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Last couple times I've been there(from the surface), the water has been clear and I never saw a gator. I did see an otter swimming around playfully in the basin, which was pretty cool... and odd if there's a big gator hangin in the same place I'd think.
i really want to get in this cave. can we work out some sort of time share with this gator?
Dove there a lot back in the mid-80's, right after Wes and the boys did all the exploration/line laying. Momma gator was not a semi full time resident back then...BUT.....had one dive where she was not there on the way in (right near the entrance, inside the cave), but she WAS there as we exited...sitting in the silt, off to the side of the initial passage....just watching us! Made for an interesting (short) deco...made sure she had LOTS of room to get out for air!
Love the names the initial explorers gave the cave's features...Amphipod Party Room (had to be Wes), Debtors Payment, The Catacombs, Z-Bend, etc.
hehehe.. timeshare... :)
I saw a pair of little dears one time, that was cool, maybe there are the aligator food :)
During my cave training in 87 I lost a jump reel in Peacock. The next day of class we dove Bonnett and on the way out my lost reel was hanging on the line. My instructor decided it was a good place for me to find it provided I was paying attention to the line. Back then we used to clip everything we owned to D rings attached to the bottom of our doubles, i.e reels, lights, etc. When walking to the water we sounded like wind chimes with the stuff banding against the tanks. It was easy to get hung up or loose items. It made for fun deco stealing stuff off one diver and clipping to another.
I've been doing that for fifteen years and haven't lost anything or gotten hung up. Yet.Quote:
Originally Posted by OutlawCaver
The noise I remember annoying the heck out of me was the bolt snap clanging against the 9" reflector on my 1980s Dive Rite light.
It's a great dive if you ever get the chance to dive it. I agree with Sludge, pop her in the head with the trusty .44 mag. I would check with the park and check on her status. I believe you have to have Abe Davis, or Wakulla, and have to dive it with someone who has dove it previously.
Momma gator is not always the road block, as Bonnet has been closed a number of times over the years because of the terrible vis. When there is flow she's a beautiful cave, and have been lucky enough to see most of her on back gas. But, I've have gone in several times and had to turn back well before the Z-Bends because vis was under a couple of inches (tannic).Quote:
Originally Posted by Kelly Jessop
It use to be that you had to have 100 hours or 100 dives in a cave before the rangers would let you in, and then only if you were with someone who had already been in. Scooters and stages weren't allowed last I heard, but it's a hard cave to get to the back of with just back gas (3,600+/- feet).
She is a delicate cave, especially as you get past where the cave line crosses and start towards the Final Pit. I think that is the upstream side. She's also not very deep on that side and the water is warmer there, too. On the other side, the downstream side, The Catacombs are generally colder and often have some tannic influence.
She is a delicate cave and like all, deserves our respect.
Maybe someone should put up a sign that says "No Gators Allowed."