Jug Hole-last day Saturday

[Dsix36]

To the gentleman that welded up that fine cart... BRAVO.
With my poor back, I might not have been able to make the dive witout it.

I have been called a lot of things, but "gentleman" is a new one. You are very welcome non the less.

I enjoyed meeting you too! That was a fun dive even though friggin Bobby is such a stroke and messed up the vis for all of us!!

If you think Bobby is bad, don't ever dive with me.

[Xenia]

If you think Bobby is bad, don't ever dive with me.

You can't be worse than Bobby! He is the biggest stroke in the world.

By the way, thank you for the cart! Fantastic work, beats carrying the tanks to Jug... Yes I have done this... once... never again!

[JahJahwarrior]

I think the rain kept everyone away on Saturday... The new cart was wonderful, but one wheel looked to need tightening. Alas, the heavy duty bolt and nut were too big for the crescent wrenches in my toolbox. Even in the rain puddles and mud, it's definitely the strongest, most well built cart I've ever seen!




This catfish was about 350-400 feet back, and he was just sitting there like this. I thought he (or she...don't know how to tell sex of a catfish) must be dead, but when I swam in for a close up, he "turned tail" and swam away. Maybe he thought the diving season was over and he could take a multi-month nap?


Can someone tell me more about this eel (or eel like animal) I spotted next to the dancing catfish? A Wikipedia search says that all eels return to the ocean to procreate, but this and other eels I've seen in caves are pretty far from the ocean... are they not eels, do some eels procreate in fresh water, or do they just swim a long way to the ocean?


Think he enjoyed it?



The sun did come out to play for a little while...lots of people swimming around in the basin when we surfaced at 3.

[SuPrBuGmAn]

American Eel

They do go out to see to procreate and they can be found pretty far inland and really far into the caves. They are incredibly prominant in some of the panhandle caves, if you ever want to see dozens of them, goto Morrison or Vortex. They get pretty big too, I've seen them with heads as big around as my balled up fist. I've had them latch onto my fingers before, they don't have big teeth, just rows of really small sandpaper grit like teeth. Damn thing just spun on my finger.

They're really neat, IMO.

[mdax]

cool pics, what type of camera/housing and lights are you using?

[JerseyJersey]

They are very apt swimmers and can make their way through some low and diverse places. Only the females make their way inland and they make their way as far north and inland as the great lakes. If I remember correctly, when they are overtaken with the need to breed, they make their way back to the spot where they were born. On their journey they cease feeding and make their way back to the Saragasso Sea where all spawning takes place. After laying their eggs, they die. Looked it up for a trip report I wrote one time.

[Cave Ranger]

I've read that they can make their way in and out through the aquifer into springs that lead to the ocean.
Here is a great National Geographic story on the subject of eels. Nice pics. http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/20...ls/prosek-text

[DogHouseDiver]

Cave Ranger wins my favorite avatar accolades. Orsmness.

[Cave Ranger]

Cave Ranger wins my favorite avatar accolades. Orsmness.

Thank you Dog. That's actually a picture of me during my pagen phase. Thank Allah I found Jesus.