Syphon Creek - Track One and a few questions

Boat was malfunctioning so we found a deep section of the river to get cooled off...a consolation dive.

http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g2...d01/photo5.jpg

We managed to stumble upon Syphon Creek - Track One
Track One is a siphon, but not too bad.
Line is torn and messed up. Tie ins are pretty sharp.
Vis was about 40' or so, pretty fun cave.

Planning on going back this week to replace the torn line with some new line.
Only got 300' in @ 99' depth.

SideMount and small boat are tools best suited for this cave.

There was no point repairing line with our reel, as thin line is NOT the trick for the sharp as heck tie offs and siphoning flow.

There were some divers at the hole when we arrived. They said they went to "check out" the cavern. This is a pretty dangerous situation as the cave is NOT friendly.
Seems like a good place for a sign, however due to flow it'd need to be really heavy and angled.
Does anyone have experience making such a thing?

Where is the cheapest place to get 1-2k feet of gold line?

Do you'all use 2-4k foot reels for installation or some other tool?

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Originally Posted by mdax

Where is the cheapest place to get 1-2k feet of gold line?

Do you'all use 2-4k foot reels for installation or some other tool?

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Really,not all caves need gold line. More often than not a replacement with new #24 is adequate,but placement of the line is ideal. A syphon that can inflow very strongly ,I would put line in the ceiling or side walls,but avoid the middle of the cave. Frequent tie offs prevent huge sections of line from disappearing when branches get pulled into the cave.

In the case of gold line I use electical cord spools,then can be purchased for $6.

Thanks Kelly, It looks like someone had gold line in there previously, however it's torn and floating all around in the passage.
Replacing with new #24 may be adequate...do you ever use #36 for siphon/sharp tie offs? Others have said that #24 should be fine...but dang, those tie offs sure were sharp and when the flow picks up it'll be siphoning much harder.

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Originally Posted by mdax

Thanks Kelly, It looks like someone had gold line in there previously, however it's torn and floating all around in the passage.
Replacing with new #24 may be adequate...do you ever use #36 for siphon/sharp tie offs? Others have said that #24 should be fine...but dang, those tie offs sure were sharp and when the flow picks up it'll be siphoning much harder.

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You are right,#36 may be a better choice if you can't get it up high or along the wall.

We mostly run our own lines when diving the Santa Fe, the only one that has decent line in it now, that some friends and I put in, is Myrtles. As Kelly said there's no need to run gold anywhere on the river, 'cause gold braid divers don't need to be there...

Safe diving,

Rich

IMO if gold line actually makes any difference in your dive at all then you should NOT be cave diving and SHOULD be cavern diving.

I took it as the op was just trying to do something good for all the divers that go there in the future.

Who would think that someone wanting to install strong line into a system that existing line is in disrepair would be told that he shouldn't be a cave diver.

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Originally Posted by ffdiver5597

Who would think that someone wanting to install strong line into a system that existing line is in disrepair would be told that he shouldn't be a cave diver.

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Just my thoughts, bud! Part of the appeal of the river caves is they're not dove that often and are lacking the scuffs, handprints and scars that are so common in the "tourist" caves, it's nice to go somewhere and get away from the masses.... Putting gold line in them would be like putting safety bottles in Ginnie, there's no need for it if you know what you're doing! YMMV... :)

Safe diving,

Rich

Good lord, here's a simple recap.
There is CURRENTLY gold line in the system, it's torn up all to heck and floating throughout the passage.
I will be fixing the line this week as torn up line floating throughout is not all that cool.
It will take several dives to do the clean up, it's a siphon and filled with all sorts of crap.
I try and fix things with as good or better materials than I found in place...thus the question about gold line. Please read the entire thread for comprehension.
If english is not your primary language then I understand as my spanish is not great either...however I don't post to spanish threads telling people they don't belong in systems.

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Originally Posted by mdax

Good lord, here's a simple recap.
There is CURRENTLY gold line in the system, it's torn up all to heck and floating throughout the passage.
I will be fixing the line this week as torn up line floating throughout is not all that cool.
It will take several dives to do the clean up, it's a siphon and filled with all sorts of crap.
I try and fix things with as good or better materials than I found in place...

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Good for you mate! That "gold line" has been floating around for quite a while, as stated earlier we run our own when we go, but if you want to fix it up that'd be friggin' wonderful, hopefully it'll last a bit longer this time around...

Safe diving,

Rich

Zero need for the racism.

I understand your point about wanting to fix the line, but turning this into a race issue is uncalled for.

I don't think it's a translation problem more like an ego problem.

What does race have to do with speaking spanish as a primary language?
It's cool to have input from folks of all sorts of backgrounds, acting out due to not reading/comprehending the thread has nothing to do with race; It's a common sense thing.
I have plenty of friends of several races that speak spanish...including my favorite dive instructor, and translation is sometimes a key reason we look at each other strangely when conversing. We both find it funny when the misunderstanding is cleared up.
Just pointing out that language familiarity could be a reason for the delta as pointing out the ego just adds gas to the fire.

