Jacob's Well Natural Area

[hsnowden]

I read this weekend that the Wimberley Valley Watershed Association bought Jacob's Well and it's surrounding land. They are supposed to turn it into a "Natural Area" park. Anyone know if swiming, and maybe some level of controlled diving (like the Missle Silo), will be permitted? I've heard and read stories about the site and I would like to see it for once.

http://visitwimberley.com/articles/jacobsWell.shtml

http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/Wimberley_spring_to_become_park.html

 

[Zinc]

I think God answered an unsaid prayer for me this morning...

 

[NadMat]

I have been down there back in the day when it was still accessible. It would be nice to see it open to visitors again. Be a nice place for cave type people to train in.

I would like to see better control of diver access, as previously many people dove it without the proper training or equipment(myself included) and like a lot of overheads it seems pretty safe and simple till something goes wrong.

 

[FIXXERVI6]

I spoke with Ed out of cave adventures in florida about this cave, he has been in there and showed me several photographs.

The photo's he showed me were of razor sharp rock (everywhere not just one photo) baby powder fine silt all over, side mount, and it gets deep.

From the photo's and talking to him I would classify this as toward the more advanced side of cave diving (not that it is impossible, it just sure isn't a dive in peacock).

 

[TwoBitTxn]

Check out this story.

Jacob's Well Project

 

[In10se]

I spoke with Ed out of cave adventures in florida about this cave, he has been in there and showed me several photographs.

The photo's he showed me were of razor sharp rock (everywhere not just one photo) baby powder fine silt all over, side mount, and it gets deep.

From the photo's and talking to him I would classify this as toward the more advanced side of cave diving (not that it is impossible, it just sure isn't a dive in peacock).

Sounds like an opportunity for those who qualify to do some local cave diving though.

For someone new to the sport, but with the aim to head for the caves as my tech skills get acquired and then developed ... this is awesome news

 

[Debraw]

Jacobs Well in Wimberley, Texas: The Fatal Allure of Jacob's Well by Louie Bond

This is not a learning cave. This is an advanced cave divers dive.

 

[Crazyduck]

Jacobs well is one of those strange anomalies.

Currently the site is seriously off limits. If you get caught you lose your gear, there is a serious fine and they will hold you.
So everyone understands local law enforcement is serious.

A little history-
Early pioneers tell stories of the site blowing out water above the ground line and it was a major site.
Since then we settled that area and the water table has dropped severally and has even stopped a few times.
Wimberley area is realizing what they have of a natural asset and are trying to understand how to develop it for visitors (in my opinion.)

Early diving-
I have talked to a few older instructors (from the 70’s) who used to use to the site to teach in the winter time as the site was a constant temperature.
This was stopped all together after a few divers got into trouble at the site and died.

As mentioned by Rick – this site has bizarre features.
There is pea size stone that moves and blocks entrance and exits in certain rooms; this is directly affected by the local water table.
It does get seriously deep, and on top of that moving from room to room is like moving through chambers in a heart.
The site had a serious survey work done last year. As mentioned to me by the survey group at a minimum it will be a side mount, Trimix, Able Davis award.
Able Davis award –requires 100 safe cave dives that are documented.

There has been talk of opening the site but that has been talk for years.
Many of us have hoped and every now again this comes to the surface.
There are a few training options for the site and that may include guides for cave divers.

I have no idea what the current status is of the site.
Survey team has request anomity in my last contact with them.
To those that quietly work on the site and petition our state government- they have my upmost respect.

Andrew

 

[Debraw]

:hijackedthread:

Hey Crazyduck!! I keep meaning to ask you who did your full cave cert? Troy is down in Florida right now doing the intro to cave and then he goes back in the first week of December for full cave. He is going through Jeff Loflin in Florida. I ended up skipping this trip, way to much testerone for me. I think they ended up with 6 guys all together ( just two guys going through Intro to Cave). I will probably go in December when Troy goes, maybe I can do my cavern then. I have all the stuff I just need the training! I know Heather is a little busy right now but would you go if we went in December?

 

[k-valve]

It would be nice if they would at least allow limited diving by divers with a full cave certification. I've seen a number of pictures of Jacob's Well and the more dangerous sections appear to be in the 3rd and 4th chambers. That's where I've seen the sharp rocks, gravelly restrictions, fine silt, etc. It seems that limited diving in the 1st and second chambers should be allowed...by a lottery, wait list, or some other system that would limit the numbers of certified, full cave divers.

I read this weekend that the Wimberley Valley Watershed Association bought Jacob's Well and it's surrounding land. They are supposed to turn it into a "Natural Area" park. Anyone know if swiming, and maybe some level of controlled diving (like the Missle Silo), will be permitted? I've heard and read stories about the site and I would like to see it for once