Arch Sink

[DeepSea]

Anyone have any recent history with respect to Arch Sink?

[Limestone Cowboy]

How recent?

Stopped by a local shop and asked a few months ago and got the brush off, but got some scuttlebutt from someone who talked to the owner.

Still sort of looking myself, since it's a fun little dive close to home.

Drew

[resolute]

How recent?

Stopped by a local shop and asked a few months ago and got the brush off, but got some scuttlebutt from someone who talked to the owner.

Still sort of looking myself, since it's a fun little dive close to home.

Drew

Just be sure and take me! :D - Thats one I want to try too..

JB

[CaptainSpeleo]

Although it's a small cave system, it's always been one of my favorites and is one of the closest ones to home. I surveyed it and mapped it in 1994 and still have the original copy that I made. To the best of my knowledge, the landowner still doesn't allow anyone to dive there. I also miss diving at Ward Sink, which is a short distance away from Arch Sink.

[Gary]

When I last visited the owners impressed on us that they were trying to make sure everyone that dove there was properly qualified, got permission, and signed a waiver. I have (or had) a copy of the waiver but it's been a couple years...

http://www.floridacaves.com/arch.htm

[Ken Hill]

The owner purchased it at about the same time I was negotiating the CDS purchase of School Sink. He owned a neighboring property and kept in touch with the seller. He had "first dibs" and of course bought it went it went for sale.

Robin and I met with him just after that and he was not opposed to letting people dive the cave as long as there was a good release and assurances that the divers were properly trained. In the past year I am not aware of any additional effort to help with these tasks.

The property had been plagued with noise, litter and partying. The other neighbor was a Pasco County Deputy who would make sure that was kept to a minimum and watched out for trespassing. Since that time he has moved too. If it does open up it will require all cave divers to exhibit good behavior and it will be a must to police up the area when through.

The one drawback will be the need to park on the road. That serves two purposes for the owner, letting the PCSO know there are people there and it will eliminate noise. lights and having his property torn up by vehicles.

It is a great little cave and with HID lights it may have some potential previously unseen. /K

[CaptainSpeleo]

Does the owner still live in the log house on the hill just west of the sink? Parking on the side of the road on the east side of the sink is no problem for me.

The last room in the Kelly Rd. tunnel(my name for it) appears to have potential for some sidemount penetration, as does the tunnel on the northeast side of the big room circuit. The deep section tunnel at the bottom of the pit is a different story. I have 3 or 4 block weights holding down the line there to where it pinches out at about 195'. It's a solo venture down there, and you're almost guaranteed to return in zero visibility until you clear the 180' restriction.

[Signal 20]

Does the owner still live in the log house on the hill just west of the sink? Parking on the side of the road on the east side of the sink is no problem for me.

The last room in the Kelly Rd. tunnel(my name for it) appears to have potential for some sidemount penetration, as does the tunnel on the northeast side of the big room circuit. The deep section tunnel at the bottom of the pit is a different story. I have 3 or 4 block weights holding down the line there to where it pinches out at about 195'. It's a solo venture down there, and you're almost guaranteed to return in zero visibility until you clear the 180' restriction.

I actually drove by Arch Sink acouple days ago and it looked like the only good place to get down to the sink was right infront of the owners property since the area around the sink is covered by brush and is now fenced with no trespassing signs....we went to talk to the owner but he appeared to not be home

[Ken Hill]

The owner is in the log house and the regrowth of the foilage around the sink is what he likes to see when he looks out his window. It also keeps out the dirt bikers and party people. /K

[CaptainSpeleo]

If someone happens to come up with name and phone number of the owner, I would appreciate it being sent to me privately. I don't do fences and warning signs and "commando dives".

[FloridaCaveDiver]

Hi folks......

Actually I had a meeting with Roger (owner of Arch sink) a couple months ago about access policies and procedures.

I am in the process of setting up a web site for him with all the access information you will need. It will contain a scheduling request process, wavers will be online and general access policies.

He does not mind QUALIFIED (Full Cave Only or Intro/App with Cave Instructor) accessing the property after SCHEDULING in advance. The new web site will help with this shortly. He stressed to me his families desire for privacy and how he doesn't want people just "showing up" without being announced. Personally I don't blame him.

Roger has had to deal with a number of people, mostly OW divers, trying to sneak into the sink from the main street. Needless to say this has upset him and he was considering shutting down access completely because of this behavior. I quickly stepped up and offered the web site and other assistance to offer him an alternative, which I am pleased that he accepted.

I am in the process of having a couple couple signs made for him to post around the sink with the web site address so divers can get information about diving the sink instead of knowing nothing and just deciding to "jump in".

In any event, I just wanted to give you an update and let you know that a web site will be available soon.

Regards,

Brett Floren

[CaptainSpeleo]

Thanks, Brett.

[Ken Hill]

Nice work! /K

[DeepSea]

Thanks everyone. I look forward to seeing the website. I also got the same type of info from Brett Hemphill. He was going to get me copies of the waiver. When I get them I will scan them and post them.

[resolute]

Hi folks......

Actually I had a meeting with Roger (owner of Arch sink) a couple months ago about access policies and procedures.
.................


Sounds like Brett is a great representative for all of us - Thanks for positively and proactively working with this landowner to represent us all in a positive manner. I hope everyone will follow the landowners dive procedures and rules and use good judgment, so that the accessibility issue will be positive for all involved! I'll have to give Arch a dive one day myself!

JB

[Bakrt]

Great job Brett on the landowner relations.