Maybe I was alittle too sensitive about it, but I doubt that lost in translation has anything to do with Phillips post. I think ego had more to do with his response.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Rich

Just my thoughts, bud! Part of the appeal of the river caves is they're not dove that often and are lacking the scuffs, handprints and scars that are so common in the "tourist" caves, it's nice to go somewhere and get away from the masses.... Putting gold line in them would be like putting safety bottles in Ginnie, there's no need for it if you know what you're doing! YMMV... :)

Safe diving,

Rich

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Rich im not saying he should put in gold line to make it a more tourist cave or to lure inexperienced divers into the system. The way he described the system made it sound as if the previously installed line is a safety hazard.

I think it's a good idea to leave things better than the way you found them. That's why I was put off by the "no gold line," sentiment. He wants to make the cave "safer" by putting in better line.

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Originally Posted by ffdiver5597

Rich im not saying he should put in gold line to make it a more tourist cave or to lure inexperienced divers into the system. The way he described the system made it sound as if the previously installed line is a safety hazard.

I think it's a good idea to leave things better than the way you found them. That's why I was put off by the "no gold line," sentiment. He wants to make the cave "safer" by putting in better line.

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I hear what you're saying but cave diving is not a "safe" sport, river caves come with their own challenges and if someone wants to reline them with gold they're welcome to have at it. My point was simply that it doesn't need to be done and it will probably end up broken and flapping in the breeze yet again. The gold braid in the popular caves is maintained by people on a regular basis whereas the river caves are not...

Safe diving,

Rich

It's ok fellas...I'm using knotted #36 so everyone can just be like fonzie and stay cool. Heck you can even come examine my line placements and post threads flaming my technique and knot distance if you'd like. I don't care as I'll just be enjoying the river and trying not to get shot by the locals shooting trap along the banks.

I'll be pulling out the crappy old gold line and all the trash that I can.
I suppose it'd cause all sorts of drama to say that I'll be surveying and making a map of the siphon...I'm sure that'll piss someone off. Feel free to pm your angst, it's like therapy and I don't charge 300 per hour.

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Originally Posted by mdax

It's ok fellas...I'm using knotted #36 so everyone can just be like fonzie and stay cool. Heck you can even come examine my line placements and post threads flaming my technique and knot distance if you'd like. I don't care as I'll just be enjoying the river and trying not to get shot by the locals shooting trap along the banks.

I'll be pulling out the crappy old gold line and all the trash that I can.
I suppose it'd cause all sorts of drama to say that I'll be surveying and making a map of the siphon...I'm sure that'll piss someone off. Feel free to pm your angst, it's like therapy and I don't charge 300 per hour.

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Hey I got no beef with any of this, I presume since you're located in High Springs you're local, lol, but have no idea who you are by the screen name. Got plenty of knotted #36, tanks, canoe etc if you need a hand gimme a shout. There's also maps to be had that might help you in your quest....

Safe diving,

Rich

Rich, I have been diving that system for many years and have fixed a few lines only to find them trashed in a different place. The flow is not the killer of line there, it is the hydrilla that gets sucked in and builds up on the line until it snaps. This includes gold line, white line and quite possible rope would break too. Don't waste your time. I did that already....

Yep, it's clear that line replacement is the only answer...which is cool cause we'll be happy to keep it up!
It's a very cool system.
Swam through the largest group of catfish I've ever seen. Thought I'd find a dead cow in there or something, I didn't know catfish made huge balls hanging out together...they must have been having a convention or something, at least a hundred of the suckers. Thought seriously about grabbing a few for dinner.
http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g2...neSurvey12.png
It'll take a few dives to clean up the survey using a better compass and steel measuring tape, get the line squared away, clean out old line and make a better map. But here's my first shot at it.
The flow is alright, a few areas where it's pushing pretty good but nothing crazy.

I think you'll find the 36# line much easier to deal with over the goldline, it may allow for better tie-offs and last longer than the gold stuff too.

Mdax, I may have some old GPS coordinates from a dive I did there with Steve Gamble. If I can get that old thing powered up, I will look for some local coordinates that show the exact location of several windows in the system.

We'd definitely appreciate the coordinates. It's a really fun dive.
However it is also a popular site for open water divers apparently...not sure what they like about clay targets at 20' depth but I sure hope they continue to stay out of the system as it's pretty unfriendly in there. I'd make some sort of stand for a sign but my physical handyman skills are so bad I can't nail boards together in a square. Much less make something that would last at that entrance. I'm not sure what it would take for something to stay there, probably a base on the order of 400 pounds I'm guessing.

Now that I've got my hands on some good fiberglass tape, a better compass and garmin 76csx the next map will be much more accurate. Ariane's line is a great tool for creating maps.

I need to get the stations squared away, clean out the old line and trash, take better measurements with tape and then get distances for the up/down/right/left...and then I'll get some video of the system...but on one of those dives I swear I'm going to try and noodle out a few catfish for dinner.

This is just too much fun.
http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g2...condSurvey.png

We're working slowly as in some places it siphons a little harder than others.
http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g2...ationChart.png