The Desert Caves of Saudi Arabia • John Pint, NSS News, November
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January 31, 1998 - National Cave Rescue Commission (NCRC) Winter Business Meeting, DuBose Conference Center, Monteagle, TN. For more information contact Butch Feldhaus, NCRC National Coordinator, at bfeldhaus@compuserve .com, or (423)238-7009. February 7, 1998-Quarterly meeting of the Southeastern Cave Conservancy,lnc. at ITT Technical Institute, Birmingham, AL (10:00am CST). Contact Scott Fee (205) 854-PITS or [email protected] or www.sccLorg March 20-22, 1998-FloridaCave Cavort '98. To be located in the Tallahassee area of North Florida. Co-sponsored by the Central Florida Cavers and the Flint River Grotto. Visit some of the areas finest caves and make new friends and renew old friendships.Contact Carl Reiche 531 Ventris Court, Maitland, FL 32751-5562; (407) 644-9444 or e-mail [email protected] July 25 - August 1, 1998 - The National Cave Rescue Commission (NCRC) presents the 1998 Cave Rescue Operations and Management Seminar at the DuBose Conference Center, Montagle, TN. For more information contact Butch Feldhaus at [email protected], or (423)238-7009, or Nancy Chrimes, Seminar Registrar, at [email protected](540)992 3665 August 3-7, 1998-NSS Convention, Sewanee, Tennessee. Contact: William Shrewsbury, PO Box 4444, Chattanooga, TN 37405-0444; (423) 886-3296; [email protected] July 12-16, 1999-NSS Convention. Twin Falls County Fairgrounds, Filer, Idaho. Contact: David W. Kesner, PO Box 1334, Boise, 10 83701; (208)939-0979; email [email protected] INTERNATIONAL Jan. 31-Feb. 14, 1998-8th International Symposium on Vulcanospeleology with field camps and excursions, Nairobi, Kenya. USA contact: Bruce Randall, 324 Questend Ave., Pittsburgh, PA 15228; (412) 344-0356. (see Feb. '97 NSS NEWS, page 57) March 6-12, 1998-20th Anniversary of the "Che Guevara" Speleological Group, Matanzas, Cuba. Open to all interested cavers. Caving, camping, seminars. Registration fee of $1 00 U.S. includes food, camping, and transport (except airfare). Info: Prof. Pedro Pablo Gonzalez Castro, Sociedad Espeleogica de Cuba, Novena No. 8402 esq. 84, Playa CP 11300, Ciudad de la Habana, Cuba Phone: (537) 22-5025, fax: 24-0438 or 24-2985 October 5-10, 1998-"SUBCITY '98" Meeting on Caves of Natural Origin Under Cities & Urban Areas, Budapest (+Aggtelek), Hungary. Contact Nora Fleck, Hungarian Speleological Society, H 1027 BUdapest, Fo u. 68. Phone/Fax: (361) 201 9493, E-mail: [email protected] ..Now Here's a Real Babe" was shown in the 1997Photo Salon. The originalcolor Sept. 12-18, 1999-9'" International Symposium slide was shotbyJohn Van Swearingen IV. on VUlcanospeleology of the IUS, Catania, Italy. Contact: Giuseppe M. LICITRA - Centro Speleologico EtneoVia Cagliari, 15, 95127 Send information on coming events CATANIA, Italy [email protected] Further International events can be found on to the NSS NEWS, 320 Brook Drive, the UIS International Speleo Calendar Boulder Creek, CA 95006; at:http://rubens.its.unimelb.edu.au/-pgm/uis/ [email protected] events.html 326 NSS NEWS, November 1997 NSS NEWS AMERICA'S CAVING MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 1997 VOLUME 55 NUMBER 11 Middle East Return to the Desert Caves of Saudi Arabia 329 by John Pint Florida The Archer Caves 336 by Buford Pruitt, Jr. 1998 NSS Convention Alert - 344 Time to ptan ahead Techniques and Safety Descending 101 345 by Bitt Cuddinl}tion History The Ranshaws of Covington, Kentucky and Mammoth Cave 346 by Charles J. DeCroix Calendar 326 Society NEWS 350 Commentary 328 International News 351 Letters 328 News and Notes 352 Color Gallery 340 Reading 352 B&W Gallery 342 Down Through the Decades 353 In the Media 347 Classified Ads 354 "Scaled Up", by Peter andAnn Bosted, won a blueribbon In the 1997NSSPhoto Salon. Itwas taken In a cave In New Mexico's Guadalupe Mountains. ModelGlenMaillet was capturedon FujiProvla100film witha 35mmNlkon ff.4Iens. Warmth was addedby use ofa yellow filter on one ofthe flashes. The rear coverphotos were taken by John Pint In Whistling Tea Pot. beneaththe SaudiArabiandesert. Top: Mike Gibson on the redsandfloor Left: Dave Black on cable ladderbelowentrance POSTMASTER: Right: Susy Pintpretending to have dug out a pile Send address changes to NSS NEWS, 2813 Cave ofsand to access the Closet ofthe Jlnn Ave., Huntsville, AL 35810-4431. NSS NEWS, November 1997 327 VOLUNTEERISM IN THE NSS depending on exactly which job one is talking and awards, but Idon't think that is the reason about. Much of the work these volunteers do people volunteer. I think the main reason is In a column titled "Please Don't Volunteer" is challenging, some is exciting, but quite the good feelings they get from contributing in the May 1996 NSS NEWS. I briefly dis frankly, some of it is rather boring. to a worthwhile