CONTENTS July / August 1998 Volume 43 No 4 THE TEXAS PROJECT REPORT CAVER Government Canyon Karst Survey Project The TEXAS CAVER is a bi-monthly publication of the Texas By Marvin Miller Speleological Association (TSA), an internal Page 55 organization of the National Speleological Society Marvin detail s the latest discoveries at the Government Canyon State Natural (NSS) . Area near San Antonio. Two digs reveal two new caves on the property. Subscription rates are $25/year for six issues of The TEXAS CAVER. This includes membership in the TSA. Out TRIP REPORT of state subscribers, libraries, and other institutions may Naj Tunich and Pinturas receive The TEXAS CAVER for the same rate ($25/year). Back issues are available at the cost of $3.00 per issue. By Allan Cobb Send all correspondence (other than material for The Surprisingly dry weather makes for an easy trip. Allan Cobb's latest excurs ion TEXAS C AVER), subscriptions, and exchanges to : to Guatemala involved an expensive camera, computers, and big batteri es. Read on to find out what Allan was up to. The Texas Caver PO Box 8026 Austin , TX 78713. AWARDS

Articles and other material for The TEXAS C AVER should Russell Wins NSS Award be sent to the following address: By Jay Jorden Page 57 Brian Vauter 26495 Natural Bridge Caverns Road Natural Bridge Caverns, TX 78266 THE INQUISITION: Underwater Kinetics Mini Light vauterb @aol.com By Joe Ivy Page 59 The TEXAS CAVER openly invites all cavers to submit articles, trip reports, photographs (35mm slides or any PHOTOGRAPHY: Digital Cameras size black & white or color prints on glossy paper) , cave maps, news events, cartoons, and/or any other caving By Keith Huess related material for publication. Page 62 Exchanges should be mailed to The TEXAS CAVER at th e FROM THE FILES OFTHETSS: Survey of Secret Cave subscription address above. The TEXAS C AVER wi ll By Jack Burch exchange newsletters with other grottos. Page 63 Opinions expressed in the The TEXAS C AVER are solely those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect LETTERS those opinons held by the TSA, its members, the NSS, Page 64 or any other person on the planet. Besides, when you really think about it, opinions are like armpits - everybody has them and they all stink. CHAIRMAN'S CORNER Page 65 . © Copyright 1998 by the Te xas Speleological Association. Internal organizations of the NSS may reprint any item first appearing in The TEXAS CAVER as long as proper credit is given and a copy of th e ON THE COVER: Teny Raines in M idnight Cave. Photo by Jim newsletter containing the reprinted material is mailed Jase k to the TSA. Other organizations should contact the TSA ON THE BACK: Houston Grotto members in Inner Space about reprinted materials. Cavern, circa 1985. Photo by Jim Jasek JULY / AUGUST 1998 PROJECT REPORT - GOVERNMENT CANYON

By MARVIN MILLER

Government Canyon Karst Survey Project 1998 Mid-Year Report

fter a hiatus of several months, through some brush which the Government Canyon Karst the others had gone around. A Survey Project was resumed in Kicking a rock, he heard a January of this year. Approximately hollow sound and looked two-thirds of the park had already been back. In the bed of the creek ridge-walked since the project began in was a six-inch diameter 1994, and a decision was made to cur­ hole. The hole was enlarged tail searching the remaining acreage and and the cave partially ex­ instead put our efforts toward investi­ plored. It is at least fifty feet gating and dispositioning currently deep and certainly recharges flagged karst features. This is important a good amount of water. because many of these features were Lucky Hat Cave awaits sur­ flagged in 1994 and '95, and the flag­ vey and complete explora­ ging tape is fading and disappearing. We tion. don 't want to lose all the hours of hard The second cave found work that were put into finding these this year was dug into on the features. We have also recognized the most recent trip. This feature need to permanently benchmark the was one that had been dis­ known caves to prevent the confusion covered in 1994. It had a of rediscoveries and alternate names. A classic-looking pit entrance third emphasis has been the continuing but the dirt floor was only exploration, survey, and mapping of two feet down . George caves. Kegley, the park resource The turnout at the project week­ specialist, first saw the fea­ ends has been light, an average of 9.5 ture in April of thi s year and persons per weekend. Some of the rea­ was interested in it for ar­ sons for this may be the months-long cheological reasons. We de- Charles Cruz at the entrance to Lucky Hat Cave. The cave break in the project and the abundance cided to dig and see what was found after Charles kicked a rock within the creek bed. of additional caving opportunities be­ happened. The first three The cave has not yet been surveyed or completely explored. sides this project, especially in the San feet offill came out easily, being mostly enough to scoot up it and found we Antonio area. Most of the project par­ leaf mold. After that it got progressively could see into a small, low-ceilinged ticipants historically have been from the harder but we kept at it and took out room. We have a bit more digging to do San Antonio area, but we have also been another foot or so. I had about given up before we can get into it, but at least we well supported by Austin cavers. on it, having no desire to dig a blind pit now have a cave. Though small in number, we have seen to its bedrock floor, but we decided to One other cave dig was completed some significant accomplishments. spend a few more hours during the June without a satisfactory conclusion. Chris Two new caves have been found trip. Aaron Miller and I dug for half-a- Vreeland and Jim Kennedy pushed a this year. The first was on the very first day and uncovered a small hole sloping blowing lead in Lost Pothole to a six- trip in January by a young caver help­ upward into larger passage. It puffed inch diameter hole that went as far as ing out on the project for the very first cool air every time a breeze blew over they could see in bedrock. time. Charles Cruz was in the middle the pit entrance above. Keep digging! Benchmarking of the caves has of a party scrambling up a little side My hopes still were not very high, but gone well. Ten out of the thirty known canyon on the way to a dig. He crawled we eventually dug out the passage caves have alumjnum tags installed near

