Go ahead and add cave diving to the long list of adventures I will never undertake. Just reading this made my palms sweat in the most uncomfortable of ways. When you realize we know more about outer space than the bottom of the ocean you realize there are still places that Instagrammers have yet to find. Add caves to the list, at least for now. Maybe.
I’ve explored dry caves before. And New Mexico is home to Carlsbad Caverns, which if you haven’t seen is entirely worth the voyage. But add water to this place and the parking lot would probably be empty.
Into the Planet by Jill Heinerth detailed her development as a diver, then a cave diver, then an extreme cave diver and finally on to someone who dives inside of icebergs in the most frigid of regions. Ya, it’s straight-up crazy in my book. But Heinerth also tells us why she does this and also details the systems in place to keep the sport as safe as possible. Having said that, the last few chapters detail the death of some of her best friends.
Upon completion, I felt relieved. I also felt glad I read this because the description of what she sees in these massive and incredibly beautiful underground networks is truly remarkable. And they just might lead to the future of things like ensuring clean water. (Once Donny Dipshit is gone.)
Get it, read it.