Eel is nasty. Not worth the work. Just like rattlesnake.
Welcome to the Cave Diver's Forum.
Eel is nasty. Not worth the work. Just like rattlesnake.
The main line has now been replaced with some nice gold line. The line now starts on the right-hand side (as opposed to the left hand side as it was before). The old line has been pulled out as well (up to the tie-off back in the skylight). There is a temporary jump marker in place for the deep tunnel, but I have not replaced the line in there yet. Giving the gold line some time to slacken in the water, on a future dive, the line will be tightened for a final fit.
Safe Diving
--- Sean
Sean,
How is the viz.? Have you done any more exploration of the deeper part?
The vis in the main tunnel was the usual 10-15 ft. The last dive I made in the deep tunnel, I followed the line that was in there. I was running an explorer reel (about 1000' of line) from the entrance, and ran out of line. I hooked in a smaller reel, and ran about 25 ft until the tunnel started to shrink and it didn't look like there was anywhere to turn around easily past that point, so we called the dive.
I do plan to eventually do another dive, first to replace the first section of line in the tunnel (probably to a nice table rock back in the tunnel), and then to explore further. The deep tunnel is quite a bit clearer (20-25 ft. vis) and definitely has more flow than the main tunnel.
I still haven't figured out who put the line in that tunnel, as Wes doesn't remember it (and didn't/forgot to survey Gator Hole).
Have yet to dive this
I started this thread and delighted in all of the responses, but have as yet, not dove this system. Now with a gold line in place and rising water I'm going to do this before Fall. I noted that the earlier post never mentioned a "deeper" part nor any penetration beyond 400' feet to the sink hole. Is the deeper part now marked with jump arrows? If not how far along the gold line should one be looking for the deeper tunnel? What is the maximum depth of the deeper tunnel.
For what its worth, if the deeper tunnel hasn't a name, and you laid the gold line, you might just name it!
'You can say what you want about the South, but I ain't never heard of anyone wanting to retire to the North'
For now, there is a single cave arrow marking the jump (it is a yellow arrow with my initials SOD and a letter B). It's not the easiest tunnel to find, but you'll find the deep tunnel if you follow the right wall. At the start of the line in that tunnel I have placed another arrow (white with my initials SOD and a letter C).
The max depth I have reached is 108 ffw. There is definitely more flow coming from this tunnel than coming from the main tunnel, so the vis is better (20-25 ft). I do recommend running a primary reel or explorer reel of your own as the line in there is old and buried in the silt for much of the way (popping out here and there, but I wouldn't rely on it in an exit strategy).
I have been throwing a few names around, but haven't narrowed it down yet. Once I put new line down there, I'll have it named. I'll also put the line out closer to the main line (as it is now, it's about a 50-75 foot gap and isn't easy to find).
Name that tunnel
You could hold a naming contest here on CDF for your tunnel. I'll offer a couple of suggestions:
1.)Murky Tunnel
2.)River Rat Tunnel
Perhaps some others could suggest more fitting names.
'You can say what you want about the South, but I ain't never heard of anyone wanting to retire to the North'
Sean...Have you been surveying? Are you looking at creating a map?
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