Wes Skiles - NOGI

:: Wes Skiles - Arts - 2007

If you had to distill who Wes Skiles is down to one word, the vast majority of the diving community would likely say "Crazy&hellip" Although this reputation may be well earned, it might be more appropriate to say Wes has a passion for exploring and documenting places most of us have no interest in visiting, whatsoever.

A native North Floridian Wes grew up exploring his local springs and cave systems. He became an active SCUBA diver at 13 and was certified as a cave diver at 16. It was also at 16, he would begin cave diving with another cave diving legend, Sheck Exley. Wes's first dive with Sheck was the recovery of 2 open water divers who drowned in Royal Spring. This event would forever influence his life. In 1978 he was certified as a PADI Open Water Instructor. Embracing the term "Open Water" he began to preach to students of the true dangers of the "Overhead Environment." In 1982 he was asked to hold the helm as Training Chairman of the National Speleological Societies, Cave Diving Section (NSSCDS) during the cave diving's most deadly period. Understanding

the true problem, that an average of 20 "open water" divers, not "cave divers" were dieing each year, he took a bold approach. In his position he charged the national SCUBA training agencies with the responsibility of training both instructors and students to stay out of "overhead environments", adding wrecks and ice to help broaden the scope. This effort along with his “No Lights Rule”, would ultimately lead to a dramatic decrease in deaths, saving untold numbers of lives. Over the next 35 years he would become known as one of the key architects and premiere divers of cave and technical diving.

By the mid eighties his detailed survey and cartographies of the extensive caves he was exploring in North Florida would shake the very foundation of groundwater sciences. Groundwater protection models at the time, did not account for the voids and passages cave divers were discovering. At that time he confidently claimed that he and his team were exploring what amounted to great “underground rivers”. To prove his claim he decided focus on providing visual proof scientist couldn’t argue with. It would take another twenty years before many of Florida’s leading scientist could validate and embrace his innate understanding of the hydrogeology of Florida’s karst aquifers. To this date Wes serves as one of the State of Florida’s principal advisors for springs and groundwater protection.

Wes was also one of the early pioneers of multiple strobe slave photography, and light painting. In 1987, Wes was a key participant in the Wakulla Springs Project. His responsibilities included research, logistics, lead exploration diver, surveyor, photographer and cameraman of the 300’+ deep cave system. Diving 96/14 Heliox he and diving partners Tom Morris, and Paul Heinerth reached what was at the time, a mind boggling distance of 4200’ penetration at depths averaging 290’. It was at Wakulla Springs that he met Emory Kristof, who would become one his closest partners, and advocates in many future projects. Kristof took note of Wes’s progressive methods of diving and photographic skills and introduced him to the National Geographic family.

Wes has led over dozen major expeditions Worldwide. As leader of a National Geographic expedition to Antarctica, Wes was the first human being to set foot on and film B-15, the largest iceberg in recorded history. He has also set multiple records for times, and distances traveled in underground rivers, and caves. His 700’ deep, eleven hour dive to film six gill sharks inside Phil Nuytten’s, “Newtsuit”, a flying underwater body submarine, remains one of the longest dives of its type ever attempted. Today his name is known internationally for his daring films on exploration and his passion for protecting and educating people about the World’s most valuable resource, water.

Karst Productions, Inc., and Wes Skiles have won dozens of major international film festival awards. His outstanding camera work has garnered him the HDFEST “Deffie” for “Best Cinematography” in HD Documentary two years in a row.

Wes is owner/president of Karst Productions, Inc. and founder/chairman of Karst Environmental Services, Inc. Wes resides in High Springs, Florida with his wife Terri, and their two children Nathan, and Tessa Skiles.

At a recent environmental awards ceremony, noted writer and naturalist Bill Bellville, had this to say about Wes and his work:
“The great nature writer Ed Abbey once wrote that ‘Sentiment without action is the ruin of the soul’. I very much believe that’s true---and so, the obvious corollary would be that Wes Skiles must have a very intact and healthy soul. That’s because---as much as anyone I’ve ever met--- Wes stands up for what he believes in.

He not only has a vigorous and ethical conviction in the absolute need to sustain our Floridan aquifer---he’ll go to almost length to take us down there with him--- into the dark limestone cellars that keeps our Florida springs and rivers and faucets flowing.

Wes is a passionate explorer with a deep love and curiosity for the environments he has dedicated his life to filming---from underwater in South Africa to the Antarctic to the Suwannee and St. Johns Rivers.

Like mythologist Joseph Campbell’s “heroic traveler”, Wes doesn’t just go to a dangerous place for the technical achievement of doing so---he returns with something to help us better understand the context of that place, and how it fits into the larger ecology of our world. Wes is the creator, director and chief shooter of the PBS series “Water’s Journey”, and has led over a dozen National Geographic expeditions overseas. Wes was one of the first to explore and map the springs of Florida, and over his lifetime, has documented over 75 miles of unexplored passageways.

Wes has literally, and metaphorically, brought light to the darkness of our underwater cave-spring systems. And, he's done so with great finesse, with great art, and great courage.

Wes Skiles is Executive Producer/Director/Cameraman Owner/President: Karst Productions, Inc.