N FL Dive Report--Xmas version

[theskull]

Left home after honoring the family obligations on Xmas eve and drove straight through, arrived here at Dive Outpost Xmas morning and took a nap.

Joined SLIM in progress (he had already been here a few days) and did my Xmas dive in Cow Spring Downstream--the Siphon side of the system. Nice easy dive. Then got treated to a Xmas feast for dinner, put on by The Dive Outpost.

Yesterday did a couple "set-up" dives in Peacock system. Morning dive was up the Orange Grove tunnel to see how far we could get just on 1/2 of a stage bottle. Afternoon was in Peacock III--Siphon dive--to get our swim time and gas consumption back to the drop-off for Hendley's Castle to plan our deco dive down into the Castle today.

So today we started with the deep dive into Hendley's Castle; penetration app. 1500 feet, final depth 180 ft. Used EAN 32 as travel gas, Trimix 20/30 backgas for the deep part, and O2 for deco--very cool dive! Got fills and had lunch, then went back to Orange Grove for the afternoon dive: went to the 900 ft. arrow on an EAN 32 stage, dropped it, made the jump up the Distance Tunnel on EAN 32 backgas, then another jump into the Martz Offshoot, which is a narrow winding silty tunnel and very pretty! Picked up the stages on the way out and made our safety stop on O2--no required deco, but it seemed a good idea after a deep morning dive and a long afternoon dive; both dives were well over an hour long. Returned to Dive Outpost to find that we'd been invited to an informal social dinner organized by a number of members of "The Deco Stop" bulletin board.

Will update after more dives. Here until the 1st. Definitely have plans for a midnight New Years Eve dive in Telford Spring after the New Years Eve feast supplied by Dive Outpost.

theskull

[steve2281]

Keep the reports coming. We are arriving in Luraville the afternoon of 1/1; I'll wave at you if we pass on the road.

If you have time, report conditions in Peacock, LR, Telford, or any others you dive. thanks

[DeepDiverBob]

Watch out for the party animals at Telford. That could be a little "exciting" there that night.

[Atlaua]

And here I thought this was a post about underwater football...

[theskull]

Keep the reports coming. We are arriving in Luraville the afternoon of 1/1; I'll wave at you if we pass on the road.

If you have time, report conditions in Peacock, LR, Telford, or any others you dive. thanks

Sorry I'll miss ya.

Peacock--as always, 40-50 ft. viz and beautiful.
Little River--normal flow: stiff, 15-20 ft. viz.
Telford--normal flow: little less than stiff, 10-15 ft. viz.
Cow--very gentle flow, 30 ft. viz (must be NSS-CDS member to dive)
Madison--normal flow, 30-40 ft. viz.

theskull

[theskull]

And here I thought this was a post about underwater football...

I put it in the "Cave Forum".

Underwater Cave Football?? Now that I would pay to see!!

theskull

[theskull]

Today SLIM had plans with some of his other buddies. He can make his own report when he gets home.

I made 2 more dives in Peacock system. In the AM with our bunk-mates at the Dive Outpost. 3 of us went up the Orange Grove tunnel and took the Distance Tunnel jump and went quite a ways up that tunnel; this has become my favorite Florida dive site so far.

In the PM I buddied up with another midwestern diver (formerly from Springfield IL, now living in Tennessee) and we went up the Peanut tunnel to 900 ft. penetration, then returned to the cavern zone and went up the Pothole line to the Pothole exit and back.

More to come . . . and we will watch out for the locals and their Telford midnight party on New Years Eve.

theskull

[theskull]

Yesterday SLIM & I dived the Lower Orange Grove tunnel at Peacock, 20 minutes at 135 ft. depth on Trimix 20/30 with deco on O2. The lower tunnel is a tricky entrance with tight passages and false leads; it took all of our 20 minute bottom time to locate the main line and tie into it, by the time we were ready to go up the line I was at my turn pressure and called the dive. Was still a pretty dive and a good skill-practicing one as we both got tangled in our line once while in tight quarters.

Took the rest of the day off. My ears were feeling a little tender and were ready for a rest, and SLIM had been making deep deco dives daily for several days and wanted to off-gas a bit. I made a trip over to High Springs to visit the shopping Meccas of Salvo, Extreme Exposure, Cave Excursions East, and Ginnie Springs, and showed a surprising restraint of spending. Then blew it this morning at Dive Outpost with their year-end 20% off sale. (Anyone want to buy a pair of slightly used back-up lights?)

Today SLIM & I made 2 dives at Madison Blue. First dive was up the main line breathing an EAN 32 stage to half pressure and then back out. Second dive we still had full EAN 32 backgas, so we made the jump to the Martz sink and then came back up and made the jump up the Godzilla line. Breathed O2 on the safety stop just to be kind to our bodies even though no deco was required.

Only 2 more days of diving left for me. Will all be in the final report. SLIM has the luxury of staying on for a few additional days.

theskull

[steve2281]

Lower Orange Grove, Hendley's Castle????, you guys are up for about anything, aren't you?? Just well try the Lower Crypt tomorrow.

Keep reports coming. I'm almost packed.

[theskull]

Lower Orange Grove, Hendley's Castle????, you guys are up for about anything, aren't you?? Just well try the Lower Crypt tomorrow.