cause. Volunteers enjoy the cussed the duties common to all committee Given the time commitment required, you sense that they can make good things happen chair positions in the NSS. I told you the might wonder: why in the world would in a good organization. They get to meet new simple truth and gave the column that anybody volunteer for any of these jobs? people and learn to work together as a team shocking title so you would read it. That's a fair question, but I don't think there to achieve common goals. They feel a sense Unfortunately a few people had such a is a single definitive answer. Some people of personal accomplishment. Some folks want negative reaction to the title that they failed volunteer because their parents taught them to be a palt of the family and experience a to grasp what I said in the column itself, and civic duty, and view working for the NSS as greater sense of belonging. Most people have Icertainly took some lumps for my effort. Let a way to express that duty. Most of us feel skills, sometimes related to their work, that me suggest, however, that after you have some debt of gratitude to the NSS for the they can apply to the NSS. Some volunteers finished reading this column, go back and experiences that organized caving has given enjoy learning new skills. And there are, I reread the other column. Try to ignore the us over the years, for example, the instruction suppose, people who volunteer for less title and think instead about what the column and training in caving techniques and the altruistic reasons, but that's okay as long as actually says. I think you will see that it cave trips and expeditions with interesting and the work gets done. contains some useful information and some talented people. There are also the more So if you feel, as many of us do, that the good advice. direct member services like the annual NSS NSS is a worthwhile organization with goals The NSS accomplishes so much that some National Conventions, the monthly NSS that you agree with (or perhaps want to of its members think the society uses NEWS, the JOURNAL OF CAVE AND KARST change), then please do volunteer. You professionals to handle much of the work. It STUDIES, the NSS MEMBERS MANUAL, can do this by responding to position-available simply isn't so. The work is handled almost AMERICAN CAVING ACCIDENTS, the NSS announcements in the Society News section entirely by volunteers, and these people are Bookstore, SPELEO DIGESTS, and so on. It is of the NSS NEWS, or by contacting the current absolutely crucial to the workings of the NSS. true that a few of the committee chairmen/ chairman (see your NSS MEMBERS MANUAL) Camille and Beth, who run the NSS Office in editors receive small honoraria, but they of the committee whose work interests you. Huntsville, Alabama, are paid employees; could make more money working atthe local Let's all continue to work together to make however, all of the work done by committee McDonald's. the NSS an even better organization. The members, committee chairmen, directors, and If not money, then what do the volunteers good news is we can have fun doing it. officers is voluntary. These jobs require a time get out of their participation? Well, there are Fred Wefer commitment from five to thirty hours a week, some opportunities for national recognition Executive Vice President in the direction of complaints. Since I rarely Petzl Stop rigged backward (in death mode), CAVE TREK receive complaints about any aspect of the and an ascender without a working So far, I've heard nothing but negative News, any increase in letters on a specific mechanism. In addition, even though [ have comments regarding the new "Cave Trek" topic Is of interest. In the case of Cave Trek, stupidly done it, why does the dude have two cartoon. I like it. It should stay. Even if I some have expressed their dislike. But others descenders? Pick, Pick, Pick, Not really, I didn't like it, there is a bigger consideration: have expressed interest, and it does make up love the guy, especially, his mustache. Ithink content diversity. Dave Bunnell has done an only 1/32 of the magazine. What other I was only concerned that someone less outstanding, if not inspirational, job in magazines do you read cover-to-cover? It knowing might attempt to rig a Petzl Stop this diversifying the content of the NSS NEWS. would seem pointless to terminate the strip in way. Mark, Great Stuff, more more!! There are sections of the NSS NEWS that I mid-story, so the strip stays. 1'1/ add that I'm Bruce Smith never read- simply no interest- but I don't not offended by constructive whining since NSS#12458F write tired old letters of complaint, because feedback Is important to any edilor's attempts someone else in the NSS may enjoy the to please their readership.] CONVENTION THANK-YOU sections that I don't like.