55 JULY I AUGUST 1998 their entrances with the cave's Bexar County survey number stamped on the tag. Many thanks go to Jimmy Dreiss for the use of hi s cordless hammer drill .;V and for packing it around - in addition o. ~.'~, to hi s GPS equipment. This work has ' .7 been hampered somewhat by the pro­ t hibition on driving up the canyon to the .' northern parts of the park during golden­ .' cheeked warbler nesting season. In con­ junction with the benchmarking project, surveys were completed on Blind Luck Cave, Dusty Cave, and Aarons Talus Cave. So far this year ten karst features allD.a Luck have been poked at, dug at, and other­ Cave wise investigated without finding caves Government Canyon State Natural Area Bexar Counry, Tcus or reason to dig further. Ten is a small

S l$ltWwf.bcr&lmsT~ S Ul"lCy fraction of the number needing to be J...... ,.I7. I99I checked. There are bound to be caves M"',mMlrlcr lw. Mllkr under some of those sinkholes and ct.rloc= Aw.unSmnh plenty of opportunities exist to survey OraI\;~n"'Mtfl l l1l9l and explore known caves. Anyone is welcome - we get new cavers and non­ cavers all the time - so come on out to Government Canyon and find yourself a cave!

'. ,' .

@ 19981.10 ..... ;n t.l ilillr

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·A·

,,/ .A' , , fa! g 6.T

0 2 4 6 8 10 meters

Entrance to Dusty Cave, Government Canyon DusTY CAVE State Natural Area.

GOVERNMENT CANYON STATE NATURAL AREA BEXAR COUNTY. TEXAS

Sisteco and fiberglass tape survey March 21.1998

George Veni Marvin Miller

draft: Marvin Miller

@ 1998 Marvin Miller

AWARDS

By JAY JORDEN Russell Wins NSS Award founder of the Association for Russell , also a founder of the than anyone can understand, it's been Mexican Cave Studies who is Texas Speleological Survey, has been an said, and faster than the speed of light," A also a Texas Cave Management active caver in the state and in Mexico Mike Hood, the awards chairman, told Association director has received the for almost a half-century. Editor of the about 1,700 cavers and their fami li es. National Speleological Society's hon­ Capital Caver, hi s digging expeditions "He's also known for setting lightning orary member award for hi s achieve­ are legendary. The NSS award recog­ trip records. His comments were, 'Cav­ ments. William H. Russell of Austin nized Russell's accomplishments in ing keeps one young - and sane: " won one of the NSS' highest honors cave discovery, exploration and conser­ During Russell 's acceptance during the society's annual awards ban­ vation. speech, one member of the audience quet at the University of the South in " He has been said to have the fast­ shouted in jest, "Slow down!" Sewanee, Tenn. est mouth in the West. He talks faster See "Russell," page 67. 57 JULY I AUGUST 1998 TRIP REPORT - GUATEMALA

By ALLAN COBB

Naj Tunich and Pinturas

Na) Tunich, Poptun, Peten, Guatemala; was no longer passable until the sun out of the cave on a daily basis was a Cueva de las Plilturas, Cobanerita; Peten, came out the next day. Our prayers were marine battery. I don't recommend car­ Guatemala answered because the road was dry. Of rying those in a cave, they really upset June 1998 course this is early June and the rainy your balance and they're heavy, too. We Parlicipall/s: D,: Jlin Brad); Allan Cobb, season should have already started. had two batteries so we would charae Ltilda Palit, Dr. Gene Ware, Micheal Uizre b Would EI Nino give us dry weather for one while the other was being used. the next two weeks or would we have During our two-week stay, Gene fter several false starts, changed to haul all the gear out on mules? Ware and Michael spent their days in airline tickets, an erupting vol­ the cave taking photos. This is a slow cano, and a broken digital cam­ A NajTunich and laborious process. Many hours are era, the trip got off to a timely (three Naj Tunich is a really wonderful required for each drawing that was pho­ week late) start. Our goal was to spend cave (see Trip Report: Naj Tunich, Texas tographed. Photographs were taken at two weeks camping at Naj Thnicb, a Caver, March/April 1998). The huge different wavelengths from ultraviolet cave famous for its Mayan inscriptions. entrance chamber has giant formations to infrared. The photos will be Then we planned to travel to Flores and and really big walls constructed by the composited later during post-process­ spend a week camping in a hotel. From Maya. The walls are retaining walls that ing at Brigham Young University. While Flores, it is only a l5-km drive to Cueva create a number of ledges and platforms Gene and Micheal entertained them­ de las Pinturas, another cave with that were probably the site of Maya cer­ selves taking photos, Jim Brady, Linda Maya inscriptions. Our trip, funded by emonies. In fact, there is a broken cave Palit, and I checked a couple of nearby the National Gallery of Art in Washing­ formation that serves as the centerpiece caves, took photos along the main pas­ ton, D.C., was to do multispectral digi­ for ceremonies even today. At certain sage and entrance chamber, read books, tal photography of the inscriptions. The times of the year, the local Maya come watched the generator charge the bat­ idea is that under infrared and ultravio­ to the cave and perform ceremonies and teries, sweated by the bucketful, and fed let light, residual pigments are visible burn copal. the local bugs our blood. Another of our even though they are invisible to the After the entrance chamber, the goals was to map several caves that naked eye. We planned to work on faded cave continues for about 3 km as mostly George Veni and I visited in 1989. Un­ inscriptions at Naj Tunich and on the borehole passage. Except for one big fortunately, the current guards didn't unreadable inscription panel in Cueva climbdown, most of the cave has a flat know where the caves were so they are de las Pinturas. floor. This made it easy to carryall of still unmapped. Our trip started in Guatemala City. the equipment into the cave. Fortu­ Naj Tunich is famous for its in­ Even though we were only 5 people, we nately, we were camped right outside scriptions. They were featured in Na­ had LOTS of gear. We ended up renting the entrance and the cave has a lock­ tional Geographic in the August 1981 a brand new Toyota Land Cruiser be­ able gate so we could leave all the equip­ issue. Some are drawings of figures cause we all didn't fit in Jim Brady's ment in the cave at night. This was good from Maya mythology while others are lsuzu Trooper. I graciously offered to because most of the work was beina inscriptions that chronicle the visit to drive the Land Cruiser. The fact that it b done about a kilometer inside the cave. the cave by important people. Many of had air conditioning had nothing to do The equipment in the cave consisted of the inscriptions record the date of the with it. After an uneventful drive on the a Kodak digital camera (not a cheap visit and it is believed that all the draw­ highway to the Peten, we turned off the camera), a computer to record the im­ ings in the cave date from around 740 pavement and headed into the moun­ ages, a big tripod, a turret set up with to 750 AD Archaeological evidence in­ tains. We were concerned with the con­ filters, power inverters to convert 12V­ dicates that the cave was utilized by the dition of the last 10 km of road. In 1993, DC to J 10V-AC, a 12V marine battery, Maya from around 350 BC until some­ we spent all day getting across that J0 flashes, and lots of ass0l1ed stuff. The time after 900 AD. Unfortunately, dur­ km because of the mud. Last year, we only thing that had to go in and come ing the summer of 1989, many of the drove about half of the road to where it

