How are cave conditions in Marianna these days?
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How are cave conditions in Marianna these days?
I haven't been in about a week and a half (gone to Mexico), but when I spoke to Edd Monday he said 80+ visibility in JB, flow is still up. Twin has cleared to normal, which is about 40-60' visibility. Hole in the Wall is 40-60' both upstream and downstream and according to reports opens up upstream to about 100'!
These are accounts from divers renting boats from him or getting fills from him, so take it with a grain, but even if conditions weren't quite that good, they're still good enough to make the trip from Luraville.
AGREED!! There ain't nothin' going on in the Luraville area...and I don't even mind zero vis...at least on the way out :smt047Quote:
Originally Posted by RN
Hopefully we will get more info from y'all after Sat & Sun. Either way, I've got a place to stay, a boat and some good dive buddies. I'm going diving Mon & Tues., I need to get wet...badly :)
The conditions absolutely sucked last night in JB... Everyone should stay home ;) we will let you know when the cave is divable again; trust us.
The vis was 100ft plus.
The current is ripping. There are very few spots that have no current in the cavern to hover for deco. It is back to being a pull & pull cave for the swimmers.
The main tunnels have been cleaned of the majority of silt.
You should have good dives next week.
Keith
Quote:
Originally Posted by mmcauliffe
Well Keith,
If I wasn't jacked up enough about two solid days of diving, I am now <G>.
Thank you, that's exactly what I needed to hear!
Mike, I heard that you are diving with some buddies first of next week. You going to be able to do that, I mean a buddy can kill you and you konw how much you have been doing the SOLO diving. I hope you can trust the buddies you will be diving with. OMG going to have to swim and pul and pull and pull. No we cannever touch the cave itself to pul and pul.
I hope yo are ready for diving outside of the Luravile area. Sure you will be able to dind you way up to JB? Then there is the time change and then when you go back to Luravile, will they let you back in? Um there is no fire pit but I bet if we need to we can find a pit to put a fire in if we have to. I hear dem skeeters get big at dusk and will try to carry you away. Please dont get carried away.
Have you ever dove with them budies before? Are they safe, can they handle the warm clear water you all have down there?
SLIM
JB has 80'+ visibility(4/6 - 4/7), to me, flow was the same or slightly less than 3 weeks ago. Jim Clark and I swam to 1650'(Monday) on less than 1/3rds including the gas it took to add a section of goldline around a weakened area as a precaution against a break(temporary fix that will be remedied shortly, I think Jim is going back soon to fix it better soon).
Twin had 60' of vis on 4/5.
Hole had 30-40' of visibility within the first few hundred feet upstream, but cleared to 80'-100' visibility past. Except for the occasional smokey, cold, water intrusions on the bottom of a few of the rooms. This was also on 4/5. Friggin awesome!
Ebro Blue had an easy 60-80' of visibility on 4/8 :)
And you sold your scooter.....:-(Quote:
Originally Posted by mmcauliffe
Bummer!!!
Scott and I will be there Sat and Sunday and then again the next weekend (hopefully) with the twins...
Enjoy the pull and glide....(hehehhehehe) we'll be doing some too I suspect...
Dive safe,
Celia
Aww if I can get more then 10 foot of vis, and can still swim some (I di have short legs and a very short fin stroke) then pull some with out tearing my fingers to the bone it will be a great dive. Oh has the water warmed up some? I hope it is better then 58* and I can deco in warm water with some clear water. If i have to I can dive twin or hole and remiend me of home some what.
SLIM
Geesh - this is a tough crowd.
Yea, it's times like this I wish I still had my SS.
I'm just looking forward to getting back to the Marianna caves, been at least two years, maybe more. Everything has been so good out this way, at least up until this past March.
Slim - I don't think I could take that cold water anymore, even 58 sounds cold to this X-Great Lakes wreck diver. I remember the first time I came down and dove Rubidoux with you guys...in those warm 58* caves. Not any more!!
I was diving a river cave before the flood, we entered from a boat ramp and swam the river a bit to get to the cave, the river was like ice. Come to find out the water was still in the low 60's*. But in my defense, my drysuit suit was leaking :smt102
If I remember right JB runs around 68*? brrrr :-D
Yeah, everything is 68-69, river intrusion(if you find some) seems to be running around 66.
