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Young spelunkers find adventure in dark

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By RONNIE BLAIR

rblair @tampatrib.com

Published: November 2, 2009

WITHLACOOCHEE STATE FOREST - The 37 students stared at the dark, narrow cave entrance with growing skepticism.

When they embarked on this excursion to the Dames Caves along the Hernando and Citrus county line, most imagined a stroll into an underground chamber with plenty of head room.

Reality meant lowering themselves into a dark pit and crawling over dirt and rocks into cramped territory. Some were game. Others were vocally dismayed.

"You signed up for adventure," teacher Betsy Palmer-Bigler reminded them. "You're getting adventure."

A few grumbles later, they were underground.

By the day's end, most of the sixth- and seventh-grade students from Athenian Academy of Pasco concluded cave exploration wasn't such a bad field trip after all.

Palmer-Bigler, who teaches science and math to middle school students at Athenian Academy, said the spelunking trip was a year in the making. The students at the New Port Richey charter school raised money to pay for the cave tour, an educational program offered by the Museum of Science & Industry in Tampa.

Last week they reached their destination: the Dames Caves.

The Dames Caves is a group of caves that probably were connected at one time, according to a geological report by the University of South Florida's Department of Environmental Science and Policy.

Michael Fay, 11, a sixth-grader, admitted to initial nervousness.

"I'm not really good with small spaces," he said. "I had a hard time getting out and getting in."

Michael was unimpressed after the first cave, but his mother, Jennifer Fay, one of the chaperones, reminded him there was more to come. After his second foray underground, he said, "I think it's really cool."

Ronnie Blair

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