jug hole

[deepdiver4]

Im trying to find out some info on this site,is it a side mount dive or can you dive it in back mount ?? any info would be great

[Kelly Jessop]

Im trying to find out some info on this site,is it a side mount dive or can you dive it in back mount ?? any info would be great

The cavern is a good backmount dive,but it is a sidemount dive when entering the cave. The cave system won't open until October.

[IowaCaveDiver]

You could do it backmount, but you'd need a set of very small tanks... only guy i've ever seen do it is Jordan... he dove a set of steel 72's and it was a tight squeeze in a few places... otherwise we've dove it sidemount. However the system is pretty small and not too deep... you could easily do it on a large single with hvalve... max penetration is only 6-700' and I think max depth is around 70'. Enjoy! great dive!

-Matt

[Kelly Jessop]

This is one discussion that comes up frequently,and for conservation of the cave and safety please use sidemounts,it is the appropriate configuration. Can you get through on backmount tanks (small doubles or a single Y valve),yes,is it safe-no,does it preserve the cave-no.

From a conservation stand point the tank will scrape the bedding plane leaving gouges. From a safety stand point you have to get way off the mainline in an area that you can easily get stuck,or wedged in the restriction. Also,in the bedding plane it is possible to have a DOUBLE valve roll off (yes I have witnessed it) because once you roll off the valve,you will move in another direction to fix the problem,and your wedged against the ceiling.

[Cave Ranger]

This is one discussion that comes up frequently,and for conservation of the cave and safety please use sidemounts,it is the appropriate configuration. Can you get through on backmount tanks (small doubles or a single Y valve),yes,is it safe-no,does it preserve the cave-no.

From a conservation stand point the tank will scrape the bedding plane leaving gouges. From a safety stand point you have to get way off the mainline in an area that you can easily get stuck,or wedged in the restriction. Also,in the bedding plane it is possible to have a DOUBLE valve roll off (yes I have witnessed it) because once you roll off the valve,you will move in another direction to fix the problem,and your wedged against the ceiling.

A mega DITTO to what Kelly has said.
I did it in backmounted 85's back before I knew any better. I'm a skinny, lanky sort. There were times I wasn't sure I was gonna get through that. I would have turned around but I had a diver behind me and two in front of me and couldn't see any of them due to all the particulates that were stirred up by the two guys in front. I had my hand on the main line and wasn't about to let go until I could see and figured I'd get to the other side and turn around then. Once I got through I decided to keep going and made it to the end of the line. Getting back out was easier because I was able to take an alternate route while still see the main line the entire time. My buddies were all in singles with H-valves. A very good argument could be made that that isn't kosher either if you are talking about true redundancy.
It's a beautiful cave and well worth the trouble but I would never do it that way again. It's not good for the cave and it may be bad for you.
Just letting you know.

[deepdiver4]

thank's to all that answer this post

[aainslie]

Also,in the bedding plane it is possible to have a DOUBLE valve roll off (yes I have witnessed it) because once you roll off the valve,you will move in another direction to fix the problem,and your wedged against the ceiling.

Boy, that is one scary scenario...

[Kelly Jessop]

Boy, that is one scary scenario...

Yeah,it was. The OOA diver couldn't get to their valves to turn them on since they were wedged into the ceiling. I was unable to swim up to the person because of the tight squeeze,so I had to feed my long hose to them along the floor by pushing it. Once the situation was under control,the hard part was to convince the OOA diver we had to swim ahead to the grey room,and turn around to come out.

[Squirrel Girl]

Yeah,it was. The OOA diver couldn't get to their valves to turn them on since they were wedged into the ceiling. I was unable to swim up to the person because of the tight squeeze,so I had to feed my long hose to them along the floor by pushing it. Once the situation was under control,the hard part was to convince the OOA diver we had to swim ahead to the grey room,and turn around to come out.

Yikes. How did you know what was happening? Were you behind, and knowing it was a tight restriction, you were watching for lack of bubbles? The OOA diver was not freaked out so much that they were able to see the reg and grab it? If it was so tight, how could they find it?

[Kelly Jessop]

Yikes. How did you know what was happening? Were you behind, and knowing it was a tight restriction, you were watching for lack of bubbles? The OOA diver was not freaked out so much that they were able to see the reg and grab it? If it was so tight, how could they find it?

I was askew,and was able to see what was going on,but not able to rush over to lend assistance. The OOA person was a good cavediver and alert to the situation and was able to understand the regulator I was deploying. A valuable lesson was learned by both of us,and a New Year's dive I will never forget.