In the remote expanse of South Africa's Kalahari lies a deceptively simple opening known as Bushman's Hole. This site is, in fact, one of the planet's deepest freshwater cave systems, a siren call for elite cave divers drawn to its profound and perilous depths.
The Depths of Ambition and Tragedy
For professional divers, Bushman's Hole represents the ultimate frontier. The record for the deepest dive there is held by Nuno Gomes, who reached an astonishing 282.6 metres in 1996. Yet even this feat explored less than a fifth of the cavern's full, staggering depth which exceeds 1,500 metres. The cave's true darkness was revealed in a double tragedy spanning a decade.
The story begins in 1994, when 20-year-old diver Deon Dreyer vanished during a dive in the cave. His body was deemed irretrievable, lost to the abyss. A decade later, in 2004, veteran diver Dave Shaw reached the cave floor in roughly eleven minutes. There, he made a sombre discovery: the remains of young Dreyer, entangled in debris.
A Fateful Recovery Mission
Shaw resolved to bring Dreyer home to his family. He spent a year meticulously planning a recovery mission with a support team led by fellow deep-diver Don Shirley. Every detail was scrutinised, from gas mixtures and lighting to emergency protocols. In January 2005, Shaw descended, equipped with a head-mounted camera.
Upon locating Dreyer's remains, Shaw began the delicate task of securing them in a recovery bag. The team, however, had not anticipated the body's transformation. After ten years submerged, it had turned into adipocere, a waxy, buoyant substance that disintegrated easily. The remains floated freely, resisting Shaw's efforts.
During the struggle, Shaw's gear became entangled with the bag. He let go of his light to use both hands. After twenty minutes of intense exertion at extreme depth, he began to suffer cognitive impairment from breathing complications under pressure, his equipment becoming less accessible.
The Chilling Ascent and Lasting Legacy
Don Shirley descended to their prearranged meeting point and saw Shaw's light far below, motionless. Facing his own equipment issues, Shirley made the agonising decision that a rescue attempt would likely claim another life. He ascended. Subsequent support divers found no signs of activity at Shaw's depth.
Hours later, Dreyer's family, who had arrived to witness the retrieval, were told the cave had claimed a second victim. Several days later, gas alterations within the cave caused both bodies to float to a retrievable depth, and they were recovered together.
The incident left Shirley with permanent hearing damage. The complete tale has been chronicled in documentaries like Dave Not Coming Back (2020) and inspired a musical tribute. Shaw's wife, Anna, later reflected on his pioneering spirit, stating she wouldn't have changed him for anything, acknowledging that such individuals push the boundaries of human achievement.
