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ABOUT ME
About the author of this website...
The website
In 1997 I started
building this website. At that time, I didn’t realize what I had got into.
More precisely: the desire to make a website in two languages (Dutch/English)
was (and still is) a hell of a job.
On the other hand, thanks to this website, I have been in contact
with cavers from all over the world.
Many of them will probably wonder what kind of a guy that Paul De
Bie is….
Me
I was born in 1960,
and I have a brother, a sister (all non-cavers).
As a child I was very interested in nature and science. I was the
little boy with the chemistry kit, the butterfly- and minerals collection,
you know… A very thin book
about caving that I got as a present for my birthday would change my life
forever. I read it numerous
times, studying the pictures and imagining it was me, climbing those caving
ladders! There was no
way around it: I had to become a caver!
Some sporadic cave
visits as a teenager kept the desire alive. But it was only at the age of
20, in 1980, that I started “real” caving. I joined a club called “Jama”.
In 1983 I switched to “Avernus”, a club that changed name to ‘Avalon” in
1987, with me being the chairman of the club.
We went caving at least
once a week (and I still do).
I had the luck to
meet a girl, Annette, that was as obsessed by caving as I was. We married
in 1988, and had two children, Kim and Ellen that are now teenagers, accompanying
us regularly on our caving trips! Caving has become a way of live and since 20 years there
is not a day that one of us is not busy doing something related to caving.
My caving interest
is quite broad. Classic
caving, exploration caving, techniques and equipment, cave photography,
cave surveying, geology, mineralogy, cave conservation… you name it (except
for cave diving then). I am
a sportsman and I love tough and physical caving (the same goes for Annette).
Having a rough time
in a deep or difficult cave is something that is high on my list of favourite
things. But, digging
for hours in a mud-filled gallery in some miserable cave, is also something
that is highly appreciated.
In fact, anything is good, as long as I can be underground, in the darkness
of a cave.
I also love to write.
Over the years I have written dozens of articles about caving that have
been published in many caving magazines such Spelerpes (VVS), Regards (UBS),
Pierk (Speleo NL), Spelunca (FFS) or Spéléo Magazine. And in
some way, making this website is also a way to satisfy my writing needs…
Am I interested in
other things than caving? Sure:
in women, cars, beer and sex.
No… serious now: I love anything that has to do with nature.
The mountains, forests, animals… anything that lives or grows on
this planet fascinates me. And I also love music. Not that I can play an instrument, but
I couldn’t imagine a day without music, as long as it rocks!
No sweet violins for me….but screaming guitars: yes.
Paul De Bie
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