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Diver’s Father Wants Florida’s Eagle Nest Sink Cave Closed After Deaths

Published

11 years ago

on

A Florida man wants the state to close an underwater cave system after his son and grandson died there in a diving accident on Christmas Day.

Chester Spivey Jr. says the 300-foot deep Eagle Nest Sink cave in the Chassahowitzka Wildlife Management Area is too dangerous for diving. Thirty-five-year-old Darrin Spivey and his 15-year-old son, Dillon Sanchez, were found dead Wednesday.

The Tampa Tribune reports that at least six other divers have died in the vast underwater cave system since 1981.

“I wish they would close it,” Chester Spivey Jr. told the newspaper. “I wouldn’t want to see anyone else die. It’s just too dangerous.”

State wildlife officials, however, said they have no plans to close the underwater cave, which diving enthusiasts have described as the “Grand Canyon” or “Mount Everest” of cave diving.

The Southwest Florida Water Management District had banned diving at Eagle Nest Sink in 1999 when it bought the land, located about an hour and a half north of downtown Tampa. But cave divers lobbied to reopen the area, and the state lifted the ban in July 2003 when a management plan for the site was developed.

Located deep in the woods, it looks like a small, unassuming pond from Earth’s surface, but underneath is a network of huge chambers.

Eagle Nest Sink has been named “one of the top three extreme dives in the world.”

A Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission sign near the pond entrance to the cave reads: “Cave diving in this area is extremely dangerous — even life threatening!! Do not dive unless you are a certified cave diver!!”

According to the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office, Spivey was a certified diver; however, he was not a certified cave diver. Sanchez was not a certified diver.

Read more of this story here.

Have you been cave diving at Eagle Nest Sink? Let us know your thoughts on this story in the talkback below.

Source: www.nbcmiami.com

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Gear Reviews

Gear Review: Hollis ST Elite System (Watch Video)

Published

1 day ago

on

March 24, 2025

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st elite system

In a video produced exclusively for Scubaverse.com, Jeff Goodman reviews the Hollis ST Elite System.

For more information about Hollis products, visit hollis.com.

Sea & Sea is the home of Hollis and other leading diving brands in the UK.

 

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Relive the Red Sea’s Golden Age: New Paperback Edition of Treasures, Shipwrecks, and the Dawn of Red Sea Diving

Published

2 days ago

on

March 23, 2025

By

red sea

by Howard Rosenstein

With Forewords by Sylvia Earle and David Doubilet

red seaExperience the Red Sea’s golden age of diving through the eyes of its pioneering figure, Howard Rosenstein. The new paperback edition of his acclaimed memoir, Treasures, Shipwrecks and the Dawn of Red Sea Diving, is a visual feast, showcasing over 200 stunning images above and below water by legendary photographer David Doubilet, the author and others.

Journey from a makeshift diving school in a train carriage to the forefront of global dive tourism. Rosenstein’s narrative weaves together thrilling underwater adventures, historical discoveries (from Roman coins to unmapped reefs), and encounters with a fascinating cast of characters, including underwater legends and world leaders.

This enhanced paperback release offers a deeper dive into Rosenstein’s story, featuring additional images, refined text, and minor corrections. Witness how his passion for the underwater world not only shaped a generation of divers but also subtly influenced the delicate peace process of the region. This is a story of adventure, discovery, and the enduring allure of the Red Sea.

You don’t need to be a diver to get lost in these pages—there’s something here for anyone who loves a good adventure, a slice of history, or a peek into someone else’s amazing life.

‘Unbelievable stories that are most wonderful because they are true.’
Sylvia Earle

‘Endlessly entertaining… A vivid memoir packed with characters and anecdotes.’
SCUBA magazine

About the author

Howard Rosenstein is a one-off who was inducted into the International Scuba Diving Hall of Fame in 2009. In this memoir, he shares the more surprising as well as his favorite stories from the early part of his long diving career.

The book

Review copies on request – please contact Alex Gibson: alex@divedup.com

Release date 11 March 2025
RRP GBP £25 | Paperback | ISBN 978-1-909455-54-2
216 pages | Revised 1st Edition | 234 x 156 mm
Available from Divedup.com, online and from retailers.
Dive Trade: Nautilus UK
Book Trade: Gardners Books.

Praise for Treasures, Shipwrecks and the Dawn of Red Sea Diving

‘Unbelievable stories that are most wonderful because they are true’ – Sylvia Earle

‘A page-turning memoir filled with stories of finding treasures, shipwrecks, and discovering exotic coral reefs teeming with marine life.’ – Explorers Journal, Explorers Club of America

‘Endlessly entertaining… A vivid memoir packed with characters and anecdotes.’ – SCUBA magazine

‘A very satisfying read.’ – DIVE magazine

‘A rollicking fun tale.’ – Kathy Sullivan, history-making astronaut and oceanographer

‘This is a fascinating story and one well told.’ – Divernet

‘Howard Rosenstein had a dream that he made a reality – he built, and they came.’ – David Doubilet

‘A fascinating story that, if it was not the real-life of Howard Rosenstein, it would make a first-class adventure novel.’ – Dan Orr, Diving Industry Consultant

‘A gripping tale.’ – Undercurrent

‘An upbeat tale of success with surprising twists along the way… will enlighten and entertain.’ – Jewish Book Council

‘A captivating voyage… I urge you to pick up a copy and embark on this thrilling journey’ – Amos Nachoum, award-winning nature photographer and diving travel pioneer

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