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View Full Version : Newfound respect for sidemount cave diving . . .


aw
08-24-2006, 08:02 AM
I've been working on my sidemount techniques over the past several months. I've only got 6 dives totalling 8 hours of bottom time credited to my experience at this point, but I can say this.

I have a newfound respect for sidemount cave divers. The actual rigging and trim and switching regs and stuff isn't too bad to get used to. What I find fascinating is some of the SMALL passages you find line in. I poke my head into some of these small, silty, nasty holes and wonder "How in the hell did they go through there?" Better yet "How the hell did they get back out?"

This is only ONE example. I was diving the Peanut Tunnel on Sunday. Coming back, I had always seen the line in the floor of the breakdown room at the end of "The Tube" at 600 ft of penetration. Being in my sidemount, I wanted to take a peak. I poked my head in and immediately the tunnel got small enough that it looked almost like it was "no-mount". I was imagining the first person to push past this restriction not knowing for sure if there would be enough room to turn around or wiggle back out if it was a deadend. WTF!!!! I've seen other stuff similar to this and realize just how much more comfort I've got to gain before I ever attempt something like that.

It's true KP has its niche cut out in the extreme distances of power caves. But I think sidemount divers have their niche cut out in a very different area. What do you do when you run out of power cave? You send in the sidemount divers. :wink: If it takes a big set of brass ones to do extreme distances, then it must take a big set of steel ones to do sidemount tunnels.
curtschu
08-24-2006, 08:08 AM
I was talking to a old timer this week and he mentioned a passage that is off the main line of Peacock tunnel that runs to the peanut. He said the first person he knows was a guy that is about 5'4'' using 72's. That might give you some perspective of who finds these little tunnels.
MilFalcon
08-24-2006, 09:01 AM
The Pothole Crossover tunnel is easily doable with sidemounted 95s. I'd recommend going in from the Peanut side as there's a major restriction to enter underneath the breakdown (I'd rather hit the restriction on the way in). Once past that its smooth sailing in small, river silt covered tunnel that pops you out at Pothole. Definitely a dive that requires your sidemount gear and skills tuned in.

Allen, you're right on with the explorers of these passages. Just hearing stories from folks like Bill R are fascinating!

Lee
Angie Reim
08-24-2006, 12:34 PM
That tunnel has fascinated me for some time......but it also sounds like a one way trip.

Thanks for the advice to start Peanut side. I've often wondered if pushing from the Peanut side first would blow the vis for the remainder. I've never heard of any 'turn around' possiblities, and the idea of starting on the Pothole side and then taking a loooonnnnggg zero viz exit after discovering that you can't fit out the Peanut side never appealed to me. A solo venture seemed smarter but no solo is allowed at Peacock.

I tested the Peanut-side once and it 'seemed' like I could push through (maybe a one off/one on scenario)......I just wasn't ready for the 'commitment' on that particular dive. I also imagined my buddy wouldn't have appreciated an unplanned 'uncorking' that day either. lol:
Line Squirrel
08-24-2006, 03:53 PM
It's really not that bad from the Peanut side, 85's were easy but messy (serious silt) we did it during the week so as to silt out the least amount of people :-D
No need to remove anything, just need to commit. After about 20 yards and a 90* turn to your left it opens up and becomes a whole lot less silty, fun little side mount dive.
Webmaster
08-24-2006, 11:39 PM
I did it in 108's and I am definitely not on the small side. Couldn't have gotten through much smaller in a drysuit.

Now the passage that splits off to the left of downstream Cow has a tight spot on the right side that I could not fit through, chest wouldn't fit. There is a rock where the line continues and people have obviously slid up over the top.
Tegg
08-25-2006, 09:11 AM
I did it in 108's and I am definitely not on the small side. Couldn't have gotten through much smaller in a drysuit.

Now the passage that splits off to the left of downstream Cow has a tight spot on the right side that I could not fit through, chest wouldn't fit. There is a rock where the line continues and people have obviously slid up over the top.

Cow definately has some fun stuff... people just have to look for them... :-D
MilFalcon
08-25-2006, 12:14 PM
Cow definately has some fun stuff... people just have to look for them... :-D

They're pretty easy to spot. They're in several of the fields throughout cave country, are generally black and white, and go mooooo!
Angie Reim
08-27-2006, 12:21 PM
Speaking of cows....did Ruth Spring for a short bit Saturday. Water was greener colored in the basin than usual--though the viz was the same as usual. That 'didn't seem right'. I know that Ruth is a silty system - it's never bothered me in the past - but now that the trees have been harvested I could see that we were downstream of a dairy farm. It occurred to me during the dive that I might be swimming over decomposing cow poo (black silt every where).

I wanted to wash my mouth out with alcohol. Not the drinking kind..... :smt087

I wonder if that SRWM folks monitor nitrates and so forth in that area.(?)

I'm doing ear drops a couple of times a day for the next 2-3 days. Yuck!
Tegg
08-27-2006, 06:13 PM
I wonder if that SRWM folks monitor nitrates and so forth in that area.(?)

I'm doing ear drops a couple of times a day for the next 2-3 days. Yuck!

Maybe one of the cave conservation organizations would like to offer to get some water samples for SRWMD? If no one tells them there is a problem, they may not find out until it is to late.