Underwater Speleology Journal of the Cave Diving Section of the National Speleological Society INSIDE THIS ISSUE: Making The Connection That Didn’t Exist On The Origin Of Florida’s Underwater Caves Visit with A Cave: Chac Mool And Monstruo NSS-CDS Cave Diver Supervisor Program Volume 40 Number 4 October/November/December 2013 Underwater Speleology NSS-CDS Volume 40 Number 4 BOARD OF DIRECTORS October/November/December 2013 CHAIRMAN contents Joe Citelli (954) 646-5446 Featured Articles [email protected] VICE CHAIRMAN Making The Connection That Didn’t Exist Tony Flaris (904) 210-4550 By Cristina Zenato.......................................................................................................6 [email protected] On The Origin Of Florida’s Underwater Caves By Jason Gulley.........................................................................................................10 TREASURER Terri Simpson Learning To Sidemount With Mr. Santi (954) 275-9787 By Moody Shwales.......................................................................................................13 [email protected] The Sump Sherpa C-Card SECRETARY By Leam Hall.....................................................................................................................14 TJ Muller [email protected] Visit With A Cave: Chac Mool and Monstruo By Luis Sanchez, Ricardo Castillo and Alfonso Caballero...........................................16 PROGRAM DIRECTORS The Light Precedes You David Jones By Nick Galante.........................................................................................................20 (727) 510-2342 [email protected] The CDS Dive Supervisor Program .By Jim Wyatt............................................................................................................24 Nathan Spray [email protected] Columns TRAINING CHAIRMAN Jim Wyatt (352) 363-0013 [email protected] From The Board of Directors ............................................................................................................................5 Conservation Corner By Kelly Jessop.........................................................................................................12 Midwest Underground By Chris Hill...............................................................................................................18 Off To The Side By Rob Neto..............................................................................................................21 The Loop By Joe Citelli..............................................................................................................23 Cave Diving Milestones ADMINISTRATIVE MANAGER By Shirley Kasser......................................................................................................26 Bruce Ryan Skills, Tips & Techniques 295 NW Commons Loop By Georges Gawinowski..........................................................................................29 SUITE 115-317 Lake City, FL 32055 Instructor Listing (850) 284-1849 ..................................................................................................................30 [email protected] Instructor’s Corner By Carl Griffing..........................................................................................................31 Please mail Section business to: NSS-CDS 295 NW Commons Loop, Suite 115-317 Lake City, FL 32055 Cover Photo: Monstruo, giant stalactite in Chac Mool . Photographers: Luis Sanchez, Ricardo Castillo and Alfonso Caballero www.nsscds.org 3 UnderWater SPELeoLogY Editor’s Notes Team EDITOR ART DIRECTOR Cheryl Doran [email protected] ASSISTANT ART DIRECTOR Carl Griffing If everyone is moving forward together, then success takes ADVERTISING SALES care of itself. ~ Henry Ford [email protected] Change and progress... I believe that the organization is mak- DEPARTMENTS ing progress. We have new ideas and are maintaining past pro- SKILLS, TIPS, & TECHNIQUES grams. The Supervisor Program is up and running, we will be rep- Georges Gawinowski [email protected] resented at DEMA , have a clean up and social coming up at Cow Spring and there are several new committees up and running. In CONSERVATION CORNER Kelly Jessop the coming months of 2014 we will begin with the Hart Springs [email protected] Workshop which has a unique format that I am looking forward MILESTONES to, a clean up at School Sink and plans underway for the 2014 Shirley Kasser [email protected] Workshop. THE LOOP Joe Citelli There is also some change. As you read this, we will have two new members of the BoD due to the resignation of Bert Wilcher MIDWEST UNDERGROUND Chris Hill and Marissa Lasso. I thank them for the time and energy they put [email protected] into their tenure on the BoD and wish them both well. OFF TO THE SIDE Rob Neto [email protected] Joe Citelli has taken the position as Chairman and I welcome TJ Muller and Nathan Spray as secretary and program director, re- INSTRUCTOR’S CORNER Carl Griffing spectively. [email protected] EDITORS The UWS changes a little each issue. I am thrilled to have more member submissions this issue and hope you keep them coming. SENIOR EDITOR Barbara J. Dwyer Congratulations to Cristina Zenato on her Mermaid/Chimney Hole ASSOCIATE EDITORS connection. Her story begins on page 5 along with several other Russell Edge member articles throughout the magazine. James Dalgarno ASSISTANT EDITOR Peacock Spring, one of my favortie dives, has had an on-again/ David Jones off-again year with continual flooding, and now a large rock has Views represented in UWS articles are proprietary to the au- fallen and blocked passage through Challange Sink. I look for- thor and do not reflect the views of the NSS-CDS BOD or Edi- tor. We encourage the process of freedom of speech. You are ward to the time when I can once again do the Grand Traverse. In welcome at any time to make rebuttals to articles previously the mean time, I believe a trip to the end of the Water Hole Tunnel printed in UWS. Please send articles or responses to: [email protected]. is in order. What are your dive plans? For rates and ad sizes please go to www.nsscds.com Dive safe, Underwater Speleology (UWS) is printed quarterly (four times yearly) by the NSSCDS, 295 NW Commons Loop, Suite 115-317, Lake City, Florida 32055. Cheryl 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. 4 Underwater Speleology from the Chairman Bert Wilcher As we move into the drier time of the year in North Florida, Florida Cave divers are looking forward to greater access to the abundant caves in the area. Membership is also excited about the upcoming 2013 Midwest workshop in Missouri; as well as our participation in DEMA in November. We will also have a presence at React in Luraville. Your membership will be well represented at these events and we encourage everyone to attend. The BoD would like to offer a big thank you to the volunteers who donated their time, efforts and talents to the construction of a new walkway and landscaping at Cow Springs. This project was designed to slow erosion at the site and conserve the natural fauna surrounding this beautiful spring. Please remember this is a dive site for members only and participants must register prior to use. If you observe any activity at this site that doesn’t appear by our guidelines, you are encouraged to contact the sheriff’s department and have them check for any wrong doing. It is not the responsibility of any member to confront someone at the site. Your BoD is communicating with each other on a regular basis and exploring the use of new technologies to allow more of our membership to participate, not only in board meetings, but possibly workshops in the future. The training committee is proud to announce the development of a Cave Guide program. This program is similar to a dive master or technical supervisor program that other training agencies offer. It is not a requirement for guides, but allows them to get specific training in how to supervise cave dives, mentor newer divers and protect and conserve cave environments. This program has been approved by one of the largest dive insurance organizations and allows trained guides to obtain insurance should they wish. This is an exciting new program and the training committee is to be commended for their hard work and attention to detail on this endeavor. As we move forward, I want to encourage all members to have open communication with this BoD. We are here to represent you best interest and we welcome your input. Safe diving, Bert Wilcher September 16, 2013, Bert Wilcher announced his resignation as Chairman and BoD member for health and personal reasons. The NSS-CDS Board of Directors would like to thank Bert for his service to the organization and wish him well. His presence on the Board will be missed and we hope to have the opportunity to work with him again in the future. September 18, 2013, Marissa Lasso announced her resignation as Program Director and BoD member. The NSS-CDS