Waterhole sink at Peacock

[SuPrBuGmAn]

As inexperienced as those who judge might be? :P

[cavediver01]

I personally don't reply much here. I just read what everyone has to say. I personally love entering at waterhole and have done it many times. I enjoy entering there and it gives many possibilities as to where to go once I have reach the peanut tunnel. I have read the post and respect the views of the parties discussing this. However to say lets put a stop to people entering this site for lack of experience,or to much traffic, or erosion is a little bit arrogant. We all need more experience and we all get this experience by diving different places. If we do not allow entrance to this site should we also not allow entrance to peacock 111 for all the same reasons listed above. the same could be said for Cow also and so many other caves. I love to cave dive and I want more people to enjoy this same sport. We will all make mistakes and damage some cave whether it is a tank bump on the ceiling or a fin kick or what ever it may be. This should not be someones personal cave to say who is qualified to dive here. We Have that now at other places and I think that stinks.

[jj1987]

In the thread it's obvious it has not been clear that it was "open" for entry and exit by a large body of cave divers out there. And it's not just this thread. If you read other threads over time you get the clear impression the only "open" entrances to the Peacock system are OG, P1 and P3. That was by default the generally "known" policy, at least in regard to the larger body of non-local cave divers.

As you point out, that has now changed as there is now an *official* policy that it is open. It does not have to be posted to result in greater use, it just has to be spread by word of mouth - or via internet.

It's also obvious in the thread that the vast majority of people who dove the waterhole tunnel and who did a traverse to Waterhole III, entered and exited from P1, not Waterhole III. I think there would probably be general agreement that the bank around the head pool won't tolerate a whole lot of entry and exits before erosion starts to occur.

So consider it this way - with an *offical* "Waterhole III is open" policy you now:

1. open the entire passage to less trained, potentially less skilled Intro level divers,
2. who now know they can enter at Waterhole III and presumeably will do so since it is one of the nicer dives at Peacock, and
3. higher traffic both in and out of the head pool as well as in the tunnel itself will create more damage.

The latter is no big deal to the park people who won't see it, but the former will potentially result in Waterhole III being *officially* closed once the damage occurs.

The end result of the "Officially Open" change is that unlimited access that will result, will over time potentially eliminate any access, including the prior limited access by the well informed (again no big deal as few did it anyway) but sadly will do so only after erosion damage to the edges of the head pool itself has occurred.

IMHO, it's just poor management of the resource.

I think we should close the passage to anyone who can't prove they've cave dove in FL at least 10 weekends in the past year. Thoughts?

[cavediver256]

I personally don't reply much here........

That statement alone disqualifies you from entering at Waterhole sir !!!!!! Apparently post count factors into being able to utilize Waterhole as an entry/exit point....and not just any post, it has to be post trying convince the world you are God's gift to cave diving !!!!!

[cavediver01]

I am sorry I should pay you to enter the park

[cavediver01]

4TH post

[Kelly Jessop]

to much traffic, or erosion is a little bit arrogant..

These aren't really an issue or arrogance,but reality. If the park sees erosion becoming an issue because of a lot of land traffic,it will be closed,this is exactly what happened at Olsen,and that is why Emerald couldn't be open until steps were constructed. As far as too much traffic is concerned,the state does monitor trails etc with photo points which allows them to track attrition over time. Yes,this has been done for cave passages,and the way the state reduces wear and tear is by establishing carrying capacities (reducing the number of visitors at a given time). I would really suck to show up at Peacock and be told that the number of visitors has been exceeded,and come back tomorrow. That is why it is imperative that we exercise highest level of cave preservation.

[FW]

Waterhole is already safe from too much traffic. Most divers are too lazy to walk that far

[Kelly Jessop]

Waterhole is already safe from too much traffic. Most divers are to lazy to walk that far

Yeah,but because of this thread,and extreme curiosity,I could put a coin operated turnstile at Waterhole,and make a fortune this weekend

[Line Squirrel]

Waterhole is already safe from too much traffic. Most divers are too lazy to walk that far

Just don't put a boardwalk with stairs in and we're golden.