Largo diver feared lost in sinkhole:[STATE Edition]
JAMAL THALJISt. Petersburg TimesSt. Petersburg, Fla.: May 20, 1996.  pg. 1
Full Text (603   words)

Copyright Times Publishing Co. May 20, 1996


Legare Hole left his Largo home Friday afternoon for Pasco County, where he planned to dive in a deep, water-filled sinkhole, authorities say.

That was three days ago. No one has seen him since.

When Hole, 30, failed to return home early Saturday morning, family members reported him missing to authorities. Hole's brother, an officer with the Clearwater Police Department, and Pasco sheriff's deputies scoured the county Saturday searching areas where Hole has been known to cave dive.

His brother found Hole's truck parked near a sinkhole off Hays Road, a half mile west of the Shady Hills incinerator in northwestern Pasco County. The truck was locked, and a dive line led from it to the sinkhole.

The brother pulled on the line.

It was taut.

He alerted authorities.

Hole dived alone, his family told authorities, as he always does.

Divers searched the approximately 265-foot-deep hole and adjoining underwater caves Saturday and Sunday for Hole's body.

They found an air tank left behind for decompression, his dive line, and a marker, officials said. But no body.

Exhaustion forced divers to call off the search about 5 p.m. Sunday.

It will resume at 7 a.m. today.

"Everybody's tired, everybody's worn out," said Sgt. Charlie Ellison, of the Pasco sheriff's dive team. "We'll be back in the morning, and we'll search every last bit."

Helping the Pasco County Sheriff's Office with the search are volunteers - all certified cave divers - from the Tampa Police Department and the Citrus County Sheriff's Office as well as civilian recovery divers from across Central Florida.

Hole, of 3630 East Bay Drive, is a certified cave diver, according to Pasco sheriff's spokesman Jon Powers. Sheriff's officials said Hole may have gone cave diving about 8 p.m.

Two cave divers from Hudson told deputies that they were going to explore the sinkhole Friday about 7 p.m. but turned back when they realized they had left behind some equipment. Authorities think Hole arrived at the sinkhole an hour later.

Hole had a history of seizures, according to a Largo Police Department report. But officials refused to speculate on what effect that might have had on him.

He was last seen Friday about 3 p.m. His mother, Patricia Hole, reported him missing to the Largo Police Department about 7:25 a.m. Saturday, according to an agency report. Relatives and friends gathered at the sinkhole Sunday afternoon to watch the search, setting up lawn chairs and sitting on discarded furniture.

Some gathered underneath the shade of trees, seeking to escape the blazing sun. Others sat near the water's edge.

All stared intently at the water, waiting for a sign from rescue divers, who explored the caves in pairs.

Because of the dangers of diving at those depths, paramedics waited nearby.

The sinkhole is split into three levels of caves, authorities said. Divers first explored the deepest caverns of the sinkhole, approximately 265 feet deep, without finding a body.

Divers now think Hole's body may be somewhere above a depth of 225 feet, Ellison said.

Each level of caverns is extensive, officials said.

One diver traveled the length of his safety line - 150 feet - just exploring one end of one of the levels of caves.

"It's tough down there," Ellison said. "There's limited visibility and a lot of room to cover.

`But we'll keep on searching and scouring everywhere until we find him."

[Illustration]
BLACK AND WHITE PHOTO; BLACK AND WHITE PHOTO, CHUCK WIRSHELS; Caption: Legare Hole; Divers search the Pasco County sinkhole Sunday for Legare Hole, 30, of Largo, who went diving there Friday night., (ran CT, CITY & STATE, TAMPA & STATE)

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Dateline:  HUDSON
Section:  CLEARWATER TIMES; NORTH PINELLAS TIMES; LARGO TIMES; CITY & STATE; TAMPA & STATE
Text Word Count  603
    


Virgin caves draw divers into danger:[STATE Edition]
T. CHRISTIAN MILLERSt. Petersburg TimesSt. Petersburg, Fla.: May 21, 1996.  pg. 1
Full Text (626   words)

Copyright Times Publishing Co. May 21, 1996


From the shade of the live oaks that surround it, the sinkhole looks like an ordinary pond with murky water, lily pads and cattails.

But beneath the surface is an unexplored world of deep caves and passages. And the thrill of discovering them is what may have lured Largo resident Legare Hole, who authorities believe vanished while diving Friday night in the sinkhole in central Pasco County.

