The Priest's Grotto Heritage Project

03/12/2026

TUXEDO, NY PRESENTATION by CHRIS NICOLA. Come hear the Holocaust era cave survival story featured in Chris' book, the Secret of Priest's Grotto, and in the film, No Place On Earth of how five families survived by taking refuge in a cave for over a year.

02/20/2026

TICKETS ARE NOW ON SALE FOR "TALES FROM DARK PLACES" - On March 21st, 2026 at the Explorers Club in NYC. Tickets, both regular and NSS Member discounted ones, can be purchased at the below site
in the Events & Program Section of the Explorers Club website.

https://www.explorers.org/calendar-of-events/tales-from-dark-places-2026/

02/24/2024

02/16/2024

FEB. 25th, 2024 PRESENTATION IN NJ BY Chris Nicola, the author of The Secret of Priest's Grotto, and subject of the documentary, No Place On Earth; both of which feature the Holocaust era cave survival story of five families.

https://jewishstandard.timesofisrael.com/the-secrets-of-the-priests-grotto/?fbclid=IwAR05ChH_bnIMa3qo2JqZ1xKGlE4xnihfJP1-d32iFB1lUb-BzpLS-Np1G_c

Explorer’s film tells the true story of the Ukrainian cave where 38 Jews survived

02/13/2024

ON MARCH 9th, 2024 COME TO "TALES FROM DARK PLACES" AT the Explorers Club in NYC, and hear a whole day of stories from mysterious, strange and dark places, such as the one entitled, "When Cave Explorers Build Robots" that will be told by Vickie Siegel about her work in Africa's largest underwater cave system, as well as in other locals.

Vickie Siegel works at the intersection of autonomous robotics, polar research, planetary science, and cave exploration. She leverages her interdisciplinary interests to lead expeditions with ambitious technology goals in challenging environments found all around the globe. For over 17 years Vickie has worked with one of the world’s leading field robotics teams in research projects which use cold, icy environments on Earth as simulation environments for robots that will someday explore the ice-covered moons of Jupiter and Saturn.

For ticket and other information about Vickie's upcoming presentation at Tales From Dark Places (TFDP) please continue monitoring the Explorers Club's Events Calendar page, calling them at +1 212 638-8383, or contacting TFDP Co-Organizer Chris Nicola offline.

02/13/2024

COME TO THE EXPLORERS CLUB in NYC on Saturday, MARCH 9th, 2024 and hear a whole day of Amazing stories of not only Exploration and Adventure, but also of survival, such as the one by Mark Dickey and Jessica Van Ord, entitled "Morca Cave Rescue: Emergency Response 3000 plus feet under the Earth."

PRESENTATION SUMMARY:
Mark and Jessica share their first-hand accounts of the incredible recent September 2023 record-breaking rescue from 1000m deep inside Morca Cave in Turkey. As cave rescue instructors and medical professionals themselves, their unique perspectives offer insight into the ins and out of cave rescue, and the treatment of what may be considered the most inconvenient case of internal bleeding of all time.

For ticket and other information about Jessica and Mark's upcoming presentation at Tales From Dark Places (TFDP) please continue monitoring the Explorers Club's Events Calendar page, calling them at +1 212 638-8383, or contacting TFDP Co-Organizer Chris Nicola offline.

02/13/2024

COME TO THE EXPLORERS CLUB IN NYC - on Saturday, MARCH 9th, 2024 and hear a whole day of Amazing stories of Exploration and Adventure, such as those of Cave Biologist Jean “Creature” Krejca, PhD.

For ticket and other information about Jean's upcoming presentation at Tales From Dark Places (TFDP) please continue monitoring the Explorers Club's Events Calendar page, calling them at +1 212 638-8383, or contacting TFDP Co-Organizer Chris Nicola offline.

02/06/2024

DAY 2 IN GRENADA, CONTINUING TO ENJOY THE FUN AND SUN - As the locals here get ready for tomorrow, Independence Day, when their will be celebrations all over the island in recognition of their 50 years of Independance.

01/28/2024

ON MY WAY BACK TO NYC AFTER SPENDING MOST OF THE DAY IN COLLEGE PARK, MD - With long time friends Joe and Sully, reminiscing about the "good old" days in the 1970s and 80s when I was a police officer in the Washington DC area by day, and the manager of the Starlite Inn, a biker hangout by night.