Left Evansville Fri. Morning Jan 28th after work. I rode in my instructor's (Larry) truck with a guy from my full cave class (Wes). Larry flew down. Wes & I took his truck & equipment down to him. Wes wanted to drive the entire way, so I kept him company. We were on the road by 7:30 am. We got into Luraville, to the Cave Excursions rental trailers about 8:00 pm, after eating dinner, meeting up with a 2 cave students (Jon & Steve) & another cave diver (Stan). We found out that Larry's flight was very delayed, so Steve, Wes & I went on to Luraville. Jon & Stan rode together in Jon's truck, Wes & I rode together in Larry's truck & Steve drove his own car. Larry, Jon & Stan arrived about 9:00 pm. By then I had been up almost 35 hrs. I was dead tired.
Jan. 29th- Peacock Springs- Did a day of Tune- up dives for Wes, Stan & I, while Larry did an Intro class with Jon & Steve. We did a traverse from Peacock 1, main tunnel to Olsen Sink About 1000 ft, we also set up a reel for a crossover tunnel circuit. Decent dive Depth: 65 ft, Time: 77 min. Second dive was down the Peanut Tunnel to the restriction at about 1900 ft. Very good dive. Sorted out a bunch of things. Depth: 51 ft, Time: 77 min.
Jan. 30th- Peacock Springs- Dive 1- Larry was still teaching Intro. We went ahead & did the crossover circuit With Stan & Wes. Depth: 63 ft, 63 min. Dive 2- Stan was needed as a buddy for the Intro class, because Jon had honestly decided that cave diving was not for him & was going back home. Wes & I cleaned up the reels we used for the circuit, I practiced carrying & swimming with a stage on that dive. & came back. Depth: 53 ft, Time: 59 min. Jon decided to fly back home & leave his work truck he brought down for us to use & Stan to drive back at the end. We took Jon to the airport to head home. He felt terrible, but everyone in the group had the utmost respect for him, his honesty & the decision he made. Here's to you Jon!!!
Jan. 31- Peacock Springs- Dive 1- Larry started his Full cave Course with Steve. I did my first ever dive in Orange grove. I have probably nearly 30 or so dives in Peacock Springs, since I began my cave training, but had never been in Orange Grove. I went with Stan & Wes. We made it all the way to Challenge Sink on 1/3's but barely. Depth: 56 ft, Time: 89 min. Did not do a second dive, we decided to rest up a bit for the next morning at Ginnie Springs.
Feb. 1- Ginnie Springs- Dive 1- Stan, Wes & I followed Larry & his class up the main line to 900 ft to the Maple Leaf formation, just to get used to Ginnie's flow again. Depth: 93 ft, 61 min. Dive 2- Stan, Wes & I tried to do the Roller Coaster tunnel back to the main line. I got to fighting the current through the lips & to the Junction Room & got to 1/3's before we got to the tunnel & had to turn the dive. Depth: 94 ft, Time: 85 min.
Feb. 2- Ginnie Springs- Dive 1- Stan, Wes & I attempted the Roller Coaster Tunnel again. I led & set the pace (very slow!) & we made it! With plenty of gas to spare. Depth: 103 ft, time: 87 min. Dive 2- We went up the Hill 400 Tunnel. We met Larry & his student coming back on the way. I wound up cutting the dive short when I mistook Larry's signal to go on past him & his student, as a signal for our group to turn around also. Oops.... We still made it to the 700 ft mark on Hill 400. Depth: 93 ft, Time: 85 min. I am slowly learning how to work the high flow parts of Ginnie.
