What would you do?

[Fishkiller]

Situation:

Your friend asked you along to keep an eye on the boat while he and a Qualified instructor go out and play with the new deco bottles and other assorted gear, getting ready for the DSAT PADI Tech diver course. Since your equipment is in the shop you bring along your fishing pole. Finding a spot along a cliff wall that is 100 feet deep, park the boat with a good anchor, assist with gear up where possible,(2=peice 7mill are a pain). Just before the dive you get out of the tackle box a fishing depth temprature gauge, and find that at 57 feet it is 57.2 degrees, ( that is nearly absolutly the coldest you would ever go ). note I fished a spell away from where the dive spot was, removed hook from my pole leaving cigar float attached, thought I would asist with the swim back.
once the dive was concluded ( and yes I can pull a fully with duals equiped diver ) the two wet guys, as drying off and changing clothes talked about the dive along with need for drysuit). There was discovered along with nearly no visability at 60 foot a opening to a cavern/cave.

Question:
What steps would you take to investigate the cavern/cave?

 

[Walter]

Are you cave certified?

 

[The Chairman]

I would jot down the GPS coordinates and come back AFTER I was cave certified. I was recently brought to a sink hole here in Apopka. We were just going to try out a new configuration on a friend's BC. The sink hole we discovered is the entrance to a cave... I would not let my buddy go down it! He thinks I am a wimp... I know I am. Dive within your limits... stay alive!!!

 

[Ontario Diver]

Fishkiller;

First; I wouldn't.... Not Cave certified.

But if I was....

1) Talk to a local Geologist. Get some data on the type of stone/strata of the area. Does the area support cave structures? The Cavern may just be a hole in the rock.

2) If you are cave cerified (and you have a cave cerified buddy), I do a SHORT recce dive. Only to ensure that the cave is in fact a cave. Like 8-10 feet in.

3) Plan, Plan, Plan - Plan for all contigencies (rescue, OOA, etc.) Familiarize yourself with local and state rules about historical findings etc. Just in case. Ensure local medical and EMS support; just in case.

4) get on the ScubaBoard and invite all the other cave divers to come up to do a "virgin" cave.

5) Order the beer, the pig roaster, a 70lb suckling, cole slaw, etc. for the party afterwards.

6) Plan and run the penetrations like the safety focused , paranoid, anal retentive dive dictator that is needed in such circumstances.

7) After everyone is out, and safe - have big party (see 5 above)

and let's not forget

8) name the big chamber - "The Ontario Diver Chamber"

When I wore green and smelled of deisel fuel and cordite; we had a saying "Professionals study logistics; amateurs study tactics"

As normal, anything that I have said that is wrong or dangerous - please correct me and we'll all learn something.

 

[Lost Yooper]

I would go in as far as I was comfortable going with the right equipment, but my advice to others would be to get cave certified . A low vis, 100' deep, unfamiliar overhead dive may very well be an extremely advanced/technical dive easily capabale of killing you. If the vis was very poor, I probably wouldn't go if there's nothing to see. That would be MY criteria for the most part -- nothing to see then no reason to go in.

Take care.

Mike

PS. What others may do (especially what I would do ) should have no impact what you should do.

 

[Strick]

If I was cave certified I might, but my partner would also have to be certified also. I wouldn't do it alone, only if the conditions were right and I felt good about the cituation. I would definately get coordinates and find out information on it if any.

 

[Fishkiller]

Originally posted by Walter
Are you cave certified?

I had a talk with the PADI Course director today and gained this information, not only about the cavernous cave but some instructional guidlines.

First the CC:
The opening starts about water level and goes back. the bottom of the opening to the CC is at about 50 feet, at 60 feet the water becomes black, once a long time ago when the lake was down a jet ski went into the cave about 20 feet before it couldn't fit overhead. There are other caves along the granit rock cliffs go any where from 6 feet to "I don't know".

PADI's Cavern diver limitations you can go in as far as you can see the light source directly, 5 feet to 30 feet all depends if you can see the light source.

Wow I just thought of a question. What defines a light source? Why? if not divelight.

The Wreck diver you have a 130 foot rule meaning if the wreck is at 130 feet you can't go in or if the wreck is at 70 feet you can only go 60 feet, along with dealing with a reel and silt out's.

SO Technically I have to be a certified Cave diver by another certifying agency to go into the cave.
The buddy I would take is the same person who found the cave, and has the boat..

as for inviting the Board members, sure come on down just takes money (boat cost ya know). although with cold water diving needs only four people could fit on the boat but in the summer hey I believe you can get 7 with captian and do two tank dives.

 

[Ontario Diver]

Originally posted by Fishkiller


I
PADI's Cavern diver limitations you can go in as far as you can see the light source directly, 5 feet to 30 feet all depends if you can see the light source.

Wow I just thought of a question. What defines a light source? Why? if not divelight.

If it is the same as the Wreck Spec - it is natural daylight. And yes, this means that there is no penetration at night or on very cloudy days, or in heavy silt etc. You are still allowed to blink though

As for other cerifying agencies - you are right as well. That is why I want to take the IANTD wreck course this summer.