mpoucher
12-10-2008, 08:09 PM
In 2001, as Manatee Springs was threatened with a proposed limerock pit just outside the park boundaries, Mark and Annette Long appealed to the cave diving community to help protect the park and spring cave system. Manatee Spring has long been known as a world class cave system, having been the subject of exploration since the early sixties and the site at which several penetration records have been set. Sheck Exley and Clark Pitcairn set the first record of 7600 feet in 1981. Jarrod Jablonski and Todd Kincaid later did a record breaking dive to over 11,000 feet in 1994. So when the cave system was threatened, cave divers lined up to help.
Mark and Annette wanted to survey a passage known as the Bluewater Tunnel because it headed in the direction of the proposed limerock pit and they hoped to show that the pit could directly impact the cave system, the spring, and the state park, through conduits extending under the proposed pit. To further build their case, they wanted to get radio locates of key points in the cave and take water samples to document the water quality and help identify the source of the springs flow.
A team of divers was assembled and over the course of several weeks we gathered the information the Long’s and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection needed. Cindy Butler and John Mosely extended the Spring Tunnel and pushed the survey closer to the proposed site of the limerock pit. Jerry Murphy, Al Heck, and Brett Hemphill helped set up John and Cindy’s dive as well as taking water samples in the far reaches of the cave. James Hurley, Ken and Robin Hill, Beth Murphy, Sandra Poucher, Beth Somers, and Mark and Annette Long took survey data and water samples in the tunnels around the Main Spring, Catfish and Friedman’s Sink. The data was sent to the DEP and eventually the limerock pit was defeated as Levy County realized the importance of the spring and the sensitivity of the land surrounding it.
During the course of battling the limerock pit, we realized that there wasn’t a really good map of Manatee Spring. The trunk between the Main Spring and Friedman’s and upstream was mapped, but very little was shown of the side passages, such as the Sewer Tunnel, the Milk Tunnel, and the Spring Tunnel. So we decided a survey project was needed and applied for a permit with the DEP to begin mapping the cave system. Over the course of the next few years, Mike and Sandra Poucher surveyed the main tunnel out to 4000 feet. John Bojar and Brett Hemphill began surveying the Milk Tunnel and Mark and Annette Long began a survey of the Sewer Tunnel.
In the past year, we have concentrated our efforts on Manatee with renewed efforts in the Milk Tunnel and Sewer Tunnel with the help of Brett Hemphill and Andrew Pitkin. Marc Singer, David Rhea and their support team made a dive to survey the spring tunnel to over 8000 feet penetration which lasted over 10 hours. Another effort is planned after the first of the year. Dives into the Sewer Tunnel are approaching over six hours of bottom time including decompression.
One note of caution to anyone contemplating a dive into these areas is to be aware of the line condition. We have repaired eight breaks in the Sewer Tunnel and Mark Long reported he had made over twenty repairs himself. On a recent dive, the line was broken during exit and needs to be repaired on the next attempt. The Milk Tunnel is in similar shape and so is the main line beyond the 3500 foot mark. Remember many of these lines are the original exploration line from the 70’s and 80’s and are now close to thirty years old or more. One of our goals for the upcoming year is to replace some of these aging lines.
Another interesting aspect of Manatee is the source of cloudy water in the system. We are finding that the water gets clearer as you get further back in the system, but there seems to be a source of cloudy water somewhere in the middle of the Milk and Sewer Tunnels. As yet, we haven’t been able to identify the source, but we hope that as we make more dives we will discover the source.
In November 2008, a new map of Manatee Springs was presented at the NACD workshop in Gainesville Florida. The map is available through the NACD and NSS-CDS as well as our website at www.cavesurvey.com. Look for it at the local dive shops in the near future.
Mike Poucher
NSS 29018
www.cavesurvey.com
Mark and Annette wanted to survey a passage known as the Bluewater Tunnel because it headed in the direction of the proposed limerock pit and they hoped to show that the pit could directly impact the cave system, the spring, and the state park, through conduits extending under the proposed pit. To further build their case, they wanted to get radio locates of key points in the cave and take water samples to document the water quality and help identify the source of the springs flow.
A team of divers was assembled and over the course of several weeks we gathered the information the Long’s and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection needed. Cindy Butler and John Mosely extended the Spring Tunnel and pushed the survey closer to the proposed site of the limerock pit. Jerry Murphy, Al Heck, and Brett Hemphill helped set up John and Cindy’s dive as well as taking water samples in the far reaches of the cave. James Hurley, Ken and Robin Hill, Beth Murphy, Sandra Poucher, Beth Somers, and Mark and Annette Long took survey data and water samples in the tunnels around the Main Spring, Catfish and Friedman’s Sink. The data was sent to the DEP and eventually the limerock pit was defeated as Levy County realized the importance of the spring and the sensitivity of the land surrounding it.
During the course of battling the limerock pit, we realized that there wasn’t a really good map of Manatee Spring. The trunk between the Main Spring and Friedman’s and upstream was mapped, but very little was shown of the side passages, such as the Sewer Tunnel, the Milk Tunnel, and the Spring Tunnel. So we decided a survey project was needed and applied for a permit with the DEP to begin mapping the cave system. Over the course of the next few years, Mike and Sandra Poucher surveyed the main tunnel out to 4000 feet. John Bojar and Brett Hemphill began surveying the Milk Tunnel and Mark and Annette Long began a survey of the Sewer Tunnel.
In the past year, we have concentrated our efforts on Manatee with renewed efforts in the Milk Tunnel and Sewer Tunnel with the help of Brett Hemphill and Andrew Pitkin. Marc Singer, David Rhea and their support team made a dive to survey the spring tunnel to over 8000 feet penetration which lasted over 10 hours. Another effort is planned after the first of the year. Dives into the Sewer Tunnel are approaching over six hours of bottom time including decompression.
One note of caution to anyone contemplating a dive into these areas is to be aware of the line condition. We have repaired eight breaks in the Sewer Tunnel and Mark Long reported he had made over twenty repairs himself. On a recent dive, the line was broken during exit and needs to be repaired on the next attempt. The Milk Tunnel is in similar shape and so is the main line beyond the 3500 foot mark. Remember many of these lines are the original exploration line from the 70’s and 80’s and are now close to thirty years old or more. One of our goals for the upcoming year is to replace some of these aging lines.
Another interesting aspect of Manatee is the source of cloudy water in the system. We are finding that the water gets clearer as you get further back in the system, but there seems to be a source of cloudy water somewhere in the middle of the Milk and Sewer Tunnels. As yet, we haven’t been able to identify the source, but we hope that as we make more dives we will discover the source.
In November 2008, a new map of Manatee Springs was presented at the NACD workshop in Gainesville Florida. The map is available through the NACD and NSS-CDS as well as our website at www.cavesurvey.com. Look for it at the local dive shops in the near future.
Mike Poucher
NSS 29018
www.cavesurvey.com