Chipola River Caves

[Nondem]

I did a trip down the chipola a few years back and passed several springs and caves. One was called Dyke spring as I remember and it looked at the time to be too small to get into....I was looking through OW eyes at the time though.
Also, the most interesting one I noticed was right where the railroad crossed the river. On the western side of the river - a little ways from the riverbank there is a dry cave that you can walk a few yards into before coming to a big pool of water. I did'nt have a good light at the time but it looked like it might have an UW cave.

Does anyone have any info on these systems?

[Tegg]

I'd also like to know.

Personally, I will be exploring some stuff up there soon... 8)

[Scott Hunsucker]

The cave near the railroad tracks is known as Bat Colon Cave given the huge amont of bat dung, dead bats, etc. It is the site that Dan Nieves and I rescued the OW diver about two years ago. The site is closed and patroled, but you aren't missing anything as it is only about 300 feet in total. Not worthy of the effort. Most others on the Chipola are no-mount, small, short, etc.
Scott Hunsucker

[Nondem]

The cave near the railroad tracks is known as Bat Colon Cave given the huge amont of bat dung, dead bats, etc. It is the site that Dan Nieves and I rescued the OW diver about two years ago. The site is closed and patroled, but you aren't missing anything as it is only about 300 feet in total. Not worthy of the effort. Most others on the Chipola are no-mount, small, short, etc.
Scott Hunsucker

Is there a narrative of what happened on that rescue somewhere? I assume there is a sump involved since the guy was still alive....

[Moonfuzzy]

Here is a story from the AP:

http://www.polkonline.com/stories/061902/sta_diverbeats.shtml

[Dwain]

Wow... Talk about luck.

[DeWayne]

Some of the river caves have some small caverns that can make for a good departure from the crowds upstream. Nice way to waste a day, floating down and looking in the holes along the way. Nothing spectacular but worth a look for some perhaps.

[Nondem]

Some of the river caves have some small caverns that can make for a good departure from the crowds upstream. Nice way to waste a day, floating down and looking in the holes along the way. Nothing spectacular but worth a look for some perhaps.

Are you suggesting a drift-dive down river? Where would be a good place to start?

[DeWayne]

Are you suggesting a drift-dive down river? Where would be a good place to start?

Deloach offers a good persective of the more prominent holes and boat ramps to use. Chipola sink inside the caverns park is a good start for a day of drifting down stream, other spots downstream to put in at as well. Depends on how much you want to see or if anything specific.

[wingman]

The cave near the railroad tracks is known as Bat Colon Cave given the huge amont of bat dung, dead bats, etc. It is the site that Dan Nieves and I rescued the OW diver about two years ago. The site is closed and patroled, but you aren't missing anything as it is only about 300 feet in total. Not worthy of the effort. Most others on the Chipola are no-mount, small, short, etc.
Scott Hunsucker

Hi Scott, I met that guy at vortex a few months back and he told me the story...he was still an ow diver and shooting video in the vortex cave. Bill Huth.

[cavedivingcentral]

Sounds like that guy has a death wish...

[Ward Beecher]

Scott is correct. The cave immediately branches into two passages of 100 -150 feet in length that pinch off. The one on the right in silt and the left in an air pocket. The bottom of the cave is filled with dead bat bodies and the top with bat guano and floating bat bodies. When we were there, I noticed no flow.

Ward Beecher

[Scott Hunsucker]

Sounds like that guy has a death wish...

He was part of a group from MS that like to see how close, to death, they could come. He told me they have one guy that really gets into it and tells them all about his adventures when they meet. They take glow sticks and push them in the silt as they go and leave a small cannister light at the entrance. I am really surprised that I have not had to go and get others, yet anyway.

The only problem I have with Darwinian Selection is that it is too slow.
Scott

[wingman]

The only problem I have with Darwinian Selection is that it is too slow.
Scott

lol...indeed so and puberty is too fast. Bill

[Nondem]

With two garden trowels blackened w/age sitting at the exit side of a minor restriction leading into the big tunnel. Line is old and not the braided type.

Does anyone wanna tell me what I'll find on the next dive?

[rotor60driver]

The only problem I have with Darwinian Selection is that it is too slow.
Scott

I see a new signature line :)

[rchrds]

Not worthy of the effort. Most others on the Chipola are no-mount, small, short, etc.
Scott Hunsucker


BWAHAHAHAHA. Bat Colon Cave. It has another name, though that is appropriate. If you can get past the fact that the whole cave is warmer than the river due to the sewage plant discharging into it. Awesome. Very pleasant cave.

Jason

[EEL]

BWAHAHAHAHA. Bat Colon Cave. It has another name, though that is appropriate. If you can get past the fact that the whole cave is warmer than the river due to the sewage plant discharging into it. Awesome. Very pleasant cave.

Jason

Jason,

This is no longer the case. While the Marianna wastewater plant used to discharge into the run of Newts Well for many years; the city's new plant now has an irrigation reuse site for hay production about 15 miles south of town. All wastewater discharge to the Newts Well run was discontinued in April 2007.

Dive Safe,

Mark

[rchrds]

Mark, glad to hear it- It was around 05 the last time I was there.

Thanks!

Jason


Jason,

This is no longer the case. While the Marianna wastewater plant used to discharge into the run of Newts Well for many years; the city's new plant now has an irrigation reuse site for hay production about 15 miles south of town. All wastewater discharge to the Newts Well run was discontinued in April 2007.

Dive Safe,

Mark