Feb. 3- Peacock Springs- Dive 1- I was going to dive with the group to do the Grand Traverse,... but the lingering question of whether I had the air consumption capabilities to do it was an issue. I did not want to ruin anyone's dive, so Stan & I decided to go up the Peanut Line, lay reels at the entrance, Crossover tunnel, & through Olsen sink, for the rest of the group doing the Grand Traverse. I made it to Olsen & 250 ft past it to the Challenge Sink side with plenty of gas, when we met up with Larry, Wes & Steve doing the Traverse & turned & joined them. They followed the reels we had set & Stan & I cleaned up the reels behind ourselves. Wasn't able to do the Traverse, But was able to be the support they needed, to make the dive they wanted to do. Just as important. That was Steve's graduation dive. Depth: 61 ft, Time: 87 min. Dive 2- Wes, Steve, Stan & I all decided to do another dive. Larry did not want to dive again, so we went as a group of 2 teams with 2 divers each. We decided that we would all turn at the same time & in an emergency, be 2 separate teams. Stan & Steve buddied up & Wes & I buddied up, following Steve & Stan. We decided to go up the main line to the Nicholson Tunnel & then jump onto the Cisteen Tunnel until we reached Cisteen Sink or reached 1/3's. We did quite well in not stirring the silt up, for so many divers in a small area. we hit 1/3's & turned a couple hundred ft from the sink. It was very cold & very tanic & murky in there. Depth: 65 ft, Time: 90 min.
Feb. 4- Ginnie Springs- Dive 1- Larry took Wes to Work on some Stage Training, So Stan, Steve & I decided to go up Hill 400 again until 1/3's. I finally started to master the flow in Ginnie (now, if I can just remember it next time I'm down there). We made it to the 1000 ft mark in the tunnel & I still had 300 psi until 1/3's. Stan called the dive, he was tired of swimming. I was absolutely thrilled!!!!!!! to have done so well. Depth: 93 ft, Time: 73 min. Dive 2- Larry & Wes decided not to dive any more (Larry, because of his flight the next morning; Wes was just tired). Stan, Steve & I Decided to try to get to the White Room. As we went into the Ear, Steve's primary light went out, He signaled me with his back- up light & we went back to the surface to wait for him to get another light. Once back down in the Gallery, We noticed that Steve also had a reel that had come unspooled. It took several minutes to get it corrected. We went on the dive, but had used enough air dealing with the issues that there was not enough to make it all the way. I had to turn the dive at 100 ft short of the jump to the White Room. Depth: 87 ft, Time: 66 min.
We left Luraville at about 2:30 am this morning & was back home in the cold, wet white KY by noon. Picked up my critters & got groceries & writing up this report. Overall, very good dives, I had my struggles, challenges & my "aha!" moments where I learned a great deal & most of all,... had a blast! Even though Larry was there, teaching, these were the first cave dives that I had done without him being right there & with other divers. It was definitely a growing session for me as a diver. It was also great to see Bill Rennaker & Linda Rennaker Straight again. We are kind of looking at doing the end of April at this point to return. I'm already ready to go back to Cave Country....... My home away from home.
Jan. 29th- Peacock Springs- Did a day of Tune- up dives for Wes, Stan & I, while Larry did an Intro class with Jon & Steve. We did a traverse from Peacock 1, main tunnel to Olsen Sink About 1000 ft, we also set up a reel for a crossover tunnel circuit. Decent dive Depth: 65 ft, Time: 77 min. Second dive was down the Peanut Tunnel to the restriction at about 1900 ft. Very good dive. Sorted out a bunch of things. Depth: 51 ft, Time: 77 min.
Jan. 30th- Peacock Springs- Dive 1- Larry was still teaching Intro. We went ahead & did the crossover circuit With Stan & Wes. Depth: 63 ft, 63 min. Dive 2- Stan was needed as a buddy for the Intro class, because Jon had honestly decided that cave diving was not for him & was going back home. Wes & I cleaned up the reels we used for the circuit, I practiced carrying & swimming with a stage on that dive. & came back. Depth: 53 ft, Time: 59 min. Jon decided to fly back home & leave his work truck he brought down for us to use & Stan to drive back at the end. We took Jon to the airport to head home. He felt terrible, but everyone in the group had the utmost respect for him, his honesty & the decision he made. Here's to you Jon!!!
Jan. 31- Peacock Springs- Dive 1- Larry started his Full cave Course with Steve. I did my first ever dive in Orange grove. I have probably nearly 30 or so dives in Peacock Springs, since I began my cave training, but had never been in Orange Grove. I went with Stan & Wes. We made it all the way to Challenge Sink on 1/3's but barely. Depth: 56 ft, Time: 89 min. Did not do a second dive, we decided to rest up a bit for the next morning at Ginnie Springs.