58 lilE TD I/ IS eWEA' JULY / AUGUST 1998 drawings were vandalized. The draw­ in the air conditioning. Of course, res­ painted the wall yellow and then added ing were done with charcoal and painted taurant food and cold beer wasn't bad glyphs in red and black. The cave also onto the cave walls. Today, the surface either. has a number of petroglyphs or rock of the cave walls is crumbly and the carvings. There are some human-like drawings are somewhat damp. The Cueva de las Pinturas faces and two reptile-like faces. Addi­ combination of these two factors makes Cueva de las Pinturas is an inter­ tionally, there are some random carv­ it easy to smear the drawings with the esting cave. It has a large entrance that mgs. lightest touch. When the cave was van­ is about 15 m high and 20 m wide. The If you happen to go to Guatemala, dalized, the drawings were smeared by cave has about 200 m of walking pas­ this is an easy cave to visit. At this time, hand. I am fortunate that I got to see the sage and five entrances. It appears that you can ask around in Flores and find a cave before it was vandalized. It was one there are two other entrances that were taxi driver who knows where the cave of the most incredible things I've ever sealed by the Maya. Of the five open is and arrange a trip. The cave is cur­ seen in a cave. Our work was concen­ entrances, the Maya sealed two or pos­ rently being heavily looted by locals and trating on the faded inscriptions and sibly three of those. We worked in the INGUAT (The Guatemalan Tourist those that were not vandalized. But, the cave in 1997 but needed to return to do Agency) is attempting to commercial­ vandalism underscored the need to additional photography-about five ize the cave. If the commercialization document these drawings before they days worth. Just inside the entrance of is successful, it will make the cave even disappear. the cave are two really big Maya walls. easier to visit. El Nino was on our side. By the The ceramics in the cave were Our drive back to Guatemala City time we finished up at Naj Tunich, the Preclassic, indicating that the cave was was uneventful. It rained for most of the weather was holding. The lack of rain used as a ceremonial site from about 350 9 hour drive from Flores. We had the meant that we had a pretty easy drive B. C. to 350 A. D. It is hoped that the usual close calls while passing slow Ollt. We then drove on to Flores. We inscription will yield a readable date trucks on curves. We made it back to were lucky in that the roads were being from that time as well. Last year we did Guatemala City just in time for rush worked on and it only took 4 hours to some excavation and found that the con­ hour, which added another hour and a drive to Flores. That stretch of road used struction of the wall probably date to half to our drive. After a few days of to take 6 or 8 hours of bouncing along. around the same time as the pottery. wrapping up loose ends, photographing We arrived in Flores and checked into a The inscription is really interest­ artifacts, and eating good food, Linda hotel. After two weeks of sweating in ing. It is the only Maya polychrome and I flew back to Texas. the jungle, it was nice to sleep in a bed cave inscription known. The Maya

THE INQUISITION - BACKUP/SURVEY LIGHT By JOE IVY

recently got a hold of the Under week, won't affect your night vision and through a hole in the body and with a water Kinetics 2AAA Mini Light is great for use as the point you sight to clip that allows you to slip it over a thin I and fell in love with it. The light when cave surveying. The LED is also edge (such as the rim of your helmet or has the typical pre-focused, dive light­ cap). The light also comes with a pair style head that screws down to turn the of Duracell AAA batteries. I can' t find WHAT: Underwater Kinetics 2AAA Mini light on. It's O-ring sealed so the light Pocket Light any faults with this great light except is plenty waterproof. A cool design fea­ PROS: waterproof, tiny, rugged backup for the price. At $16 apiece, it's defi­ ture is that it uses two AAA batteries or survey light nitely not a disposable light. And the that sit side-by-side so that the body of CONS: a little on the pricey side LED module is another $9 on top of that How MUCH: suggested retail $16 for the the light is small and will not roll around light, $9 for the red LED lamp so the price is pretty steep for a little when you lay it down on a sloped sur­ module backup or survey light. On the other face. This makes it very nice for sur­ hand, considering the ruggedness and veying. That and the optional red LED bright enough to serve as a backup, but simplicity of design, the UK Mini Light lamp module. You simply remove the not a great one (it would work better should last a long time, assuming you standard bulb module, insert the high­ than a Cyalume but you'd still be mov­ don't lose it! You can find these neat intensity LED bulb module and you've ing very slowly through the cave). The lights at dive shops and from speleo got a bright red light that will burn for a light comes with a keyring inserted vendors. 59 JULY I AUGUST 1998

