Conditions expected Eagles Nest now through November 1

[Captain Bil]

I only started diving there in 07, so my experiences are relatively recent. I've spent a lot of time upstream and usually it gets clearer as we go and is generally 100 or so at about 1200'. However, that has been degrading lately to 40-50 being the norm. But the Lockwood tunnel has always (for me) been a fall back plan because it seems I could always count on great viz there. I hope the dismal viz at the end the other day is the exception, but I fear that isn't the case.

Sent from behind a pint of Guinness.

[Kelly Jessop]

I only started diving there in 07, so my experiences are relatively recent. I've spent a lot of time upstream and usually it gets clearer as we go and is generally 100 or so at about 1200'. However, that has been degrading lately to 40-50 being the norm. But the Lockwood tunnel has always (for me) been a fall back plan because it seems I could always count on great viz there. I hope the dismal viz at the end the other day is the exception, but I fear that isn't the case.

Sent from behind a pint of Guinness.

Bil, in all my dives there in the mid-90s there were only a couple times I encountered poor viz,and poor was 60-70' area. I don't have the experience there like Larry Green, Julius Tomsits and few others who could assemble a better history,but from my limited perspective the visibility is far less than what I have experienced. With visibility in the 40' area I really find it hard to get excited to do a dive there that involves that much travel and gas expense. But,you are right this is a self fulfilling prophecy,and we are seeing it come to fruition. Ginnie has seen nitrate spikes that has ownership very concerned,so will the day in the future occur when we will be excited by 30 visibility there-I hope not. My biggest disappointment as I alluded to early has been Little River. Used to be air clear water with very high flow,which is anomalous because high flow usually picks up particulate. Now Little River looks a fraction of what it used to be. People want to blame the bank stabilization that was done there,but it was essential to the amount of denuded vegetation; but the real culprit I suspect to the demise of Little River is local development/agriculture, and perhaps the mining operation nearby.

[apitkin]

Kelly,

You are absolutely correct. Conditions in so many caves are inexorably deteriorating. It is happening slowly enough that only those with a long diving history can see the change, but it is happening all the same.

If only we could get cave divers as angry about this as they get about a few (and compared with this, inconsequential) marks in the silt and we might start getting somewhere.

Andy

[Sly-vester]

Kelly,

You are absolutely correct. Conditions in so many caves are inexorably deteriorating. It is happening slowly enough that only those with a long diving history can see the change, but it is happening all the same.

If only we could get cave divers as angry about this as they get about a few (and compared with this, inconsequential) marks in the silt and we might start getting somewhere.

Andy

Great point Andy, Come November please please remember those candidates who have a terrible track record of conserving our springs.

[Kelly Jessop]

Kelly,

If only we could get cave divers as angry about this as they get about a few (and compared with this, inconsequential) marks in the silt and we might start getting somewhere.

Andy

Andy,the pity is most cave divers don't see this as the problem that it is,and you make a good point,the average person stays in cave diving 3 years,so there isn't a history. The only thing that will get the cave diving community proactive is loss of a system. Remember when cenote Ponderosa had E coli so high that it was toxic and the system was shut down. What about a place like Peacock? Huge number of tree farms acreage north of there in the recharge basin was converted to row crop. Is this unrealistic? No,I remember about 7 years a whole community in north Suwannee county developed headaches,and all of a sudden a warning went out for elderly and children to avoid drinking the water.

[Danseur]

Bump.

I might be headed South on Monday, or go hit the St Lawrence one more time before winter if conditions suck.

New job starts on the 3rd.