Cypress Springs Report 8-27-10

[wjefferis]

At 9:00am today (8-27-10), I met up with GlenFWB at Culpepper Landing to play around at Cypress Springs. The plan was to meet up later with MrMcCoy and Dan (SB name ?) who was going in a Jon boat. Glen and I shoved off in my canoe shortly after Glen arrived. The water in Holmes Creek was low, but milky from recent rain. Once we reached the second fork the water from the spring run was air clear the entire way. Conditions at Cypress could only have been better if it wasn’t a mostly cloudy day. MrMcCoy arrived not too long after we did and we all suited up and got in the water. I recently put together a helmet for cavern diving and I took it out on its maiden voyage today and it worked great. There were a lot of eels in the cavern and it was cool to check them out. Once I exited the cavern area I played around in the basin area for a while and then went over to the fissure crack and was surprised at what I saw. The last time I dove at Cypress (I think last Vortoberfest) this hole was maybe the size of my hand. The hole is now pretty dang close to being a no-mount hole (maybe is). There is significant flow coming from the hole, so I imagine it will only get bigger.

It was a fun little dive. I had a max depth of 47 ffw lasting 50 minutes. We figured that the weather was going to close in soon so we headed back to Culpepper Landing to load up the canoe. From there we headed over to Dee’s for a whole catfish lunch special and then parted ways. It was nice to see Glen again and meet some new SB’ers as well. Hopefully Glen will post some pics from today’s dive (hint, hint) .


Here are a few pics of my helmet:

 

[Hetland]

Won't a helmet get you kicked out of the dir club?

That's a joke. Please don't kill me dir people

Walter, are you talking about the limestone cave directly opposite the spring run? It seems to be filled with dark silt, and reaches further and further back every time I look at it.

 

[wjefferis]

Walter, are you talking about the limestone cave directly opposite the spring run? It seems to be filled with dark silt, and reaches further and further back every time I look at it.

If you are facing the entrance to the cavern the crack is a short swim to the left. There is a dark limestone rock that collapsed and opened things up alot.

I am not talking about the opening in the "deeper" part of the basin.

 

[wjefferis]

Won't a helmet get you kicked out of the dir club?

Sidemount isn't DIR, so I guess I am already excluded from the club already . At least I have a helmet to keep from banging my head against the ceiling :cool2:.

 

[Hetland]

If you are facing the entrance to the cavern the crack is a short swim to the left. There is a dark limestone rock that collapsed and opened things up alot.

Okay, I know what you were talking about. I was talking about the tunnel that is clearing out if you look right, and swim to the edge, and then the bottom of the basin.

I thought what you were talking about had gotten bigger as well, but I was not certain. I also noticed that while someone was inside of the cavern area, I could "see" their position based on the exhaust bubbles coming out of the sand. This extended almost all the way to the V-shaped gouge at the edge of the basin (where it gets very shallow).

 

[wjefferis]

I also noticed that while someone was inside of the cavern area, I could "see" their position based on the exhaust bubbles coming out of the sand. This extended almost all the way to the V-shaped gouge at the edge of the basin (where it gets very shallow).

I saw some of these bubbles still coming up when I exited the cavern. It is pretty cool to see.

 

[atrawick]

That helmet looks awesome! "Swat Diver" I wouldn't mind meeting up with crew on the next Cypress trip. I have my on boat if someone wanted to ride.

 

[wjefferis]

I wouldn't mind meeting up with crew on the next Cypress trip.

We do a few Cypress runs a year. The next one will most likely be during Votoberfest.

 

[atrawick]

Cool that's not to far away. Do you usually do them on friday's?

 

[Hetland]

For VortoberFest or SpringFest, I usually do them on Thursday or Friday. Saturday is Panama City for a charter or shore dive; cookout Saturday night; abdominal overexpansion recovery on Sunday.