Lower Orange circuit

[sam]

A buddy and I will be doing this in a few weeks and I have a few questions.

I have been a little way down. I dont want to decribe how to get there on here because from what I have seen, it is a very nasty area and I would not want to publish how to find it.

Please PM me if you have completed this circuit.
Thanks
Sam

[Angie Reim]

From two reliable sources - who were braver than I during a dive because I balked and waited in the cavern - I've heard that there is a large silt monster down there. I'm okay with silt monsters. Just make sure that you are okay with silt monsters before you do it.

Silt Monster: A silt deposit that responds to the mere pressure wave of a diver passing over it. The pressure wave presents itself as ripples across the deposit without the diver actually touching the surface of the deposit (like dropping a rock in a still pond). You will know it when you see it! The slightest fin kick into the monster will result in a zero vis situation. I've heard that it's a black silt too, so be careful. Don't go unless you have perfect bouyancy control. If you do then I've heard it's a nice dive.

Not trying to discourage anyone. It's just the facts.

Me, I couldn't get past the breakdown. Paranoia about getting crushed by a rockslide set in. The VW sized boulders almost seem to defy gravity being held by very small surface areas. I swear 4 inches square at the contact sites and the thought that a wayward fin kick or hand hold can bring it all down is more than I care for. Basically you are swimming in water pockets WITHIN a breakdown pile. Just my paranoid 2 cents worth.

[bletso]

Angie,

Sounds like sound advice to me.

Dale

[RN]

From two reliable sources - who were braver than I during a dive because I balked and waited in the cavern - I've heard that there is a large silt monster down there. I'm okay with silt monsters. Just make sure that you are okay with silt monsters before you do it.

Silt Monster: A silt deposit that responds to the mere pressure wave of a diver passing over it. The pressure wave presents itself as ripples across the deposit without the diver actually touching the surface of the deposit (like dropping a rock in a still pond). You will know it when you see it! The slightest fin kick into the monster will result in a zero vis situation. I've heard that it's a black silt too, so be careful. Don't go unless you have perfect bouyancy control. If you do then I've heard it's a nice dive.

Not trying to discourage anyone. It's just the facts.

Me, I couldn't get past the breakdown. Paranoia about getting crushed by a rockslide set in. The VW sized boulders almost seem to defy gravity being held by very small surface areas. I swear 4 inches square at the contact sites and the thought that a wayward fin kick or hand hold can bring it all down is more than I care for. Basically you are swimming in water pockets WITHIN a breakdown pile. Just my paranoid 2 cents worth.

It is quite silty down there, but I don't think it's a silt monster. Although it is black and powdery and I'm sure it could easily become silted out, I think it would take more than a slight kick in the wrong direction.

As for the breakdown...I never thought of it quite that way... But you are right. But those boulders are jammed in pretty tight. I spent about 45 minutes on the other side of the LOG area poking around in the crevices there. There are several much smaller passages there created by the boulders. Didn't find anything that went anywhere far, but it was fun just looking around. I think it would take a lot to displace any of those boulders. Some of the areas I went into were so tight I had to wiggle my way in on sidemount.

[Major Restriction]

A buddy and I will be doing this in a few weeks and I have a few questions.

I have been a little way down. I dont want to decribe how to get there on here because from what I have seen, it is a very nasty area and I would not want to publish how to find it.

Please PM me if you have completed this circuit.
Thanks
Sam

I just completed this dive this last week for an advanced trimix course. It can be a little intimidating as the other authors indicated. I didn't particularly find the breakdown too bad (I'm 6'5'' / 250 so it takes some wriggling to get through). Once down to the circuit it's a beautiful dive. Yes, tons of silt. You just have to have very very good buoyancy control and use small frog kicks. There are a couple of places that are very tight for backmount. We didn't silt it up too badly (according to my trimix instructor), so it can be done.

All in all, a great deep dive (161' max depth). (Of course, we were on trimix, so we weren't narc'ed).

PS: Anyone have any photos or videos of the circuit? I couldn't find any when searching. Thanks!

[Sludge]

A little clarification here: the large cavern that goes to around 100' is "Lower Orange Grove," and the deep section that starts around 100' is properly called "Lower Lower Orange Grove."

[Angie Reim]

Let me clarify...I just happen to have a wee bit of a phobia of being crushed to death by falling rock. That doesn't mean it would happen in Lower Lower Orange Grove. It just means that it was too much for me to deal with and stay calm enough to safely complete a deep dive. It is a serious dive after all. Breathing patterns and body movements are important considerations at those depths.

As to the silt monster, I've only heard of it in LLOG. I have seen several in other places. But your other reports also confirm it is quite silty.

I go lots of tight, silty places that don't bother me at all. I go places other folks think is grim but for some reason my balls ain't big enough to do the LLOG circuit. Nothing there worth putting myself through it.

I think all divers have at least one place that gives them the creeps.

[cavediver256]

............I think all divers have at least one place that gives them the creeps.

Yep, dry land.....

[MengTze]

..

I think all divers have at least one place that gives them the creeps.

Yes, and so it should. It keeps you aware of mortality and monsters in dark places.

[muzz]

Yep, dry land.....

Good One
ROTFL