**Notice.... A lot of these reports will be about cave diving. PLEASE do not attempt to dive in caves if you are not properly trained. If you feel that you would enjoy cavediving, please contact one of the cave diving agencies such as NSS-CDS, NACD, TDI, or GUE. Also please read this notice from the NSS-CDS.

400/x-over/2/3........
January 18, 2003

The morning started out meeting our new cave partner for the weekend, Sidney. This was to be his first experience diving with our group. He is a brave sole.

Well, Sidney took off with Sam, Stan and myself to get some fills, and purchase some additional gear at Cave Excursions. After the quick stop, we headed towards Ginnie Springs, when we realized we would also have to stop at Extreme Exposure to top off an O2 bottle, that we were unable to take care of at Bill’s. All of the running around put us into Ginnie later than expected. We were also planning on meeting some friends at Ginnie who were holding a cavern class. After talking with them for an hour, we were finally ready to start getting ready for a dive.

After gearing up, we all headed to the water to take off on our dives. Due to Sam being Intro level, Stan and him were planning on quick mainline dives. Sidney and I were planning a dive up Hill400 towards the Bats. Sam and Stan would run the primary reel, and since we would place clips on it, so the last team could pull it. When we finally hit the water, bubble checks revealed that both Sidney and Sam had leaks or one sort or another. While they hopped out to fix the problems, Stan and I waited in the water, as it was much warmer then the air. Stan and I hopped down for a quick 15-minute dive down into the Eye.

Sam and Sidney were heading back to the water after we surfaced, so after another bubble check, we were underway.

When we reached the Ear, it was very tannic. River water had intruded pretty deep into it. After a quick talk, we submerged. While Sam ran a reel, I waited up out of the way of the river water, as it felt a lot colder than the spring water. Once the reel was run, I rocketed to the bottom as quickly as possible to avoid the Ice Tea that was in the Ear. After dropping our O2 bottles, we continued on our way. Sidney led this dive, and took us up the mainline to the Hill 400 jump. Being our first dive together, we wanted something easy and relaxing, and this was the perfect dive for that. While we did not make it to the Bats before the dive was turned, it truly was an enjoyable dive with a new partner. The dive was turned at the Double Lines, and we headed out. On the way out, I just enjoyed the flow of Ginnie. I had not been in Ginnie since October, and truly missed it.

When we got to back to the Ear, we grabbed the reel, and enjoyed the fun of dealing with the reel, O2 bottles, and the flow as we headed out.

The dive ended up being a very relaxing 57 minutes at a max depth of 93 feet.

Now for the hard part, getting out of the water in the freezing weather! Whoever said Florida is the sunshine state, lied. It was too dang cold.

January 19, 2003

Today was the day for diving at Peacock. The four of us headed out, picked up a quick bite at the Luraville Country Store, got fills, and headed to Peacock.

The dive plan was simple. Stan would run the reel in, with Sam in tow. Sidney and I would pin the reel, and follow them down the Peanut line. However, we would continue where they turned, and I would lead Sidney and I on a dive down the Crossover Tunnel ending at Olsen Sink. We would surface at Olsen, talk a minute, and head back the way we came.

We headed in and I noticed that Stan seemed to have some problems running the reel. I would not realize how much of a problem, until I went to pull the reel. That will come in to play later though. We continued on, Sidney and I following the two others, as they headed down the Peanut Line past the Breakdown Room. The trip through the Crossover Tunnel was a blast. It was my first trip there, and like every other dive I have done in Peacock, it always seems that the new place is always better than the rest.

After surfacing in Olsen, we headed out, and that is where the problems started. OK, so the problems were nothing major, and simply small inconveniences. However, there were a couple of them. While pulling the spool from the Olsen Line to the Crossover Line, I somehow managed to knot the line on my spool around the permanent line. Instead of sitting there messing with it, I simply whipped out my trusty 1-dollar dive knife and cut it. Problem solved. Then while pulling the primary reel, I realized why Stan was having the problem. Something was wrong with the reel. It was very hard to reel in, and my hand kept cramping up trying to do so. When we surfaced I looked down at my gauge, I was still 100psi over thirds, I guess it was time to turn the dive!

For the second dive, Sidney and I had planned on diving up towards Olsen, and then on towards Challenge seeing how far we could make it. Unfortunately, time constraints kept us from doing that. We needed to do something short. We decided on diving Peacock II. Neither of us had done that dive, so it would be a new dive for both of us. I led the way in, as I had been told earlier how to access it.

So, we drop in and I sort of guess the way. Finally, the mainline comes into view. I am sure that most of you have done Peacock II, but for those who have not, what a beautiful tunnel! The tunnel is in beautiful condition when compared to beaten path in Peacock. No handprints or fin prints. You can tell it is not dove often, as silt covers the line in places. As we dropped down the Well, I was thinking how lucky I was to be in a place so amazing. The dive was over far too soon. Once again, a new tunnel in Peacock for me, and a new favorite.

January 20, 2003

Today would be our last day, and we would only have time for one dive before having to pack up and leave. Sidney and I decided to continue with the trend we had set yesterday. That trend being diving P1, then P2, What better way to finish off, then P3? Once again, this would be a dive that I had never done. I was almost giddy with excitement at what I knew would be an awesome dive.

After dropping our O2 bottles in the basin, we headed back to gear up, and once again go over the dive plan. Being my first time in new cave, I wanted to keep it simple and conservative. We decided on a simple dive up the mainline. I mean, why make any jumps, when you have not even seen the mainline yet? The dive was planned, we were geared up, and we were ready to go.

We sat in the basin for a while before heading in, because another team had just descended, and we wanted to give them time, since they were doing a stage/trimix dive down into Hendley’s Castle. After waiting a few minutes, we dropped down. Looking at the cavern area, I new this was going to be a fun one right away. After dropping our O2, and then tying off to the mainline, we continued on our way. WOW! Talk about a bunch of different style of cave! There were vertical fissures, low tight areas, wide open rooms, large boulders, and silt on everything! When we reached the Sand Slopes, Sidney signaled back to me to check if I felt OK going through it. I signaled an OK back to him, and we headed through. That place is pretty low, very silty, and so bad cool. After making it through, I looked back and was pleased to see that no silt was stirred. On we continued through more cave that seemed to change every 100 feet. When we reached the jump for Hendley’s I had to sit and stare. Man, I wish I were trimix certified. Just the area that you can see from the mainline was gorgeous. The large silt covered boulders looked the size of VW”s. I can only imagine what the rest looks like. Oh well, one day I will be able to do it. On we marched. After heading through another low area we came to an area where the line kicked hard left, and boulder littered the floor. Sidney decided to turn the dive at that point, as we were not sure what the tunnel ahead looked like, and did not know if turning up ahead could be done cleanly.

Heading back out, I finally noticed the syphon effect. It was not much, but I could tell that we were now heading into the flow. As I led, I tried to take time to notice some of the stuff I missed. One thing I did notice about 3 was the amount of critters in it. I counted at least 8 catfish, and saw countless crayfish. One even attacked me. It was crawling along the bottom, and then jumped straight at my HID. It hit it, and then bounced back to the bottom and took off. I think it was on crack.

All too soon we were back at the reel. After picking up our O2, and making our 20 and 10 foot stops, I surfaced with a grin that you would see on the face of a kid that just found out that Santa Claus left him the Red Ryder BB gun he always wanted. Do I need to tell you that this is now my favorite dive in Peacock? I didn’t think so.