Feb. 1- Ginnie Springs- Dive 1- Stan, Wes & I followed Larry & his class up the main line to 900 ft to the Maple Leaf formation, just to get used to Ginnie's flow again. Depth: 93 ft, 61 min. Dive 2- Stan, Wes & I tried to do the Roller Coaster tunnel back to the main line. I got to fighting the current through the lips & to the Junction Room & got to 1/3's before we got to the tunnel & had to turn the dive. Depth: 94 ft, Time: 85 min.
Feb. 2- Ginnie Springs- Dive 1- Stan, Wes & I attempted the Roller Coaster Tunnel again. I led & set the pace (very slow!) & we made it! With plenty of gas to spare. Depth: 103 ft, time: 87 min. Dive 2- We went up the Hill 400 Tunnel. We met Larry & his student coming back on the way. I wound up cutting the dive short when I mistook Larry's signal to go on past him & his student, as a signal for our group to turn around also. Oops.... We still made it to the 700 ft mark on Hill 400. Depth: 93 ft, Time: 85 min. I am slowly learning how to work the high flow parts of Ginnie.
Feb. 3- Peacock Springs- Dive 1- I was going to dive with the group to do the Grand Traverse,... but the lingering question of whether I had the air consumption capabilities to do it was an issue. I did not want to ruin anyone's dive, so Stan & I decided to go up the Peanut Line, lay reels at the entrance, Crossover tunnel, & through Olsen sink, for the rest of the group doing the Grand Traverse. I made it to Olsen & 250 ft past it to the Challenge Sink side with plenty of gas, when we met up with Larry, Wes & Steve doing the Traverse & turned & joined them. They followed the reels we had set & Stan & I cleaned up the reels behind ourselves. Wasn't able to do the Traverse, But was able to be the support they needed, to make the dive they wanted to do. Just as important. That was Steve's graduation dive. Depth: 61 ft, Time: 87 min. Dive 2- Wes, Steve, Stan & I all decided to do another dive. Larry did not want to dive again, so we went as a group of 2 teams with 2 divers each. We decided that we would all turn at the same time & in an emergency, be 2 separate teams. Stan & Steve buddied up & Wes & I buddied up, following Steve & Stan. We decided to go up the main line to the Nicholson Tunnel & then jump onto the Cisteen Tunnel until we reached Cisteen Sink or reached 1/3's. We did quite well in not stirring the silt up, for so many divers in a small area. we hit 1/3's & turned a couple hundred ft from the sink. It was very cold & very tanic & murky in there. Depth: 65 ft, Time: 90 min.
Feb. 4- Ginnie Springs- Dive 1- Larry took Wes to Work on some Stage Training, So Stan, Steve & I decided to go up Hill 400 again until 1/3's. I finally started to master the flow in Ginnie (now, if I can just remember it next time I'm down there). We made it to the 1000 ft mark in the tunnel & I still had 300 psi until 1/3's. Stan called the dive, he was tired of swimming. I was absolutely thrilled!!!!!!! to have done so well. Depth: 93 ft, Time: 73 min. Dive 2- Larry & Wes decided not to dive any more (Larry, because of his flight the next morning; Wes was just tired). Stan, Steve & I Decided to try to get to the White Room. As we went into the Ear, Steve's primary light went out, He signaled me with his back- up light & we went back to the surface to wait for him to get another light. Once back down in the Gallery, We noticed that Steve also had a reel that had come unspooled. It took several minutes to get it corrected. We went on the dive, but had used enough air dealing with the issues that there was not enough to make it all the way. I had to turn the dive at 100 ft short of the jump to the White Room. Depth: 87 ft, Time: 66 min.
We left Luraville at about 2:30 am this morning & was back home in the cold, wet white KY by noon. Picked up my critters & got groceries & writing up this report. Overall, very good dives, I had my struggles, challenges & my "aha!" moments where I learned a great deal & most of all,... had a blast! Even though Larry was there, teaching, these were the first cave dives that I had done without him being right there & with other divers. It was definitely a growing session for me as a diver. It was also great to see Bill Rennaker & Linda Rennaker Straight again. We are kind of looking at doing the end of April at this point to return. I'm already ready to go back to Cave Country....... My home away from home.
