Is Telford still blown out or has it finally cleared?
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Is Telford still blown out or has it finally cleared?
Its ok but there's a ill tempered water moccasin (its mating season) that doesn't like to get out of your way close to the river in the warmer water by the approach.
Wow! I guess I'm gonna avoid telford for the time being. Any idea on how much longer "water moccasin mating season" will be going on
I thought the Australians were taking care of that last week?
I just might bring my kayak and take care of that little issue myself if it hasn't been taken care of already
Always have a back up plan, I find advancing to the rear to be a good one. I've had a coupe of those "non- aggressive" reptiles prove they were more of a man than I was.
Oh, my goodness..... I do declare..... Are there no big, strong, brave, handsome men out there, bless their hearts..... willing to protect the poor lil defensless lady cave divers? Will no one go out there and chase that big bad snake away?
Chase? no, Kill? yes, but I will have an escape route just in case
Will it be less ill tempered if we do not try to mate with it?
Ok, I have a plan...
After the social at Dive Outpost, everyone relocates to telford for a moccasin hunt.
We (the two Australians and me.....the JEW from NYC ) were supposed to with me but we went to Manatee instead, that issue will be handled soon enough, my short barrel 410 (AKA snake charmer) showed up today
bout time... want to dive there next week....
Is water moccasin good eating? Can you make them into boots/wallets?
They make beautiful boots. If you ain't skeered, you can always offer them something to bite. I'd say they are agreessive but I wouldnt want to incite another long discussion... LOL
Having two boys, who provided me with the oppportunity to have a 5 foot (non-venomous) snake hang from my thumb for an hour....... I have had my experience, I am thinking of offering one of you guys....Quote:
Originally Posted by Skorpiov
White man with thunder stick fixum' serpent! Yeah!!!
Necessary to kill the snake? We cave divers preach conservation but because there is a little snake we need to swim around we must kill it? C'Mon...
You can't just swim around a water moccasin with poon on his mind
There is a reason you don't find bears mountain Lions and venmous snakes in our neighbor hoods and its not out of ignorance. Mix people with animals that can kill people and every now and again someone dies.
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It is kinda funny.....don't you dare touch that wet rock, but on the way to the wet rock if you wanna shoot a living creature in the face, that's cool.Quote:
Originally Posted by markmoser
A little snake that's very aggressive (by nature), more agile in the water (and on land) than I am in full gear, and a bite than can really mess your day up? Yes, I believe that qualifies you for extermination. Having been chased by a pair of them as a kid, I do not place them in the 'cute n' cuddly' category.
Thats the key. Unless you've grown up around them you feel bad for them. They're one of the few snakes that will chase you and your peta down.
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^This must be my all time favorite CDF quote.Quote:
Originally Posted by floridakid
That chick in the show video must be some hippie from up north, cause if she grew up in Lousiana, then she'd agree those little bastards will chase you. :smile:
When was the last time you got bit?Quote:
Originally Posted by rddvet
I see that as being similar to asking me when the first time I drowned was, I don't need to experience eitherQuote:
Originally Posted by Line Squirrel
On edit, I have never been successfully bitten by a venomous snake, but that was because of the snake proof leggings I was wearing. I have been unsuccessfully bitten a couple of times, both I never saw the snake, so I can't imagine what I did to provoke it, there than walk by.Quote:
Originally Posted by a64pilot
So you've never been bitten by a water moccasin.Quote:
Originally Posted by a64pilot
Never been shot either, don't understand your point.
Yes I have bitten by a Cotton mouth, just not successfully. It was not the snakes fault though as he struck several times. Yes it scared the stew out of me. In the Coolawahee swamp if I have the spelling correct, right behind my house.
My point is, I have yet to find anybody that has been bitten by these super aggressive snakes that "chase" people down.
I don't have an answer for that, I can tell you I've been run up a tree by a Hog in the same swamp too, the Hog didn't bite me either. Maybe Water Moccasins aren't very good at biting people?
Most venomous snake bites are to the hands, obviously the snakes aren't jumping into the air to bite hands, it's from people that want for some reason to catch or harass the snake.
But, being a Parent and Grandparent, venomous snakes and hornets, wasps nests etc. are exterminated around my house.
If I knew how to attach a picture, I'd show you the 4+ ft. rattle snake that chased me to the car at my mailbox, his mistake as the car got him.
So Water Moccasins aren't any more aggressive than a wild hog, a hornets nest or a rattle snake.
THAT I agree with.
There seems to be a myth out there that if they see you, they will chase you down because they are so aggressive, it's absurd.
No, I haven't heard anyone say that if the snake sees you, it chases you. I have been chased by them though, I assume they are being territorial, possibly protecting something. I've been chased away by small birds protecting their nest for example. Who hasn't seen hawks being attacked by smaller birds? I don't know what's going on with that either, but I have seen it, it does exist.
I don't care WHY the snake chases, but I've had them come after me.