*Editor's Note: Photographs marked with an asterisk were given to me on a disk from Chris Vreeland. I do not know if he took the pictures on the disk. If you took the picture, let me know and I'll credit you in the next issue of the Caver! 60 JULY I AUGUST 1998

D. Leopold JULY / AUGUST 1998 PHOTOGRAPHY By KEITH HUESS Digital Cameras

n this world of instant gratification, ment. This is the smallest part of the The price we pay for a better im­ digital photography is becoming in­ whole picture area into which the pic­ age is for the storage taken up by thi s I creasingly popular. You can take a ture can be broken down. A digital pic­ higher quality picture. At 600 by 800 picture and have printouts in just min­ ture has a certain number of pixels on pixels, the image would need 1.44 utes. But wait. What about the quality? the vertical side and a certain number megabytes of memory. At an even Do digital pictures compare with the of pixels on the horizontal side. A typi­ higher quality of 32 bits per pixel, we quality of 35mm photography? cal digital picture may be 600 by 800 would need 1.92 megabytes to store one In 35mm photography, the image pixels. This is a total of 480,000 pixels picture. exposes a light sensitive coating on a for that picture. Each pixel will require How much storage space would a clear plastic base. After exposure, the memory space to store the information 35mm picture require? A good camera film is returned to a photo-finishing lab. for that pixel. lens can resolve about 50 lines per mil­ Slides or prints and negatives are re­ The information for each pixel limeter on the film. This means we turned to you a week or so later for your represents the color and intensity of that would have 50 black lines with 50 white use in sharing your photographic skills pixel. The more colors and greater range spaces between them appear on the film. with others. of intensity we store for each pixel the The equivalent digital camera would Digital cameras, however, do not more memory we require. We may only have to have 100 pixels per millimeter use film. They have replaced the film to capture this image. A 35mm frame is with a light sensitive integrated circuit 24 by 36 millimeters. The total frame (IC) called a CCD (charge coupled de­ Digital photography is pixel count would be 2400 by 3600 pix­ vice). This IC converts the light into not just a fad ... it is els for a total of 8.64 million pixels. If electrical signals which are proportional here to stay. we allow three bytes per pixel, we would to the intensity of the light. They can need to store 25.92 megabytes per pic­ also di scrimjnate between the different ture. That is a lot of storage space. This colors. These electrical signals are con­ data is stored as a file, and there are verted into digital format and stored in use one byte (that is 8 bits) per pixel. means of compressing these files to the camera. Two methods are used to We could only store 256 different col­ make them take up less space. store this data. One method is in a ors for each pixel. This is far too few to Let's take a look at what is avail­ memory card and the other is on a re­ represent a good quality picture. If we able in the digital cameras and make a movable floppy disk. Whenever the pic­ allow 2 bytes per pixel, we would be comparison with our 35mm cameras. I tures have been taken, the camera can able to represent 65,536 different col­ did some research on the web and found be connected to a PC through a data ors. This is better, however, it may not quite a few digital cameras currently on cable and the pictures can be down­ be good enough for a sharp image. If the market. Most did 24 bit color which loaded to the computer for permanent we don't allow enough colors then we yields 16.7 million colors. The major­ storage. The memory in the camera can get a noticeable flaw where the color in ity of them only did 640 by 480 pixels. be erased and reused for more pictures. the picture changes from one value to This is 307,200 total pixels. The cheap­ The pictures, now in the computer, can another similar color value in the pic­ est camera was the Vivatar Vivicam be printed on a color printer or put on a ture. The greater number of colors we 2500 which did 640 by 480 in 24 bit web page or e-mailed to someone. allow, the less noticeable the flaw. With color and could store 24 pictures at How does the quality of a digital more colors, we have smooth transi tions $ 193. The Minolta RD-175 was th e picture compare to a 35mm picture? between colors and brightness levels. most expensive at $4,862. It could store Two factors determine the quality of Three bytes for thi s color value are 114 pictures at 1520 by 1146 in 24-bit digital pictures. These factors are the much better. We can represent color on a removable 131-megabyte number of pixels and the number of 16,777,2 16 di fferen t co Iors wi th three memory card. The Polaroid PDC-2000 colors. "Pixel" is short for picture ele- bytes. See "Digital:' page 67.

62 THE TEx.IS e WE,I' JULY / AUGUST 1998 FROM THE FILES OF THE TSS By JACK BURCH Preface By GEORGE VENI Survey of Secret Cave by Transit

