Open Wakulla-Letters needed

[Kelly Jessop]

Letter sent this AM and I'll be at the meeting next Thursday. Any other folks from Alabama going?

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk

Thanks for coming-please people you know who can't be there to send a letter.

[Kelly Jessop]

http://safecavediving.com/2012_01_Wakulla_Meeting.shtml

[Carl]

Three letters sent.

[kensuf]

Hi there,

I hope you guys don't mind, but I'm curious why you guys feel so strongly that Wakulla needs to be opened up to the general public?

Honestly..

1. Exploration -- there's not much exploration to be had within several miles of the entrance at this point. Given the depths and logistics involved in any exploration that would be conducted there, it's not a trivial matter to lay line in the hole. Two groups have conducted exploration dives there over the past fifteen years, and in the late 1990s one of them (Wakulla Two) concluded there wasn't much exploration to be done in the near entrance.

2. Scientific research -- There are already groups conducting this research. Scientific data is being collected with water sampling tubes, etc. I personally can see value in anthropological / underwater archaeological research being conducted, but I'm not sure anyone has actually submitted a valid research proposal for that sort of work yet.

3. Tourism -- OK, I can understand this motivation. However, A tunnel is quite often filled with crappy visibility (20-30') so there's not much to see. B&C tunnel's are probably the best spots for sight seeing. Additionally, all of these tunnels are deep (the "restriction" is at 190', B tunnel is 300', A&C are 280'), and the logistics of any diving in Wakulla includes hours of deco / etc, and could negatively impact glass bottom boat tours, etc.

But the bone room area just past the restriction is filled with artifacts (duh, bones) and opening it up for tourist divers opens up the risks that these will be disturbed/vandalized. Let's be honest here, given that there is currently a thread in this forum for "pictures of cave vandalism" -- the threat exists that this scientific treasure trove could be disturbed / lost forever. How many of you have actually seen a real "corn flake" in Ginnie? Or found a bone in the "bone tunnel" in Ginnie? Full disclosure, the last corn flake I saw was around 1996 or 1998, the last bone I found in Ginnie was in 1994.

I also understand from reading the Wakulla News, http://www.thewakullanews.com/conten...akulla-springs , that not many people are diving Emerald Sink because of the requirements. However, the reality is that the requirements to dive Wakulla Springs *SHOULD* be more restrictive than Emerald. And, from my own personal experience, Emerald is a better dive because you can go downstream for some awesome power cave, or you could go upstream and hit the Black Abyss / upstream Cheryl in no time flat. And heck, Indian Springs is undoubtedly the best dive in the area, and that's open too.

So honestly, what are your motivations for wanting to see Wakulla opened up?

[Kelly Jessop]

3. Tourism -- OK, I can understand this motivation. However, A tunnel is quite often filled with crappy visibility (20-30') so there's not much to see. B&C tunnel's are probably the best spots for sight seeing. Additionally, all of these tunnels are deep (the "restriction" is at 190', B tunnel is 300', A&C are 280'), and the logistics of any diving in Wakulla includes hours of deco / etc, and could negatively impact glass bottom boat tours, etc.

Any cave diver lives to see something new so tourism is a strong motivation. Viz isn't always bad in every cave,with droughts or wet periods with increased flows visibility changes frequently,sometimes better,sometimes worse. I have a favorite cave that I dive that visibility hardly ever gets above 30',if a cave diver restricts their requirement to dive to be 100' viz,then they have limited themselves to a very small number of sites. Impact the glass bottom boats-yes in a positive manner. How often do we get out of Ginnie or Little River at the locals crowd around to ask questions. Noncave divers at the overlook on the Peacock interpretive trail at Olsen get very excited when a diver swims by. I was at a commercial aquarium and when some divers were in the water the crowd was huge and the camera flashes blinding.I went on a submarine tour in the VI,and they had divers feeding fish so the people would have something to see,there was more interest in the divers that the fish that were being fed. Besides the fact the glass bottom boats don't run very often,when they do,the impact of seeing a diver will give some context to what they are seeing,and will be a positive effect.

But the bone room area just past the restriction is filled with artifacts (duh, bones) and opening it up for tourist divers opens up the risks that these will be disturbed/vandalized. Let's be honest here, given that there is currently a thread in this forum for "pictures of cave vandalism" -- the threat exists that this scientific treasure trove could be disturbed / lost forever. How many of you have actually seen a real "corn flake" in Ginnie? Or found a bone in the "bone tunnel" in Ginnie? Full disclosure, the last corn flake I saw was around 1996 or 1998, the last bone I found in Ginnie was in 1994.

#1 comparing Ginnie and other caves with unrestricted access and no carrying capacity to other caves that limit numbers of guests per day is like comparing apples and oranges.
#2 cave vandalism is very rare,and there is a strong interest in preventing it,in fact cave divers are the people who prosecuted a cave diver for doing this. In reality,the vandalism seen is not from cave divers,ie writing on limestone because it is seen in the light zone,not 1000 feet back-incidentally these are locations that allow OW diving. How do we know that if past groups haven't removed artifacts? Sounds like recreational cave diving is wearing a target,when it has done nothing wrong.

