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From: <BillLais@ao*.co*>
Date: Tue, 29 Dec 1998 07:08:58 EST
To: KarstDive@ao*.co*
Cc: DIVEREC@ao*.co*, cavers@cavers.com
Subject: Re: Deep Cave Exploration
Jerry,

I must agree with bdi; please inform the entire list what info is not correct
from his message below (besides substituting Wakulla for Woodville)??

Eric, there are two groups conducting 'explorations' in the 
 Wakulla Karst Plain. Your informant appears to have mixed 
 them both up. Let me separate them for you.
 
       WKPP                                    Wakulla 2
 (Wakulla Karst Plain Project)        (US Deep Cave Team/Bill Stone)
 
 Open circuit scuba &                     Electronic closed-
 depth compensated                        circuit rebreathers.
 semi-closed rebreathers.
 
 Team of over 100                         Group of divers of varying
 experienced gas, rebreather              abilities some from overseas,
 and support divers who have              a number of whom have no prior 
 worked for years to increase             rebreather experience.
 their fitness and skills.
 
 Special purpose long-                    Poor (stolen) copies of a 
 range scooters.                          WKPP prototype scooter.
 
 Occasional long-range exploration        One two-month project which failed 
 dives throughout the year                to get under way last year and this
 interspersed with on-going work-up       year started late. Two weeks 
 dives at other deep cave sites.          practise with new divers, scooters 
                                          and rebreathers.
 
 3 mile and five mile explorations,       One 600 foot penetration (though
 penetrations and every deep              the accuracy of their estimate 
 cave diving distance record in the       is in question due to the
 world.                                   conflicting data they have 
                                          published on their internet 
                                          publicity site).
                                          
 Uncanny safety record over thousands     Series of near-misses resulting
 of man-hours of deep diving              in unconciousness during 'training'
 exploration                              and during rebreather practise in
                                          shallow water. One diver seriously
                                          bent on actual cave dive.
 
 Team members happy to talk about         Group silenced by contractual
 accomplishments and methods              obligation and threat of legal 
                                          action.
 
 No environmental impact. One-day         Trailer park set up inside park.
 set-up, dive and break down. Park        Decompression unit dragged into
 visitors often unaware that WKPP         cave. Compressors, air banks, 
 exploration is taking place.             floating crane, etc.
 
 Map of ground-water patterns of          No map being produced since divers
 the region has been created, with        are uncertain of their location, 
 point-source contamination located       even on their limited penetrations.
 and identified.
 
 3-D mapping survey underway              3-D mapper too big for exploration.
                                          After 28 days of project, it has
                                          yet to be introduced into cave.
 
 >I would like know if any at this address could put me in touch with the
 >person/persons in charge of this project.
 
 WKPP                                      USDCT
 George Irvine, Director                   Bill Stone
 kirvine@sa*.ne*                        BillStone@co*.co*
 

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