Cheryl/Emerald Sinks- Site Access

[Widiver_Paul]

Someone on our local discussion board posted this statement from WKPP in response to my pleading to add our names to the petition to protect diving not only in Cherly and Emerald, but in our own backyard:

http://thedecostop.com/forums/showthread.php?t=10840

I suppose I could spend the better part of the evening crafting a lengthy response and outlining in detail all the issues but a brief statement will have to do. For the record, I do not speak on behalf of the State of Florida nor do I influence resource management policy on behalf of the WKPP. The State determines the priorities and my take on the current situation is they are more concerned at the moment with increasing nitrate levels at Wakulla Springs and increased dark water days due to poor stormwater management north of the park. Both are having a measurable economic and environmental impact. Species are disappearing from the park and glass bottom boats are not running. While I can appreciate the opinion of the cave diving Florida tax payer I have not seen many at the recent Tallahassee and Wakulla townhall meetings (addressing threats to the springs) nor did I see a big turnout from the cave diving community at the recent Walk for Wakulla Springs. I also believe that given the current research (meters, dye tracing, modeling) and the budgets allocated to this research the State is going to take a long, hard look at anything that could potentially place this research and the long term outlook of the resource at risk. A double fatality in Emerald Sink similar to the Eagle's Nest event this past summer could effectively shut things down and that is a real concern to the State, FSU, DEP, FGS, NWFWMD, etc. Not too long ago the WKPP had to recover an open water diver from Emerald Sink after his buddy decided it was a good idea to trespass on private property and drop 160ft to the bottom in 10ft visibility. This type of accident could have severe consequences today.

For the record, the WKPP is basically neutral on the recreational proposal given the State's current priorities and the fact that the WKPP is non-recreational in nature. The WKPP has specific protocols for operating in these environments and most significantly exceed current agency training not to mention the WKPP maintains STRICT access controls within the project unlike other recreational or guided sites. The WKPP is also focused on facilitating the current research with the hope that actions taken based on the data will clear these systems up and allow the project to continue more than 15 years of work. At some point down the road I suspect they will develop a recreational access policy and allocate the necessary budgets to hire rangers, build parking areas, steps and monitor activity but unless they can get a handle on the current issues impacting the springs I don't believe there will be anything clear enough to dive.

Regards,
Casey McKinlay
Project Director
Woodville Karst Plain Project

and my reply:

Wow is all I can say to that.

These are the words of someone trying to protect the status quo and the interests of a few.

The studies and the darkwater conditions being cited as reasons to make the site off-limits have no merit. Systems such as Cathedral Springs have similar conditions and are open to qualified, experienced divers (Abe Davis 100 safe cave dive recipients) that are well aware of the conditions. Dark Water conditions are experienced seasonally in many systems. Bad viz is a fact of life in Lake Michigan. Should we make it off-limits to divers?

His implication of the danger of deep diving as a reason to make it off limits to divers other than their private interest also holds no merit considering it's his own agency that has overseen and worked hard to modify enhanced and more stringent standards for deep and technical diving. Is he saying that training by GUE is a sham and that it qualifies you for nothing? Lobbying by Jarrod Jablonski to open this system shows that he has confidence in the ability of qualified and experienced divers to safely dive this system. This invocation of possible accidents is meant to produce fear among the ignorant. There have been over 3 fatalities on the Willy. Should we outlaw diving on it??

The research he talks of on the project are studies that can happily coexist with recreational diving (flow meters, dye tracing and modeling) and DO coexist in many systems in Florida and around the world.

The concern about protecting the budgets of State agencies funding the research is a clear attempt to hide behind the apron strings to benefit this small, exclusive private group. He cites Florida State University but I can tell you after speaking to a professor this week at length on this topic that they are just as concerned about opening these sites and prying access away from those who so greedily keep them for their own selfish pride.

The tone of the statement runs along the lines of "trust us and we'll help change things", but this has not been shown the case over the last ten months.

This site has far reaching implications to diving in our own state including Wazee, Lake Michigan and Lake Superior. See this issue for what it is, don't let it negatively affect diving in our own back yard.



Thought i'd share...

[johnnyrichards]

While I can't speak for the other agencies, as a Board member of the NACD I can assure you these efforts have the full support of the NACD. I appreciate the positive response to my initial request and the initiative of others- including Karl and John- in moving this issue forward.