The focus of this "From tlte Ales" tographed Helictite Room thoroughly. series by tlte TSS is to provtde cavers a Back to camp, we saw Ralph, W.T. , and gltillpse of the leads and Information on Ray off for home at 1 :30 p.m. Sunday. Texas caves avatlable tn the/iles. 1#lh tltis tilstallment ({Itlte series we have sometluilg Lunch over by 3:00 p.m. , Calvin and I that is a Illtie d(fferent. Tlte TSS files are started survey of Diamond Room pas­ made up ({I what material Callers con/nb­ sage [passage to Crystal Palace]. ute to them. A couple ofyears ago, Jack Dropped instrument in process. Slight Bure·1t gave tlte TSS some boxes with lots of damage but nothing serious. Surveyed cave tiifol71zation. Mudl ({Icou rse is related to Sta. 7, which was beyond huge for­ /0 Ills work a/ Caverns o/Sonora, and most mations in Diamond Room passage. has not been pnitted Followtng IS Jack s Back to camp at 8:00 p.m. for supper­ previously ttllpubltslted report describtizg the .jirst transll survey of a Texas cave. It a big day - thoroughly tired - bed early also dtscusses a multi-day tmdergrottlzd as possible. camp, wltich didn't happen agatiz tiz Texas Up at 6 a.m. Monday to finish sur­ unttl more tizan 20 years later. Abuu/ j km vey of Diamond Room passage. Get to ({Ipassage was surveyed on tizat trip into castration point with transit, establish Sonora, and lilduded a sttlface survey that point, and resume survey with Ranger plotted tlte course of /lte cave on the sur­ compass and steel tape. Finish Diamond face. The map drawn/ivm the survey plVlled Room survey at I :00 p.m. Mon. and accurate, and lizduded a plT!jile which was phOlO by Jim Jasek carry out instruments. After a hardy sometluizg few maps lzad at that tlille. Tlze trip report was not origtizally Jack Burch (1968), one of the explorers and lunch at camp, we tabulated figures of the developer of Caverns of Sonora. meant to be publtshed; q(ter all, Caverns survey. With distances corrected, we ({I Sonora was known as "Secret Cave " IiI ground] camp at 4:00 p.m. Started sur­ started (after 73 hrs in cave) surface 1959. Wlule tl tS presented tmedtled to pre­ vey at 5:30 p.m. Killed (rabid?) skunk survey at 5:30 p.m. Monday. Getting to sel'lle tIs lus/orical tilfegrity, tlze repor! re­ about 7:00 p.m. Surveyed about to pit Station 7 [actually, getting to the point matilS a dear and pleasant read Modern [Devil's Pit] by 2 a. m. Met Ralph on the surface over the station as deter­ names oflo cations and notes ofclar{jica­ Perryman and Ray Jones soon after 2 mined by the survey calculations] by /iol7 are added tit brackets. Ii10pe tlus re­ a.m. and bedded down for the night. sundown, we re-entered the cave and P0l1 sltows some ofthe wealth ({lil?lorma­ tioll tiz the TSS files. Tlte files are not ollly Breakfast about 8:30 a.m. and resumed figuring distances. Supper late avatfable to help cavers/illd new caves, but started survey soon after. Ray dropped and then to bed. More cave rats (they /0 researdz and learn about long known pit alone. Surveyed past pit and through worked on tissue paper). Calles too. low crawl [Discovery Crawl] by noon. Up at 6 a.m. Tuesday. We had a Lost Ray in maze of passages. He found big breakfast and climbed out to sur­ anuary 9th-13th, 1959. Trip was us and we ate lunch. Surveyed to area face at 7:30 a.m. Met Shupe and started made January 9th to Secret Cave of Diamond Room junction [Berner's at Sta. 7 on sUlface survey (we fought Jby: Jack Burch, Calvin Perryman, Stairs at base of the exit trail] by 8 p.m. brush all day - driving stakes at each w.T. Perryman, Ralph Perryman, Ray To bed by 10 p.m. - lots of cave rats. turn point). Finished to Helictite Room Jones, and Don Shupe who joined the Up at 6 a.m. Sunday. Had break­ by 6:00 p.m., washed up at Windmill party Tuesday [the 13th]. Purpose was fast and right to work surveying. Sur­ and ate supper in Sonora at 7:30 p.m. to accurately survey main cave system. veyed with transit to lake beyond sec­ Lost Shupe at ranch house (he met the Calvin, Jack, and W.T. arrived at ond jump off [Halo Lake] - then rest of rancher's daughter). Left Sonora at 8 area mid afternoon of the 9th. Talked way to Helictite Room by compass, dip p.m. arriving in Purmela at 11 p.m. Nice with Mayfield [owner]. Set up [under- indicator, and tape. Ray and Calvin pho- trip.

