I want to understand exactly what happened and how one could avoid this. Accident analysis. Me and my girlfriend are shook by this incident and want to learn from it. Looking at the cave maps it does look like an easy traverse from Catfish to the head spring. Can someone draw a more accurate map showing the danger and how to avoid it? Did she stray from the guideline? Is there no line?
Thank you. I’ve learned to just ignore people who are mean for no reason.Originally Posted by rddvet
Most of the maps and video of this section of Manatee are out date, since the partial collapse that happened ~two years ago.
Prior to that, traversing from catfish to the mainspring was relatively easy. The main challenge being the heavy flow. I had swam this traverse several times. Dump all your BC gas, and you become a semi guided torpedo going out with the flow.
I have heard mixed reports about the state of the ?new? restriction and have not made any attempt to dive there since the collapse.
Something posted recently suggested the recent entrapment occurred in the ?chimney? (?). I was aware of an alternate exit, but have never noticed it personally.
As far as being worried about this from the perspective of a newish cave diver... I think it?s safe to underscore two basic ?rules?. 1) do plenty of research and make sure you are up to speed on current cave conditions. And 2) never rely on an safe exit that you have not personally verified.
Thank you. So this "chimney" is an alternate exit? A separate spring or an alternate route into the main spring, kinda like there is a very short alternate entrance / exit at Madison Blue? Was the chimney blocked? Or just really tight and she got wedged in it? Did she CHOOSE to take this alternate exit or did the current push her into it? Is there a permanent guideline there and did she not stay close enough to it? Did she get separated too much from her group?
What Mark said, plus, get a local guide if you're unsure as to what you're getting yourself into. Relying on a map is a pretty bad idea in general.
Also, don't swim into any siphons unless you're really know what you're doing.
I find the siphon in Catfish Hotel pretty scary.
Sadly, most of us will never get those answers. If you're close with the recovery team or someone that is, you may get the answer. Otherwise it's unlikely most people will know.
I have heard some folks say you might get unintentionally sucked into it if you get too close! Are there signs in catfish hotel saying to stay away?
Am I understanding correctly that the siphon at catfish hotel is the traverse to the head spring? Is it an easy traverse or not? Obviously if someone died it is not. But still trying to understand exactly how she got off course or if she meant to take the "chimney" and it was just tighter than she expected and she got stuck and wedged by current and couldn't turn around?
I feel like that is unacceptable.
I don't know about getting sucked in. Just don't swin into any siphons.
And about the signs: What are people supposed to do? Have a 100 signs in every cave? It's not Disney Land where they tell you where you can go or not. You need to be able to make your own decisions. Follow what you learned in class and if you're unsure get a guide or get more training. IMHO, demanding more signs or rules or whatever leads to cave being closed because some land owners don't what to deal with the hassle. Just go by what you've been told in training.
Complete detailed recovery logs stopped being released years ago. It's just the way it is unfortunately. More can be taught by having the details but in today's litigious society and all of the internet hooplah, it's understandable.
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