Lips & Keyhole Bypass

[Gary]

And the far end of the roller coaster in Devil's used to be a careful swim thru. Now it's a "trench" scooterers barely need to slow down to pass thru.

I think the bypass is still a case that many divers can't swim down the main passage in devils without banging off the ceiling and floor. I know that the bypass can be done by a skilled diver in backmount or by one in sidemount. I wouldn't recommend anyone that they should be in those passages until I have actually seen them diving regardless of their gear configuration.

If you can't do it without banging or scraping the rocks or if you scrape the bottom or fin badly and cause silting then you don't belong there. If you don't know if you can do it without @#$%ing it up stick to larger passages until you are skilled enough.

Edit by FW. Remember rule #3

[harleydiver]

Not to thread jack but which way at what tee to get through the wormhole?
We tried it but punted after a couple of wrong turns.

Start at the entrance just past the hill 400 jump, use the top entrance.
A little ways in take the "jump" (all 12 inches if it) to the left, then left at the next T.

The othe way is pass the jump, left at the first T, Then right at the last T, but there is another small tunnel that is "sometimes" tied in about 50' before the last T. Is that confusing enough?

Fair warning, when the line ends you cannot see the end of the tunnel. You have to turn a couple of tight corners before you see the room at the foot of Hill 400.

I wouldn't do it if I didn't have a map to look at right before the dive.

[Jay]

Not to thread jack but which way at what tee to get through the wormhole?
We tried it but punted after a couple of wrong turns.

Just like HD said. I would recommend going with someone who has been before, or at the least, go to the bottom of Hill 400 and and find the upstream entrance and swim in till you find the line ( and run a jump reel from Hill 400 to that end end of the line) and go back and swim in from the downstream entrance. As he said, it is a few nasty turns from the end of the line until you pop out at hill 400.

[Jay]

Actually, the wormhole is not bad at all in backmount. There is video of Barney and JoeyP swimming it, somewhere.

Back mount is fine for the by pass. I think it's one of the better dives in front of the cave. Cristian had a video on his website, I think that is the one you were thinking about. www.neptunoworld.com

Muzz, I believe video 2 is the wormhole swim. I could not find a bypass one there.

http://www.neptunoworld.com/caves/videos/

[Starryskies]

P.S. Angie: You and Cindy are definately cut from the same cloth , so to speak. She keeps mentioning Dark Water and I shudder... ( lol )

Oh really?? I've always wanted to do the dark water tunnel.

You know what? ME TOO.
I've been told to come at it from the Crossover side. I heed my mentors well , you know...
Someday we can do it.

Jeano Beano

Jean,

I did the darwater tunnel and yes, it is better done from the crossover side (attempted it from the mainline side and it is just too silty to be fun) and it was a relatively easy thing (I say relatively because nothing in an overhead environment should ever be referred to as " easy", too much stuff can go wrong...)
Anyhow, do your reel fron the crossover and then at the end of darwater, at the mainline hang a left again back to crossover and pick up your reel on the way out to the peanut line, nice dive and you exit the shallow way. Have fun.

Dive safe,

Celia

PS Sorry for the hijack....back to the regular thread...

Thankies!!!

Ok , back to the regular thread !!!

Da Bean

HEY - Count me in!!!

I want to go with you guys, too.

I would even volunteer to take last place as I know I will have NO viz...it is good practice for diving with Cindy in some of her dark water spots...



As for the Bypass areas - I have always really liked the lips and keyhole bypasses. It became a habit to take them regularly.

Sadly, back when I didn't always think things through, I used to dive that area solo BM but without Al. I am happy to say I know better now and did not turn up being a very bad example. There but for the grace of God...

I haven't tried to take Al back there...that should make for an interesting dive.

[Line Squirrel]

3 divers [especially first time] through the dark water tunnel would be a very bad idea.
I would be willing to take any three of you on that dive, but one at a time.

[Starryskies]

3 divers [especially first time] through the dark water tunnel would be a very bad idea.
I would be willing to take any three of you on that dive, but one at a time.

Geez...just burst my bubble, Mike! I was feeling very brave whilst in internet diver mode.

I shall defer to your more experienced judgement on the matter but will also definitely hold you to your offer...I will be back up in mid April sometime!

[Angie Reim]

3 divers [especially first time] through the dark water tunnel would be a very bad idea.
I would be willing to take any three of you on that dive, but one at a time.

I'll keep that in mind!

Ya'll make your plans without me. I'm out of the water for about 6 months. See ya'll next season hopefully before the floods.

Angie

[Mike]

Sounds like some Tennesse caves ( except better vis.)

Mike M

[jeandiver]

3 divers [especially first time] through the dark water tunnel would be a very bad idea.
I would be willing to take any three of you on that dive, but one at a time.

Geez...just burst my bubble, Mike! I was feeling very brave whilst in internet diver mode.

I shall defer to your more experienced judgement on the matter but will also definitely hold you to your offer...I will be back up in mid April sometime!

Mike:
OK , you got a deal.
Take Pat first though ...

Jean da Bean