GLENFWB
Contributor
Okay, so here is another River Cavern report and Cypress Spring report. I know, you get tired of seeing them...but we sure don't get tired of making them!
Shagman and I decided to make a two day cavern trip. Shagman met me at my house Thursday morning at 8AM. We transferred the inflatable boat, motor, and dive gear to my van and then headed for I-10 East. We had about a 1 1/2 to 2 hour drive. The trip went quickly as Shagman and I talked non-stop about possible gear configurations for our upcoming Intro. Cave class. The only time we ever shut-up is when we are eating.
We made it to the boat ramp and began to unload the equipment. Shagman is a professional at setting the boat and motor up in record time. We headed down the river on our way to the spring run. About 5 minutes in to the trip we began having some problems with the prop on the motor. We stopped and Shagman tightened the nut on the prop. After about 30 minutes we decided to head back because the river levels were high, and the trip back to the boat launch was going upstream. We made the right choice heading back to the launch.
We loaded the gear and boat back up in the van and headed back West. We ate some ham sandwiches on the road and made a stop at a boat store in Marianna hoping to get another prop. The nearest prop was in Dothan, AL. So, we decided to head to another dive site that has a short boat ride and very little flow. After we arrived on site, once again Shagman assembled the boat and motor, we loaded up the gear and headed upstream.
Diving isn't swimming....right??
Since it was later in the day, the ride was a little chilly as the sun started to drop behind the trees. The river water was high and very tannic from all the run off. When we turned toward the spring run the water immediately began to clear. Being able to see the bottom of the creek was a welcome site.
We weaved our way a long way back through some VERY shallow water...finally we arrived at the first spring. After a day of driving and boat trips we were anxious to get in the water, and find a cavern to stick our heads in.
This is a very unique dive site. Instead of a traditional cavern entrance we entered what I will call a large fissure crack in the bottom. Because of some congestion, I was having some problems equalizing my ears. Shagman tied a line off and we headed in the cavern. The opening drops stright down as you weave your way down through a narrow passage to the bottom. It was one of those dives where your gear is not right, your ears are not right, and you are hauling a heavy camera around. As I was trying to descend to Shagman's location at the bottom of the cavern, my ears started to really "scream" at me. I went up a little and tried to clear, but my ears were not cooperating so I began to ascend a little, to see if I could get them to clear. I signaled to Shagman that I was heading up. I made a slow ascent and headed out toward the entrance. I stopped at the entrance and waited on Shagman to make his way out with the line. We swam around the basin taking pictures and enjoying the unique rocks and fish we found at this site.
We surfaced back by the boat and decided to "swim" the shallow run around the point to a second fissure crack. We quickly learned that the water level would not allow a "swim". After waddling like a newt for a short distance, we both realized we would have to take the fins off and walk to our next location.
Shagman walking our gear to the next hole in the ground
After hitting waist deep water again, we headed toward another small cavern. I went slow this time, set my camera down in the basin, and descended in the cavern follwing Shagman. I stopped and cleared numerous times...this allowed me to make it further in this cavern. We looked around in some tight spaces for a while. When you get two Bubba's like Shagman and myself in a small fissure crack...well, lets just say we didn't win any points for form....but we explored around, had a good time, and saw a lot of fossils on the floor. I signaled Shagman that I would take the reel since I left my camera in the basin. He went ahead, and I began to bring the reel in. It was interesting trying to reel in while swimming straight up the fissure crack. But, I did it with no bird nests.
Shagman took these two pictures of me coming through with my camera
We swam around the basin for a while. We were loosing sunlight quickly, so we headed back toward the boat. We decided to walk over a land bridge to get back to the boat. It was a much shorter walk then going around in the water. We quickly loaded up the boat and headed back to the boat lauch. It was a cold ride back to the boat launch as the sun was going down.