I'm not from up North, but my understanding is there is not many more animals more dangerous than a Bull Moose in mating season.
Get in a fence with a Bull, it's not going to eat you, surely it doesn't feel threatened by you, has no females or family to protect, yet it will stomp you to death, sometimes. Why?
I haven't been. I have been in many a pirogue duck hunting and have them attempt to climb the gunnel to get in. Did the snake each try to climb in the boat to attack me like a rabid dog? No. When pushed away with a paddle do they become very aggressive and attempt to come after me more? Yes. Would any venomous snake do the same? Probably. But water moccassins are particuarly nasty compared to other venomous snakes I've been around including rattlesnakes. I've also had a few in my garage in Louisiana and they are very persistent at not getting relocated i.e. using a broom to push them out, they come after you.Quote:
Originally Posted by Line Squirrel
Now as for people being bitten, my grade school friend Davis and I were on his family's property in Covington, La being young boys and looking around the banks of the river. Apparently it was moccassin mating season and we walked into the wrong area. The snake literally followed him about 10 feet before catching up to him and biting him. He was rushed to the ER and hospitalized. I would call that an aggressive biting snake that will chase you.
I think it's all about where you grew up. We have way more nasty snakes and gators (and hogs) in louisiana than here in Fl. I think your perspective was different if you got to play on the dirty river banks and swamps I did as a kid.
But I think we should put this whole conversation behind us and try to be friendly. Wana come out and dive with us. You can be lead diver. We're hitting Telford. :rollguyJust a joke. Had to add a little humor.
LOL - I used to dive Telford alot when you could drive up to the spring. I would be there 5am-6am and get a long dive in before I had to open the dive shop at 8am ;-) Sometimes I ran a little late. There were a couple times I had people waiting at the door as I drove up, opened the shop still in my drysuit LOLQuote:
Originally Posted by rddvet
I don't think any of us are trying to perpetuate a myth. You asked for evidence, and we are submitting to you our experiences. Do I think that every moccasin I may happen to cross paths with will run me down? No. Do I take my previous experiences into account? Yes. Why wouldn't I? Do past experiences not dictate future decisions? It's a matter of avoidance. Why play with fire? Do I find myself in the habit of standing in the path of oncoming snakes, venomous or otherwise, just to see what will happen? No more than I do with automobiles. Call it personal choice.
divers are in the water, the snakes "safe place" is in the water. I see a confilict of interest here. I would not take for granted that snakes like to ignore people. Someone will get bit.
Conservation in my mind means don't screw up the cave, not letting aggressive snakes bite me.
I haven't been bit, because back in the military when I was pursued by water moccasins I killed them. Now that I'm older my general rule is when things try and hurt/kill/poison me I shoot them.
note to self...Quote:
Originally Posted by mdax
Chatted with two guys that dove Telford Today (05/19 Sun)
No snake seen and they WERE looking for it.
FYI
Thanks!
Beano
Did they give you a vis report ? Thanks, D.H.
I've been chased by sharks, I didn't feel any need to kill them either. Many people, and I don't imply you, have an irrational fear of snakes. I remember one time when I was staying at a lake house in the panhandle. The people staying in the house next to us saw a snake, saw it swim out into the lake, got in their boat, chased it down and bashed it to death with one of their oars. They returned to the dock holding what was left of the snake up with the oar like they had just killed a human eating dragon.Quote:
Originally Posted by a64pilot
That was a pretty pathetic display.
I don't see very often a reason to kill another living thing just for the sake of adding another creatures' soul to the universe.
Honestly, 99% of the time I leave them alone, the exception is if they are in my yard, I have grandchildren living with us and don't want that even as a possibility
The vis report was 20' at Telford today, that was from the two gentleman we had lunch with. I am for killing the snake if it is in there, I can not believe that there are 5 pages of debate on this. I would offer surface support to the kill team, I will run if you do not kill it.
for all of you snake defenders-great! go save the snake then before it gets killed and relocate it instead of being some keypad warrior doing nothing
Thats because a few days before I killed two snakes there, one was a WM....a fat bastard, the other one I'm not so sure.
You're welcome Riana
Thats because a few days before I killed two snakes there, one was a WM....a fat bastard, the other one I'm not so sure.
You're welcome Riana
What about the supposed gator there? Is there any truth to that rumor?
There is a monster in Telford.... isnt that enough!!
I'm not scared of cave monsters, but then again I could never bring myself to watch "The Descent"
There was an unofficial dive social at Telford today.
Lots of fun
Lots of silt.
No snake.
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Cleared up. Just don't let 8 other people go in before your team. Hehe.Quote:
Originally Posted by floridakid
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No locals? Or did you leave that out because it's a given?
8 people before you?Quote:
Originally Posted by tflaris
Hmmm... ( lol )
Glad you had fun !!!!! (SMILE)
Now lets see what Beryl does....
(COME ON RAIN !!!)
Beano
Ok seriously now, I did not see a monster at Telford Sunday but that does not mean it wasn't there.
