What's with Blue Hole????

[DandyDon]

When we were there in December, we had temps as low as 53 degrees.

Missed that. In fact, that's very hard to believe. But then, many computer thermometers aren't accurate.

 

[robint]

It sounds like things could change significantly at BH.
Will it be in a short time geologically? (which is a long time!) or
Will it be in the next few years?

It makes the possiblilty of something happening while diving a bit scary. Perhaps the drought has caused the water levels in the aquafers to drop, creating more airspace in the caverns, and decreasing the amount of support that the water itself gives to the rock above it.
The drought, population growth, and agriculture, all add together to change the dynamics which have kept the BH stable.
In addition to an increased depth(floor sinking), the water temp is fluctuating as well. When we were there in December, we had temps as low as 53 degrees.

When the city of Santa Rosa starts their construction project, I fear that it make cause a catastrofic sink/collapse, which will significantly change the entire area.

The collapse is my biggest fear about the whole project. BH may just be a pile of rocks this summer. I just hope no one gets hurt. Sorry to be so sceptical but I have seen so much deterioration in the walls, new cracks, etc. for the past 6 years that I have been diving there and I have no confidence in the crew working on it as they don't regularly dive there and know it like we do.....

As far as the water temp, in winter my computer says colder than 62 degrees, but that is because the air is colder and it takes a few minutes for it to adjust to the water..... if you use the download program for suunto like I do, you can see that the temp is warmer/colder dependent on the air temp at the beginning of a dive. But after about 5 minutes the computer registers 61 or 62 degrees for the rest of the dive consistantly.

robint

 

[amascuba]

My computer said 57 degree's on a dive there a couple months ago. It's even what shows up on my smarttrak software.

 

[scubajoh44]

My computer said 58 the end of January. I assumed it had warmed up quite a bit.....??

 

[DandyDon]

My computer said 57 degree's on a dive there a couple months ago. It's even what shows up on my smarttrak software.

My computer said 58 the end of January. I assumed it had warmed up quite a bit.....??

Ok, ok - I guess the surface waters can cool off quite a bit in the winter. Can your downloads show temperature changes thru out the dive? Bet it's always. 60-62 at depth.

Jo, if you don't have the downloader for your Versa Pro, I could do that for you. I'd need your PDC, a jump drive or a digital camera card with portable reader. I can download your dives to my lap top, then load the info onto your storage media to take to your computer. I may be in Lubbock tomorrow afternoon.

 

[scubajoh44]

Ok Don.....I thougt you knew that I didn't know anything about that "computer stuff" I don't even know what your talking about. Never "hooked" up my Versa to the computer. I'de love to learn more about it. Talk slow...... I can bring my PDC but don't even know what else would be an option. I have a dig camera with a memory card but don't know what a "portable reader" even is. lol.
Jo

 

[Divedoggie]

We had 3 different people in our group in December showing 53 to 55 degrees.

We had 5 people in our group last weekend. All computers showed 62 to 64 degrees.

I am just trying to show evidence that there is less water pressure nowdays, less GPM flow, and therefor the airtemp affects the overall water temp. Yes, perhaps it was 62 degrees at the bottom, but it may have been 50 degrees at the surface. The computer will take an average temp.
If the flow were at 3000gpm the water would average 60 degrees.
If the flow were 1000gpm, the 18 degree air temp will effect the water temp.

I think that if there is less water pressure, the caverns may not have as much integrity.

The Army Corps of Engineers would probably shut the entire place down if they thought that there was any danger.

 

[Divedoggie]

Its a fun point of discussion. Like global warming.

I will keep diving the Hole, and there will probably never be a problem!

 

[DandyDon]

Ok Don.....I thougt you knew that I didn't know anything about that "computer stuff" I don't even know what your talking about. Never "hooked" up my Versa to the computer. I'de love to learn more about it. Talk slow...... I can bring my PDC but don't even know what else would be an option. I have a dig camera with a memory card but don't know what a "portable reader" even is. lol.
Jo

:lol2: I would never make fun of anyone's computer skills. A portable card reader is a little thingie that lets you download from the camera card to the computer without the camera. $20 at Walmart. the card and reader can aslo be used to transport files.

I could download your recent dives from your Versa Pro to my laptop, show you what to look for, load them to your camera card, and show you how to load them to your own PC.

Just got word, I do have to go to Lubbock tomorrow afternoon...