Keep reports coming. I'm almost packed.

hehehe. We DID dive the Lower Crypt this morning! How did you know that was coming next? Took a stage bottle and 3 jumps to get there, but it was worth it--very unique features in the Crypt. Total dive time was 97 minutes, most of it at app. 55 ft. depth, with a max of 79 ft. in the Crypt. EAN 32 backgas and in the stage. I ended the dive needing a 10 min. deco stop according to my Vytec, SLIM's HS Explorer did not call for any required deco--so, of course, we followed mine and hung out in the Peacock cavern for 10 minutes.

Two dives left to go. Will give update.

theskull

[steve2281]

hehehe. We DID dive the Lower Crypt this morning! How did you know that was coming next? Took a stage bottle and 3 jumps to get there, but it was worth it--very unique features in the Crypt. Total dive time was 97 minutes, most of it at app. 55 ft. depth, with a max of 79 ft. in the Crypt. EAN 32 backgas and in the stage. I ended the dive needing a 10 min. deco stop according to my Vytec, SLIM's HS Explorer did not call for any required deco--so, of course, we followed mine and hung out in the Peacock cavern for 10 minutes.

Two dives left to go. Will give update.

theskull

Man, I've heard that place is bad news. Silt that stirs up when you just look at it and junk falling off the ceiling. Is that right?

I guess you just as well do the Eagles Nest tomorrow?

We won't pass you on the road. Dennis has the flu; we've pushed our trip back 2 days.

[DeepDiverBob]

Okay, its about 20 minutes until New Year here, so I am assuming theskull and SLIM are under water right now, being in the Eastern time zone. I am looking forward to the dive report, conditions at Telford above and below water. Happy New Year to all, and to all a good Dive.

[theskull]

The traditional (3 years running) New Years Eve Midnight dive at Telford was excellent. We dressed in our suits at our room at Dive Outpost, made the 5 minute drive to Telford, and shrugged into our gear and entered the cave at 11:54 pm. Flow was easy and viz was great. SLIM & I were in the lead, breathing from an Al80 stage so that our doubles would still be full for the next morning's dive, and 2 other divers who were staying at DO came along for the 38 minute dive. The New Year was properly ushered in while we were both underwater and underground! The site was deserted when we arrived, and as we were shrugging off our tanks into our vehicles to leave the locals were just arriving for their drunken party--apparently a local bar had a big party that shut down and 12:30 am and they were all over there.

This morning I made my last dive of the trip at Madison Blue. Dive buddies were Forrest Wilson (who invented the line arrow, and was one of Sheck's main dive buddies) and Marbry. We went up the main line app. 1500 ft. at an average depth of 51 ft. and max of 72 ft., turning the dive just before the Drop-Off. Viz was excellent and flow was a little easier than previous trips. Made our exit through the large cavern side of the system and made safety stop on O2 for good measure--no required deco on my Vytec, but Marbry's Nitek called for an 8-minute O2 stop, so we all hung out 'til he cleared.

An excellent trip on all counts. BTW--we were treated to a big New Years Eve feast and some fireworks at Dive Outpost, which broke up around 11 pm since others had midnight dive plans at Cow Springs for the night also.

theskull

[theskull]

Man, I've heard that place is bad news. Silt that stirs up when you just look at it and junk falling off the ceiling. Is that right?

I guess you just as well do the Eagles Nest tomorrow?

We won't pass you on the road. Dennis has the flu; we've pushed our trip back 2 days.

Well, yeah, but what's your point? It's still pretty on the way in, and you have the line to help you find the way out.

Eagles Nest conditions were not very favorable at this time, poor viz. And since it's a long drive and pretty much eats up your nitrogen allowance for the whole day, we passed on that one.

Have additional info on Madison entry for you--PM sent. :)

theskull

[steve2281]

Well, yeah, but what's your point?

theskull

No point. Just rambling.

Thanks for the Madison info. Should come in handy.

Nice series of reports. I enjoyed reading them.

[theskull]

No point. Just rambling.

Thanks for the Madison info. Should come in handy.

Nice series of reports. I enjoyed reading them.

Glad to provide the entertainment. I have more fun there each time back. Keep going back to more and more established dive buddies and acquaintances, and as I get more familiar with the systems I am able to notice more of the geological features. Hope I get another chance to go back down before next Xmas!

theskull

[SLIM]

K, here goes.

I am going to only talk about the dives I did not do with The Skull.

First day down I dove with Ralph at Ginnie. Went all over the place with a BT of 82 minutes and a depth of 102. I was still tiered from the long drive down earlyr and just relaxed the rest of the day. At 5pm decided to go jump in Tleford for a short dive. Went ust past Teripan sink and then turned the dive.

Second day, dove with Kelly in Hart. Went up stream and down for 51 minutes and a max depth of 79 feet. Looked for a sharks tooth that is embeded in the rock and Kelly found a second on. It will be so nice when the get more work done to it. I was introduced to the Black Laggoon. Boy that alone was a experance.

On the 28th dove Cathederal. Yes that one tha Sheck lived over. Penatrated about 1200 + upstream with amax depth of 132 feet with an average of 92. 60 minute BT and 10 deco with differant mixes. The group I was with went to Telford for a dive to help of gass. Made it up to Beulahland and turned the dive 72 feet 84 minutes.

Almost forgot, also did LR for a 30 minute penatraion to the end of the Florida Room and then exited with the flow. Total dive time of 52 minutes.

You can also add all the dives tha I did with The Skull and the fun we had all the time and the great hospitality that you get at DO.

SLIM