Can't wait to go, who wants to join me?

[Tegg]

Minimum Certification Level : Open Water
Dive Site : Buford
Date : 1-4-2013

This guy even mentions the death at Eagles Nest as a bad example. Good to see people have learned from the stupidity of others... The cycle continues.

Hopefully he has good liability insurance.

Anyone here that actually has the training and certifications want to join them?

http://www.meetup.com/Narcosis-Anony...nts/154671822/

[Walter Pickel]

I especially like the guy recommending 18/45. Apparently, he never learned about best mix.

Also, I sent him requesting he remove the text he stole from caveatlas.com - http://www.caveatlas.com/systems/system.asp?ID=10&co=US (since it is a copyright violation).

[Walter Pickel]

I think this picture says it all

[patpicos]

Have fun getting bent there and hauled out. Might as well bury em in the mud

Sounds like a bunch of Charlie sheen winning going to happen there

[diveconjeff]

I think this picture says it all

Interesting Walter…. I checked out the link. It indicates you are attending?

[Jax]

< - - - - Totally lacking in knowledge of Buford . . .

This looks like (from the drawing) a "hole" dive, in the way that the New Mexico Blue Hole has a large pool and the cave begins at the bottom.

If that is true, then isn't the hole an open water dive? If you have no overhead, then it is open, right? Just a deep hole?

[Walter Pickel]

Interesting Walter…. I checked out the link. It indicates you are attending?

YEP! I signed up I could comment on the meetup. I'm seriously thinking of heading out there and meet them. However, once they have made the trip, they are going to dive anyway.

Here is what I posted:

Brandon, would you mind removing the information you took from CaveAtlas.com and TampaDiving.com. I have a pretty clear copyright notice on my site.

Least you could have done is given me some attribution. I particularly like where "you" mention Jitka and Jakob. How long have you known them? I have never heard them mention you.

and

For those of you that are considering diving at Buford and have not progressed beyond Open Water certification I would HIGHLY recommend you not do so.

Buford is a deceptively easy dive (the same thought the divers that died at Eagle's Nest on Christmas had).

PADI Open Water depth limitation is 18m/60ft -- Buford has a max depth of 167'. If you "fall" straight down beneath the "entrance" you will be over 80'. The floor of the main room slopes from 80' - 125'.

I personally feel that Buford is NOT a place for Open Water Divers...nor for anyone not having Cavern certification. It is not comparable to Devil's Den or Blue Grotto in my opinion -- depth, accessibility to aid (DCS, broken ankle, snake bites, getting lost), etc.

Honestly, I feel that bringing an Open Water diver here is irresponsible at least.

[Walter Pickel]

< - - - - Totally lacking in knowledge of Buford . . .

This looks like (from the drawing) a "hole" dive, in the way that the New Mexico Blue Hole has a large pool and the cave begins at the bottom.

If that is true, then isn't the hole an open water dive? If you have no overhead, then it is open, right? Just a deep hole?

I was part of the team that explored and installed a new grate at Santa Rosa Blue Hole back on September. This is NOTHING like Buford.

To me, this is yet another example of too far too fast. The organizers state that the certification level required is Open Water. PADI Open Water depth limitation is 18m/60ft -- Buford has a max depth of 167'.

If you "fall" straight down beneath the "entrance" you will be over 80. The floor of the main room slopes from 80 - 125. I agree with Joe that this is not a place for Open Water Divers...nor for anyone not having Cavern certification. It is not comparable to Devil's Den or Blue Grotto in my opinion -- depth, accessibility to aid (DCS, broken ankle, getting lost), etc. Honestly, I feel that bringing an "open water" diver here is irresponsible at least.

What if they "miss" Buford and drop into Little Gator Siphon?

[Jax]

Thanks!

[rddvet]

I was part of the team that explored and installed a new grate at Santa Rosa Blue Hole back on September. This is NOTHING like Buford.

To me, this is yet another example of too far too fast. The organizers state that the certification level required is Open Water. PADI Open Water depth limitation is 18m/60ft -- Buford has a max depth of 167'.

If you "fall" straight down beneath the "entrance" you will be over 80. The floor of the main room slopes from 80 - 125. I agree with Joe that this is not a place for Open Water Divers...nor for anyone not having Cavern certification. It is not comparable to Devil's Den or Blue Grotto in my opinion -- depth, accessibility to aid (DCS, broken ankle, getting lost), etc. Honestly, I feel that bringing an "open water" diver here is irresponsible at least.

What if they "miss" Buford and drop into Little Gator Siphon?

Agreed, its not safe without a cavern cert. I went the first time a couple of years ago after my cavern cert and hit 130ft very quickly. The clarity of the water and the enormous size of the room really almost gives a false sense of security and depth. You don't feel as deep as you are.

What's going to happen is a group of these idiots is going to stir the crap out of the pond and push a ton of debris down the opening and obliterate day light for the divers inside, and then that's all she wrote.