16 replies to this topic

[PerroneFord]

I would like to toss out an arrow to all the cavers on this forum. Though I wish SD had more trips I could actually afford, I can't. So Ithouht I might poll the site, and see if there are any cavers who'd like to do some diving over the spring/summer.

We all understand the costs involved, and the risks involved. I propose if we get a few people together, we do a few basic dives, get a feel for each other, and then go play in some of the systems. Flow is still down in Little River, and I'd love to get back in there. I have a lot of time I need to spend in Madison, and for those why have the credentials, Emerald and Indian are now open to you (no scooters though).

I've never done Devils, so that would be interesting to try for me, though I suspect most avid cavers have seen a lot, and perhaps enough of that system. I wouldn't mind trying Manatee but that brings some challenges in terms of deco.

Thanks for your thoughts.

[netmage]

I'm heading back next weekend w/ my normal gang. We usually opt for Peacock & Telford because they are shallower. Three of us are NAUI cave 1, so we get to do jumps and 1/3rds, but no deco. Every once in a while we do Little River, but rarely do Devil's due to depth and $$$. Its just alot of work for a 35 minute dive w/ the no deco limitation....

We're doing NACD full cave w/ Larry Green in June, so after that we'll be in for alot more at Devil's and maybe a trip over towards Jackson Blue. We'll probably also head up for maybe a 3 day weekend in May.

[PerroneFord]

Do you run down P1 or the Peanut tunnel in Peacock? Have you done OG? I'd like to explore some of that.

I did a short run down P1 last weekend... It was beautiful. My IANTD Intro card is sitting at my instructors place waiting for me to make a proficiency dive. He want's me to swim 1000ft with him before he'll give up the card. Having JUST gone to a drysuit, it might be a while! Hopefully mid-summer.

-P

[netmage]

We've been all over the Peacock system....

OG to Challenge
OG down the Distance Tunnel
Pothole to Cisteen mainline
Pothole to Cisteen via Nicholson Tunnel
Pothole to about 3/4 ofthe way through the Wishbone
Pothole to Olsen
Peanut to Challenge
Peanut towards waterhole (not all the way), then back down crossing over partway down the well

[PerroneFord]

That Peanut to Waterhole looks interesting. But I'd have to stage it I think. Otherwise I'd drop a safety right as it hooks around. Peacock is great for newer cavers because of all the places you can get out of the system if you need to. But I need to buy a map. Sitting down in the Luraville Country store to plan the predive at the map table just isn't getting it!

[ScubaDadMiami]

Full Cave CCR. I just hate the drive unless I am going for long enough to justify the trip. I only have two dives in Madison, and that seems to have the nicest formations. I'd like to check that out some more.

[PerroneFord]

I am making Madison my "home cave". Anytime you want to explore there, let me know. But I need to stay on the goldline for a while. I'll be putting in a lot of training time there.

And what are YOU talking about, hate the drive? You guys are FOREVER trying to get me to come down there for dives and acting like I'm crazy for not making exactly the same drive!

The difference in price between staying at the hoiday inn express in Madison or High Springs Country Inn, or a trailer at Dive Outpost, and a hotel there in Pompano/WPB/Miami is STAGGERING.

You can stay a week for what I'd pay for a 2 night stay in Miami.

[overseas]

Do you run down P1 or the Peanut tunnel in Peacock? Have you done OG? I'd like to explore some of that.

I did a short run down P1 last weekend... It was beautiful. My IANTD Intro card is sitting at my instructors place waiting for me to make a proficiency dive. He want's me to swim 1000ft with him before he'll give up the card. Having JUST gone to a drysuit, it might be a while! Hopefully mid-summer.

-P

Your instructor wont give you your card till after you have penetrated 1000 feet?! If he issued you a temp card why is he holding it? I am not sure of the IANTD limits but I am assuming you are limited to 1/6th of doubles or 1/3 of a sinlge w/ an H-valve. I find it hard to belive that a new cave diver, with a high SAC as you have said, is going to make it that far into the system within your limits. I know that when I first started out that my 1/6 was around the park bench in Devil's, somewhere just before the back to back arrows in peacock one, and the far side of the break down room after the restriction on the peanut line. Now with a whole crap load of dives under my belt I am running my gap reel through Olsen(other side of the P1 back to back arrows) sink at P1 after only 500 pounds of back gass in a set of 121's.

Chris-

[PerroneFord]

My instructor and I have an interesting friendship/mentor relationship. Essentially, I took the course last October, but didn't do any cave diving because of my schedule. So when the spring rolled around and I wanted to do some diving, he was not comfy giving me my card. So I told him to give me a temp cavern card so I could go play and practice, which he did.

When I said, hey, lets get this cave card thing done, he said ok, but I want you to make a dive with me first. I said cool, what dive. And he said lets go OG to Challenge! I asked him if he was gonna loan me the Meg! His concern was not so much the distance of penetration (I can use 1/3 of doubles), but rather my planning of the dive and proficiency in the caves.

As it turned out, I did the dive in Devil's and did horribly in the flow. So, I'll practice a lot more in lower flow, and go from there. Peacock and Madison will be my new summer cave homes. I'll also be doing these dives in AL80s instead of the 108s until I can get my drysuit back.