Something grabbed my fin and pulled off in the spring run Lucky it got snagged or it was river bound.
I did not see the monster, but then again, I could hardly see the diver in front of me, in fact much of the time I couldn't see my hand in front of my face either.
FWIW it was a "memorable" dive for me, I actually enjoyed myself as well.
Thanks Redhatjeff, Skasser, & Webmaster
Jeff
Diveconjeff@yahoo.com
It was the monster....I am telling you, he is like that.... and that probably is his pet snake....Quote:
Originally Posted by diveconjeff
Many caves have "Lots of silt". The silt currently at Telford is not "normal" silt. The silt at Telford right now, is very light, and "fluffy". Just the pressure wave off your body moving over it stirs it up. I can usually go a couple inches over "normal" silt without stirring it up. The silt this weekend was stirred up by my pressure wave over a foot above the silt. On the way out, I stuck my hand down the silt, and there was 3-4" of the light fluffy stuff over the "normal" silt below.Quote:
Originally Posted by tflaris
forrest, if you can't dive in a system without having to put your hands in the silt you need to stick to a bigger, less-advanced cave.
:roll:Quote:
Originally Posted by pink arrows
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6p9NTo6BWvsQuote:
Originally Posted by FW
Oh, the monster was at Telford on Sunday. Yes he was! I saw him. Stirring up remarkably little silt, BTW!
FW, I won't disagree with you that Telford has sediment that isn't quite normal "silt," but "silt," geologically speaking, is a particle size. In cave diving, it's just the term for all fine-ish sediment, so it's already a term of art. That Telford has it's own slight twist on it doesn't make it more or less "silty" than any other cave down there. :-)
Cleaning the iced coffee off my iPhone. LMAO!Quote:
Originally Posted by pink arrows
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Hmmmm. I haven't made iced coffee in a long time...
Do you even dive? Or just a keyboard diver.Quote:
Originally Posted by pink arrows
I'm advanced full cavern.. but I hope to one day be a real cave diver. FW if you ever need me to show you the ropes just let me know. I'm always willing to dive with an unexperienced diver.Quote:
Originally Posted by darkdiver211
Tony, glad you liked that : ) You have inspired my evening beveraged... And possibly Russell's, too!
I personally enjoyed the Telford social. I got a first hand oportunity to see just how bad Forrest could wreck a caves visibility, to watch Tony mess up the few areas that Forrest missed, to witness the aftermath of Lee's speedy exit, and a chance to meet another one of the Shirley's in the basin when we finally found our way out.
I wouldn't have missed it for anything.
What is your problem? Seriously.Quote:
Originally Posted by pink arrows
Quote:
Originally Posted by pink arrows
Is that for pink arrows, or me :-DQuote:
Originally Posted by floridakid
Ummm, sense of humor maybe.Quote:
Originally Posted by floridakid
CLEARLY he is talking to you! You newbies... Sticking your hands in silt and swimming way too fast... Seriously?Quote:
Originally Posted by FW
+1, floridakid, +1.
Yes, Mr. Carlisle. Maybe his sense of humor caused him to stick his hand in the fluffy silt of our beloved Telford.Quote:
Originally Posted by Kevin Carlisle
So when are you coming back down to teach me how to dive :-DQuote:
Originally Posted by pink arrows
I'll be down two weeks from tomorrow for a week.... Want me to stop and get you? You can ride shotgun with Lander!Quote:
Originally Posted by FW
(did you catch the irony of me telling you to swim slower? :D)
LMAO!!!!Quote:
Originally Posted by Dsix36
It's always fun to have Don in the team.
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Drat, I will be at the NSS convention that week :(Quote:
Originally Posted by pink arrows
Yep :-DQuote:
...(did you catch the irony of me telling you to swim slower? :D)
Yes, indeed, it was great visiting with everyone at the Telford Social on Sunday. Almost all of the Shirleys were there, and we really enjoyed getting to see everyone! (Well, to be more accurate, we enjoyed seeing them outside the cave. Inside the cave, the scenery was more like I've found when swimming around inside a tyrannosaurus after he had a big bowl of Campbell's Chunky Pterodactyl Soup.)
We enjoyed getting to chat with you, too, D6! That was fun! :smt081 I'm glad mean Shirley didn't scare you too badly.Quote:
Originally Posted by Dsix36
I was SO relieved when the invisible cave monster protecting the run decided to give your fin back! ;) Great seeing you!Quote:
Originally Posted by diveconjeff
The Telford Monsters is veeeeeeerrrrrryyyyy sneaky..... careful
I have done extensive research and I believe the genesis of her problems is the lack of glue on pockets, halcyon pockets specifically. She is in denial they are the greatest and her work around solutions cause her emotional distress.
Telford would be a great dive when you're in town. I'll bring the .45 and a shotgun so buddy teams can take turns defending the cars from locals. If locals are resting we can always turn it into a skeet shoot over the river or hunting the monster, your call.