Not too shabby :)
Great some warm water even with the river intrusion, have to find some so I feel more at home.
SLIM
It only feels cold on deco. As long as you're moving it's all good. It's nice when you dive 68 on a regular basis and head over to the central part of Florida and dive the "warm" caves... :DQuote:
Originally Posted by mmcauliffe
I remember last time I was in JB. On deco in a wet suit it was chilly :)Quote:
Originally Posted by RN
It's amazing how much of a difference 4 degrees can make, 68 to 72 is huge!
Headed over Tuesday thru Thursday. Should be at Edd's about noon on Tuesday. Maybe I will see some of you guys then.
I'm planing on being in the area Thursday - Sunday.
Has anyone dove Bozelle lately? I'm guessing it is probably still flooded?
-Dan
I'm diving Mon. & Tue., go home after a dive or two Tues. depending on the timing. That is the plan, but I'm bringing extra provisions just in case I extend my stay. :)Quote:
Originally Posted by Spd 135
Sounds like we have one of Edd's boats Tue., so say hello if you see us. Right now there are three on our boat. Pretty sure the plan is to dive JB in the morning. Slim will have his new GEM he wants to play with.
We may be back at Edd's around noon for fills.
Yesterday JB had about 80' + visibility back to the Trash Room. Flow is still up in the smaller passages. It cranks up at the bottom of the chute, then again between the 2nd breakdown and the 1st T, and again after the Rabbit Hole. The rest of it didn't seem too bad. But I wasn't swimming it either...
See now you're just pure spoilt. 68 deg. thpptt!Quote:
Originally Posted by mmcauliffe
I had rearranged a few things on my harness and had some new gear to try out so I dove the quarry here Saturday to shake it out and just get wet. It was a nice balmy 46 deg. F at 48'. Should have worn some gloves.
Marbry
Hole in the Wall was 65 on Friday...Quote:
Originally Posted by mmcauliffe
Should see you there.* I just finished loading my stuff.* Outta here at 0700 tomorrow.*Quote:
Originally Posted by mmcauliffe
It's so funny listening to you guys gripe about 66 degrees. I did an hour in 42 degree water on Saturday, and ENJOYED it. Jackson Blue seems tropical to me!
Although I come home from my local dives with fingerprints . . .
4/14 - The air temps were at record or near record lows, that combined with some cloud cover and 10-15 knot winds gusting to 25 made the topside conditions very cold. I had plans to dive a lot, that didn't happen. After one dive on Monday I had enough for the day.
Hole in the Wall, on the other hand, was outstanding...but cold! 67˚ Forrest said I was shaking on deco, I need to break out the thicker undergarments. The upstream vis was a little hazy but still had to be 80-100ft. Downstream was 30-40.
A little hazy? It is the best vis I have ever seen in upstream Hole, all in all, a great dive :-)Quote:
Originally Posted by mmcauliffe
Maybe I should have used a little defog ;)Quote:
Originally Posted by FW
Glad you had a great dive. I was hoping to run into you last night.
We had a good dive at JB last night. I was commenting to my buddy on how it was the perfect temperature when we got there (62F) just cold enough that I could put on my insulation and drysuit without sweating ;) but not so cold that my hands were numb.
Did you enjoy the kick-ass current?
It sounds like it is time to go back to Hole in the Wall; the water temps were high 50s in January and the best vis was 25ft.
Keith
Quote:
Originally Posted by mmcauliffe
Funny how the only 2 cold days this week were the ones you were here.....Quote:
Originally Posted by mmcauliffe
Glad you enjoyed Hole in the Wall.
Was today any better? I was thinking I might stay an extra day but was watching the local weather forcast Tuesday morning for Marianna looked like today [Wednesday] was going to be more of the same?Quote:
Originally Posted by RN
Please don't tell me it was 70, calm and sunny :smt086
I like Edd's pontoon boats but I scouted out a boat ramp. I would like to bring my boat next time.
Edd gave me [us] some tips on some sm caves I really want to get into.
I hate to break it to you but today was 70 with a light breeze and clear skies on the Mill Pond. I was the only one in the park from 9am until about 2pm when I left. Met up with a couple guys who brought a boat over from Edd's and had some good dives.Quote:
Originally Posted by mmcauliffe
You're killing me here, I should have stayed one more day.Quote:
Originally Posted by rotor60driver
Hind sight is 20/20.