[netmage]

I am making Madison my "home cave". Anytime you want to explore there, let me know. But I need to stay on the goldline for a while. I'll be putting in a lot of training time there.

And what are YOU talking about, hate the drive? You guys are FOREVER trying to get me to come down there for dives and acting like I'm crazy for not making exactly the same drive!

The difference in price between staying at the hoiday inn express in Madison or High Springs Country Inn, or a trailer at Dive Outpost, and a hotel there in Pompano/WPB/Miami is STAGGERING.

You can stay a week for what I'd pay for a 2 night stay in Miami.

I thought you were more over on the panhandle? Like Jackson Blue....? Hmmm, it's been a while since we did Madison... I might try to talk the gang into a morning dive at Madison tomorrow, then peacock in the afternoon, then LR sunday... hmmm the key is figuring that 30-40 min drive from Luraville to Madison... but I have two sets of 104/108's... so I'm good for a full day.


edit: Ya know - some of us have couches for crashers....

Edited by netmage, 20 April 2007 - 09:15 AM.

[PerroneFord]

Im in Tallahassee. Madison is 1 hour from me. But then, so is JB. But Madison is free with my state pass.

I wish I could go with you guys. But I'm on a very short leash right now both with my experience/card, and with funds. Taking the hit of the drysuit and a 21w light in the same month was a killer. So I'm laying low.

Not sure if it matters to you, but the NSS is having a social at the OG Pavillon on Saturday morning. Maybe you want to stop there in the morning first, then head to Madison later.

Just a thought.

[overseas]

My instructor and I have an interesting friendship/mentor relationship. Essentially, I took the course last October, but didn't do any cave diving because of my schedule. So when the spring rolled around and I wanted to do some diving, he was not comfy giving me my card. So I told him to give me a temp cavern card so I could go play and practice, which he did.

When I said, hey, lets get this cave card thing done, he said ok, but I want you to make a dive with me first. I said cool, what dive. And he said lets go OG to Challenge! I asked him if he was gonna loan me the Meg! His concern was not so much the distance of penetration (I can use 1/3 of doubles), but rather my planning of the dive and proficiency in the caves.

As it turned out, I did the dive in Devil's and did horribly in the flow. So, I'll practice a lot more in lower flow, and go from there. Peacock and Madison will be my new summer cave homes. I'll also be doing these dives in AL80s instead of the 108s until I can get my drysuit back.

ok, with 1/3 of doubles you should be able to make it back there no problem! Sorry to hear that the flow is beating on you at Ginnie. If you can I would work more in high flow than the low/no flow at peacock. If you get good in the high flow you will have no problem at all in the other systems. I am at Ginnie all the time, if your interested in some diving there. I would judt want to do a few short dives and maybe even a dive in the ballroom to get comfortable with you before we go head first into the system.

Chris-

[pir8]

I did Intro way back in 2001 but haven't had the time or means to really get back to it. I really do need a refresher.

[PerroneFord]

ok, with 1/3 of doubles you should be able to make it back there no problem! Sorry to hear that the flow is beating on you at Ginnie. If you can I would work more in high flow than the low/no flow at peacock. If you get good in the high flow you will have no problem at all in the other systems.

High flow and low flow have different challenges. You won't stir any silt in the Ear, but you very well may in some of the very low flow systems.

I am at Ginnie all the time, if your interested in some diving there.

The problem is that Ginnie and back is a full tank of gas for me. Current fuel prices mean that's $40. Plus the $30 entry fee. And the 4 hour over and back. Needless to say, I don't dive Ginnie much anymore.

I would judt want to do a few short dives and maybe even a dive in the ballroom to get comfortable with you before we go head first into the system.

I wouldn't have it any other way. I like the fact you want to do a checkout. I was going to suggest the same. Let me get my drysuit back in 6 weeks or so, and we can talk a bit about doing some dives.

[TraceMalin]

I would like to toss out an arrow to all the cavers on this forum. Though I wish SD had more trips I could actually afford, I can't. So Ithouht I might poll the site, and see if there are any cavers who'd like to do some diving over the spring/summer.

We all understand the costs involved, and the risks involved. I propose if we get a few people together, we do a few basic dives, get a feel for each other, and then go play in some of the systems. Flow is still down in Little River, and I'd love to get back in there. I have a lot of time I need to spend in Madison, and for those why have the credentials, Emerald and Indian are now open to you (no scooters though).

I've never done Devils, so that would be interesting to try for me, though I suspect most avid cavers have seen a lot, and perhaps enough of that system. I wouldn't mind trying Manatee but that brings some challenges in terms of deco.

Thanks for your thoughts.

Perrone,

I'm going to be in Florida cave diving from May 25th until June 1. The trip was supposed to be longer, but I have a lifeguard instructor renewal course on June 2 that I need to attend. We'll probably be diving at Devil's, Peacock and Telford mostly. One of the guys is Intro to Cave so much of our diving will be to 1/6 of doubles. I'll probably do a few long solo dives though.

I just returned from cave diving in the Bahamas with Christina Zenato at UNEXSO. Ben's Cave has one of the most spectacular cavern zones one will ever see! I'm going to have to return to explore more of Mermaid's Cave. We did a mainline penetration in double AL80's at 70 feet, but next time Christina wants to show me an unforgettable jump.

By the way, I have a new cave certification card I can't wait to show you!

Trace