Potter's Delight/Rocky Horror Team Status Slate

Cross posted by permission from Deco Stop..

DougChappell
Junior Member


Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Jacksonville, FL
Posts: 6 Potter's Delight/Rocky Horror Team Status Slate

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On November 27, 2006, Jon Doud and I installed a diver team status slate at the stage drop cookie in Madison Blue Spring, just prior to the Potter's Delight/Rocky Horror tunnel. This slate was installed after numerous discussions with various divers, and after an unfortunate incident involving opposite direction divers at the peanut restriction. This slate states the following: PLEASE HEED THIS WARNING!!!!!THE SMALL SIZE OF THE PASSAGE AHEAD WILL NOT ALLOW DIVERS TO PASS IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS. EXITING DIVERS HAVE PRIORITY. A DIVE TEAM IS CURRENTLY IN---OUT. There is a black outrigger clip attached by a line to the slate which can be clipped to the IN or OUT side. The hope is that this slate will preclude anxious moments in this somewhat restrictive passage, but is obviously dependent upon divers placing the clip to the informative side, and for following divers to heed the information displayed. Some divers leave a slate when they make their individual dives, and this slate is intended to supplement those or fill the need when they are not employed. In any case, I wanted to let everyone know that the slate is there and available for use. Any comments are appreciated.

I think this is a great idea! Having just dove the Rocky Horror tunnel for the first time I wondered what would happen if we met another dive team coming in on our way out. There ain't much room for maneuvering in there. Turning the dive was a real test of my Yoga skills. My buddy and I discussed this on our way back to Luraville.
Anyway, I think it's a great idea. Hopefully the slate doesn't pull a disappearing act and divers abide by the protocol.

Having been through there a few times myself, this is something that should've been done a long time ago. It shouldn't be made a required procedure only after there is a fatality accident in there.

This should also be made a required procedure for the Crossunder tunnel that starts just inside the rabbit hole of the main spring basin.

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Originally Posted by CaptainSpeleo

Having been through there a few times myself, this is something that should've been done a long time ago. It shouldn't be made a required procedure only after there is a fatality accident in there.

This should also be made a required procedure for the Crossunder tunnel that starts just inside the rabbit hole of the main spring basin.

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Does anyone have a link to the accident analysis for this particular incident?
I'm not a ghoul or anything. I just think it's important to stay informed about such matters. "If" any mistakes were made during this or any other diving accident then the rest of us should be able to learn from it.
For example: Had I been aware of this accident inside the Rocky Horror tunnel prior to diving it for the first time I'm sure it would have altered the way we conducted the dive.

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....There is a black outrigger clip attached by a line to the slate which can be clipped to the IN or OUT side...

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Please correct me if i'm wrong but aren't you supposed to use a jump reel to go upstream to Rocky Horror? The hangin jumpline should say enough about the presence of the team in there. Although... if you're smartass and did the visual then backup and enjoy the long way out via Crossunder.

Well i decided to get back and add:
1) smile
2) most of RH has enough pockets to turn and swimby with minimum backing up when needed. The vis after that shrimp dance will be zero but if you have got that far enough you must be already a pervert so it just should make you more excited.

The only way I can see this working 100% of the time is to say NO two teams in potters/rocky horror. If there is a jump reel in place when you get there you go to plan b and go see some other part of the cave.
Next time get there earlier. If you get to the park and there is only one other team there you wait until they exit if you want to be sure. If someone shows up while you are waiting you gotta tell them whats, what.
This way this never happens.

The incident analysis report I found is from October 1999.
I doubt this is the "unfortunate incident involving opposite direction divers at the peanut restriction" mentioned in the initial post.
Hopefully this most recent one had a happier ending.
I've never been comfortable with doing them but since visual jumps seem to be pretty common within our ranks the slate is probably a good idea.
I don't see how it could hurt and besides, I don't EVER want to have to do (to quote Ari) "a Shrimp Dance" with another cave diver I ain't married to. :-D

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Originally Posted by curtschu

If there is a jump reel in place when you get there you go to plan b and go see some other part of the cave.

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That is common sense,and the correct answer,but with the few times I've known teams meeting each other in Rocky Horror,we have to ask why did this happen. The obvious would be the second team entering had never been there before,didn't do their homework in advance and thought this would open up shortly. I never trusted the fact that my jump reel would be enough,and used to put a slate on the line at the beginning of Rocky Horror warning other teams what was up ahead and not to enter.

I guess what I was saying Kelly is this could be one of the things the Ranger might say on entry. And What ever you find at the begining of Rocky Horror beside an empty jump means go somewhere else.

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Originally Posted by curtschu

I guess what I was saying Kelly is this could be one of the things the Ranger might say on entry. And What ever you find at the begining of Rocky Horror beside an empty jump means go somewhere else.

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I agree,you make a good point.