dive ever done, which was accom- plished by Graham Balcombe and Penelope Powell in 1935 (right). Penelope Powell and Historical photo of Graham expedition team Balcombe members assisting kitted up in with the hard hat Wookey Hole gear used for the Cave for the first ever cave dive first ever cave (below) dive in 1935 MENDIP CAVE REGISTRY & ARCHIVECAVE DIVING GROUP DIVING & ARCHIVECAVE REGISTRY MENDIP CAVE Exploration–Beginnings, or the book, near-zero visibility, dragging their breath- was properly sealed. The Log of the Wookey Hole Exploration ing hoses and lifelines behind them as With the goal of Expedition: 1935). Unfortunately, she has the unsettled silt flew all around. Luckily, further exploring the been left out of several surface-level details about the equipment they wore Wookey Hole Caves records, including the Wookey Hole was well documented and we have a in mind, the divers set Caves Wikipedia page (which states that up a base fellow crew member Jack Sheppard, in the Third not Powell, made the first dive with Chamber Balcombe). and eventu- Powell and Balcombe’s first dive had ally made their way past the hand-in-hand with extreme painter, Philip nearly 100 years prior differ in many ways. them wearing the standard diving equip- previously discovered Fourth Gray. Even though he began his career First, there is the gear. Even though their ment at the time, which included brass Chamber to the Fifth, Sixth as an Irish Navy Diver, Gray is not your project was meant to commemorate the helmets, chest plates, canvas suits and and Seventh Chambers. They typical technical diver. His passion and original Wookey Hole cave dives, Jevon lead boots. They had to walk on their were unable to go any farther love for adventure is reflected in his art- did not wear weighted boots or a brass hands and knees along the cave floor in as their base-fed air lines and work; he goes to extraordinary heights helmet. Instead, he ran a rebreather, and weighted equipment restrict- and depths to achieve his artistic ambi- each team member’s equipment includ- ed them from traveling more tions (see philipgray.com). ed a main light, navigational marker kit, than 61m. The goal of Jevon’s and Gray’s dive helmet, open circuit gas, two computers, was to enter into the same area as a compass and much more. Fast forward to today Powell and Balcombe and create two Visibility is another factor that differenti- Cave diving originated that underwater oil paintings to commemo- ates the two dives. Powell and Balcombe MENDIP CAVE REGISTRY & ARCHIVECAVE DIVING GROUP DIVING & ARCHIVECAVE REGISTRY CAVE MENDIP mid-summer day with Powell rate the amazing feat accomplished were forced to work in a near-zero-visibili- fair understanding and Balcombe. Since then, thousands there. In Jevon’s words, “The paintings ty environment, literally kicking up silt with of what their dives of tourists—and very few divers—have were meant to celebrate the anniver- every step they took. Jevon and his crew, likely looked like. It traveled to Wookey Hole in hopes of dis- sary of the world’s first cave dive.” Gray’s on the other hand, did everything in their is interesting to note covering more than their predecessors work has now gone on to be featured as power to keep the silt on the cave floor that the suits worn and pushing the boundaries of techni- a permanent installment in the Wookey as Gray needed to see as much of the back then were cal cave diving. One such diver is Matt Hole Cave Diving Museum, which is dedi- caves as he could to paint. Additionally, made for male navy Jevon, an English-born Irish resident, and cated to the monumental 1935 dive and each diver’s main light and mandatory divers and Powell’s open and closed circuit technical and the evolution of cave diving (see the pro- two back-up lights (plus the video/pho- did not fit her as it cave instructor. He has experience with ject’s YouTube video). tography lights) allowed for a completely should. To fix the both back and side-mounts and champi- different scene of the cave’s chambers problem, tape was ons the CCR Liberty Sidemount. Times have changed than what the 1935 divers likely experi- used in various plac- Jevon had the opportunity to dive Now, as you can imagine, the experienc- enced. es to ensure her suit Wookey Hole Caves in 2019, working es of Jevon and his team versus those Jevon went on to describe the pre- MENDIP CAVE REGISTRY & ARCHIVECAVE DIVINGGROUP ARCHIVECAVE & REGISTRY MENDIP CAVE Team members assist Powell and Balcombe in 1935 cave dive 75 X-RAY MAG : 100 : 2020 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS WRECKS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY TECH EDUCATION PROFILES PHOTO & VIDEO PORTFOLIO tech talk Wookey Hole Gear for the set-up dive stands ready at the dive base inside Wookey Hole Cave (left); Tubes of paint are laid out on the cave floor, awaiting the artist’s canvas (above); Artist Philip Gray with one of his paintings created in the cave (right); Team member sets up the artist’s easel with canvas (lower left) the library, learning more about then moved the painting site and at the pools of Priddy Mineries, the Wookey Hole cave dives of the process was continued for which were used as a “base the ‘30s, Jevon and his crew took Gray’s second piece. With the camp,” and the implementation a day to both survey the cave work finished, the final day was of scrupulous log keeping, good and set up the dives that would dedicated to cleanup, where lighting and line laying, to men- take place over the course of the everyone did their best to leave tion a few. next four days. the caves as they found them. In Today, cave divers follow the There were, however, a number contrast, Powell and Balcombe Basic Cave Diving: A Blueprint of complications they first needed did not even attempt donning for Survival, developed by Sheck to overcome. In Jevon’s words, their gear in the caves until they Exley and based on analysis fol- “The main challenges were estab- had performed a practice run in lowing a high occurrence of lishing a painting base over the the Minories pond, which sits in cave diver fatalities in the 1960s silt. Our solution was to lay down the hills above Wookey Hole. and ‘70s. Being meticulous about a tarpaulin with weights, which keeping a continuous line to exit, we could then use to set up the “Safety first” ensuring backup equipment, gas easel. We also made sure the exit —past and present management and reserves, safe procedures were very much at gas reserves for bailout and exit, line could be easily maintained There is, however, one key aspect navigation and teamwork are the forefront.” whereas normal practice would by all divers, and paid extra of both dives that remained the some of the safety points. In turn, Of course, safety also played a have been one-third. We regard- attention to lighting and filming same: safety. The original expe- Jevon can attest to how seriously factor once in the water. Jevon ed Philip as a diver until he began dive work that went into their pro- within the limited space.” Once dition invented the standard for they took safety, “In the brief- and his team carefully calcu- painting.