I'm cold and alone in the cave. Sitting there at 30 feet I am slowly losing all feeling. I'm so cold that it hurts. I am desperately longing comfort. To stay is a spiritual battle. One is tempted to pull the surface in the sunlight to heat. I know that I can not. I know I have to stay. I know they are stuck in a self-imposed prison cell. I could escape miserable and pathetic, but it is not an option. The second countdown time. The more I look down at the computer,more often they are disappointed. Now, apparently, has stopped. I try to remember that pain is only temporary and resolves shortly after I hit the surface of the console. So I optimized wedge beneath the rocky ceiling, and suffer in silence. Despite everything, I did not even think, 'Why am I here "or" Why am I doing this? "I'm assuming that's where I want to be. This is what I love to do. That this is the price they are willing to pay.
Finally, 115Minutes passed, and I am free to go. Dizzy from the cold that I created. I'm disappointed surface. The cave has sent me home in my tail between my legs. The last restriction proved impenetrable.
I have a good 30 minutes to 152ft, tanks and tried to twist and wedge through me. No matter how I approached the hole, the angle at which I took and in what direction I came, there was no way I was for ever. I felt like a 3-year-old son, frustrated and confused as they try desperatelyforms a ball move in a square shape with no success. Finally, finally, I gave up. Not until the final fleeting thought - I should Nomad off and try again. Forced Fortunately, common sense. I suppressed my curiosity. A smart move, as it turned out. I had enough problems on my new tank, as it was. After the adrenaline faded, I realized that the feeling and dexterity in my hands had almost disappeared.
There are not enough adjectives in the dictionary it seems reasonabledescribe what it feels like a couple of hours in 40F water. The words "ice water" does not communicate the extent of the problem which first hit the water at rejuvenating the face, numbness of the extremities of the slow, making it unusable, the constant agitation, the fatigue one feels after the dive, the willingness and ability to stay focused at work and resist the temptation to hell out of the water. Everything seems more difficult in cold water - everything. AfterI went out by the restriction I tinkered around and fought the tanks and resolved to ensure the correct configuration on the supply side. Finally admitting defeat, I simply cut off from the d-rings and butt and I have moved. I had already clocked more hours of decoration - it was time to go.
So my week ending diving in the south-west of Tasmania. Affectionately known as Tassie is the place in a small jewel of unspoiled nature, spectacular scenery at every turn, and someInteresting cave diving must be done. Tassie cave diving is also famous for its hard and as such not really attract many speleosub from the mainland. It has all the good things, cold water, high flow rates, poor visibility, difficult access to the sea and the sharp rocks that cut the habit of dry suits are like butter.
Undeterred, I went Pearce Scholarship, Dean Chamberlain, Liz Rogers and Ken Smith in tiger's eye because there's some unfinished business to takeCare. In 2009, during the exploration of Lawrence river, the team came through the hole in the middle of the forest and whose 315ft line. They ran out of time to continue the exploration and now, a year after we returned to discover more of its secrets.
At the water's edge that we had to bush bash. Tiger eye of big trees and ferns surrounded trunks covered with moss, cobwebs and leeches. Under the hood is cool, dark and humid and the mosquitoes are relentless, thousands ofThey throw themselves on any bare skin. Finally, a slippery slope to the bottom of the sinkhole is located in the woods and the beautiful blue surface of the hole. It seemed awfully appealing from afar, but it seems deceptive. The unusual color blue of the water actually meant limited visibility, we were watching the visibility underwater 2ft at best.
The first dives were in the majority spent cleaning up the line. Tied after the harsh winter and heavy rain had eased offand in some places the line seemed a bit 'fragile, hanging by a thread. In fact, Ken found himself in a little 'discomfort when the cable broke in his hand after being up to 30 feet. He managed to control his heartbeat and negotiate its way out, without the help of the line. As a police officer then pushed back to go to perform the necessary repairs.
Made less than ideal conditions is very difficult to find the door. It seemed the only way tie was the role andStrike into the unknown. After negotiating the conversion of low and popping through the vertical narrow, it seemed, was in a larger room. The line follows the right wall, so I hit on the left with the role of what I hoped to be across the room. Finally I hit the opposite wall and found myself face to face with a small hole in the face. I went inside and enjoyed some diving Braille as the hills of mud was raining and visibility was reduced to zero. I thoughtProgressed, things were looking up the tunnel widens, then I saw the main line ... I found a small ring. Although interesting, it was not the right way. A few more door, where the great room all week, but the excitement temporary employment agency is not over anywhere.
The second day I dived down at the end of the line. The cave has stopped, as the flow. But the river had come from somewhere. I looked back at the endthe line without success. Then finally, when I saw the head I started - yawning darkness. I dropped my head and felt a closer look at the ribs flow. Bingo! I just had to break through the opening just big enough to pass through and fell into the side mounting directly into a booming ground shift. I felt perfect. I staggered the length of the coil, 165ft in one fell swoop, and the cave again. Occur on the way back even though I have been this dayfirst. Easy to blame the visibility, but I should have known. It was obvious that something is going on around it, if only I had made the effort to maintain long enough to take everything and stop and think. I guess better late than never.
Eventually, Liz and Dean added another 100ft of line, for a total of 265ft, before the tunnel crushed a restriction. You could quite easily with the adapter of restriction, but once blocked the way forward was through. In view of the roofand the ceiling came together and left a half-space in a high foot. On the left side, saw something promising, it was a coincidence that with a little effort can go there. What made it difficult to "tooth", a section of rock that hit in the middle of the room was small anyway. In the end the last restriction was impractical, even without armor. I still hope that in future I will not be mounted close to the platform on my way, but that remains to be seen.
Consideringwith a formidable enemy tiger's eye, we needed a distraction, and we decided to make a trip to Junee cave for a little 'variety. Junee Cave is home to a very special place, the so-called transition to dry "For Your Eyes Only." Requires a minor muscle and whole-heartedly trying to get there. First there is the path from the parking entrance of the cave. Normally, a light, pleasant hike through the rainforest, it seems more like a death march, when you start to carry gear. Then continuethe march for another streamway 400Ft that, in the fight against the tide that threatens to unbalance at any time. The most important cave is the rebirth of the area and the water comes out of the entrance with great strength, especially in winter. Finally, exhausted and sweaty swamp and reach the first dive in cold water 40F.
Compared to the tiger's eye visibility to 20 feet was absolutely roaring ... Well, it was, if you know where the first attempt. Despite the high flowthe abundance of silt in the cave. The same dive is relatively short, due in about 20 minutes. But do not take anything away from diving, the cave is quite unique and beautiful, with interesting rock formations. My favorite part of the dive, however, where the animals, the place is like a zoo. I have never seen such an abundance of creatures in a cave Cave Australia - I even caught some of them actually.
Once through the swamp, the plunge of exchange rates andprepare to be treated for one of the most incredible drying rooms. The passage is littered with great streamway some of the most amazing formations. The huge amount of straws can simply take your breath away. The place is simply breathtaking. Visit only made the whole trip worth Tassie. Simply walk through this passage and enjoy the breathtaking beauty, I had almost forgotten the restriction impenetrable in a cave on the road ... almost.
Diving in Tassie issensational, but at a price. You must be willing to put in hard yards to work hard, to tremble and suffer. In my mind, worth every second of it. I count on my return and I hope that I get up to the challenge of the eye of the tiger.