Madison - Crossunder circuit thoughts

[Brent]

Yesterday. I posted a conditions report on Madison and I touched on the large amount of silt at the entrance to the downstream section so let me add some more thoughts on this. If anyone is planning on doing the crossunder circuit which is: mainline-mount offshoot-potter/rocky-downstream thru the badlands and into the crossunder-up the well to the exit tunnel ( not sure if it has a name or not ) and out. As I mentioned yesterday, the silt blocking the entrance/exit under the cavern is somewhat blocked, especially for a "breather" team. This area can be "dug out" , for lack of a better term, without too much of a problem. Back in 1992 Mike Bruic and myself took two large trowls/boards down into the cavern and started shoveling. We made a mess that probably extended down to the Gulf of Mexico which brings us to today. The state owns the park now and digging out their cave may not make you any new friends so here's my thoughts on the situation. If anyone is thinking about doing the circuit or just a long downstream dive, I would suggest you contact Kelly Jessop. He, along with the North Florida Springs Alliance work very closely with the park service and I'm quite certain they could be a great help pulling some strings. If nothing else, they'll let you know what can or can not be done.
One last thought: yesterday there was the usual amount of current coming out of the Courtyard and then down into the Badlands and so on. Not the case at the exit under the cavern. In years past there has always been a headwind as you entered the downstream area under the cavern. This might indicate some silt blockage in the "interior" somewhere. One last comment ( I'll put my instructor hat on ) See both ends to the middle before attempting this circuit!

[patpicos]

Loved hearing the prep W. Ripley had to do prior to completing the circuit! some dedication for sure!

[Kelly Jessop]

I remember when Mike Bruic had a dredge powered by a compressor to clean out the cavern and this area,but as we can see it was fruitless. With reversals, and strong out flows, the dynamics of this tunnel changes a lot. I recall doing a dive in there and experiencing what you described,but a flood shortly after that gave that area an enema, turned it into nice,unobstructed passage rapidly. You offer some good advice, anyone doing circuits in this cave it is prudent to check both sides as we are taught,because something that may have been passable before,can change with a flood.

[Rhino]

Yesterday. I posted a conditions report on Madison and I touched on the large amount of silt at the entrance to the downstream section so let me add some more thoughts on this. If anyone is planning on doing the crossunder circuit which is: mainline-mount offshoot-potter/rocky-downstream thru the badlands and into the crossunder-up the well to the exit tunnel ( not sure if it has a name or not ) and out.


One last comment ( I'll put my instructor hat on ) See both ends to the middle before attempting this circuit!

Thanks for the report. Just because I have a few dives in this area, I feel I should add a couple of additional points. Most important, I think, is to be wary of the condition of the line and on the lookout for buried line and breaks in the line in the Badlands, unless someone has been in there doing major line work. On our first dive in the Badlands from the basin side, we found both 2-1/2 years ago. In fact, the buried line was such that whatever it was tied to was also very buried, so that simply picking up the line did not reveal where it went on the other end. There was already a secondary line around the buried spot, that we clearly marked with arrows. The line break we fixed appeared as though it could have been just caused by deterioration.


In addition to changes in the current in the system as a whole, or at various locations, the strength of the *syphon* heading downstream from the Well at the start of the Court Yard into the Badlands will vary, and the current in the Badlands itself will fluctuate as water may come in from different sources or the cave simply pinches down and opens up.


According to the map showing the basin connecting to the Well (Court Yard side) via the Badlands, the Crossunder Tunnel is most of the first 1000' heading upstream from the basin to a "well," that drops from about 70' to about 120' - I think it's called Crossunder, either because it crosses under the road, or because it (almost) crosses under the Withlacoochee. At that point, the Aqueduct heads downstream in a syphon, and the upstream journey through the Badlands heads towards the Court Yard.



For reference, it's been about 14 months since I've been in the Badlands from the basin side, and April was the first time from the Well at the start of the Court Yard. Without an instructor hat of my own, I definitely echo that last sentiment about physically seeing yourself overlapping dives from both ends before attempting to do the circuit- and if you've taken years to get familiar with the area, like my buddy and I are, then be especially aware of changing conditions.

[Brent]

Rhino
All your comments are "spot on" Back when I was trying to complete the circuit, my biggest headache was getting thru the silt mounds and buried line in the Badlands. You never read about anyone doing this circuit, so the problems you describe are, for the most part, always going to be there. There is some survey going on in that area now (marker on the 1st T ) so it's possible the badlands might not be in too bad of shape. Traffic will definitely open this area up! However, when the traffic stops, flow coming out of the Courtyard will contribute to all the problems described here!