Hopping my way to full cave...

[rddvet]

Had what I consider to be one of the best cave divers I've had in Florida.

A dive buddy from out of town came in, so I stayed overnight to dive with him for two days. First day we hit Ginnie, another attempt to hit the Wonder Tunnel, but I couldn't see it. My dive buddy could but I missed his signal. Today the plan was going to be Madison Blue, but apparently it went under on the 21st, Kristi and Jon suggested Little River, and let me tell you it was freaking awesome.

The river was up almost to the second platform, just a couple of steps short. We were the first team in the cave that morning. He lead in running a reel from the stairs to the cave. It was pretty much a couple of feet of vis until just before the log. But once in the cave the vis was great, and the flow was minimal. We went down the gold line, down Merry Go Round, and finally to the Florida Room. It was the first time I got to see Reggie's rock, turning just beyond 1,300 feet arrow.

And I will admit I was wrong. I thought most people dove LR because it was free, and there were no real rules. But Little River is AMAZING, without the flow there was less struggle so I could spend more time looking around without the narcosis creeping in. And the Florida Room is one of the prettiest sections of cave that I've seen in Florida. And during deco I could watch the tannic storm above me.

Now I am going to have to watch the weather and reports much more closely so I can get back into LR when it is amazing.

The wonder tunnel is pretty easy to find, you just need to commit to going in one direction for a bit. I prefer a small reel for it, but a spool is fine. As was said, at the 90 degree turn on the bone line by the white room, put in your jump and just jump almost straight ahead. I'd say maybe 10 degrees to the left of dead forward and you will eventually see it. Because of where the line is tied, often you don't see it until you're 20 feet from it. If you don't find it, no worries. You're already at the back wall, so just go left or right and you'll eventually find it.

It's funny, I've been thinking about how little I've dove little river over the years and how little I've seen. We generally scooter LR because it's a pain with the flow most of the time, so what ends up happening is we get past the florida room to explore, but don't see the first part of the cave. I've never actually even done the mud tunnels. It's a very cool cave if you know where to look. Problem is it's always last on my list for a few reasons. First is it's always a battle to get a bench to gear up on when we've gone. The new benches are also a very dumb heighth for short people. But we've also been in there when the flow is ripping and it can be more work than fun. So whenever the where are we going to dive questions comes up, LR gets pushed to the back burner since we never know the flow. Very similar to manatee because I've shown up to Manatee a couple times and was turned away due to being at capacity. Then when it gets like it is now at LR, everybody posts about it and it gets even more packed with divers.

Do yourself a favor and get helitrox or adv. rec. trimix so you can put a little helium in your tanks. You'll quickly realize how cool some of the caves are and you didn't even notice it because you were narced. I like to go back and forth between ccr and oc. I keep 32% in my sm and bm tanks typically. So over the past couple of years I mostly dive ccr because I don't like diving without helium now.

 

[Manatee Diver]

It took me a lot of looking around to find it the first time.

I don't feel as bad now.

Some of the prettiest clay banks you can ever find are in little river if you know where to look. One of them is just off the main line about 70' from the first T and it's a stunner.

Is that near the area that Adam named for you?

The wonder tunnel is pretty easy to find, you just need to commit to going in one direction for a bit.

Next time Tim is in town I will have to go looking for it.

Problem is it's always last on my list for a few reasons. First is it's always a battle to get a bench to gear up on when we've gone. The new benches are also a very dumb heighth for short people. But we've also been in there when the flow is ripping and it can be more work than fun. So whenever the where are we going to dive questions comes up, LR gets pushed to the back burner since we never know the flow.

LR is in the same position for me. For similar reasons.

Do yourself a favor and get helitrox or adv. rec. trimix so you can put a little helium in your tanks. You'll quickly realize how cool some of the caves are and you didn't even notice it because you were narced. I like to go back and forth between ccr and oc. I keep 32% in my sm and bm tanks typically. So over the past couple of years I mostly dive ccr because I don't like diving without helium now.

I am Helitrox, I just rarely dive it due to cost and rarely diving that deep, in fact this was my deepest dive in at least a year. But part of the reason I want to go CCR eventually would be to run helium dil.

 

[Manatee Diver]

It’s always nice to dive with someone where you can just relax and enjoy the dive as well. I look forward to diving with you again.

You too, give me a text when you hammer down your next trip. Next time we will find the Wonder Tunnel.

 

[kensuf]

Is that near the area that Adam named for you?

No. It's literally on the main line. Heading up the main line, about 70' before the T there's a sharp left, then a small "bedding plane" and then a sharp right and you're staring at the first T. If you look to the left of the first sharp left there's a room with a beautiful clay bank.

The area Adam named for me is because of my narcolepsy problem. I don't like to discuss it.

 

[Manatee Diver]

No. It's literally on the main line. Heading up the main line, about 70' before the T there's a sharp left, then a small "bedding plane" and then a sharp right and you're staring at the first T. If you look to the left of the first sharp left there's a room with a beautiful clay bank.

I see it, hmm will have to add it to the list. Visit it on the way out the next time I am at LR.

 

[rddvet]

I am Helitrox, I just rarely dive it due to cost and rarely diving that deep, in fact this was my deepest dive in at least a year. But part of the reason I want to go CCR eventually would be to run helium dil.

It can get pricey in oc, but it is shocking what kind of difference it makes in ginnie and lr

 

[Gene]

I've always loved LR and have dove it more than any other cave, especially solo.

 

[tmassey]

I'm going to, erm, "borrow" @Manatee Diver 's thread for a moment. I'm coming back down in April/May, and I just posted a thread asking for buddies: Looking for Cave Buddy in Cave Country April 28 through May 6, 2022 .

I just wanted to get some attention in this thread. When I did this a couple of weeks ago, I got no response here on SB (I did get a bit on CDF), so I thought I might pimp out Shawn for a moment... And of course, feel free to ask him directly what it's like to dive with me: I understand that nobody really likes random buddies in a cave...

@Manatee Diver : you get first dibs; DM/text me and let me know what works!

 

[tbone1004]

It can get pricey in oc, but it is shocking what kind of difference it makes in ginnie and lr

@mer likes to say she dives with the Dopey Polar Bear when kicking in Ginnie on nitrox on the CCR and I've not really enjoyed LR or Ginnie or JB for that matter on nitrox with the breather so those are all done with helium now.

 

[Manatee Diver]

It can get pricey in oc, but it is shocking what kind of difference it makes in ginnie and lr

I did notice a difference when I was blending my 85s back up after a trimix dive. A little clearer, and breathing was a little easier.

Now I have dedicated trimix tanks...

@Manatee Diver : you get first dibs; DM/text me and let me know what works!

Will do, probably thinking of doing the same thing as we did this time.

@mer likes to say she dives with the Dopey Polar Bear when kicking in Ginnie on nitrox on the CCR and I've not really enjoyed LR or Ginnie or JB for that matter on nitrox with the breather so those are all done with helium now.

Not working as hard was a huge difference. Same depth, but just calmly pulling and kicking occasionally.

I need to see about talking about my instructor was when one is ready for DPV. I am really starting to reach the end of the range of my tanks plus stage.