Free diver lost inside Wekiva Spgs cavern ?

JE · 07-31-2013 05:35 PM

TV 9 just aired a news byte on a lost skin diver inside the cavern of Wekiva Spgs State Park. As of yet he's not been found ! I find this a little strange, as that cavern is shallow at 25' & goes nowhere. There is no line in there & it walls out at about 75' distance.
Interesting news story. They aired a video of a diver with gear at the entrance, i do not know if he is CDS or IUCRR recovery at this time !

je

**next gen** · 07-31-2013 08:02 PM

I've never seen that cavern but is it silty? It's hard to imagine pushing yourself that much to the point of blacking-out. I've never pushed myself anywhere near that far.

**Diverlee** · 07-31-2013 08:13 PM

Maybe a gater had him for lunch.

**next gen** · 07-31-2013 08:39 PM

Maybe a cave carp ate him.

JE · 07-31-2013 09:21 PM

There are actually 2 seperate caves beyond cavern in here. There is one vent directly below the barrier on the front of the swimming area.....it is 17' deep here to the floor & the vent is a heavy outflow, with a serious clay/mud shaft going in. It is nearly impossible to pull yourself in. The shaft is in about 12' of water above the bottom of what is called the crevice. Nothing goes there. The cavern where this swimmer went is to the north of the vent. It is a dead end as mentioned above. It is possible that he swam out underwater past the tourist's view point above & past the vent. I have not learned that they found any body yet inside the cavern. About 200' past this cavern & next to a staircase down to the water lies what appears to be a sand bar. A strong flow blows out from behind this sandbar. This cave is shallow & goes a ways in towards the uprising of the land mass. It has many pure white stalagmites from the ceiling & also shads from the sand floor. The flow was mild, and visability is excellent. At one point i drafted one of our exploratory trips & posted it in the cds Underwater Speleogy. Following that post, both Sheck & Henry {Excely & Nicholson} made the trip down here to Orlando to see the cave in person. The were granted permission to dive it by the park service. Circ somewhere in the middle 80's. I do not know the exact date. This cave is closed to all divers. It is shallow, technical, & dangerous. It is an advanced cave dive, requiring gear removal prior to engress. It is a decorated cave & should never be disturbed. If a skin diver is found in the tourist cavern by the main boil, it will not be a rescue !

**next gen** · 07-31-2013 09:30 PM

Ok, I think he probily got out and someone freaked out and called the police. Though he may have been stupid and got lost. The only problem with that is on a single breath every second counts and stress does not make it any better.