I was wondering about Bonnet Springs. From what I've read it hasn't been divable in years. Has the spring just dried up? Anyone have a opinion of what the future holds for this spring?
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I was wondering about Bonnet Springs. From what I've read it hasn't been divable in years. Has the spring just dried up? Anyone have a opinion of what the future holds for this spring?
It was a gator issue. Maybe the floods have helped to relocate said gator.
I dived there in March 2007. It's not that's it dried up, it's just that a BIG momma gator has moved in and is there most of the time. The rangers won't let you dive when she's there. We wanted to dive it March 2008, but she was there, so no-go.Quote:
Originally Posted by lowvoltguy1972
We walked back to take a look in March 2008 and were being very quiet like Elmer Fudd hunting rabbits.....:smt081 We spooked a heron (or some water bird), she squawked and took off which spooked the gator; we heard a HUGE splash ker-plunk of the gator hitting the water. We then ran the rest of the way up the trail to see. We didn't see her, but the water rings where she went in were large and the sound of the splash sounded like a freaking boulder went in.
Sounds like potential shoes and luggage! :smt102
dont forget dinner
Iwould have to agree on that one. Theres plenty of water in the area thats not a favorite divesite to chunk her. I walked down there last year and that thing is huge.
It is a nice place. First time there Jay had to go and shake his white stick to make shure she was not there. We had permision but were told to look first and to give a report to make sure she or another one did not move in. Lucky for Jay, there was not gator and we got to dive.
SLIM
She has been there for years, its her nesting area. After she has the babies she sometimes leaves, only to return for the next nesting.
It is not uncommon following a flood for the gator to relocate,that is the good news;the bad news is knowing Bonnet after a flood like this,it takes even longer than Peacock to clear up.
I guess I was confused by this statement on the Tampa diving site ... "Bonnet is still closed. It is just a big mud puddle with a very big alligator in it that goes into the cave when she sees people."
That was written during the drought, when the water was very low.Quote:
Originally Posted by lowvoltguy1972
hi lowvoltguy,
here are two pictures that show a cave diving gator.
The gator is on the left! Guess who is on the right side?
Is that in Rose?Quote:
Originally Posted by truk lagoon
you´re right Forrest and so it should be no problem to guess the diver
Wayne?
Long days in Bonnet....one of my favs to spend lazy week ends-! I've seen 'Mamma' several times, & gave her a lot of room-:?-! Many nooks & crannys in here to explore & my first time ever getting stuck, & having to dig the clay from my 2nd stages while extricating myself....lol. Really happened. Relatively shallow depths {20' to 45'+ more or less} Be warned though this is Janet's {PSSP} pride & joy, so don't be mean to her pets-! She will chase you down-!Quote:
Originally Posted by lowvoltguy1972
Bill Main has lots of line in here too & his jumps are fun to explore. With a nice set of dbles or side mounts & an easy ACR you could spend all day in Bonnet. Mamma usually hangs out near the cavern zone so be aware of that. I have loads of hours in here & it was one of my favorite caves to explore.
You'll need to sign a waiver w\Cathy @ the Dive Outpost & prove your full cave card & or Abe Davis. You may need a guide as well. Not positive on this point. It would be best to have a buddy who is familar with the system though.
Hope this helps-!
^_^
je
Second hit Forrest
I believe this is the most current thread about Bonnet. Has anyone dove it lately? Is the gator around? How is access? Diveable SM, BM and/or CCR?
Not open,there is momma gator with lot of babies. Viz maybe very questionable,need the aquifer to be charged with an out flow of water.Quote:
Originally Posted by atedeschi
that cave is so nice, and such a good thing there is always a gator, because the cave fixes itself and looks brand new again, I'd like to see some pics of the alligator with the babies if somebody has one :).
I think it was about 2002 or 2003 with dave we where the first ones to dive there after the line guys, it was like 4-5 years that nobody had dove there on that time and was very nice, totally like a new cave but with a line in :) one of my favorites as well together with telford. the bad side is that on later dives you can see the impact of divers again, but that is something we have to deal with, specially in tight caves like that.
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."