Pennsylvania Caves?

[cavediver27]

Did you try "silt stakes"? They are made from PVC pipe, pointed on one end, and notched on the other, to tie line to in deep silt.

They have several names, like "Silt screws", "Distler spikes" etc.

No, silt stakes would have been great but we didn't have any with us. The geology wasn't like what we had ever seen so we weren't prepared for what we encountered. I'd like to go back some day because it has not been dived since but it just takes so much hard work and time to dive it. It takes about 2 hours just to get to the water and more to get back on top. It can't be done without some hard-working sherpas and those are tough to come by as well. Also, my trips to PA are becoming much less frequent these days and there is so much to dive right here in my own backyard.

Of course I'm not telling you anything new, you're the master of these types of dives.

[Oister]

my trips to PA are becoming much less frequent these days and there is so much to dive right here in my own backyard.

You could always share the location with some of us geographically challenged cave divers.

[cavediver27]

You could always share the location with some of us geographically challenged cave divers.

Come on now, half the fun is finding one for yourself. I'll give a hint though, it's somewhere between Pittsburgh and Philadelphia.

[jimmy herbert]

Come on now, half the fun is finding one for yourself. I'll give a hint though, it's somewhere between Pittsburgh and Philadelphia.

center ice?

[cavediver27]

center ice?

You figured it out Jimmy! Hey, when are you coming down again? It's time to get back in the caves!

[Oister]

center ice?

[cavemark]

I grew up just outside of Philly and watched the Broad Street Bullies. I think I even had a poster of a toothless Bobby Clark.

Thanks for the discussion. I'm no farther along in my quest, but I will keep looking. I'll take some tanks with me and do a little exploring. Access to the bowl is so difficult that I'll take some singles with me just to find out if there is even a drain. Who knows...

On an aside, I'll be taking my daughter with me. Does anyone know of any good dive sites in the area in and around Susquehanna County? I've always wanted to and will be diving in the lake where the camp was located but are there any known good spots for an OW diver?

Thanks

[FW]

I don't know where Susquehanna County is, but this place is just north of Bethlehem:

http://www.dutchsprings.com/

[cavediver27]

I grew up just outside of Philly and watched the Broad Street Bullies. I think I even had a poster of a toothless Bobby Clark.

Thanks for the discussion. I'm no farther along in my quest, but I will keep looking. I'll take some tanks with me and do a little exploring. Access to the bowl is so difficult that I'll take some singles with me just to find out if there is even a drain. Who knows...

On an aside, I'll be taking my daughter with me. Does anyone know of any good dive sites in the area in and around Susquehanna County? I've always wanted to and will be diving in the lake where the camp was located but are there any known good spots for an OW diver?


Thanks

There is a quarry near Harrisburg named "Bainbridge' that is a good open water site. They have a shop on site for air fills and such. Lots of dive shops do training there. Like most quarries it has numerous pieces of heavy equipment and an old boat on the bottom. The water is cold below the thermocline, usually in the upper 30's to very low 40's so a dry suit is preferred but that is what you'll find anywhere up there. Here is a link to the site:

http://www.divebsc.com/

As for the divable caves up there. They are few and far between and the ones I'm familiar with are very advanced dives. None of them are easy to get in to, they are very cold so you'll be running reels with dry gloves on, and the vis is low. You should have sump diving experience as well.

Go Pens!!!!!!

[Oister]

I don't know where Susquehanna County is, but this place is just north of Bethlehem:

http://www.dutchsprings.com/

If you go to Dutch Call me. We train there all the time.