Access to these sites will require substantial effort on many fronts. The status quo has been allowed to exist for so long that it almost seems "the way things should be". It's time for change and change is often a long, sometimes unpleasant process.

With the exception of a few interested parties, this issue has served to help restore some of the sense of "community" cave divers have been lacking for some time.

Thank you all for your assistance and support.

Johnny Richards

[Dwain]

I have received many personal emails from those who don't even use the forum regarding this issue. If we (the cave community), along with individuals that don't hold membership to any particular cave organization do not set a precedence with Emerald and Cheryl. The state will undoubtedly close of other springs in the future. It will come under the heading of Water Source Preservation.

I currently have no reason to have any personal interest in wanting to dive there since I am not qualified.

At some point the state may even decide to allow a company to come in and siphon the water off. This will allow the state to make money off of land. And may even open up sink holes in surrounding areas. As seen with other area of the state. This has happened, whether it is private or state land, the water table does not differentiate.

If the state closes off access to these public lands, I foresee more bottled water. But I could be wrong, but that’s the business/entrepreneur in me. The state has problems collecting enough taxes from other sources to meet the revenue demands of the future. The State of Florida will need additional sources of income to pay for inflationary cost.

So if you haven’t gotten on board to get Emerald and Cheryl open, do it today. Please, don’t wait too see what will happen.

[resolute]

Just proof that some of the people getting all emotional about it, have no idea......

Emotional or stone cold serious, dosen't matter - just sign it! What DOES matter is the issue of access.

JB

[resolute]

Someone on our local discussion board posted this ...{snip}.....and my reply:

Wow is all I can say to that.

These are the words of someone trying to protect the status quo and the interests of a few.
...............................
This site has far reaching implications to diving in our own state including Wazee, Lake Michigan and Lake Superior. See this issue for what it is, don't let it negatively affect diving in our own back yard.



Thought i'd share...

Very well written - thanks- please consider crafting it also into an appropriate letter to Coleen Castille at the Florida DEP, as well as Governor Jeb Bush's office. They need to hear these facts, not just your message board. Also remember to remind the other message board divers to respond to the petitions and write letters. The next site closed for their use to the benefit of one particular private group could be in THEIR backyard next time! Thanks for your efforts.

JB

[Randy]

I have been lurking quietly but have to clear one false item up that Casey and the like are intent on perpetuating. I live in the Tallahassee area and stop by Cheryl/Emerald quite often to check the vis. While Wakulla may be dark(I've not visited in a long while) Cheryl and Emerald are clear enough to dive several times a year. I've seen 50 foot vis there several times in the last year - it only goes dark after heavy local rain. I guess it's their attempt to reduce interest. I could say more...but why be censored.

[Widiver_Paul]

You're right, if you look into the history of the Wakulla project, you'll see discussion of various parts of the aquifer as having seasonal vis. Katherine Irvine bragged about them being their favorite divespot during the winter over the course of several years. You'll also get some insight into the aggregate defensiveness due to "intrusion" by competing projects such as the USDCT. The watchdogs have been sleeping, but they still have teeth.

WKPP has done some great things, I hope they don't look at this as another competing interest. On the contrary, these are supporters, peers, and the taxpayers that elect and pay for the salaries and funding of the managers of the park, the universities that fund their research, and the customers of their corporate partners. This could be win-win or it could be an ugly chapter in the history of cave diving. I urge Casey and WKPP to assist in whatever way possible to make a cooperative effort a reality and perhaps bring more positive relations with the public to WSSP and their project.

[Enzo]

If you lived in Tallahassee and have been to Wakulla and Emerald and Cheryl often, you'll notice that fact that Emerald/Cheryl can be clear while Wakulla is dark. It all depends on where the tanic water is entering the aquifer.

I haven't been cave diving for 8 years and coming back to read this forum out of curiousity of what's going on these days and it's sad to read that Emerald/Cheryl is off limit to people now. That used to be one of FSU ADP's training sites and I wonder if they still have access or is access limited only to WKPP.

Jim, a former WKPP member

[SeaPlusPlus]

I haven't been cave diving for 8 years and coming back to read this forum out of curiousity of what's going on these days and it's sad to read that Emerald/Cheryl is off limit to people now. That used to be one of FSU ADP's training sites and I wonder if they still have access or is access limited only to WKPP.

I'm afraid it's WKPP only. ADP now uses Cherokee sink and Morrison springs.


Wil