Sump Diving “River Caves”

Note: “Sump” is a term used in caving to describe a passage in a cave that is submerged under water. Sump diving, and “lure of the sump” originated in the UK in the early 1920’s, as did the use of “rebreather’s, and the “self-contained underwater breathing apparatus”, S.C.U.B.A. The techniques developed by cavers, and “sump divers” in Europe, and then used in British cave systems like Wookey Hole set a cave diving precedence; the development of a unique style, and system for diving caves. These diving practices and techniques influenced the exploration of resurgences, springs, siphons, and river caves throughout the world. This long history of bravery, and the unparalleled determination of cave divers continues today, and will certainly continue to shape the future of exploration as we know it