Yes, it was a beautiful day. Although, I like it to be just a little bit warmer.Quote:
Originally Posted by mmcauliffe
There are a couple of boat ramps on the Pond. One of them is concrete, the other dirt. So depending on your boat and trailer, the dirt one may not work real well.
There are some great sm cave in the Pond, and not too far from the boat ramps.
I checked out the concrete ramp, looks like a good one. Do you know if they have had any problems leaving vehicles in the parking area all day?Quote:
Originally Posted by RN
I'm glad to see you're on the job, Mike, doing reconnaissance for our October expedition!
Mike
Mike,Quote:
Originally Posted by MORGAN
It would be worth a trip to Marianna while your here. A day trip is certainly doable but makes for a very long day. 2-1/2 to 3 hour drive one way. No furthur than Eagles Nest from here but because of the nature of the dives there [EN], we only do one and leave for home.
Getting the trailer from Edd and diving two days would be better. The trailer (2 bedrooms 2 bathrooms) Slim is in is right next to Edd's house/shop/docks. He's got three pontoon boats he rents out, plenty of room for the three of us. We have had four divers on one of his boats and still had more than enough room.
I'm game for either option...you have 6 months to think about it :yawinkle:
I've left my vehicles at both launches on several occassions without any problems.Quote:
Originally Posted by mmcauliffe
I only need 6 seconds to think about it - let's go! Overnight, pontoon boats, can't wait! Especially since we got blown out in February. I love the cottage at Cathy's, but I don't really feel like I've done the north Florida thing right without spending at least one night in a trailer!Quote:
Originally Posted by mmcauliffe
Mike
That's the spirit!
That's good to know.Quote:
Originally Posted by SuPrBuGmAn
I bet Edd would even let me park my van/trailer in his field if I were gassing up at his place between dives.
Uhhh, we prefer the terms "mobile or modular home" here in N FL .......it's not like it still has it's wheelsQuote:
Originally Posted by MORGAN
:)
My heart bleeds for you.Quote:
Originally Posted by mmcauliffe
Yup, we've got plenty of 'em up here in "Appalachia North", along with the tarpaper shacks and leaning old farmhouses with peeling paint (like my house). Some people call 'em "single-wide mobile dwelling units", but I still call 'em trailers! I lived in one for a while - it didn't seem to do me any permanent harm.Quote:
Originally Posted by dogwatch
Vermont's like Florida: there's Disney and tourist Florida, and then there's rural Real Florida - like Luraville! We've got the touristy ski area towns, but most of the state is Real Vermont, where rural poverty and independent attitudes are still the norm.
Mike
That's a lot of driving for me considering I have at least a dozen with a 1/2 hour drive :smt102Quote:
Originally Posted by Slüdge
Quote:
Originally Posted by dogwatch
What does a divorce in north Florida have in common with a tornado?
Somebody is going to loose a trailer.
RAL
Jackson Blue is also a 2 1/2 hour drive for me. But in my case it's the closest cave to me.
No problems. This part of Florida isn't quite like north central yet. I've also left my van at both places most of the day. Both ramps are in decent neighborhoods.Quote:
Originally Posted by mmcauliffe
I know he would.Quote:
I bet Edd would even let me park my van/trailer in his field if I were gassing up at his place between dives.
Uhhhh, I live 10 minutes from the Mill Pond.....Quote:
That's a lot of driving for me considering I have at least a dozen with a 1/2 hour drive
(sorry, couldn't resist.....)
At least not underneath them.....Quote:
Originally Posted by dogwatch
Trust me, this is one contest you don't want to get into. Mike lives a ten-minute drive from a BUNCH of places. :smt013Quote:
Originally Posted by RN
Hmmmm...well, there's a lot more in the Marianna area than the caves of Mill Pond, especially for a boat owning sidemounter. :D
Quote:
Originally Posted by RN
SSHHHH........Nothing to see here folks.... keep moving......move along now.:yawinkle:
RAL
Quote:
Originally Posted by Slüdge
Sludge,
I got you by an hour to JB. It's not my closest cave but the closest that I've dived. I am getting ready to try this local site again. It's only 20 mins. from my house. A small mostly does nothing State Park in LA ( Lower Alabama ). I hope to dive it soon and have a report. There have been other passing by teams in it. It's a damn shame those of us who live here and pay taxes and go through the proper channels get deep 6st, but out of stater's can pop by and have the red carpert rolled out for them? It just plumb evaded me!
