Jug Hole re-opens Oct. 1

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Originally Posted by rddvet

I've heard it talked about very differently in relation to being a sm cave or not. I've heard sm is recommended to conserve the cave, and then I've been told its really a sm only cave. In the latter, the undertone of the comment is that navigating the restrictions should really be reserved to cavers that have had advanced sm training. Obviously the difference is really in the eye of the beholder as to what constitutes a sm suggested vs a sm-only dive, but it'd be interesting to get a concensus of the group as to your opinions.

I haven't been yet. I dive sm, but am only trained to the apprecntice equivalent so am very unlikely to push past any major restrictions based on how Jug's bedding planes have been described to me.

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The story about the backmount diver with a double roll off is instructive and suggestive that sm is the way to go. Bill

IMO its not a cave where you should be trained as a sidemount diver. The configuration is good enough. Right behind the sign it gets low but its still very wide. Then it opens up a ways till you get to a rock thats really close to the wall and you have to turn sideways and lift one tank[still connected] up and over it. I think it walls out at about 600 ft. The sand at the rock is really unique which is called the diamond sands restriction. I dont see silt as being a problem there at

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Originally Posted by stairman

IMO its not a cave where you should be trained as a sidemount diver. The configuration is good enough. Right behind the sign it gets low but its still very wide. Then it opens up a ways till you get to a rock thats really close to the wall and you have to turn sideways and lift one tank[still connected] up and over it. I think it walls out at about 600 ft. The sand at the rock is really unique which is called the diamond sands restriction. I dont see silt as being a problem there at

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That was more what I was wondering. From what I've been told you're not creating a billow of silt as you wriggle through the restriction and exiting in no viz

There is a great article by James Killion and Richard Dreher in UWS Vol 30 No. 4 you can see pictures of Jug Hole (can see it on the NSS-CDS website). Shows the larger passage and the smaller ones.....

Edit: actually it is Volume 38 number 4.

IMHO, it's not really that difficult of a sidemount dive. It's tight during the bedding plane section, but can easily be negotiated in SM. You won't have to worry about silting it up much due to the composition of the sand as has been mentioned. I actually dove it a few years ago with a broken femur and could only kick with one leg, and still was able to due just fine. It was ugly, but not difficult! :)

It is a beautiful dive and if you haven't dived it previously, definitely worth checking out!

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Originally Posted by JerseyJersey

There is a great article by James Killion and Richard Dreher in UWS Vol 30 No. 4 you can see pictures of Jug Hole (can see it on the NSS-CDS website). Shows the larger passage and the smaller ones.....

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Maybe I keep passing it on the site.

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Originally Posted by rddvet

Maybe I keep passing it on the site.

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I think that was a typo, it is actually UWS Volume 38 number 4. Here is a direct link to the issue. http://www.nsscds.org/files/uws/v38n4/uws38vol4web.pdf

Thank you Forrest it was a typo...... my apologies.......

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Originally Posted by JerseyJersey

Thank you Forrest it was a typo...... my apologies.......

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Too funny. That is one hell of a way to get somebody to read everything on the site. I kept looking and looking for #30 and couldn't find it. But the whole time I stopped to read things I was passing bye. Sneaky sneaky.

Here are some of my favorite Jug images. I enjoy shooting there.
(Thanks to my lighting assistants....)