Manatee Springs- Friedman

[Cddiver]

We put in at friedman today and headed downstream to the jump for the bypass and the sewer. We were the only group in the park and putting in so far upstream vis was quite nice in the trunk tunnel. Its only 300 ft or so down from friedmean to make the jump so we were there in no time. After installing a reel for a short jump we headed in. After what I thought was carefully studying the map I thought the line would run down the sewer with a jump to the left being the chalky bypass, but it was the opposite with the main line running through the bypass. We looked at the jump to the sewer and read the slate warning of brittle line and decided to head down the bypass tunnel. At this point vis had diminished significantly and I was not real impressed with the dive, but all was about to change. As we made our way around some turns and slopes the cave quickly began to improve with regards to vis and formations. Some of the exposed clay banks are as pretty as I have seen. Lots of white exposed to bounce your light around as well as ups and downs makes this a little hidden treasure of a dive. We turned the dive before completing the circuit as the other side is pretty small. Didn't want to be plowing. We made it with a little pulling back upstream to friedman and decoed out staring at a walmart tarp on the ceiling labeled HABI-TARP. What the hell is this thing for? All in all a great half a day diving.

[apitkin]

The slate on the Sewer Tunnel line is out of date. There is now new #72 line for over 3000 feet into the Sewer tunnel. I just haven't got around to pulling that slate. If anyone is going in that direction please feel free to remove it.

There is a restriction in the bypass tunnel which is hard to get through without stirring some silt, but the passage is nice beyond like you say with some beautiful clay banks.

The habitarp belongs to Bob Schulte ("Daedelus" on CDF). He used it when exploring last year to make a little habitat for deco. I think it has a hole in it now and should be removed.

Andy

[Cddiver]

I will be pulling the tarp and slate out this week. Thanks for the info

[aquadog196]

Is the restriction in the Chalky by-pass tunnel back-mountable?

[Cddiver]

Made me want a side mount rig just looking at it. It may be possible if you push thru some sand but like I said it wasn't for me. I will come back in the right rig. The dive is worth doing again!

[aquadog196]

Hello Cddiver.... just wondering the total time of your dive? ...and without staging etc what is the possibility of ending your dive with a drift down to Catfish?

[Cddiver]

It was a little over an hour and yes we could have made it to catfish no problem. That being said I would be more comfortable with a stage if we had completed the circuit and come out upstream of friedman and then went to catfish. Also due to the up and down of the bypass (98 feet to 60 feet) and the depth exiting at catfish you would be racking some good amount of deco time so a deco bottle would be nice. We did our dive all back gas including deco of ten minutes for exiting at friedman.

[apitkin]

Is the restriction in the Chalky by-pass tunnel back-mountable?

Yes, if you don't mind a little silt.

[aquadog196]

Thanks Cddiver and apitkin...great info!