Reader\'s Digest Australia & New Zealand - June 2018

June• 2018 | 119

he caving group, from left: Andrew, Arthur, Jason, Matt and Zac

anold-timeexplorerinanancient,
ever-changing world wrought by
Mother Nature and water, inexora-
bleandinconstant–aworldwhere
he relies on quick wits, courage and
workingasateamratherthanmobile
phones equipped with text messaging
andGPS.Inacave,thereisnoroom
for showboating or competition.
Not if you want to survive.
Jasongetsintohisutilityanddrives
north along the highway for 15 min-
utestotheAmbulanceServiceinthe
town of Chemainus, where he meets
Andrew and Adam Shepherd, also a
paramedic,whohavejustcompleted
shifts.Adamhasalsodonesomecav-
ing; they all pile into Andrew’s 4WD

vanandgotoLadysmithtopickup

ZacZorisky,chefandvolunteer

ireighter.

Itisraininglightlyasthevanrolls

north,butthemoodislightasthe

guystrytooutdoeachotherwithsta-

tistically remote possibilities.

“Imagine if we get stuck.”

“Yeah,orarockfallsonus!”

“Oroneofusbreaksaleg.”

“Keepitlight,keepthestressat

bay,”saysAndrew,thegroup’sde-

facto leader because he has the most

experience. His short brown hair

sticks up in patches at the crown

ofhisheadandhesportsbig,black

discs in his earlobes.

At about 8.30am, he turns off the