vortex gate

[wingman]

I heard yesterday that a cave diver was accidently locked behind the gate at vortex springs but ended up being rescued. Anyone with any first hand knowledge of this?? What a horrible experience that must have been to swim up to the gate and find that you were locked in if it is true...i have not gone behind the gate yet but i think that I would lock it open or take the lock with me if i did, I thought also that vortex only issues one key at a time so what i heard may not be true. Bill

[divindoubles]

I wonder if there is a number on the puckerfactor scale for that one! Seems like a simple emergency latch could be designed which could only be opened from inside the cave to avoid just such a situation. Murphy don't care about one key at a time.

[OutlawCaver]

The few times I have gone through the gate I take the lock with me. That way no one can unlock it from the opened position and lock it shut if I have the lock in my pocket. In my opinion, there is no latching mechanism made reliable enough for me to lock myself behind underwater.

Can you imagine the horror coming back to the gate you have locked only to find you lost the key in the silt.

If diving to the gate wasn't promoted or sanctioned in the first place the imagined "need" for a gate would not exist.

[stickydeco]

I have just checked my log book and can't believe it, but in past years had over 50 dives beyond that freekin gate and several beyond the 3rd restriction (which starts @ 165 ft. at the sand slide.) Each and every time I took the lock with me (but closed the gate behind), to avoid the very thing that is reported here.

Jackie and I both know the folk that run the Vortex operation very well. We have suggested more than once that EACH diver or team should have a key and whoever is first in needs to take the lock with them into the cave and then give it to any other cave diver they meet along the way after the gate ("Lock Trade---Vortex Lock Trade"). That's one sure safe protocol to operate under given this gate mess. The other thing that you have to accept if you dive that cave, is that if you are the one with the lock, you have to sweep the cave for possible OW divers on the way out. Because of it's size, that's not a big deal usless some stupid OW Idiot has silted out the first and second rooms (that actually happened once---even though I had pulled the gate closed)...then I just exited without locking.

We don't dive there anymore (except for checking out Jackie's OW students) but had some great times when we did, right Bill? Plus, it's a damn deep little bastard.

Crazy Jack

[aw]

This would seem a little odd to me for this to have actually happened.

First, the time I dove past the gate, I recall the owners saying there was only ONE key and that I'd have to get it from the cave diving team who just came out of the water.

Second, the cave diver who allegedly got locked in, would have had to leave the lock behind and unlocked for it to get locked on him. Or have left the key in the lock. Either way, VERY stupid. Besides, where did the key go after the gate got locked on him?

Third, I've not seen a ton of OW divers going back that far when I was in that cave in frequent enough intervals that a rescue at depths of 110 ft would have been timely. Again, where is the ONE key???? How would he be rescued if the key is gone?

I could be wrong. But this story makes no sense to me.

[crazyduck]

While I respect the concern for keeping out the plebes; they should not run a lit rope through the darn cave!

You know how to stop this right…
Take a hot dog and run a large zip tie through it.
Vacuum seal it in a small bag- wash bag thoroughly.

If you encounter an OW diver- slice open the package and carefully zip tie the hot dog to their 1st stage. 5 minutes later they will be covered in fresh water ells that can smell the hot dog.

Andrew

[Dave]

I believe the rope light is gone now.

Perhaps now the silly gate will be gone too.

[stairman]

I woulnt go thru no cave gate,no matter how magnificent the system.Too many what ifs for my blood.

[Cave Ranger]

I agree Stairman.
Cave diving past a gate that could get accidentally locked behind me???
Eff that!!!!
I've never been to Vortex but there has to be a better way.

[Limestone Cowboy]

I've used boltcutters to get _to_ a divesight before, but never out of one.