Pennsylvania Caves?
I'm moving back to PA for a few years and was hoping there were some local caves that might be shared through pm. I just want something to dive in between the hauls down to Florida. I know of Tytoona/Arch Spring, but last I heard these were locked down a few years back following an incident. Any info would be much appreciated. Just trying to stay wet.
I live in pittsburgh and head to florida 4 times a year to get my cave fix, there are no "caves" to really dive only quarries
May find a few mines w/ shafts but I would not recommend it, ones I dove for local SAR were unstable w/ heavy iron water with nearly zero viz, nothing fun
I mostly dive quarries and take short trips to erie and ship wreck dive with jim at osprey dive charters or head out to Dutch springs near Allentown for my local fix
Good luck
There are a couple..give North East Scuba Supply in Norristown,Pa a call for location and contact person
So osprey dive charters for the lake erie wrecks and north east scuba supply. I really appreciate it. I will have to go to Florida too, but for just a weekend trip that should hold me over.
There absolutely are a few divable caves in central PA other than Tytoona/Arch. I know because I've been in them. They are UNBELIEVABLY difficult to get into and require rappelling skills and a decent size support team / Sherpas. One in particular was about 100' + underground and required 2 rappels and a long crawl. Cold water, low vis and line traps like you couldn't imagine. This particular cave was virgin and we were the first ever to dive it. One 40 minute dive in there took about 12 hours from starting the first rappel till we were back on the surface. Am I glad I did it? Absolutely! Would I do it again? Absolutely not!
Dave Grimm
Now there was only me and this timeless, eternal cave. I felt part of things, a tolerant guest.
by Rob Palmer from "Deep Into Blue Holes"
Very cool, when you say bad vis are we talking 5-10 or worse? Also, does anyone know if diving is currently allowed in either Arch or Tytoona? I keep hearing stories of awesome soda straw formations and wouldn't mind having a look for myself.
Vis went from 10' average down to zero. The entire system was covered in a very fine orangish silt that got stirred up with even the best technique and was very slow to settle out, especially so in the low/tight areas. The system is full of large boulders that made for horrible line traps and navigating them in low to zero vis was not fun. As for Tytoona, the soda straws are extremely fragile and the system should be kept closed to protect them. Just a few typical Ginnie Springs divers would destroy it forever.Originally Posted by ZuluMich
Dave Grimm
Now there was only me and this timeless, eternal cave. I felt part of things, a tolerant guest.
by Rob Palmer from "Deep Into Blue Holes"
Send a PM to "Oister" on this forum.
Will do, thank you!
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