We loaded up the boat and gear and headed to Cave Adventures to drop some tanks off. We left the tanks for a morning pickup, and then headed to Po Folks for a hot meal. Neither of us had eaten at a Po Folks for a long time. I have to recommend the Po Folks in Marianna...we had a good hot meal. We ate, talked about the days events, and then made our plan for the next day of diving. We spent the night at the beautiful and luxurious Executive Inn. Okay, if you have been there you know those aren't the correct adjectives...but we stayed there nonetheless. We both looked at our pictures and then went to sleep...with visions of caverns dancing in our heads.
We slept in a little the next morning because morning temps were around 45 degrees. We decided that because of our motor problems that we would head to Cypress Spring. Even though I had just dove there Sunday, I was anxious to go back with the sun out. We made our way to Cave Adventures, and got our tanks picked up, and we got on the road in record time. We made it to the Culpepper landing boat launch at 11 AM. Holmes creek is still tannic from the river levels and rain runoff. Once we turned on the spring run the water instantly cleared. I won't bore everyone (I know to late) by saying again how great Cypress Spring is....but, Shagman and I both agreed our dive today was the best Cypress dive ever. We spent about 30 minutes in the cavern and almost another 50 minutes in the basin. We hit the spring at 12 noon and didn't get out till almost 1:30 PM. We saw more turtles then we had ever seen before. We saw extremely large sliders, numerous small snappers, and many varieties of carp...a few carp down in the cavern looked like they were trying to spawn. I asked them to stop their indecent behavior till Shagman and I left.
(Cypress Photos Are Posted In Next Message...not enough room in this one)
I shot a lot of video that I hope to arrange in to a video tour of Cypress. A few people have PM'd me asking about Cypress....I thought a video might give those of you who can't get to Cypress, a little feel for how great this site is. After the dive, Shagman and I spent some time talking with two people from the University of Florida. They were there in a canoe taking readings and measurements at the spring. We talked about the spring and they asked us a lot of questions about what we saw and at what depths. They gave us their email address so Shagman and I could send them some of our pictures of Cypress.
We decided that since we had such a good dive...that we would call it a day. We had considered stopping by Morrison on the way home...but we decided not to since any other dive would be a let down after our Cypress dive. We had a great two day trip. Shagman is a great boat captain. Diving Florida springs and caverns are the best....the only thing better are good friends to share them with.
Shagman and I decided to make a two day cavern trip. Shagman met me at my house Thursday morning at 8AM. We transferred the inflatable boat, motor, and dive gear to my van and then headed for I-10 East. We had about a 1 1/2 to 2 hour drive. The trip went quickly as Shagman and I talked non-stop about possible gear configurations for our upcoming Intro. Cave class. The only time we ever shut-up is when we are eating.
We made it to the boat ramp and began to unload the equipment. Shagman is a professional at setting the boat and motor up in record time. We headed down the river on our way to the spring run. About 5 minutes in to the trip we began having some problems with the prop on the motor. We stopped and Shagman tightened the nut on the prop. After about 30 minutes we decided to head back because the river levels were high, and the trip back to the boat launch was going upstream. We made the right choice heading back to the launch.
We loaded the gear and boat back up in the van and headed back West. We ate some ham sandwiches on the road and made a stop at a boat store in Marianna hoping to get another prop. The nearest prop was in Dothan, AL. So, we decided to head to another dive site that has a short boat ride and very little flow. After we arrived on site, once again Shagman assembled the boat and motor, we loaded up the gear and headed upstream.
Diving isn't swimming....right??
Since it was later in the day, the ride was a little chilly as the sun started to drop behind the trees. The river water was high and very tannic from all the run off. When we turned toward the spring run the water immediately began to clear. Being able to see the bottom of the creek was a welcome site.
We weaved our way a long way back through some VERY shallow water...finally we arrived at the first spring. After a day of driving and boat trips we were anxious to get in the water, and find a cavern to stick our heads in.
