We're coming to town next week for some diving and were wondering what the current status of the Mill Pond is. I remember reading here months ago about plans to drain it; is it still drained? What sites are accessible?
thanks,
-Rob
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We're coming to town next week for some diving and were wondering what the current status of the Mill Pond is. I remember reading here months ago about plans to drain it; is it still drained? What sites are accessible?
thanks,
-Rob
JB is still accessible, just a little more of a walk to water's edge. Hole and Twin are accessible as well, just not in the traditional manner. If you have a kayak or canoe you can launch without the aid of a boat ramp, no problem. As for the other sites (Gator, Shangri-La, etc.), I'm not sure. Canoes should do it but talk to Cave Adventurers. Edd's boats are out of the water right now and I believe the boat ramp is too. Cave Adventurers has the most up to date info. I heard the other day that the plans are to close the dam back up on March 1st and begin refilling.
The pond is still down. All caves are accessible by small watercraft, meaning ones you can pick up and carry into the water. You will be walking in knee deep muck, though. Plans are to begin raising the dam Thursday. Hopefully the pond will fill enough by next week to get boats back into it but I wouldn't count on it.
Would you recon that it will affect the vis in caves when the water rises`?Quote:
Originally Posted by RN
Teppo
Doubtful. The rain we've gotten recently has more of an effect on it than raising the dam will. There might be a decrease in flow due to the increased hydrostatic pressure, but that's not likely to have much of an effect.Quote:
Originally Posted by Teppo
Marianna received anywhere from 4-6 inches of rain on Saturday (3-3-12). I did a dive back to 1500 feet on Sunday (3-4-12). Viz was 15-30 feet. Might take a few days to clear back out. I would contact Edd at Cave Adventurer's to get an up to date report.
Brian
Rob Neto could also give an up to date status on the system, too...sorry about that Rob.
They have starting to fill Mill Pond back-up.Quote:
Originally Posted by rhlee
Today the pond is back to what I would call normal for this time of year. Even the launch ramp is open for boats even pontoon boats can be launched. Vis is not to bad. depending on where you are in the system of JB. Have to read another thread for that.
SLIM
Really? I stopped by the launch today and the water level was still pretty low. Even with backing my van to the very edge of the concrete my pontoon would still be above the water. I'll be launching my jon boat there but only because I have a tilt trailer. Without the tilt trailer that probably wouldn't happen either.
Slim's so tall he has problems judging heights.
Edd had no problem the other day. Umm I was there and saw it. He still had some work to do to the boat but was testing to see if it was doable. Think bye the end of today and the week he will have them all in.
SLIM
I put my jon boat in today and my trailer was off the concrete and in the muck before my boat was floating. My jon trailer doesn't sit as tall as my pontoon trailer. It would take a pretty low trailer.
I think maybe the vehicle used to launch the boat may have something to do with it, Edd's truck could get pretty deep in the water before anything got wet.
It doesn't change the fact that the water level is barely over the edge of the ramp. If he gets them in, great. I just don't think people should rush down here with expectations that may not come about.
How is the viz? I have a new scooter that needs testing, but not in low viz :(Quote:
Originally Posted by RN
FW come on down, Vis is awsome. Rob was that you I saw in your John Boat yesterday?
More then enough to launch boats. They even dug out some for the ramp but think they should have dug more of a trench on out to the main part of the pond. I was down watching 2 students taking a scooter class get ther butts kicked yesterday.
They had a blast. Today is a no dive day for me. I got a sinus infection or a cold from hanging out late last night in the cool air eating ice cream and should have put on some fleece. Hope it clears up so I can get a few more divesin before I leave Bright and early Sunday morning about 4 am.
SLIM
LOL, you must really love some icecream :DQuote:
Originally Posted by SLIM
OK, I will be down Saturday :-)Quote:
Originally Posted by SLIM
I'll be around Sunday hanging with Martinez, look for me :)Quote:
Originally Posted by FW
Don't be shy, come say hello, if you see me. There are too many members for me to associate them all with their screen names :-)Quote:
Originally Posted by rjack
Actually I'll be down all week, starting on the 11th and leaving on the 16th. I am not sure where we'll be diving given all the rains, although Bozell's has always been on my wish list.
It would be fun to dive with you, although I'm still a baby sidemounter getting my Razor worked out. So I probably won't get very far in anything. I have yet to dive it with hands I can actually feel, so 68f water should be an acceleration of my learning curve. I'm the guy with short hair and the Ariel tat.
Richard
I am only at JB on the 10th. I will be at the NSS-CDS trip to Bat Cave (a "dry" cave) on the 11th. Then I have to go back to work :(Quote:
Originally Posted by rjack
I was on the pond Tuesday so it likely was. Looks like whatever they dug out got filled back in. Any lower and I would have had trouble launching the jon.Quote:
Originally Posted by SLIM
The river level is over 16'. Bozell won't be worth it right now. Visibility will be pretty crappy if there at all.Quote:
Originally Posted by rjack