Waterhole III?

[Kelly Jessop]

Thanks for the kind words. I do appreciate and understand permitting. I don't even have a problem with it being a permit site.

My gripe is that the reasons for it being closed keep changing. Bad vis? Kinda like how cathedral had bad vis? Gator? The one no one's ever seen? And lol if you think there aren't other gators in the Slough. I seent 'em! Erosion? How much erosion can there be if no one ever dives it and couldn't erosion be mitigated the way it has been next door at Peacock and OG?

It's just so hoaky and artificial.

I understand what you are saying. The best I can put together the timeline is that there was a momma gator there that was swimming into the cavern. At that time this was not an official closure of the site,but no access due to safety concerns. This would be likened to some sites that get closed to diving due to Manatees, just closed during that event. Somewhere along the way the site got officially closed due to erosional issues or perhaps the concern for erosion developing from routine traffic. When this happened I don't know a date (approximately just before the current management plan date),but was surprised when I found out it was officially closed. If you read the management plan the ability to open this site is there if something can be done to address erosion (read the manuscript of the unit management plan group meeting). This would be similar to Emerald sink. We worked on getting access to the site,but the state had expressed concern that foot traffic would cause erosion down the slope, so access was granted when we built steps. Now here is the other part of the story, and this is a narrative from me. Florida has been experiencing reduced flows and changes to springs. Little River was always air clear even when the river was high, you couldn't swim to the first T at JB, Jug Hole was a struggle to get through the bedding plane and restriction- these things don't exist and will probably never again. What am I getting at-Bonnet has changed too. It used to be a site that was at least 20ft viz 80% of the time, with the other 20% being reversed. Now it stays bad all the time, with the only time it is good is for a couple weeks after a flood, and when I say good that could be 10-20ft viz at times. There is reason that I haven't been able to do a fauna count since October 2015. I have made a few dives hoping that if I got past the 400ft mark, where you get past a tannic tunnel it would clear up,but I swam in <3ft viz with no clear water in site. Not exaggerating because my reports are on file with the state that anybody could read. So where am I going with this. Lets build a walkway and steps to the site for access. That is a lot of $$$ for a site that won't be accessible for very little amount of time. I have given up hope of being able to get regular data there to develop trends since it is available so little.

[DogDiver]

Dog Diver that is exactly what i was talking about. If this is such a big problem with the divers why havent steps been installed at peacock iii. The smoke and mirrors I was referring to is very well stated by the mere mention of Al capone or 911 it just doesnt get anymore childish with these kind of statements. As if this diverts from the topic. The problem with this kind of dialog is that the individuals making these kind of statements think that the rest of us dumb ass hillbilly cave divers buy into this BS. Any of us that have been diving long enough know better than the propaganda that is being spread by these elite few. Also I know first hand that Bonnet is being dove by these special interest groups without these so called reports and so do many more. Lets face it we all see (that visit frequently) the lack of park supervision and if you are well known to that area, or live close they dont question them. We all on this forum unless new to cave diving know who I am talking about. Without violating the rules i will let them remain anonymous. What i do still find amusing is dont harm the plants, dont harm the aquifer, dont harm the sinks, it all should remain natural. However if its there idea it should be done. A tree falls naturally in the sink we need to go in there and clean it out. the cave collapses and we will formulate a plan to reopen it. We need bigger access to the springs put in a road. The plants are deluded so put in a giant walkway and stairs where no plant life can grow. Cut down more trees and plants for changing stations. The heck with all that when all else fails put in huge concrete walks and remove all plant life. All this in the place of a small foot path to the water. Nobody is buying the BS anymore. It doesnt end outside the water either. Somebody gets pissed about the scooters and then they get banned, so lets put in a rope that does so much more damage to the cave. Oh no I can can hear it now. Think about these high flow caves with no worn out walls and no gouges in the floor, No hand prints everywhere you look. But wait, people dont know how to scooter they will damage everything; they are doing it now without the scooter. Scooters should be used not to go further but to prevent further damage. You need a cert to cave dive you need one to scooter will that stop the incompetence most certainly not. If the diving community can hunt down and prosecute cave damage than it should be done with all damage if you are caught. Reading these post about closures because of whatever these elite few want to tell you are the same few that do the damage to these caves its just their idea.

I agree. I moved down to Branford 13 years ago after being cave certified for 4 years and making all those trips from Michigan. 36 years of Great Lakes wreck diving had their special divers. When a new wreck is found, they will dive and collect for years before reporting the location to the state. Same here, except you just have to get a "permit".
Had one myself to dive "The Cracks" a few years ago. Oh well can't worry about something I have no control. Just glad I dove those "special" sites before the tree huggers had them closed.


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[Kelly Jessop]

Just glad I dove those "special" sites before the tree huggers had them closed.

Mean while what the non- tree huggers are doing to screw up ALL the sites
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_xY9bqy_erk

[Jay]

Bonnet went from open to protect the momma gator to only being able to dive there if you had been there before or went with someone who had been there before to now permit diving. read into that what you wish.
I had to make an emergency exit at cisteen years back because of an equipment failure of a dive buddy. I have no clue why anyone in their right mind would want to hike out there to enter there.
WH is an easy and very nice dive from P1. There is even an unmarked early crossover if you don't wish to swim all the way back to the marked jump on the way out. Again, I have no idea why someone would want to hike all their crap over there to enter.
The same goes for Olsen and the other closed entrances. They are a PITA to enter or exit there and with the other access so easy and the swims so easy why would anyone bother unless they want to brag about it.

[Walter Pickel]

My records show last fauna count was October 7, 2015

I have you in 2009

http://www.caveatlas.com/systems/sys...=9&co=US&tab=3

Not many condition reports.

[JE]

What's in the next installment of conspiracy theory theater? Are you going to open Al Capone's vault, tell us that 9/11 was a government inside job, or show us the sound stage where they shot the moon landing?

Behind Capone's vault stood a solid brick wall & zero behind that !! They found nothing !