Diepolder III - 09/29/2005

[sdenney]

Johnny Richards, Jim Wyatt and I met up at the Hardees earlier this morning. We headed on down to the Sand Hill Boy Scout Camp where we planned our dive into Diepolder III. This marks my first dive in Diepolder III.

We walked down to the edge of the pond where Johnny gave us the run down on what to expect, good placements for deco botles, etc. We geared up and headed down to the waters edge where we did our last minute checks before heading in.

The pond itself was quite green, with only about a foot of visibility. Descending down into the green void, it started to clear as the fissure came into view. At the 30 ft. mark, we hung our first set of deco bottles on the lines strung upon the sunken trees. We proceeded down again and dropped our second set of deco bottles at the 80 ft. mark.

Johnny brought a strobe/beacon light that he attached to the line where it splits into left-right. The vis in the cave was 100 - 120 ft (Johnny and Jim said this is bad vis). The flash from the strobe could be seen from at least 500 ft if not more. It was amazing how immense this cave was as I peered for the ceiling just barely making out the contours of the floor.

We swam hovering near the left wall until it began to drop in depth toward the back of the cave. I kept to a shallow depth, as the line descended below what I had planned for, but was still visibile as we rounded the back of the circuit. I began to ascend as the line proceeded up the right side of the cave heading towards the entrance.

We got back to the split and made a short deep stop and then followed our deco requirements to the surface. All in all an excellent dive on a great day.

[Ken Roop]

I dove that also for the first time this summer. A blind crayfish met me at
the lower part of the shaft where the ceiling of the main area is. I stayed shallow also because my case is only rated to 220. The video came out well.

I really liked the cave also, it is so majestic.

Best wishes and safe caving.

[Rich]

Sean, I thought you'd like that dive

I just spoke to Jim and he steered me to this.....glad you had a great dive there and yes, that is bad vis

Safe diving,

Rich

[REastman]

Yeah...It is quite amazing the first time when you realize the size of the room you drop into and the immensity of everything in there.

[MikeH]

Yeah...It is quite amazing the first time when you realize the size of the room you drop into and the immensity of everything in there.

You really can't appreciate the size of that place unless you have 200'+ vis and a minimum of two teams, on opposite sides.....then you start to get an idea of the size...

Mike

[Gary]

Well, it is all one big room and it takes 20 minutest to swim around the long end of (at a good pace) it and a few more to hit the corner in the back. That's a pretty big room!

[sdenney]

I can't wait to go back for another dive.