As of late Monday, authorities still had not found the body of Hole in the 220-foot-deep sinkhole.

"They both thought there was something big down there," said Beth Somers, whose fiance had explored the sinkhole with Hole. "(Hole) wanted to see if he could push it further."

The sinkhole was a secret in the close-knit world of cave divers, who are constantly in search of new territory to explore.

Somers and her fiance, Mark Steingart, had been exploring the hole the past three months in search of the Holy Grail of cave diving: any massive, new underground passage.

By surveying and mapping the sinkhole, the couple hoped to be able to claim naming rights. On one occasion, Steingart had explored the sinkhole with Hole, 30, an experienced cave diver.

"What you want to find is the big cave," Somers said. "That's what everybody's looking for."

On Friday night, Somers and Steingart decided to explore the sinkhole to new depths. But they had to leave because Somers left some of her equipment behind.

Apparently by coincidence, Hole arrived sometime after the couple left, about 8 p.m., to do some exploration of his own.

He was reported missing Saturday morning after his brother, Stephen Hole, a Clearwater police officer, found his truck by the side of the sinkhole, situated in a field about 3 miles north on Hays Road off State Road 52.

His brother also found Hole's dive line leading into the water and an air tank left behind for decompression.

Authorities have searched the sinkhole since then, but still have not found Hole, who frequently dived alone despite having a history of seizures.

"He apparently was comfortable both with diving by himself and diving at night," said Jon Powers, spokesman for the Pasco County Sheriff's Office.

Powers said the search will continue until Hole is found or the cavern has been thoroughly explored.

Somers wondered whether Hole might have pushed his limits by exploring the depths of the sinkhole. Hole does not usually use the special oxygen mix needed to make deep water dives, Somers said.

"Cave divers train only as far as their limits," Somers said. "He had a glaring problem. He was epileptic."

Other divers who gathered at the sinkhole Monday echoed Somers, saying the thrill of discovery is enough for some cave divers to risk solo dives - breaking one of the cardinal rules of safe diving.

"It's the Star Trek syndrome," said Nick Goff, who manages Scuba Haven in Tampa, and who showed up at the sinkhole to offer his support. "Go where no man has gone before." A cutaway view The sinkhole where Legare Hole vanished is shaped roughly like an hourglass, with a passage leading away from the main chamber to a small cavern at about 227 feet, according to divers who are familiar with its layout. Mike Ward, who is helping in the search for Hole, drew this sketch for the Times. Visibility in the sinkhole ranges from 6 feet to less than a foot, depending on the depth. The cavern has a diameter of more than 350 feet. Source: Mike Ward, owner of Ward's Sink dive shop, and Beth Somers, one of the search divers.

[Illustration]
BLACK AND WHITE PHOTO; BLACK AND WHITE DRAWING; Caption: Legare Hole; A cutaway view of the sinkhole with a map locating the site in Pasco County.

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Dateline:  HUDSON
Section:  SEMINOLE TIMES; LARGO TIMES; CLEARWATER TIMES; NORTH PINELLAS TIMES
Text Word Count  626
    


Pasco officers suspend search for lost diver:[0 SOUTH PINELLAS Edition]
St. Petersburg TimesSt. Petersburg, Fla.: May 27, 1996.  pg. 3.B
Full Text (195   words)

Copyright Times Publishing Co. May 27, 1996


Pasco sheriff's officials Sunday night suspended the search for a missing cave diver from Largo.

Legare Hole, 30, has been missing since May 18, when his family called authorities after he failed to return from a cave-diving expedition of the previous day.

Later that day, Hole's brother Stephen, a Clearwater police officer, found Hole's truck parked near a deep, water-filled sinkhole in north Pasco County. A dive line led to the water in a field off State Road 52.

Hole, 30, an experienced cave diver, often dove alone, according to his family. He was also an epileptic with a history of seizures.

"Other than his pickup truck, his dive reel and (a single piece of dive equipment), no trace of Mr. Hole or any of his equipment has been found," said sheriff's spokesman Jon Powers. "Visibility in the depths of the series of caves was down to near zero during the eight days of the search. It was a thorough and diligent effort, utilizing all reasonable measures under adverse conditions."

Cave divers from around Central Florida joined the Pasco sheriff's dive team in the search. The sinkhole reaches a depth of more than 265 feet.

