General Vortex Incident Discussion

[Hetland]

Well, you can move this (yet again), but then you are just putting the objectionable videos somewhere else. At least here, you guys can keep an eye on things, and keep discouraging bad behavior.

Like it or not, this incident IS about cave diving. If he did there, he died in a cave, if he didn't, he still affected cave diving with the negative publicity this incident produced.

I myself have learned very much from this incident, and this thread, and there is value in that if nothing else.

 

[Kevin Carlisle]

Well, you can move this (yet again), but then you are just putting the objectionable videos somewhere else. At least here, you guys can keep an eye on things, and keep discouraging bad behavior.

Like it or not, this incident IS about cave diving. If he did there, he died in a cave, if he didn't, he still affected cave diving with the negative publicity this incident produced.

I myself have learned very much from this incident, and this thread, and there is value in that if nothing else.

Ok Alex, I see your point and I will say leave it. I would like the Mods to go and put a video with trained divers cave diving the right way or post the video on Robs website with each one so people can see what happens when its done wrong.

 

[vshearer]

Here is one that ucf shot recently that is not only good for showing the "proper" technique, but the cave looks more unforgiving than many common ones. Please strike this if inappropriate.

Airport Sink on Vimeo

But I really enjoyed it.

 

[Jax]

Here is one that ucf shot recently that is not only good for showing the "proper" technique, but the cave looks more unforgiving than many common ones. Please strike this if inappropriate.

Airport Sink on Vimeo

But I really enjoyed it.

Is it me, or is the cave roof beat up?

 

[ScubaSteve]

Here it is embedded

[vimeo]14915761[/vimeo]

 

[LiteHedded]

Is it me, or is the cave roof beat up?

just you
that place doesn't get any diver traffic...relatively speaking

 

[vshearer]

Is it me, or is the cave roof beat up?

Actually that is what they look like when very little diving is going on in the system. The black is a bacterial growth. I guess ginnie looked like that 40 years ago. Note how much silt is in that system. A couple of misplaced kicks and you would be blind.

 

[Jax]

Actually that is what they look like when very little diving is going on in the system. The black is a bacterial growth. I guess ginnie looked like that 40 years ago. Note how much silt is in that system. A couple of misplaced kicks and you would be blind.

Thanks - I was looking at the white marks where it looked like someone hit it with a tank. The further it goes on, the less marks there were.

 

[ucfdiver]

Is it me, or is the cave roof beat up?

It's actually really pristine. Most cave in Florida have color to them on their outer layer. It just gets knocked off when a site becomes public knowledge and everyone dives it. Look at the ceiling falling because of the bubbles in that video (VERY soft), and imagine what would happen if the idiots in the video posted earlier got in there. It would be trashed within a few weeks. Jeff shows the technique required to dive these caves and keep them the way it appears in this video, part of why I posted it.

Actually that is what they look like when very little diving is going on in the system. The black is a bacterial growth. I guess ginnie looked like that 40 years ago.

Ah you beat me to it!

Here's Ginnie for a comparison...it USED to be black. Look at the texture in the other video vs this one and you'll see why we don't like sharing info on sites. You can watch as we get further and further into the cave
Devils Ear to the Insulation Rooms on Vimeo

This is more of a clay bottom, similar to what the divers at vortex are dealing with. Around 17:40 you can see me scootering over clay to see how hard it is to stir it up. Starting at 25:00 you can see my technique slip and I stir it up swimming. Clay is hard to stir up but stays around a LONG TIME.

As a personal side note...if you can't dive the cave without touching EVERYTHING like the idiots who posted earlier, leave the camera at home, period. I hope the videos Jeff and I made last weekend set a good example. I don't care if it's a tourist cave or virgin, don't post bad technique and make people think it's "normal".

Thanks - I was looking at the white marks where it looked like someone hit it with a tank. The further it goes on, the less marks there were.

There's a few side passages that I think introduce different minerals, bacteria, or something into the water, because it goes white right after them.

 

[Jax]

Thanks! What are you using to illuminate for the video? And your lead diver is Jeff? Very nice!