Cow Springs Restoration Project Report
To members of the Cave diving Community:
For the last ten monthnd I have been working with Forrest Wilson and Kelly Jessop and other members of the CDS BOD on finding a way to restore the vandelized clay bank in the Cow Spring system. Forrest E-mailed me asking if I could use my skills as an artist to come up with ideas. At the same moment (Our e-mails literally crossed in the net) I volunteered my skills as both a fine art sculptor and theatrical sculptor. My only condition was that nothing be rushed, we do it correctly in a well thought out plan and that if I thought at any point the fix would cause more damage I would abort the repair. I asked that my participation in this project not to become general knowledge so I could make a non pressured decision on best way to proceed. I want to thank Forrest and Kelly for adhering to my wishes.
At the time I was working on a show in LA for several months and knew I couldn't even get to Florida till May 08. We talked for several months about the different ideas bouncing about. I knew I could work clay but had major concerns about the high flo. I would have to remain sationary over the damage for over an hour at a time.
Last June I did a dive with Bill Bowden and Mike Mcauliffe to look at the damage. I had planned to take samples of the clay but my fears about the flow were correct. I aborted the dive. At this point which Forrest (along with CDS BOD members) and I began coming up with ways to rig a diver stationary in the current in order to make the repair. We came up with several ideas . Last August after the NSS convention we did a second dive in which Forrest rigged a rope across the mud bank. I was able to use the rope across my chest along with putting my fins on the ceiling to remain stationary enough to take samples of the clay.
I recommended matching the clay samples with artist ceramic clays. Then filling the letters with the clay, Then smooth the surface. I would then like to finish with spreading some of the particulate which is already in the cave. This can also be left to just happen naturally. Kelly suggested at this point that a small table with thin legs might be set up near the rope as a work station.
Last Fall
I first began contacting some north Florida ceramic artists but found out they get their clay from the Midwest. After visiting a few Chicago based ceramic suppliers I was directed to Great Lakes Clay Supply in Carpentersville IL. These folks supply clay to all the regions art suppliers. I made a phone call to their tech support Tim explaining the Cow Springs project. He invited me out where I showed the samples to Al one of their clay techs. Al then showed me several clays both in moist form and powered form. (They receive the clays from around the country in powered form where its shifted thru a fine screen then reconstituted with distilled water.) This makes the potters clay very clean and made me feel better about not transporting organisms in the system.
In my studio I thinned down all the clays to paste form where I am mixing them to match the samples color and consistencies. Also I have modified a chalk gun ( I milled the plunger to fit inside PVC tubes) to fit cartridges I made out of 2" x 12" PVC with an end fitting which I added a 3/4 " nozzle. Ok now here's how these parts go together. The different color clays go inside the tubes. Strech plastic covers either ends and are taped in place. A rod punctures the bag once I am on site ready to go. The clay can be dispensed into the letters in the bank like caulking. Using other clay sculpting tools I can mush the new clay in. I also have two types of soft hair paint brushes to smooth over the top.
I hope this makes sense. Basically I am creating caulking tubes filled with matching clays as a practical way of applying the clay underwater. My clay modeling kit already contains many clay working tools and sponges. Out of the spare 3/4 " PVC and some scrap ply I made a small folding work station. A pouch was added to this to hold the tools while we worked.
MONDAY JAN 5 09 Bye bye PY
We did our first dive at Cow. The team consisted of Michael Angelo Gagliardi, Wayne Kinard, and Gene Page. Bill Bowden acted as surface support. Our objective today was a set up dive. We reset the rigging rope. Set the work table in place. Preset the tools caulking gun and brushes on the table. We had planned to take samples of the clay around the PY then test one of the two clay tubes we brought in with us. I saw that the clay I mix from photos of the PY already matched exactly so I decided to attempt a fix on PY. The first test of the clay gun failed. I put the tube in without breaking the plastic on the front end of the tube. The back end broke and the clay came out the back. The second tube was inserted in the gun after first poking a hole in the front of the tube. It worked exactly as planned. The clay filled the letters and stuck. I then took the soft hair brushes and blended it all in. I continued filling in around the lower half then blending. If the marring was shallow I simple used the brush on it. The bank was fixed but as predicted more cleaner then rest of wall. We can try to spread the silt on it to blend or just wait. In 4 months no one will be able to tell anything was ever there. Gene shot over 200 photos of today's dive. He also carried in a stage bottle acting as safety diver. We left the table rope and tools in place removing only the empty tubes. Dive time was 103 Minutes
TUESDAY Jan 6 09 Begin removing DIC
We did our second dive today. The Team consisted of Michael Angelo Gagliardi, Wayne Kinard (repair team), Jill Heinerth (primary photographer) and Gene Page (safety diver and Jill,s asst). Bill Bowden was once again wonderful as surface support and good natured Sherpa. We did a team photo then entered the water. About 400 feet in I has a reg problem and called the dive. On the Surface Bill switched out regs for me and we were back in business.
The were no incidents getting to the site. On site Wayne checked the rigging while I began resetting the tools on the bench. We attacked the DIC we filled and smooth the clay. After a hour or so we had about 80% of the DIC gone, but some of it remains. I called the dive at this time due to thirds but also fatigue. We collected the bag of empty tubes, secured the tools to the line and began exiting. At this point I want to thank the projects team. The team effort and skill of these 4 individuals is outstanding. Its been a pleasure to work with them. Working with Wayne is like working with a telepath. He knew ever tool I needed as I thought about it. All I had to do was hand one tool back and the next tool was popped into my hand. Also Bill Bowden surface support saved us hours in not only the Sherpaing but the emergency repair got us going again in 20 minutes. I also want to than Dive Outpost for thier help and support.
Wed Jan 7 2009
We plan a long dive 2 hours or more to finish up. At the end we will be pulling out the table and other tools. Bill needs to leave before the end of the dive, so we need 1 - 3 people to volunteer for surface support. We need to get the stuff up the hill after a long dive. Anyone wishing to help can call me at Chateau H2O at 386-454-8754
The system will remain closed till the project is completed Wed or Thursday
Thank You
Michael Angelo
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