I was gone cave diving today.. and it had been far to long. But today was extra special because not only was I cave diving, but I was going to share the cave with some friends and cave divers. Punctual ones at that, as the door bell rang as almost precisely 9am.
Gear loaded in the truck, wife and child kissed and we were off. Excitement was thick in the cab of the truck as we buzzed down the highway listening to oldies on the satalite radio. I'm going to have to do something about the music selection next time, but honestly it was just nice to have some company for a change. We chattered about the cave over the muzzzaaacc anyway, so my ears didn't suffer to much torture.
So we arrive and I give the site briefing twice. Yes, twice, apparently one of the soon to be cave diving people decided making water was more important! The nerve - but I'll let it slide this time. We gear up and I warn them a few more times about potential line traps. I gloat a bit more about sidemounting and ask them to dive with a constant awareness for conservation. The cave is full of decoration and backmount gets tight in places. They do there buddy checks, I do a head to toe and were are off swimming down the resurgence.
Latest modifications to "the rig" are working perfectly. Trim is bang on, swimming is easy.. love'n it. Just in time to notice that the water temperature has dropped off 10 degrees. Needless to say, my 3mm isn't quite adequate for a 2+hour run time in 71F water. But I am hear, and my 7mm and dry suit are in my garage at home.. so off we go.
I get my two newbs onto the line and start in trying not to get to far in fount of them. As good little team divers, they attempt to maintain contact while moving though the cave. I warned them that this will be difficult and they find it such, but make steady progress. Looken good for there first one in Canada. Onward we go!
I pause at Sink #2 for them. Our planned departure point as it gets tight and small and fragile passed #2. For there first dive, this should be far enough. We all trade OK's and give them a jaunty salute and head deeper. Planned route is same as last time, except further and with a "working" camera. Not wasting much time on the way in I fly though the big cave passed Sink #3 and take a left at the T into the stunning ups, downs, lefts and right and duck unders and duck overs.
Easy breath, hold it, press, hold, wait, wait, wait, fump, flash, exhale. Next. Click click click, I have 1gb card, I'm going to use it! I am still in complete awe of this cave. It changes topology a number of times and is pristine in some many ways. Stratified clay and silt banks which I am not going near. Sponge covered walls and chert. Fragile lime stone flakes all over the floor. Its untouched and I want to leave it that way.
Sponge covered knob of chert.
Sponge covered shelf along the wall.
Cave running down into a sidemount restriction.
Wall heading into a duck under.
Down into another sidemount restriction.
About 600 feet after my last dive the line turns into a big ball of spaghetti with a nice frayed end. 4000 feet in there is a break in the line. Oh well, I still have plenty of gas so next time around I'm just going to have to fix it!
There is this neat thing that happens occasionally when your diving in a system with other people. You see, you run into them. I was swimming back toward Sink #2 and I saw a red glow in the distance. Much to close to be the sink, then another red glow appears. Looks like someone went exploring! I slide off the line into the tighter side of the passage and wave to them as I slide passed, moving quickly now. Almost shivering from the stupid 3mm.
P.S. Both of the divers new to this system are now investigating sidemount and becoming able to independently handle failures.
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