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Dateline:  HUDSON
Section:  CITY & STATE; METRO & STATE; TAMPA & STATE
Text Word Count  195
    


Body may be that of diver:[STATE Edition]
AMY ELLISSt. Petersburg TimesSt. Petersburg, Fla.: Feb 14, 1997.  pg. 1
Full Text (912   words)

Copyright Times Publishing Co. Feb 14, 1997


Before he disappeared nine months ago, Legare Romig Hole dreamed of discovering new underwater passages where no cave diver had ever ventured.

A cave-diving instructor who helped search for Hole for eight days in May 1996 returned this week to the sinkhole where he was believed to have vanished.

In a tight chamber off a main underwater cavern, Larry Green found a badly decomposed body that officials say might be that of Hole, an experienced diver from Largo.

"I spent three weeks searching for this individual in May of last year, and I wanted to return to see if there was a chance of finding him now," said Green, 46, who discovered the body Wednesday.

"This was a very restrictive area he had apparently pushed himself into. Whether he was lost or disoriented, I don't know, but he was a good bit away from the dive line that would have led him back to safety."

Thursday, Green and other civilian divers worked with the Pasco County Sheriff's Office dive team trying to recover the body from the murky, deep-water sinkhole in the Shady Hills area of north-central Pasco.

However, authorities called off the effort about 1 p.m. after conditions made it impossible to continue.

"At that point, our safety was in jeopardy," Green said. "It's a very deep, small, silty area. Visibility was about zero at that point."

The team is expected to resume the search at 9 a.m. today. Officials cannot say for sure the body is that of Hole, 30.

In the hot sun, sheriff's divers and volunteer cave divers from Clearwater and Gainesville sat at the water's edge, watching as other members of the team silently slipped beneath the surface with their gear.

Sheriff's spokesman Jon Powers said some civilian divers have returned to the spot to search for Hole in recent months, hoping that cooler temperatures might mean better visibility. At least one of the rescue divers knew Hole personally, but Green did not.

Like other cave divers, Hole had a passion for exploring new underwater territory and frequently went alone, despite a history of epileptic seizures, friends said.

He previously had dived in the Pasco sinkhole with friends who were surveying and mapping its three levels of caves.

Relatives feared the worst when Hole didn't return after leaving for a dive trip to Pasco's caves in May.

Hole's brother, Stephen, a Clearwater police officer, found his brother's pickup truck parked near the sinkhole, with a dive line running from it to the water. Hole's air tank and a dive marker also were recovered.

For days, rescue divers searched in pairs for Hole's body, to no avail.

His mother, Patricia Hole, waited eight days while divers scoured the hidden passages of the cave. After more than 120 dives, rescuers called off the search for Hole. The 265-foot-deep sinkhole lies beneath a small pond surrounded by scrub pine and live oaks off Hays Road.

The spot is desolate but obviously well-traveled by adventure-seekers.

Charred remnants of campfires, discarded strips of duct tape and fishing line cover the ground. A dozen or more lawn chairs line the water's edge.

Two bamboo torches mark the spot where divers enter the water, a sandy incline that drops off suddenly about 10 feet from shore.

A well-worn pool slide sits at the other end of the pond, its surface hanging just over the water's edge.

The limestone caves of North and Central Florida have become a mecca for serious cave divers and thrill-seekers. The caves run for thousands of feet underground, created by a combination of elevation, rainfall and geology.

Interest in cave diving exploded in the late 1980s. More than 1,000 people a year are certified to dive in caves in Florida. The trend has its risks, however.

Since 1960, more than 300 people have died diving in freshwater caves. In 1990, five people died in Florida caves.

Green said the Pasco sinkhole was simply too dangerous for cave diving. As he searched for Hole's body this week, he said the bubbles from his dive gear knocked loose fragments of the underwater ceiling.

"There is just no reason why anybody should be going down there," Green said. "There are many more dive sites that have better visibility and are more diver-friendly."

He said he hoped this would be the final piece in a tragic mystery for the Hole family.

"There's always been this lingering doubt because the body was never found," he said. "Maybe now, when we bring him up and identify him, the thing can be closed." A cutaway view The sinkhole where Legare Hole vanished is shaped roughly like an hourglass, with a passage leading from the main chamber to a small cavern at about 227 feet, according to divers who are familiar with its layout. Visibility in the sinkhole ranges from 6 feet to less than a foot, depending on the depth. The cavern has a diameter of more than 350 feet. Source: Mike Ward, owner of Ward's Sink dive shop - Information from Times files was used in this report.

