Tightest Sidemount Cave System ?

[jj1987]

Since this old thread got bumped, Royal is no where near the most restrictive sidemount cave....mainly because it's *not* sidemount. It's similar in color to Little River (but not that large) with amazing amounts of silt (so bad that it's nearly zero viz going in at places), the line is slack all over, no flow to clear things out, and there's 2-3 lines in certain places...it's fairly beat up, too, it's not like you're getting pristine cave for your efforts.

I just share this because several people have dove this system in OW, and have seen the somewhat large cave entrance leading them to wonder if these reports are inaccurate. Marchand and I fell into that category and checked it out one day due to the misinformation (sm only), and floods of 3rd 4th 5th, etc hand reports yet nothing first hand. Wouldn't surprise me to get blasted for diving this system, but part of my motivation for getting full cave was to see where things go, and not having to hear second hand reports all the time.

FWIW here's an "after" shot of the basin. It was clear viz at first, you can see the silt trail rolling out of the cave almost 45minutes after our dive. I don't think the risk involved in this dive is worth the reward.-

[JahJahwarrior]

Holy Thread Bump Batman!

I wasn't even diving when this thread was started, but I think Dogwood and the jump at Jug Hole are both pretty tight. Dogwood requires tank removal and moving some rocks around, but the restrictions aren't very long and you are pretty shallow. Seemed like every 20 feet, you hit another no mount restriction. Jug is sidemount, but so short, I was scraping and I'm a thin guy.

Which also brings up the problem of detailing tightness. Sidemount and no mount don't always necessarily give a good indication of tightness. Sidemount only means you have enough width to avoid taking tanks off. The sidemount restriction at the jump in Jug is much tighter than the no mount restrictions at Dogwood, but the Dogwood restrictions aren't wide enough to allow passage with tanks on.

[jj1987]

Holy Thread Bump Batman!

I wasn't even diving when this thread was started, but I think Dogwood and the jump at Jug Hole are both pretty tight. Dogwood requires tank removal and moving some rocks around, but the restrictions aren't very long and you are pretty shallow. Seemed like every 20 feet, you hit another no mount restriction. Jug is sidemount, but so short, I was scraping and I'm a thin guy.

Which also brings up the problem of detailing tightness. Sidemount and no mount don't always necessarily give a good indication of tightness. Sidemount only means you have enough width to avoid taking tanks off. The sidemount restriction at the jump in Jug is much tighter than the no mount restrictions at Dogwood, but the Dogwood restrictions aren't wide enough to allow passage with tanks on.

I don't think either of those 2 even come close. Stop by Branford springs one day and then read Jason's exploration report afterwards, it will make your spine tingle!

Too many big caves out there for me to have ANY interest in crap like that, just reading about it makes me tense up.

[AMW]

We have the odd cave with constricted passages well Ok most of them due in no part to being a geographical small area (UK).

The tightest sumps I have passed was about twenty years ago in a cave system called Slaughter swallet (Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire). My self and Gareth Hardman had already passed steam way sump two into dry passage when we decided to have a go at down steam sump one (about two hours into the cave) the vis is always zero water temperature about 10C sump one was a rift straight down tight against back and front (hand held cylinder)followed by a squeezes up into air in all 10M long this lead to a small canal onto sump two the entrance was tight and the best way in was to push of the back wall and force yourself in(no fins and wet suit diving) then a tube to a small air bell with sump three body sized and 20M long. This surfaced in a chamber but after 25M closed down to a very low rift 200mm high but 5M wide taking all the water.

I am now a lot older (an believe less in my invulnerability ) and would not try this level of tight sump again.



I have no under water pictures of tight bits, this is me exiting tradesman's entrance Port-Yr-Ogof some time mid 1980,s.


Andrew

[Webmaster]

And of course 'tight' is completely relative to a degree.

What is simply a little small to one person may be impassable to someone else. A concept I am very familiar with.

[fixxervi6]

And of course 'tight' is completely relative to a degree.

What is simply a little small to one person may be impassable to someone else. A concept I am very familiar with.

I was going to say.. source tunnel in Jug Hole is as tight as it gets for me, any smaller and I'm not fitting.

[FW]

And of course 'tight' is completely relative to a degree.

What is simply a little small to one person may be impassable to someone else. A concept I am very familiar with.

Or even the same person a few year later. I suspect Jason would have trouble doing Branford Spring today

[akcaver]

My tightest are all either in the Wacissa or in the Woodville area... there are plenty of "springs" that ive been in with a single 85, no fins, no harness or BC that are fun to 'climb' in. The reason nobody thinks there are nice caves on the Wacissa is because you havent been past the entrances!

My tightest restrictions have been dry caving though... The Birth Canal in Glory Hole Cave and the Grim Triangle of Death in Waterfall both come to mind fairly often

[AMW]

As they size does matter, I cave (some times) with some one who is 1.90M tall and weighs 95Kg were as I am 1.75M and 70Kg he some times takes a bit more effort through tight bits than I do. Although as I get older I seem to be getting less flexible

Andrew

[PatrickWidmann]

Mexico has some pretty tight caves!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yBSK9O0Du1A

cheers
P