kc0czi
Registered
I went to Bennett the weekend following Thanksgiving with a group of six. The park limits a group to a total of 6, with no more than 4 in the water at any given time. The fishermen are usually very reasonable in their approach. If our experience is anything like yours - you may end up being an attraction that day with many on-lookers.
The parks folks themselves are very cordial and helpful. Access to the water is pretty easy with parking just 40-50 feet away from the spring pool.
If it hasn't rained, visibility is very good (no silt probs as others have said). On a clear, sunny day you will have no problem keeping the dive in the cavern category. Even at depth on those days the daylight opening is easily discernable.
The flow volume of the spring has been less than normal over the past 6-8 months according to the parks official. The current flow at the 'bottom/80 feet' where the large occlusion takes place is strong and unless you get above the flow or are an extremely strong swimmer you won't make it to the rock shelf or attached rope there.
The current through most of the spring was not strong enough to require us to follow the drop line throughout the dive. We were able to freely explore the cavern throughout.
The 'popcorn room' at 80 feet pretty much gives you a look at everything available to see in the structure itself. The chert rock will sometimes boil up from the force of the water and look like popcorn. Along the sides you can find fairly good sized crawdads, the larger trout are definitely in the hole.
When ascending - go slow and look closely along the bottom - there are often small little treasures to be found. As you get near the opening - I recommend keeping yourself up off the bottom to avoid getting snagged or poked by a lost lure and other sharp fishing stuff.
It's definitely a worthwhile dive, and one I will definitely do again, but probably not this year.
The parks folks themselves are very cordial and helpful. Access to the water is pretty easy with parking just 40-50 feet away from the spring pool.
If it hasn't rained, visibility is very good (no silt probs as others have said). On a clear, sunny day you will have no problem keeping the dive in the cavern category. Even at depth on those days the daylight opening is easily discernable.
The flow volume of the spring has been less than normal over the past 6-8 months according to the parks official. The current flow at the 'bottom/80 feet' where the large occlusion takes place is strong and unless you get above the flow or are an extremely strong swimmer you won't make it to the rock shelf or attached rope there.
The current through most of the spring was not strong enough to require us to follow the drop line throughout the dive. We were able to freely explore the cavern throughout.
The 'popcorn room' at 80 feet pretty much gives you a look at everything available to see in the structure itself. The chert rock will sometimes boil up from the force of the water and look like popcorn. Along the sides you can find fairly good sized crawdads, the larger trout are definitely in the hole.
When ascending - go slow and look closely along the bottom - there are often small little treasures to be found. As you get near the opening - I recommend keeping yourself up off the bottom to avoid getting snagged or poked by a lost lure and other sharp fishing stuff.
It's definitely a worthwhile dive, and one I will definitely do again, but probably not this year.