TilE TEXAS eWER 63 JULY / AUGUST 1998 LETTERS

PERRY OFF MARK LETTER TO THE TSA cares enough to make the meetings out of the present membership, it is defi­ The recent article by some girl Let me say right off the bat, I be­ nitely time for some seriolls house named Perry in the speleological publi­ lieve in and support the TSA regardless cleaning. The need to cut the di sease out cation that you are editor of probably of the past political upheavals, ill feel­ becomes imperative for continued sur­ means the demise of the organization ings harbored by some, or the failure to vival. We must get rid of the cancer that publishing it. As an old NSS member produce past TSA publications. How­ is choking the organization into (#2425), I can tell you that anyone read­ ever, here's the bombshell: it seems ev­ oblivion. Image can be everything; es­ ing that article would regard it as con­ erywhere I go, what I hear about TSA pecially when trying to recruit new trary to the spirit of caving (not "spe­ from past members, old timers and members! lunking") and a prime example of those some new comers who checked things who want their own personal empire­ out is NOT a pretty picture! Examples A few ideas have crossed my mind: building. Perry wants everyone to join of their continued questions/complaints Restructure membership: Have multiple "her" organization and embrace "her" include: levels, similar to nowl but more like agenda for it. If I were an independent Why should I give TSA my money? NSS. Have incentives: membership drive con­ caver, I would have nothing to do with Give me one good reason why I should join TSA. test between Grottos with pri zes. an outfit with such thinking behind it. TSA is a bottomless pit that goes no­ Certificates of Merit Someone is too big for their britches where and returns nothing. Fellowships when publishing two expensive publi­ Failure to publish The TEXAS CAVER. Life Membership cations & not having the income to sup­ Displacement of elected officers due to Project Contest for Grottos port them. I can remember when the living lm.:aliun (i.e. /lul Auslin) and ap­ Special Surprise Publications NSS News was mjmeographed. I cer­ pointment of replacements without gen­ A TSA Manual eral consensus or election. tainly would not want to go caving or Lower dues as a "special." In other Constant harping of give us your money, belong to an organization of which she words, put a sale on annual dues fo r a but the TSA will give nothing in return. is a member. I shall not renew when it limited time only. comes time. 1 can't find her NSS mem­ Special Events: don't limit to simply "But wait, I've been getting my bership in the June 1997 NSS member­ TSA projects, current parties or re ­ Newsletter on time," I tell them. Then unions. ship li st. they hit me with, "When I get what I Have some fun , educational workshops! paid for from the last several years, and These could be done as joint fundraisers Regards, see a change in attitude, then I'll think with member Grottos. John H. Hall, Jr. about re-upping, but not till then!" And NEW PROJECTS! Yes, I know, short­ on and on it goes! I'm sure you 've heard age of project leaders. Well , turn a nega­ tive into a positive! Get new people in­ most all of it. Even about the so-called Edilor's Nole: Tile girl named volved! Ask old members to lead a "tactless letters" that many have said Pen y has been caJllilg slilce Ille early project. It does not matter if they are were in very poor taste, insulting, and 70s (as one of Ihose "Iildependenl" current in dues. Get them involved. just angering enough to make you want Callers) alld j Oliled Ihe NSS qfier Ihe Make them want to be active again. to walk away completely! Ri ght now, no one is coming forward as J 997111embership manual came oul. By I know there are always two sides they are made to feel they are not wel­ tile wa)) her NSS number is 45977. to every story. However, the complaints comed or they are unqualified, or un­ Alld sliu:e I'm maiailg noleJ~ I are consistent. This tells me a lot about wanted. We say these things are a great welcome aI~ )l lelleJ:f 10 Tile TEXAS CAVER. what has been happening since I have way to learn . Give newcomers a chance. COl a gripe? Uillll 10 give Ille TSA a been gone. These conditions also sug­ Maybe they could even tind an old timer piece ofy our IIllild? Wrile IiI. JUSI do il or two to help, or to come in as a special gest a need for some internal healing, IiI good lileralY slyle. Realize Ihal ob­ guest speaker. apologies need to be made, and GET scenities'don 'I conlribule 10 Ihe overall THOSE UNPUBLISHED NEWSLET­ • Find a way to get rid of the "you aren't meal1lilg ~la s'enlence alld wtll be ed­ worth anything if you aren' t from Aus­ TERS AND CAVERS OUT TO THE iled oul. Send any correspondence 10 tin" attitude. This reputation is killing PEOPLE WHO PAID FOR THEM. Ihe addresses lisled on Ihe lilside cove!: us just by itself! When membership of an estab­ li shed organization drops and no one -Karren Perry (#45977)

64 JULY / AUGUST 1998 CHAIRMAN'S CORNER

(Apology: I wis/7 10 formally slate 1/701 I rec­ I have failed in my purpose. The for anything they do, and most cavers ognize tile several of you Wizo have sup­ TSA is hardly any better off now than are more interested in caving than in pOl1ed Ihe TSA and Texas cavlilg despile il ~r when I started - except to say that The contributing directly to the TSA. That ups and downs oller Ille years. I wanl 10 say TEXAS CAVER is finally comjng out isn' t to say that caving isn' t contribut­ 1/701 slilce you are readlilg Ill/:ryou are prob­ and in a timely fashion. That is due ing. Indeed, contributing is the very ba­ ably already a member who supporls Ille mainly not to finding an editor who sis of the TSA. But l1o/sharing that love TSA . I realize il I:r preaching 10 Ihe choir and I apologize jor iI, bUI I feel 11101 0101 f"!l cares, they all had good intentions, but of caving, the wonderful experiences, il /7as gone unsaidfor 100 long and 1/701 i.r to finding one who is dedicated to get­ the hits and near misses, new gear, funny parlly responslble for t/7e condilion f"!ll/7e ting the job done. That is the operative incidents, fun trips, stupid mistakes, lies TSA these days. You may nol agree wllh all phrase: " ... dedicated to getting the job told around a campfire, and the other f"!l l/, bUI I would encourage liS dissemlilO­ done." We shall now address Karen's intimate aspects of caving is actively !lO! lion 10 tizose Texas covers who are llOsll/e letter directly. contributing to Texas caving. 10 ward or oulslde Ihe TSA . - GE) Karen's opening statement, "I be­ To answer the question, "Give me lieve in and support the TSA regardless one good reason why I should join the Karen seems to have a way of get­ of the past political upheavals, ill feel­ TSA?" I offer this: You join the TSA ting our attention at exactly the right ings harbored by some, or the failure to because you can contribute to it! Be­ time. It is the second time she has done produce the TSA publications in the cause your contributions encourage oth­ it, and it emphasizes a number of points past," is the heart of the matter! The TSA ers to contribute! And because, in the that have needed addressing for a long is about Texas caving. It is like a badge end, you and other Texas cavers will time. When I decided to run for TSA of pride. How can anyone be a caver in benefit from all those contributions! But Chairman, and for some years before Texas and not be proud of being a TSA that only works if you do your part. You that, there were several things that were member? How can they not want to be are the TSA and if you are not contrib­ failing within the TSA which I thought a part of organized caving? Yes, any­ uting then you are the problem. The of­ I might be able to improve. Boy howdy, one, even non-cavers, can go cavmg ficers can arrange meetings. They can do I feel foolish! Almost nothing got without belonging to an organization arrange projects. They can arrange con­ done. designed to make caving better for ventions and seminars. The editor can By the TSA I mean not only the them, but it's a cheap shot - getting beg and plead for articles and material. established organization called the something for nothing. (And I know that But if the ones who are complairung that Texas Speleological Association, but all many of the naysayers will rise as if on the TSA doesn't do anything for them the little entities which make it up. They cue with, "It's better than getting noth­ don't do anything for the TSA, then who include all the cavers of Texas: mem­ ing for something." I'll address that is to blame? This is a volunteer organi­ bers, subscribers, independent cavers, later.) As a Texas caver 10 these past 30+ zation and anyone who doesn' t volun­ arm chair cavers, or even wannabe years, I have never been completely sat­ teer doesn' t really have much right to cavers. The TSA also includes all the isfied with the TSA, its organization, its complain. Admittedly, money - in the clubs and grottos, official or otherwise, politics, its ill-feeling members, or its form of dues - is a contribution. It is a all the projects, the TSS, the manage­ failure to produce publications at vari­ necessary part of running even a volun­ ment and conservation organizations, ous times - but I've stayed a member. I teer organization. I guess anyone who even the cave owners including the do that because that's what Texas cavers has paid their dues has a right to com­ Texas Parks & Wildlife Department. All do. It's the only statewide organization plain, after all. But what about those of these groups, and others, are part of for cavers in Texas. But why is it that who haven 't paid on account of being the "loose" association of cave-related it's a half-assed organization? Why is it pi ssed off about something that hap­ entities in Texas. And that is what the that so many cavers are so dissatisfied pened several years ago? Do they still TSA is, or should be, about! When all with so many aspects of the TSA? Who have the right to complain, to encour­ of these groups are brought together in wants to venture a guess? age other cavers to cheat themselves, the interest of Texas caves and caving, There are a number of peripheral when the TEXAS CAVER is in full pro­ then we will have a TSA which is truly reasons, some of which I'll touch on. duction, when a TSA Newsletter is out representative of those two things and However, the biggest contributor to dis­ and on time with a load of useful infor­ which will truly work for their better­ satisfaction with the TSA is that it is a mation, and when a few dedicated vol­ ment. volunteer organization. Nobody is paid unteers work to put on a damned good