So honestly, what are your motivations for wanting to see Wakulla opened up?

There is so much available cave in Wakulla co/Leon sinks area,the motivation is opening one site lead to another etc etc.

Question for you-why so defensive about opening a site? Why the negative rheotoric. This happened at Emerald,and it was found that permit diving and recreational diving exist well together. These two forms of diving can exist together,in fact it is the DEPs mission statement to provide recreation. I would like to see people who having been accessing this site to provide a positive role model and ways to reduce the concerns by becoming involved. This site has a lot of negative feelings among the cave diving community,with emotionally driven verbal attacks going back to the tech-diver list. I don't want to see these wounds reopened,but would like to see everyone work together for a win-win scenario

[Kelly Jessop]

Three letters sent.

Thank you

[kensuf]

Hey Kelly, thanks for the answer to my questions. I hope you don't mind the rebuttal, embedded within.

Any cave diver lives to see something new so tourism is a strong motivation. Viz isn't always bad in every cave,with droughts or wet periods with increased flows visibility changes frequently,sometimes better,sometimes worse. I have a favorite cave that I dive that visibility hardly ever gets above 30',if a cave diver restricts their requirement to dive to be 100' viz,then they have limited themselves to a very small number of sites.

Yes, but A tunnel is huge, with 20-30' of visibility you don't really "see" much except water and line. I remember doing a bottle drop to the first stage drop back in 1997 in which all I saw was the line up to Stargate.

#1 comparing Ginnie and other caves with unrestricted access and no carrying capacity to other caves that limit numbers of guests per day is like comparing apples and oranges.
#2 cave vandalism is very rare,and there is a strong interest in preventing it,in fact cave divers are the people who prosecuted a cave diver for doing this. In reality,the vandalism seen is not from cave divers,ie writing on limestone because it is seen in the light zone,not 1000 feet back-incidentally these are locations that allow OW diving. How do we know that if past groups haven't removed artifacts? Sounds like recreational cave diving is wearing a target,when it has done nothing wrong.

I posted some photos in the vandlism thread of carvings in the clay banks at Cow. Those photos were taken on a dive upstream, back in 1998. We were at least 500' past the entrance restriction.

Unfortunately, damage happens. And let's be 100% honest here for a minute, there are a lot of ego driven people in cave diving, and the temptation for a couple of them to take home a trophy might be great. Yes, I realize that this is a theoretical risk, but it in my mind it is a legitimate concern.

There is so much available cave in Wakulla co/Leon sinks area,the motivation is opening one site lead to another etc etc

I fully agree there is a ton of available cave in Wakulla County. Emerald/Clearcut are perfect windows into almost all of it. There's plenty to be explored / toured without risking what may be one of the most pristine sites in the state. Indian is also one of the most beautiful sites in Florida; downstream is huge room after huge room, and upstream to the Wakulla / Power Rooms is one of the most beautiful dives on the planet. Those sites are already "open for business."

Question for you-why so defensive about opening a site? Why the negative rheotoric.

I'm not trying to be defensive, and I'm definitely not trying to troll the forum. My questions are honest and heart felt. Having had the opportunity to dive Wakulla a few times back in the day, I think I have a good first hand perspective when I say there's really not much there suitable for tourist diving. The only advantage I see to opening Wakulla is for a few people to line their pockets, and others to stroke their egos, but I see many potential disadvantages.

Would you recommend opening up Warm Mineral Springs, a site with huge archaeological value, to the general public?

This happened at Emerald,and it was found that permit diving and recreational diving exist well together. These two forms of diving can exist together,in fact it is the DEPs mission statement to provide recreation. I would like to see people who having been accessing this site to provide a positive role model and ways to reduce the concerns by becoming involved. This site has a lot of negative feelings among the cave diving community,with emotionally driven verbal attacks going back to the tech-diver list. I don't want to see these wounds reopened,but would like to see everyone work together for a win-win scenario

I hope you're right and that ten years from now people don't look back on this and say "oh we messed up..."

[kensuf]

And I just wanted to add that I'm not trying to open any flame wars / old wounds / etc. I'm just asking honest questions and trying to conduct legitimate debate.

[jj1987]

Kelly,

Since the cave community holds such a strong stance on conservation and can be trusted, would you mind sharing GPS coords for Fennel's Funnel with those of us who are full cave + trimix? That's a site that could be openly accessed by simply posting the coordinates. If not, why?

[Kelly Jessop]

Why don't you share the coordinates,recall something about you being there

Kelly,

Since the cave community holds such a strong stance on conservation and can be trusted, would you mind sharing GPS coords for Fennel's Funnel with those of us who are full cave + trimix? That's a site that could be openly accessed by simply posting the coordinates. If not, why?