Florida Cave & Wreck Trip Report July 2009

[texdiveguy]

To my fellow divers above, it's easy to find your commets regarding the Big 'O' out of tone, (hope they were made in humor!). " Florida Cave & Wreck Trip Report July 2009 "

This so far is a well written thread regarding 2 buddies adventures in Fl. caves. I have not yet dove the artificial reef Big 'O' and am interested, as I am sure 'others' following this thread, the 2 divers impressions,,, granted it was not the main reason for the trip as that was plainly Fl. wet caving, Fl. being an area new to both these divers to my knowledge.

Regardless they did find some interest in diving the newly placed large artifical reef, and I am sure came away with their own impressions.

I am not a wet caver, nor do I have any true interest in following that sport in its full practice (have read many an book regarding caving tech. from the major agencies and others to further my education), just the same as I am not a 'blue water' fan or colorful little fishy person.....though I do enjoy some of the photo's divers submit from trips, and get salty a few times a year myself. I respect and find others whom find a feeling of pleasure in what they have found, that particular nitch-- fun and interesting in their diving. It's great to see folks excited about other things, and I admit I learn something each time I read or listen to their tales.

Looking forward to following this thread and reading what little or allot the auther's have to say about this pile of rust on the bottom of the Ocean. So far I have really enjoyed the Fl. trek story and pictures.

Now I can get down off my soap box as 1 full month in the hospital this year has been plenty, and don't want to slip and fall off the box.

Brandon and John your trek to Fl. sounded like a fun one and wish you guys many more!

 

[paulw]

WOW Guys thanks, what an adventure and Zinc tells a great story. Keep it coming..

 

[FIXXERVI6]

To my fellow divers above, it's easy to find your commets regarding the Big 'O' out of tone, (hope they were made in humor!). " Florida Cave & Wreck Trip Report July 2009 "

This so far is a well written thread regarding 2 buddies adventures in Fl. caves. I have not yet dove the artificial reef Big 'O' and am interested, as I am sure 'others' following this thread, the 2 divers impressions,,, granted it was not the main reason for the trip as that was plainly Fl. wet caving, Fl. being an area new to both these divers to my knowledge.

Regardless they did find some interest in diving the newly placed large artifical reef, and I am sure came away with their own impressions.

I am not a wet caver, nor do I have any true interest in following that sport in its full practice (have read many an book regarding caving tech. from the major agencies and others to further my education), just the same as I am not a 'blue water' fan or colorful little fishy person.....though I do enjoy some of the photo's divers submit from trips, and get salty a few times a year myself. I respect and find others whom find a feeling of pleasure in what they have found, that particular nitch-- fun and interesting in their diving. It's great to see folks excited about other things, and I admit I learn something each time I read or listen to their tales.

Looking forward to following this thread and reading what little or allot the auther's have to say about this pile of rust on the bottom of the Ocean. So far I have really enjoyed the Fl. trek story and pictures.

Now I can get down off my soap box as 1 full month in the hospital this year has been plenty, and don't want to slip and fall off the box.

Brandon and John your trek to Fl. sounded like a fun one and wish you guys many more!

A little cranky?

Yes it was made with humor, I got into diving for the interest in diving wrecks but found out I really really hate salt water, boats, waves... did I mention salt water?

If they would have sunk the oriskany in a fresh water lake that had no waves and a dock all the way out to it so I could giant stride and descend on it, I would love it!

I too am enjoying the write up of the trip, I'm glad to see more of these kinds of posts in the swampers thread.

It would be nice if at some point the cavin swampers could sync calenders and invade florida.

 

[SuPrBuGmAn]

Great report so far

 

[tlessard]

Great report so far

Hey Mathew - did you get a chance to meet Brandon (Zinc) and John (K-Valve) yet? Another couple of good guys from our neck of the woods...

David and I got to dive with Mathew last May - he knows the fly spots around FL and puts together some fantastic trip reports!

 

[SuPrBuGmAn]

Nope, didn't meet them. I don't typically get passed the panhandle on my dive trips, maybe a trip or two a year to the Suwannee/Sante Fe river areas. Lots of stuff between here and there to keep me busy

 

[matt_w]

The view from the log while doing deco in the ear always amazes me. The swirling colors are incredible. The first time I stopped there on the log and looked up I thought, this is one of those great diving moments. Some amazing diving there. Beautiful and impressive caves, cool spot to deco and if you are lucky you can swim back to the steps with the manatees Great stories so far.

After a nice long surface interval filled with sandwiches and afternoon naps it was time to hit the Devil’s Ear, notorious for its powerful flow through a nozzle-like chimney. After making our usual bubble checks and S-drills, we kicked on the surface towards the Santa Fe river and the Devil’s Ear awaiting us below. As we dropped beneath the surface of the dark brown river water, we saw the cave entrance through the crystal clear spring pumping out of its narrow opening. We dumped the air in our wings and descended halfway down the chimney where a large tree log is wedged diagonally across its entrance. Here we staged our deco bottles and looked for a place to tie off our reel. I found a small hole in the wall, tied off, and dropped down, pulling my way against the flow through the entrance to the small cavern below.

We tied off and followed the main line 500 feet to the first jump on the left, known as the “Hill 400” line. I tied off a jump reel to span the distance between the main line and the Hill 400 line, so we would maintain our continuous guideline to the surface. Once across the gap, we continued on the main line while noticing another line through breaks in the wall on the left, to an adjacent tunnel running parallel to ours. We reached a breakdown in the tunnel about 1,000 feet in just as I reached thirds and had to turn the dive. Once again we drifted out with the flow enjoying the beautiful cave passages we’d just worked our way through while swimming upstream.

At the exit, we prepared to ascend slowly, defying the flow pumping furiously towards the surface. Once we reached the big log, we attached our deco bottles and took a moment to admire the beautiful scene above. What we saw was a spectacular display of dark, tanic river water mixing with the clear blue spring water causing a firestorm of color in deep reds and yellows… a truly remarkable experience.

 

[Zinc]

I don't think anything could be said to belittle a wreck like the Oriskany, it's both enormous and spectacular.

K-valve and I had some different objectives in mind when we first started planning this dive togehter. We ruled out diving to the screws without the aid of a scooter, but all our other combined objectives were met on this dive. With the aid of excellent dive conditions, this dive went better than planned.

The attached pdf file is a scaled down, re-write of my origional dive plan, with our final route illustraded by the red arrows. I really hope a picture is worth a thousand words. Enjoy

 

[tlessard]

Very nice - high five! :rockband:

 

[scubashawn123]

Zinc,

Thanks for taking the time to share your dive experience with all of us in the swamp.

It sounds like a real swell time and I am glad the trip worked out well.





SO