THE TEXAS e lVEN 65 JULY I AUGUST 1998 TSA Convention and only 60 cavers than anywhere else and that's a damned together to discuss common interests, show up to learn something? The rea­ shame. Wonder why? Might have some­ to solve problems relating to caving, and son the TSA doesn' t work is because thing to do with the fact that the UT to work toward the common good. It's it's being sabotaged by the very cavers Grotto is the only club in a major Texas not about the TEXAS CAVER, it's not who it's trying to serve. city doing even a half-way reasonable about money, it 's not about politics, it 's If the well-meaning volunteers of job of recruitment. Is your Grotto well not about ill feelings or personal agen­ the TSA failed to produce the TEXAS represented in the TSA? Think about das-it's about caving. The TSA is CAVER on time, or at all, despite hav­ this: over the past decade, all any Grotto about caving. The TEXAS CAVER is a ing promised to, what should be done in Texas would have had to do to elect tool. The politics is a tool. If the tool is about it, be they officers, editors, or it's own officers to the TSA was to have broken, you fix it, you sharpen it, or you whatever? The logical procedure is to a mere 10 or 12 Grotto members show replace it. Cussing it or throwing a fit get rid of those not producing and re­ up. They would have controlled the vote. won't help a bit. You just fix it, then you place them with those who will. Wait! There is nothing to stop it except not go on about the business of using it. Wait! Don't start lining up yet. Give me showing up! Now, I ask each and every What I'm giving you is the opportunity a chance to finish. Texas caver who has a complaint about to fix up the TSA the way you want it. Karen then addresses the issues of the TSA officers to explain where they If you just want to complain, that's OK, Austin cavers tending to monopolize the were the last time we had elections. The but if you really want to sharpen up your TSA offices and those officers doing reason Austin cavers were elected is tools, come on down and participate. things without general consensus of the because they ran, and the half-dozen Karen has some good ideas in the lower members. What can be said? To para­ cavers who bothered to show up voted parts of her letter. Let's see if next year's phrase several recent U.S. Presidents, for them. volunteers can't do them justice. "My fellow Texas cavers ...." I do not With this Chairman's Column, I I need to mention that the TSA remember a TSA meeting which I have offer all Texas cavers an open challenge, operates on the calendar year and only attended in the past 8 years (and I've to whit: There will be a TSA Business 1998 TSA members can vote during the not been to them all) which had more Meeting on Sunday the 18th of Octo­ meeting. If you join (or rejoin) for 1999 than 22 cavers (and not all ofthem TSA ber at and during the Texas Cavers' Re­ at TCR and were not a member in 1998. members) present, more generally union, under the blue and white tent. At you can talk all you want, but you can't around 10 or 12, often onl y 6, and once, that meeting, the TSA Officers for 1999 vote-not even for the 1999 officers. at Brackettville, 3 members and 2 non­ will be nominated and elected by any You can, of course, still pay your 1998 members. Anyone who thinks that hav­ 1998 TSA members who are present dues at TCR-we'll still take 'em. ing a half-dozen cavers vote on some­ and care to vote. Those who feel they've thing represents a general consensus of been maligned may wish to participate. Oh, by the way, I'll be there the entire state doesn't understand the The challenge is this: I want to see ev­ Sunday to run the meeting, but I won' l nature of voting. Furthermore, the of­ ery Grotto in Texas present a candidate be running for office. 1 live in Austin, ficers are elected to run the TSA. They for at least one TSA office, who is will­ you see, and that seems to be not politi­ have the power to make certain deci­ ing to run and be dedicated to doing the cally correct in the TSA these daze. sions in the everyday running of the or­ job - this should not be a popularity See you there. ganization, including spending money, contest. I want every Grotto and Project without consulting the membership. If to have a representative or two present members want to have a say-so in how who will openly discuss their com­ the TSA is run, they may want to con­ plaints or suggestions about the TSA sider having a say-so in who attends and what they would like to do to see meetings and who is elected. the problem solved or the job done. I About Austin cavers, I will offer challenge all complainers to be present thi s: the TEXAS CAVER was started and to say what's on their mind and to in Austin, and the TSA grew out of the volunteer their services to the cavers of two grottos there in the '50s along with Texas so we can get back to doing what several other grottos and clubs present this TSA volunteer organization ought in Texas at the time. Of the 300+ to be doing. I challenge all Texas cavers CAVERS that we mail, almost 100 go to participate. to Austin cavers. The crux of the matter That is, after all, why we even have is that more Texas cavers live in Austin a TSA - to bring the cavers of Texas

