Waterhole sink at Peacock

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Originally Posted by LiteHedded

even invasive non-native species?

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I believe so. Because the possibility of misidentification by people who "think" they know, they just say no vegetation can be removed. It's up to the staff and park biologists to remove both invasive and non-invasive species.

I could be all wet on this but I don't think so.

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Originally Posted by Tegg

Read the posts in the thread. As far as most cavedivers go, Waterhole has ALWAYS been open.

As such, there is no change to the "known" policy. Only the official one.

Next time you're at Peacock since this "promotion", I'd like you to sit and count the amount of intro divers entering at Waterhole and report back to us.

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In the thread it's obvious it has not been clear that it was "open" for entry and exit by a large body of cave divers out there. And it's not just this thread. If you read other threads over time you get the clear impression the only "open" entrances to the Peacock system are OG, P1 and P3. That was by default the generally "known" policy, at least in regard to the larger body of non-local cave divers.

As you point out, that has now changed as there is now an *official* policy that it is open. It does not have to be posted to result in greater use, it just has to be spread by word of mouth - or via internet.

It's also obvious in the thread that the vast majority of people who dove the waterhole tunnel and who did a traverse to Waterhole III, entered and exited from P1, not Waterhole III. I think there would probably be general agreement that the bank around the head pool won't tolerate a whole lot of entry and exits before erosion starts to occur.

So consider it this way - with an *offical* "Waterhole III is open" policy you now:

1. open the entire passage to less trained, potentially less skilled Intro level divers,
2. who now know they can enter at Waterhole III and presumeably will do so since it is one of the nicer dives at Peacock, and
3. higher traffic both in and out of the head pool as well as in the tunnel itself will create more damage.

The latter is no big deal to the park people who won't see it, but the former will potentially result in Waterhole III being *officially* closed once the damage occurs.

The end result of the "Officially Open" change is that unlimited access that will result, will over time potentially eliminate any access, including the prior limited access by the well informed (again no big deal as few did it anyway) but sadly will do so only after erosion damage to the edges of the head pool itself has occurred.

IMHO, it's just poor management of the resource.

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Originally Posted by Line Squirrel

It's against the rules, might even be a law, to remove any vegitation from a state park.

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Oh I wasent gonna leave the park with it, only lay it on the bank. However if it impedes the growth of submerged algae as Forrest stated then its a good thing. Indigeous or not.

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Originally Posted by DA Aquamaster

blah blah ... intro divers will now run to dive there and destroy it!!! blah blah

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Again... I ask you to sit there a few days on the "busy weekends" and count the number of intro divers rushing to jump in and destroy waterhole.

I'm interested to hear the report.

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Originally Posted by Line Squirrel

I believe so. Because the possibility of misidentification by people who "think" they know, they just say no vegetation can be removed. It's up to the staff and park biologists to remove both invasive and non-invasive species.

I could be all wet on this but I don't think so.

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When Peacock is flooded due to the Suwannee at flood stage,then the Duckweed will be gone. If some diver enters the site with some invasive species on their gear,then the possibility of returning is there. Some state owned systems have the requirement that gear be checked by staff before diving for invasive species,but rarely is this done.

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Originally Posted by stairman

Oh I wasent gonna leave the park with it, only lay it on the bank. However if it impedes the growth of submerged algae as Forrest stated then its a good thing. Indigeous or not.

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Just look at what happened to 40 Fathom when they first removed it.
I barely could see my hand in front of my face because of all the green.

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Originally Posted by MORGAN

The Waterhole Tunnel is one of my favorite parts of Peacock, but even though I always thought that it was open for entry/exit, I've never gotten in or out at Waterhole III. Even with my nothing-special SAC rate and double LP95's, a dive from Peacock I to W-III and back is easily doable without violating thirds. No erosion, no scrambling on slippery rocks and getting tangled in dead trees, no hiking gear through the woods, and twice as long a dive as a W-III to P-I traverse. And I really enjoy doing the return trip in unimpaired visibility and seeing that I didn't make a mess.

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Ditto. Double Humper

Let me summarize what I get from this thread:

DA Aquamaster: "This opens the possibility of intro divers, apprentice divers, and some full cave divers who don't know how to dive well destroying the entrance to the cave."

Tegg: "It's not happening now which proves it will never happen in the future."

Everyone else: "duckweed salad: it's what's for dinner, tonight!"


Anyone want to start taking bets on how long it is before an instructor takes an intro CLASS into Waterhole III? :D

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Originally Posted by JahJahwarrior

Let me summarize what I get from this thread:

DA Aquamaster: "This opens the possibility of intro divers, apprentice divers, and some full cave divers who don't know how to dive well destroying the entrance to the cave."

Tegg: "It's not happening now which proves it will never happen in the future."

Everyone else: "duckweed salad: it's what's for dinner, tonight!"


Anyone want to start taking bets on how long it is before an instructor takes an intro CLASS into Waterhole III? :D

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I've only got 150 full cave dives but I'm always work on improving my skills.....and I need to.. So why is it that the one time I tried to come in Waterhole I trashed it? Perhaps I'm just a crap diver but perhaps we shouldn't assume everyone else is a much better diver.

Also, since we have divers trashing Waterhole, any reason I can't bring a few gallons of bleach to clean up Peacock 1? Not sure if the difference is significant.
JUST KIDDING!!!!!!!

I hope we get restrictions based on at least training level and experience.
BTW: why does any diver need to enter at Waterhole?

2¢

nvm... I say close all the entrances off to anyone not qualified to dive in the caves without damage according to the panel of cavedivers who think they are the ones who can judge the abilities of others...

:)