In a Swamp

The time was early fall, 07. The place was central Florida and I was alone on a Cave Diving side trip for a couple of days while the family "did Mickey". It was here and then which I found my self standing in a puddle of standing swamp mush in the warm damp air.

The mud oozed over my sandals and made sucking noises as I slogged though with a steel tank on one shoulder. The sucking pops each threatened to dislodge my inappropriate footwear which each step toward the hole. Entering a slight depression I lowered my tank to the soft, wet muddy ground and see the crystal clear glow of the cave entrance. It is a small, round hole that drops straight down into a small shaft. At the bottom of the shaft are two tunnels going in different directions. Unfortunately there is a rotting tree lying across the opening.

We managed to get completely covered in mud, dirt and grime hulling our sidemount gear and assorted paraphernalia to the cave and then clearing the log from the opening. Sweat, dirt and mud crammed into a drysuit with me I longed for the picknick tables and stairs of the other more popular caves. Entering the sink was no easy splash ether since the actual hole is barely big enough to cram into. Then you have to hold your breath, pull down a rope 3-4 feet and jam a reg into your mouth as you struggle in a tinny shaft to get your tanks on.

Needless to say this cave isn't dove a lot. The cave it self shows little wear and little travel. The water it self is crystal clear and the cave is stunning with features, decoration and stuff I have never seen before in Florida. Like puddles of green-blue algae which settle into depressions on the floor. These algae puddles are filled with tinny albino crayfish.

I have also never seen such a complex web of cave passage. There are parallel lines which go under or over the "main" line. They criss-cross, intersect and otherwise turn into a confusing maze of tunnel. Most of which is small and silty. There are dead ends, loop-de-loops and all sorts of completely messed up ways to be completely and hopelessly lost. There are also no maps of any of it. T's everywhere and the cave is huge.. Thousands upon thousands of feet of line and going leads.

All in all this cave has turned into my absolute favorite dive sight in Florida and probably the world. Its shallow, challenging and extensive. There are catacomb like areas with drooping arched ceilings filled with silt that go on for ever. There are tube like tunnels filled with mud and clay in an intricate maze. There are parallel lines and tunnels and circuits. There are low rocky bedding planes and long vertical cracks. In short, it is breath taking. It is Luraville cave.