Bless,
Kenny P.
If it is the one I am thinking about, it is mostly sidemount.Quote:
Originally Posted by Kenny P.
If it's Blue Spring State Park in Barbour County, I've been in it.
And one I can walk to in well under 5 min's. :yawinkle:Quote:
Originally Posted by Slüdge
:smt075Quote:
Originally Posted by mmcauliffe
THe real question for the rest of us, is who's got more spare bedrooms to put us up. 5-10 minutes to cave doesn't really make that much of a difference to me :yawinkle:Quote:
Originally Posted by Slüdge
RN started it!! ROFLMAOQuote:
Originally Posted by sskasser
Yeah, yeah, excuses, excuses!Quote:
Originally Posted by mmcauliffe
We're heading back up to Marianna tonight...FIVE HOURS of driving...you going back? Probably be a lot warmer this time around...I know how sensitive you are to the cold :yawinkle:
You're right, I absolutely hate being cold!!Quote:
Originally Posted by sskasser
I wish I could.
So, join us with your drysuit...Quote:
Originally Posted by mmcauliffe
Scott and I will be there mid morning, possibly Sunday AM as well, if Emerald is not good....
Dive safe,
Celia
JB is still looking good. I did Hole in the Wall with a couple guys today and it is still good but not as good as it was just a few days ago. Vis on the Upstream side averaged about 40ft up to p1200 with it getting as low as 20ft up to p500. There are new line arrows every 100ft thanks to Edd and Jim Clark. The downstream side averaged about 30ft to p1450 of vis with 40ft in some places. The new gold line looks real good. No noticeable flow at any point and a thermocline below 70ft of depth drops the water temp to around 64-65F
That's the one! I haven't been by in a good long while. It's been on my list of things to do.Quote:
Originally Posted by Slüdge
Thanks,
Kenny P.
Yes, it is. I had the park and the cave all to myself this morning. Scootered back to 3000'. Visibility was great. It was nice having the cave to myself. Lately, there have been a lot of divers there. And it was a beautiful day, not too hot, not too cold, just a slight breeze.Quote:
Originally Posted by rotor60driver
Alright, you win! :DQuote:
Originally Posted by mmcauliffe
Old Mexico is serving alcohol again! :D
Mat,Quote:
Originally Posted by SuPrBuGmAn
I'm a customer again, in that case! Thanks for the update.
Bless,
Kenny P.
Everytime I drive by them I look at the marquis to see if they're going to announce it. Thanks for the update!Quote:
Originally Posted by SuPrBuGmAn
Tengo mucha sed ¡Esta ronda me toca a mÃ#!Quote:
Originally Posted by SuPrBuGmAn
Pero la unica problema es que Mexico Viejo no serve margaritas. Solomiento tienen cerveza y vino. Que es un restaurante mexicano sin margaritas?Quote:
Originally Posted by mmcauliffe
Hasty banana, beans and disease to the both of you.
We made the drive over from Texas last week 13 hours :(
Based on recomendations from several folks we got a boat from Edd on Thursday and did two really nice dives in Hole.
It was easily the best viz I've seen in hole in several years. We swam out to the T at about 1200 and took the lower passage (Century Tunnel I think?) wound up going a good 3000+ total distance. Really nice dive!!
Saturday we did a couple dives in JB. Viz was down from January, but decent to good for the most part. A couple of spots were really cloudy, especially back past the trash room.
It was a good trip, and thanks to my dive buddy (Richard) being willing to drive all night once we left Edd's Saturday night I was able to make it home Sunday morning in time to get a nap and then take my wife out for our Aniversary. Saving me an untold amount of brownie points, and allowing me to not sleep on the sofa for a week :D
-Dan
I was wondering if you were going to get lucky with being able to get a nap and take her for that anivershsery. Good thing, it could have ended you diving time some. Great meeting you all down there at Edd's. Just think, you almost had to take another scooter back.
SLIM
Mike
I can always rent your old SS DPV for the week or weekend. Pickup in Jax. Let me know.
HeHe....
If it weren't for the two hour drive, in the wrong direction [+ another 2 hours to get back to where I started] I would take you up on that :)Quote:
Originally Posted by tflaris