[Illustration]
BLACK AND WHITE PHOTO; BLACK AND WHITE CHART; COLOR CHART; Caption: Legare Romig Hole; Chart showing information on the sinkhole where Legare Hole vanished, with a drawing of the sinkhole and a map showing the location of the sinkhole (ran CT); Chart showing information on the sinkhole where Legare Hole vanished, with a drawing of the sinkhole and a map showing the location of the sinkhole (ran PT)

Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction or distribution is prohibited without permission.
Dateline:  SHADY HILLS
Section:  CLEARWATER TIMES; PASCO TIMES; CITY & STATE
Text Word Count  912
    


Diver's body pulled from sinkhole:[STATE Edition]
AMY ELLISJACK ROWLANDSt. Petersburg TimesSt. Petersburg, Fla.: Feb 15, 1997.  pg. 1
Full Text (567   words)

Copyright Times Publishing Co. Feb 15, 1997


It took nine months, but Patricia Hole finally got to say goodbye to her son Friday.

As a civilian dive team floated a large, black bag to the surface of a murky, deep-water sinkhole, Mrs. Hole clung to family members beneath a canopy of oaks.

Then, sitting just inside the medical examiner's van, she looked for the last time at her son, Legare "Lee" Hole, an experienced cave diver from Largo who disappeared May 18.

Officials with the Pinellas-Pasco Medical Examiner's Office still must make a positive identification of the body. But family members who gathered at the tiny pond off Hays Road had no doubt that Hole, who was a bartender, had been found.

The recovery of the body, which was found wedged in a small chamber off the main underwater cavern 228 feet down, brings to an end months of uncertainty for the family.

"This kind of ties it all up," said Hole's younger brother, Stephan, a Clearwater police officer. "Diving was his life. And it wasn't something you could get him away from. In the end, he died doing what he loved."

The family feared the worst in May when Hole, 30, did not return from a trip to explore the underwater caverns beneath the central Pasco sinkhole.

Hole had a passion for exploring underwater territory and frequently dived alone, despite being an epileptic.

Stephan Hole found his brother's pickup truck parked near the sinkhole, a dive line leading to the water.

An eight-day search and more than 120 dives failed to turn up a body.

This week, a civilian diver who had assisted in the May search returned to the spot to try again, hoping that cooler temperatures had improved visibility in the 265-foot-deep sinkhole.

The sinkhole lies beneath a small pond and has three tiers of caves, with a vast network of passages shooting off the main cavern.

On Wednesday, Larry Green, 46, alerted the Pasco County Sheriff's Office that he had found a body about 40 feet from the guide line, which helps divers stay oriented.

A team of civilian divers worked with the Sheriff's Office dive team for two hours Thursday but failed to retrieve the body. The group was forced to halt the effort because of limited visibility and safety concerns.

The divers returned early Friday and completed the task about 1 p.m., sheriff's spokesman Jon Powers said.

Stephan Hole said he was not sure if he would dive after the death of his older brother.

"Lee was my diving buddy," he said. "I haven't been doing any diving for a while now. I may get back into it, but I just don't know. Time will tell." For donations The Hole family has asked that donations in Legare Hole's name be made to the Cambrian Foundation, an aquatic research and education organization in Orlando. Donations can be sent to P.O. Box 140421, Orlando, FL 32814-0241.

[Illustration]
BLACK AND WHITE PHOTO; COLOR PHOTO, JACK ROWLAND, (2); BLACK AND WHITE PHOTO, JACK ROWLAND, (2); Caption: Legare Hole; Patricia Hole, mother of Legare "Lee" Hole, hugs diver Terrence Tysall after the body was recovered (ran SE LA NT PT); Authorities bring ashore a body believed to be that of Legare "Lee" Hole (ran PT); Authorities bring ashore a body believed to be that of Legare "Lee" Hole Hole (ran SE LA NT City & State); Patricia Hole hugs diver Terrence Tysall (ran CT)

Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction or distribution is prohibited without permission.
Dateline:  SHADY HILLS
Section:  SEMINOLE TIMES; LARGO TIMES; CLEARWATER TIMES; NORTH PINELLAS TIMES; CITY & STATE; TAMPA & STATE; PASCO TIMES; HERNANDO TIMES
Text Word Count  567