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Underwater Speleology Journal of the Cave Diving Section of the National Speleological Society

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Underwater Speleology Journal of the Cave Diving Section of the National Speleological Society Underwater Speleology Journal of the Cave Diving Section of the National Speleological Society INSIDE THIS ISSUE: 40th Anniversary of the NSS-CDS: 1973-2013 Revalation Space: New Room in Eagle’s Nest The Uses and Perceptions of Bahamian Blue Holes Visit With A Spring: Paradise Spring From the Back of the Cave: Decompression Wars Volume 40 Number 1 January/February/March 2013 2013 NSS-CDS WORKSHOP Crawfordville, Florida May 24-25 SPEAKERS Edd Sorrenson Steve Lewis Brett Hemphill Chris Richardson Skip Kendrick Friday Night Social Clinics For more information Door Prizes Visit the NSS-CDS Website Vendors and more www.nsscds.org Underwater Speleology NSS-CDS Volume 40 Number 1 BOARD OF DIRECTORS January/February/March 2013 contents CHAIRMAN Gene Melton Featured Articles (90) 9-9 [email protected] Revalation Space VICE CHAIRMAN By Andrew Pitkin....................................................................................................6 Forrest Wilson NSS-CDS: 40 Years 1973 - 2013 (0) 292-513 [email protected] By Sheck Exley and Forrest Wilson......................................................................10 TREASURER Introduction to Florida’s Springs and The Howard T. Odum Bill Huth Florida Springs Institute (50) 501-221 By Robert L. Knight, Ph.D., Director..................................................................14 [email protected] Visit With A Cave: Paradise Springs SECRETARY By Jon Bernot and Kristi Bernot........................................................................... Tony Flaris 18 (90) 210-550 The Uses and Perceptions of Bahamian Blue Holes [email protected] By Sarah Wise and Amelia Moore....................................................................22 PROGRAM DIRECTORS Frank Ohidy With This Ring (3) 9-123 By Gene Page, Photographer............................................................................26 [email protected] From The Back Of the Cave: Decompression Wars Tom McMillan By John Zumrick..................................................................................................31 (3) 93-5 [email protected] Midwest Underground: Cannonball Run By Chris Hill..........................................................................................................28 TRAINING CHAIRMAN Bill Dunn What is it? (and answers to last issues game) (0) 3-5102 [email protected] ...........................................................................................................................36 Columns From The Chairman By Gene Melton......................................................................................................5 Skills, Tips & Techniques By Jim Wyatt..............................................................................................................9 Conservation Corner By Kelly Jessop....................................................................................................13 The Loop By Joe Citelli...........................................................................................................16 ADMINISTRATIVE MANAGER O To the Side By Rob Neto...........................................................................................................25 Gwen Wyatt 295 NW Commons Loop Cave Diving Milestones SUITE 115-31 By Shirley Kasser.................................................................................................27 Lake City, FL 32055 (3) 5-5550 The Learning Curve: CDS Instructors and Insructing FAX (3) 5- By Bill Dunn...........................................................................................................34 [email protected] Please mail Section business to: News Reel NSS-CDS ...........................................................................................................................35 295 NW Commons Loop, Suite 115-31 Lake City, FL 32055 Cover Photo: Paradise Springs Photographer: Kristi Bernot www.nsscds.org 3 UNDERWATER SPELEOLOGY Editor’s Notes TEAM EDITOR ART DIRECTOR Cheryl Doran [email protected] ADVERTISING SALES [email protected] DEPARTMENTS And the Grinch, with his Grinch-feet ice cold in the snow, SKILLS, TIPS, & TECHNIQUES stood puzzling and puzzling, how could it be so? Jim Wyatt [email protected] It came without ribbons. It came without tags. CONSERVATION CORNER It came without packages, boxes or bags. Kelly Jessop And he puzzled and puzzled ‘till his puzzler was sore. [email protected] Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn’t before. MILESTONES What if Christmas, he thought, doesn’t come from a store? Shirley Kasser [email protected] What if Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more? ~ Dr. Seuss THE LOOP Joe Citelli MIDWEST UNDERGROUND Chris Hill 2013 is the 40th Anniversary Year of the NSS-CDS. The UWS will focus on the rich history and tenants of the organization with articles OFF TO THE SIDE Rob Neto offering education, conservation, exploration and safety. [email protected] Our on-line trivia contest for our last issue had no winner. Everyone ASSOCIATE EDITORS missed the same answer! The answers are posted in this issue’s Barbara J. Dwyer on-line version along with a new game. We would like to thank Peter Russell Edge Lapin, , for his generous dona- James Dalgarno http://www.cavedivingphotos.com/ tion of custom printed mugs as prizes for the contests and to Gene Submission Deadlines Page and Ben Martinez for their photos used last issue. Stop by the Issue Deadline web site and see what is new in the NSS-CDS and visit the UWS Jan/Feb/Mar December 1st web-version. April/May/June March 1st July/August/Sept June 1st Save the Date! April 20, 2013 and join us for the Cathedral Work Day. Come out and help. Oct/Nov/Dec September 1st Views represented in UWS articles are proprietary to the au- Whatever holiday you celebrate, please enjoy a safe, healthy and thor and do not reflect the views of the NSS-CDS BOD or Edi- happy one. tor. We encourage the process of freedom of speech. You are welcome at any time to make rebuttals to articles previously printed in UWS. Please send articles or responses to Christmas is mine and I wish everyone all the joys of the season. [email protected]. For rates and ad sizes please go to www.nsscds.com Merry Christmas and Happy New Year,. Underwater Speleology (UWS) is printed quarterly (four times yearly) by the NSSCDS, 295 NW Commons Loop, Suite 115-317, Lake City, Florida 32055. UWS is a membership benefit. Information on membership fees and registration can be found at www.nsscds.org. Please send address changes to NSS-CDS, 295 NW Commons Loop, Suite 115-317, Lake City, Florida 32055. Please submit letters and articles to UWS EDITOR, 295 NW Commons Loop, Suite 115-317, Lake City, Florida 32055. UWS text, illustrations, and photographs may not be repro- duced or reprinted without the expressed consent of the NSS- CDS or its authors, artists, or photographers. NSS-CDS is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Underwater Speleology from the Chairman gene melton “You can’t direct the wind, but you can adjust your sails” ~ German Proverb I am saddened to inform you that Susan Gero has passed away. Susan was a recipient of the NSS-CDS Outstanding Service Award. Her business, Exploration Design Studios (XDS), produced wonderful pieces of cave diving jewelry. She is deeply missed by the NSS-CDS and all who knew her. There will be a Mini Workshop/Social at Marianna on Presidents Day weekend. It promises to be fun. I hope to see you there. Work parties are being planned for Cathedral, Cow Springs and Mill Creek (Alachua). Dates and times will be announced on the NSS- CDS website. We can all help with Cow Springs erosion mitigation. Are you diving Cow Springs? If so, the next time you go, please take a bag of cypress mulch and spread it on the path or in the parking lot where you suit up. It’s about two dollars a bag and is available at Wal-Mart, Lowes, Home Depot and other places. Your help will enhance our conservation efforts. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! Dive safely, Gene www.nsscds.org 5 REVALATION SPACE A New Room In Downstream Eagle’s Nest By: Andrew Pitkin The new section overlaid on Eric Hutcheson’s superb map of Eagle’s NSS 39762 Nest, with permission from and thanks to Eric for the use of part of his map. It was in late July 2010 that I found myself scootering I looked up into a low room, about 30 feet wide, which alone through the beautiful downstream passage of curved away to the left. On the right, the floor rose up to Eagle’s Nest. Conditions were spectacular. Beyond the the ceiling. The left wall was steeper, guarded by large Pit, the water acquired a beautiful blue transparency boulders that looked like they might conceal something, and the muted ochre of the walls arching up to the high but that direction was south, not the way I wanted to go. ceiling vault gave the passage the feel of a large medieval About 120 feet beyond the restriction, the silt floor started cathedral. At the end of the Room of Dreams, the central rising up to a shallow rockpile. The other side of the pile rock pile sloped down to a forbidding restriction where sloped down under the roof and there was a hint of some the old exploration line was tied off, decorated with dark space beyond. My compass indicated the room to numerous line arrows, including some historic ones be trending due west at this point, placing it to the north made of triangular pieces of tape, the writing on them of and parallel to Andrew’s Tunnel. It was the same now sadly dissolved with
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