66 TIlE ltXAS CWlR JULY / AUGUST 1998 DIGITAL could store 40 1600 by 1200 pictures in are going to print them, you will need a storage techno logy ad vances to th e its 240-megabyte internal memory. It color printer. Color printers are cheaper point where hi gher quality pi ctures are uses 24-bit color. The most common and better th an th ey were a few years possible. prices were between $400 and $800. In ago. You can find a good printer for What does the future in photogra­ general, the more the camera costs, th e aro und $400. Colors are truer and phy bring? Digital photography is not better (more pi xels) the pi cture. brighter, and the inkjet cartridges are just a fad, to pass away in a few years; Most cameras use JPEG data com­ cheaper these days. As your picture tak­ it is here to stay. Solid state memory pression techniques. I did some com­ in g goes on, your di sk fill s up quic kl y. technology is advancing every year and pari sons on my personal images to see You will need a very bi g di sk dri ve. You other means of storage are also advanc­ how much compression I could get. I will also need to back-up your photos in g. Some day, cameras will be abl e to used PhotoFinish to import the PCX onto a tape or some other mass storage capture the 2400 by 3600 pi xel resolu­ fi les. I then stored the images in JPEG removabl e media dev ice. What about ti on of 35mm photography and store it format with medium loss compression. giving a slide show? You could bu y a internall y in the camera with a hi gh pi c­ 1 then compared the number of bytes video projector, but they are reall y ex­ ture count. We may even see the merg­ each fil e took up on my hard dri ve. A pensive. ing of camcorders and still cameras. You color pi cture (rose.pcx) ori gin a ll y was Hi gh quality di gital cameras are would bu y a sin gle camera capabl e of 151 ,9 17 bytes. The compressed fi le, around that take as good or better pho­ taki ng both still pi ctures or switching (rose.jpg) was 9,988 bytes. The com­ tographs as you could get with 35mm into the movie mode to take moti on pi c­ pressed file onl y takes up 6.6% of the film, but they are fo r professional use tu res. These cameras would not store the ori gin al fil e. Another fil e (Cath y2.pcx), by compani es like NASA and astrono­ images on tape, but on internal memory. a bl ack and white pi cture, took up mers. There are, however, other means Then when you get home you would 130,360 bytes of data. The compressed of getting your photos into a di gital for­ downl oad the images into your com­ version took up 15 ,289 bytes, or about mat. Kodak has a service where they can puter, edit them, and put them on a CD 11 .7% of the ori gin al fil e space. We can put your slides or negati ves on a photo for permanent storage. I can' t wait to now see how so many pi ctures can be CD. The cost is fairl y hi gh, ranging from see what the future of thi s fi eld does but stored in such a small space. $3.84 per pi cture fo r small quantities fo r now, I am going to stick with my After you've taken some di gital down to $2.00 fo r 30 or more. They can Kodachrome. pi ctu res, what are you going to do with get about 100 images on one CD. You For more informati on. if you are them? The first thing you do when you can purchase a slide scanner, but they on the web. do a search on di gital cam­ get home is to connect your camera to are quite expensive. Flatbed scanners era and browse around. You can even your computer. Next, you download the are more reasonabl y priced, but you downl oad sample photographs taken by pi ctures into your computer. You can have to make a print and scan it to get some of the di gital cameras avail able view them, store them, index them, print your pi cture di giti zed. I am going to today and see what they look like. If you them, or e-mail them to a fri end. If you wait until th e prices come down and have any questi ons or comments, e-mail

RUSSELL me at kheuss@ Icra.org. "Before thi s convention, I was a Increased educati on and research Neversink. The NSS C o nservati o n little worri ed about cavers .. . that some­ by organi zati ons such as the Huntsville, Award went to John LaM ar Cole while how, in their zeal for expl orati on, that Ala. -headquartered NSS, affili ated with the Conservati on and M anagement their zest for di scovery had abated,'" the Ameri can Associati on for the Ad­ Secti on's group conservati on honors Russell said. '''However, I've now fo und vancement of Science. have pl ayed a were for the Central Ohio Grotto. th at thi s is not the case. This has re­ vital role in raisin g public awareness Founded in 1986, the Austin-based newed my faith in cavers. They're out and appreciati on for nonrenewable cave TCMA is Texas' first organi zati on dedi­ there finding new things, di scovering resources. cated to the conservati on and preserva­ and documenting what they find." Cave conservati on was empha­ ti on of underground resources and their "Again, I'm deepl y honored," he sized at thi s year's convention awards. biological, paleontological and other said . "And I think th at cavers will go The Southeastern Cave Conservancy contents. The nonprofit organi zati on out there and provide a future, fo rever received one of the Society's Certifi­ owns three caves in Central Texas and goin g caving" cates of Merit for its acquisiti o n of manages more than dozen others.

67 BULK RATE THETEXAS U. S. Postage PAID Austin, Texas CAVER Permit No. 1181 Post Office Box 8026 Austin, Texas 78713