Mix choice

[LiteHedded]

I was planning worse case scenario of square profile with 30 minutes at 140 using VPlanner +2. Total run time on 21/35 is 86 minutes. Total run time on 18/45 is 105 minutes. Neither is desirable but with limited options sometimes you simply have to accept things for what they are and go with the least of the two.

Or not stay on the bottom at 140 for half an hour

 

[Dive-aholic]

Well, let's see, if the cave dictates that our depth is 140' you may not have a choice other than to shorten your penetration. Easily done. I was basing my calculations on how long I could stay at 140'. If I'm going to go through the trouble that Richard seems to be setting himself up for I would plan it that way to make it a worthwhile trip. No sense in lugging all that gear and begging sherpas to help carry it if you're going to spend10 minutes in the water. Unless, of course, the sump ends after 10 minutes.

 

[rjack321]

I don't have the consumption in ~48F water to do 30mins at 140ft on ~60cf of gas. And if I did, I wouldn't do 90mins of backgas deco. Shivering, that would take roughly 70cf of gas (average depth ~25ft, still 0.5cf/min SAC). The math just doesn't work for that long of a dive. Besides you guys need to get FL caves outa your heads. There's no way anything about this dive will be a square profile. None of the bedding of this limestone formation is horizontal - none. This is a profile of the dry section of the cave. Depth on the left hand axis is actually elevation in ft. Whatever dive I'm able to get in here won't be square.

 

[LiteHedded]

You guys? I never imagined it would be a square profile

 

[rjack321]

You guys?

Oh so much snarky inappropriate innuendo possible...

 

[Dive-aholic]

I don't have the consumption in ~48F water to do 30mins at 140ft on ~60cf of gas. And if I did, I wouldn't do 90mins of backgas deco. Shivering, that would take roughly 70cf of gas (average depth ~25ft, still 0.5cf/min SAC). The math just doesn't work for that long of a dive. Besides you guys need to get FL caves outa your heads. There's no way anything about this dive will be a square profile. None of the bedding of this limestone formation is horizontal - none. This is a profile of the dry section of the cave. Depth on the left hand axis is actually elevation in ft. Whatever dive I'm able to get in here won't be square.

I never said that much deco was ideal. Just putting forth an example in the worst case scenario. Personally, I wouldn't do more than 15 minutes of decompression in 50F water. And you did state completely unknown cave. Nothing in that statement suggested it couldn't be a square profile.

 

[rjack321]

I would do more than 15mins of deco in 50F water. I've done as much as 60mins before. But not solo and not BG deco. As I said, I've never done BG deco - well 5 extra mins at 20ft because we could and it was casual and pleasant to do so, but that doesn't count as "deco"

 

[Dive-aholic]

Well, you're used to diving in 50 F water. I'm not! In that respect I am a wimp. I don't like deco in 69 F water, never mind 50 F! I do it because it's necessary for the dives I do. But I do love doing 3 hour dives on air in Mexico and not even having to do a safety stop!!

 

[rjack321]

Well, you're used to diving in 50 F water. I'm not! In that respect I am a wimp. I don't like deco in 69 F water, never mind 50 F! I do it because it's necessary for the dives I do. But I do love doing 3 hour dives on air in Mexico and not even having to do a safety stop!!

I just wanted you to say you were a wimp :cold:

 

[Bentley Hamm]

The cave was first surveyed down to the sump in 1975. I'm the first person in 40yrs trying to go back and actually dive the sump. We don't have a whole lot of motivated sump divers up here. Tried dye testing it last weekend and that was a bust so entry from the downstream end remains a mystery.

Richard,
I wouldn't jump to conclusions of unmotivated divers up here. I know we've never met but...

Its one hella a long way from "help" though. 400m of cave with 5 rope drops to reascend, a 150m hike through the logging slash, and a 30min drive to the nearest hamlet with a nurse's station. Nearest chamber is a 8+ hour drive+ferry or 90min helo ride.

I'm starting to reconsider the BG deco and thinking about bringing a small deco bottle. Just watch, with my luck I get all this crap in there and the cave goes 35ft into a gravel strainer.

...this actually sounds quite interesting to me. I don't have any experience with anything like this, but I'm easily persuaded. I've been in contact with Peter from the VICEG, & told him that I'd like to have an opportunity to do some stuff like this, and to share my contact info with anyone needing or wanting help with this kind of exploration.

If it ends in a gravel strainer, oh well...would you guys have found "Wet Dream" without at least trying? Personally I'd love to be even a small part of discovering something like that.

Bentley