This is a new video just shot by the WKPP, testing some new equipment and lights. I have yet to dive this system (and may never get a chance)but this is an immense cave. At 3:39 of the video you get an idea of how huge it is in some places. Enjoy

Thanks for sharing.

How does one figure out how to get back w/o taking a wrong turn? Can't leave breadcrumbs....

Underwater caves fascinate me but going through one is one of the scariest things I can think of.

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Originally posted by 229DAK:
How does one figure out how to get back w/o taking a wrong turn? Can't leave breadcrumbs....

Lines.

Cool, but I'd rather do proximity wingsuit flying.

If you screw the pooch you die faster.

That almost gave me a panic attack. I have been there and swam before, cool place.

So far they have mapped out 28 MILES of underwater caves at Wakulla. Fascinating!!

Can someone explain how deep they were... it kept showing something like 225 ffw deep surely they can't be 225 feet?

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Originally posted by Blume9mm:
Can someone explain how deep they were... it kept showing something like 225 ffw deep surely they can't be 225 feet?

Yes, they were between 225' and 295' deep. Wakulla runs deep, areas are a tad below 300' That is what makes that cave so challenging, the depth. Even "short" dives will require 3 hour plus decompression.

Is all of that cave contained within the bounds of the state park, or is it also underneath the surrounding residential area? The park itself seems to be made up of a number of pieces which are not contiguous, so I would expect the cave to be underneath a lot of places not in the park.

Fifty+ miles of cave is a lot. It makes me wonder how many other caves remain undiscovered or unexplored in other areas of Florida.

There is no way that the caves are only under the park. They definitely go through residential and commercial areas outside the boundaries of the park.

Cool place. I was there for a meeting when I was with the US EPA.

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Originally posted by Southflorida-law:

quote:

Originally posted by Blume9mm:
Can someone explain how deep they were... it kept showing something like 225 ffw deep surely they can't be 225 feet?

Yes, they were between 225' and 295' deep. Wakulla runs deep, areas are a tad below 300' That is what makes that cave so challenging, the depth. Even "short" dives will require 3 hour plus decompression.

I have a dive buddy that would just shrug his shoulders and say it’s big boy diving. I clearly remember him saying those exact words as gear was getting tossed around on a 4 hour boat ride out in the Atlantic.

Looks like a crazy fun dive. I like the markings on the bottom of the bailout gas.

I am not a diver, and there is no friggen way I would go in there if I was a diver.

Terrific footage. Water is so clear that it looks like they’re on a space walk.

Michael

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Originally posted by bubbatime:
There is no way that the caves are only under the park. They definitely go through residential and commercial areas outside the boundaries of the park.

No, right now, the WKPP has mapped over 20 miles of cave. Each year the divers connect more cave systems to it or add additional passages.

And there are surrounding systems that they pretty much believe connect to Wakulla but they haven't found the connection yet.

Unfortunately, as the surrounding towns pull more water out of the ground (residential, agricultural, commercial) and dump more and more semi-treated sewage on top if it that leaches down, the ability to explore the system becomes less and less. What used to be a pristine system that was always clear year round now is undivable a good part of the year due to tannic water intrusion and virtually zero visibility in much of the cave systems. As the flow reduces, heavy rains will push the tannic water into the system also. 30 years ago the basin in the park was gin-clear, now it can be a murky green and worse as you descend.

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Originally posted by comet24:...I like the markings on the bottom of the bailout gas.

Me too, that is when you know it is serious, when the MOD of your gas is 300'!

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Originally posted by Southflorida-law:

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Originally posted by comet24:...I like the markings on the bottom of the bailout gas.

Me too, that is when you know it is serious, when the MOD of your gas is 300'!

That was one of the first things I noticed. Definitely, a key those guys are not playing around that and the scooter setup. Always adding to my knowledge and toolbox. Good chance I will be stealing that.

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Originally posted by comet24:
[...Always adding to my knowledge and toolbox. Good chance I will be stealing that.

Bottle marking is key with the WKPP. All of our stages have the MOD on the side and the bottom. That way your buddy can make sure you are on the right gas with just a glance.

I love watching those videos. I really enjoy recreational/sport diving and have no desire to do the technical stuff.

There are times where I think I'd like to go deeper just so I could visit different wrecks but honestly the I haven't scratched the surface of what I can see inside of 90'.

I love sharing these videos with my kids (my 10 year old is getting certified in June) and they think seeing what is "under" the springs we dive is very very cool!

Thanks for posting this! I enjoy watching/having someone else getting this footage without ever wanting to dive caves myself.