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NEST TRIP REPORT
Project X Trip Report 6 May 2000
The Northeast Sump Exploration Team, NEST, conducted a weekend of
exploration efforts In Virginia. from 6 through 7 May 2000. NEST is a
formally recognized Project of the NSS and consists of a team of sump divers
and dedicated support personnel who are pursuing original exploration
efforts at several caves in the PA, Virginia and West Virginia areas. The
team surveys and further documents these sites through the use of still and
video techniques as well as engaging in biological surveys and water
sampling at these locations. NEST is also available to support the NCRC in
situations involving flooded passage and beyond sump rescues. Below is an
account of the Teams most recent explorations.
It had been another incredibly hectic week at work. I did not have a
chance to finish my gear preparations until late Thursday night and was
looking forward to getting an early start on Friday mourning. The plan was
to work on some new sites that Paul Montgomery had Identified in Southern
Virginia and then head for Friars Hole Saturday mourning for a work weekend.
It was a bold plan. Eric pulled up at 6 am and after throwing his gear in
my Subaru wagon we were ready. As I turned the ignition over I was greeted
by a sound that resembled a cross between two cats and a raccoon all stuffed
in a sack, not what I was hoping for. We piled out and rapidly determined
that it was the water pump. After frantically pulling the gear out we set
off to see my local mechanic only to discover that the soonest he could
work on the vehicle was next Monday, not the right answer. Then it was off
to the dealership to discover that yes the parts were in stock and for the
right fee it might be ready in 6 hours.
Our early start turned into getting on the road at 4 PM and dealing with
the several traffic jams as the mobs all fled the city for the weekend, we
finally arrived some what frazzled at Paul�s by Midnight. After a good
nights rest we set out for Our first site the next mourning. It lay in a
river and had attracted Paul�s attention because of a large boil of clear
water near the left bank. Another large spring also surfaced in the area
indicating the possible presence of a sizable trunk passage. The only
question was how to gain access to it since the large spring was owned by a
fish hatchery. The boil seemed like a possible option. We had taken a look
at it from the right river bank last year but had not yet had permission
from the landowner to access it. Paul had once again demonstrated his
exceptional skill at landowner relations and this time we were able to drive
right down to the site.
While Eric and I pulled out our dive gear Paul put on a set of waders
and took a closer look at this strange feature. The Boil not only created a
raised area in the river but also made some noise as well as it bubbled up.
As he waded over to it and felt around with his foot his description of a
small crack was not very encouraging. Not willing to give up that easily I
entered the river in my dry suit and mask and took a closer look. The boil
was in only two feet of water and appeared to issuing out of a sandy
depression, it was cold, crystal clear and blowing the sand and gravel away
like a fire hose. In a matter of minutes we began excavating the loose fill
with a small pail and plastic cup and were able to reach a layer of larger
coubles, bricks and barbed wire which quickly were moved aside. As we dug
down we discovered a tear shaped depression in the bed rock with the flow
coming out from under a ledge. Two hours and several bloody fingers later
we had reached the point where we had excavated enough material where we
could see a narrow canyon heading downward at a 40 degree angle. It
continued for 15 feet before making an S turn that cut off our line of
sight. We now had going cave, the only question was could we fit.
By entering the cave head first and breathing off of a five foot hose I
was actually able to worm forward about four feet. The current and initial
buoyancy of my drysuit made progress difficult so we came up with a solution
to resolve this problem. While I wiggled past the tight spots either Eric
or Paul pushed me by my feet. By establishing a system of signals, i.e. I
pushed with my knees for forward and wiggled my toes to back up I was able
to reach the last of the lose debris, fill the pail and drag them out.
Eric and I alternated at this task and although the hole was getting larger
it was still too snug. While we worked on the dig Paul went home and
returned with a large pry bar and with the help of a five pound sledge
borrowed from the land owner we were able to eliminate several large
protrusions near the entrance. With more room to work I could now pound
away at several loose flakes with the sledge from inside the canyon. This
was easier said than done since I soon discovered that that a scuba pro G
250 breathes a bit wet when one is forced to use it in an inverted position.
Paul captured some of this on video from the shore and entering the cave
created a surreal image. The very surface layer was silted out but a few
inches down the water became crystal clear. From the vantage point of the
shore one could see the diver disappear below the surface with their torso
above water level, and with failing legs sticking straight out of the river
they would slowly disappear from view as they wormed their way forward.
After several hours we finally reached the point where I was able to move
forward six to seven feet. As I shown my AUL HID light forward I was
tantalized by the gin clear water. It was still too snug to allow us to
pass and worn out after several hour of digging and pounding we decided to
call it a day at this site.
We packed up the truck and headed North for a 45 minute ride to look
over Blue Springs 2. The landowner concerned over muddying up the water
that fed a fish hatchery had consented to allow us a quick look but no
penetration. The site lies in the bottom of a broad valley and consists of
two separate ponds fed by springs. The upper one was 50 feet long and 30
feet wide. As I carefully floated out across the surface I could see a
broad slot about 20 feet long 6 feet below me on the far wall. A surface
dive disclosed that it appeared to go. A few minutes later in my side mount
rig I floated next to the crack and could see that after a short obstruction
of couble fill, a wide low going passage continued into the distance. Good
to our word I resisted the urge to do any digging and surfaced.
A short walk took us to the second site a hundred feet down stream
which consisted of a thirty foot round pond. In the center of the pond lay
a six foot deep section, several brilliant green plants grew in discrete
clumps stretching from the bottom to the surface. The water that fed this
site emanated from a long narrow crack on the bottom. A few feet away from
this point a series of geysers bubbled up through a layer of sand creating
an incredible beautiful display that took my breath away. The mini geysers
circulated the fine brown sand which glistened in the light of my HID in a
continuous stream that pulsated in a complex pattern. Definitely the
subject for a future video shot. This site certainly had significant
potential and as we left we once again lucked out and met the owner. After
sharing what we had found she granted her permission for a more substantial
effort at a later date.
Next we headed toward Rich valley and a site that I had dove several
years ago, the cave contained two separate sumps neither of which I had
cracked on that first attempt but which I believed held considerable
potential. After looking at a sizable spring we continued on to talk with
a local land owner and found Bill And Robin camped out on the property.
Bill had been directly involved in my previous efforts at the site and we
spent the evening talking over old times and planning a future effort.
Although we had not discovered any significant new cave we had certainly
laid the foundation for future efforts. All in all a weekend well spent.
We would like to recognize our sponsors and all of the supporting cavers
who helped make our efforts possible. A special thanks to Arnold Jackson Of
American Underwater Lighting who supplied our exceptional primary lights,
Meteor 4�s and HIDs , as well as other critical gear and Jon Breazile of the
Fifth Dimension Dive Center who has provided us with other vital support.
We would also like to thank Terry Brady, of the Brass Anchor who has
provided us with generous audio visual support. Additional sponsors include
Lamar Hires of Dive Rite, Gene Weisheit of East Coast Divers, Alex Sproul
of Inner Mountain Outfitters, Adrew Kipe of Maryland Reproductions, and
Robert Carmichael of Brownies Third Lung and HALCYON, The Doing It Right
Equipment Company, and our most recent sponsor, DUI for our outstanding CF
200 series Dry Suits, Tim Walker, Hank and Jane Anderson, and the Sovik
and Mothes families without whose support none of our efforts would have
been possible.
Diver Explorers
Joseph Kaffl
Eric Tesnau
Support Team Members
Paul Montgomery Va Area Coordinator
..
JOSEPH
KAFFL
SUMPDIVER@MS*.CO*
NEST
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