IRAP Administrator
08-03-2007, 09:41 PM
I was diving the "sump" entrance to a dry cave during high water. The visibility in the sump was only 5' on a good day, the passage wasn't very high, and easily silted up. About a half mile in, I decided the water was too high to bother going any farther. I was close to turnaround anyway, but then I felt the line catch on something down near my waist. I always held the line with the OK grip in low vis so with my free hand I reached down to find out what it was caught on. I got hold of the line on the entrance side of the tangle, and let go of the line that was going farther into the cave. I pulled the line within sight to see what it was tangled on. It was my jump reel! I didn't have the main line anymore.
I still get cold chills thinking about it.
The friction screw must have come loose, and let the snaplink dangle down. I reeled in slowly, hoping that it was caught on the main line. No such luck, the snaplink was stuck between some rocks on the floor.
We had discussed this type of senario amongst CD instructors, but as far as I know, nobody ever had to do it before. I tied the jump line to a rock and started a "lost line" search. I had just finished a map of the sump, so I knew (roughly) which way the line went. I went along the floor at right angles to the main line, then up the wall, across the ceiling, then back across the floor. The main line *should* be caught in the jump line. right?.... NO!
By now, the vis was nearly zero. I remembered the line lay on the silt at some points. After my heart and breathing rate slowed down a little, I tried again. This time I stuck my hand deep in the silt following the same path (floor, wall ceiling and back) I slowly reeled in the jump reel, and there came the main line!
Now I had a new problem, which way was out? I knew I could use the compass, if only I could see it. I swam slowly to get out of the silt cloud, knowing by this point my reserve was surely all used up. I got into a little clearer water, and the compass showed me I was in a curve in the passage, and so I still wasn't sure I was headed out. I figured at that point, my best hope was to keep going. If I was headed correctly, I would just have enough air to get out. If I was wrong, I *might* make it to the dry part of the cave, and could wait for a rescue (which might be days, since they would be convinced I was dead).
In about another 100 or so feet, I ran into one of those "new fangled" line arrows. I still don't know who put it there, but I sure thanked them for it in my heart.
Moral: Don't ever jump to conclusions. Double check everything.
I still get cold chills thinking about it.
The friction screw must have come loose, and let the snaplink dangle down. I reeled in slowly, hoping that it was caught on the main line. No such luck, the snaplink was stuck between some rocks on the floor.
We had discussed this type of senario amongst CD instructors, but as far as I know, nobody ever had to do it before. I tied the jump line to a rock and started a "lost line" search. I had just finished a map of the sump, so I knew (roughly) which way the line went. I went along the floor at right angles to the main line, then up the wall, across the ceiling, then back across the floor. The main line *should* be caught in the jump line. right?.... NO!
By now, the vis was nearly zero. I remembered the line lay on the silt at some points. After my heart and breathing rate slowed down a little, I tried again. This time I stuck my hand deep in the silt following the same path (floor, wall ceiling and back) I slowly reeled in the jump reel, and there came the main line!
Now I had a new problem, which way was out? I knew I could use the compass, if only I could see it. I swam slowly to get out of the silt cloud, knowing by this point my reserve was surely all used up. I got into a little clearer water, and the compass showed me I was in a curve in the passage, and so I still wasn't sure I was headed out. I figured at that point, my best hope was to keep going. If I was headed correctly, I would just have enough air to get out. If I was wrong, I *might* make it to the dry part of the cave, and could wait for a rescue (which might be days, since they would be convinced I was dead).
In about another 100 or so feet, I ran into one of those "new fangled" line arrows. I still don't know who put it there, but I sure thanked them for it in my heart.
Moral: Don't ever jump to conclusions. Double check everything.