This is a very unique dive site. Instead of a traditional cavern entrance we entered what I will call a large fissure crack in the bottom. Because of some congestion, I was having some problems equalizing my ears. Shagman tied a line off and we headed in the cavern. The opening drops stright down as you weave your way down through a narrow passage to the bottom. It was one of those dives where your gear is not right, your ears are not right, and you are hauling a heavy camera around. As I was trying to descend to Shagman's location at the bottom of the cavern, my ears started to really "scream" at me. I went up a little and tried to clear, but my ears were not cooperating so I began to ascend a little, to see if I could get them to clear. I signaled to Shagman that I was heading up. I made a slow ascent and headed out toward the entrance. I stopped at the entrance and waited on Shagman to make his way out with the line. We swam around the basin taking pictures and enjoying the unique rocks and fish we found at this site.
We surfaced back by the boat and decided to "swim" the shallow run around the point to a second fissure crack. We quickly learned that the water level would not allow a "swim". After waddling like a newt for a short distance, we both realized we would have to take the fins off and walk to our next location.
Shagman walking our gear to the next hole in the ground
After hitting waist deep water again, we headed toward another small cavern. I went slow this time, set my camera down in the basin, and descended in the cavern follwing Shagman. I stopped and cleared numerous times...this allowed me to make it further in this cavern. We looked around in some tight spaces for a while. When you get two Bubba's like Shagman and myself in a small fissure crack...well, lets just say we didn't win any points for form....but we explored around, had a good time, and saw a lot of fossils on the floor. I signaled Shagman that I would take the reel since I left my camera in the basin. He went ahead, and I began to bring the reel in. It was interesting trying to reel in while swimming straight up the fissure crack. But, I did it with no bird nests.
Shagman took these two pictures of me coming through with my camera
We swam around the basin for a while. We were loosing sunlight quickly, so we headed back toward the boat. We decided to walk over a land bridge to get back to the boat. It was a much shorter walk then going around in the water. We quickly loaded up the boat and headed back to the boat lauch. It was a cold ride back to the boat launch as the sun was going down.
We loaded up the boat and gear and headed to Cave Adventures to drop some tanks off. We left the tanks for a morning pickup, and then headed to Po Folks for a hot meal. Neither of us had eaten at a Po Folks for a long time. I have to recommend the Po Folks in Marianna...we had a good hot meal. We ate, talked about the days events, and then made our plan for the next day of diving. We spent the night at the beautiful and luxurious Executive Inn. Okay, if you have been there you know those aren't the correct adjectives...but we stayed there nonetheless. We both looked at our pictures and then went to sleep...with visions of caverns dancing in our heads.
We slept in a little the next morning because morning temps were around 45 degrees. We decided that because of our motor problems that we would head to Cypress Spring. Even though I had just dove there Sunday, I was anxious to go back with the sun out. We made our way to Cave Adventures, and got our tanks picked up, and we got on the road in record time. We made it to the Culpepper landing boat launch at 11 AM. Holmes creek is still tannic from the river levels and rain runoff. Once we turned on the spring run the water instantly cleared. I won't bore everyone (I know to late) by saying again how great Cypress Spring is....but, Shagman and I both agreed our dive today was the best Cypress dive ever. We spent about 30 minutes in the cavern and almost another 50 minutes in the basin. We hit the spring at 12 noon and didn't get out till almost 1:30 PM. We saw more turtles then we had ever seen before. We saw extremely large sliders, numerous small snappers, and many varieties of carp...a few carp down in the cavern looked like they were trying to spawn. I asked them to stop their indecent behavior till Shagman and I left.
(Cypress Photos Are Posted In Next Message...not enough room in this one)
I shot a lot of video that I hope to arrange in to a video tour of Cypress. A few people have PM'd me asking about Cypress....I thought a video might give those of you who can't get to Cypress, a little feel for how great this site is. After the dive, Shagman and I spent some time talking with two people from the University of Florida. They were there in a canoe taking readings and measurements at the spring. We talked about the spring and they asked us a lot of questions about what we saw and at what depths. They gave us their email address so Shagman and I could send them some of our pictures of Cypress.
We decided that since we had such a good dive...that we would call it a day. We had considered stopping by Morrison on the way home...but we decided not to since any other dive would be a let down after our Cypress dive. We had a great two day trip. Shagman is a great boat captain. Diving Florida springs and caverns are the best....the only thing better are good friends to share them with.
