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NEST TRIP REPORT
Buchanan Cave 7 Oct 2000
The Northeast Sump Exploration Team, NEST, conducted exploration efforts
In Buchanan Cave Resurgence in Virginia on 7 Oct 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 was a crisp windy day and the water temp at 54 degrees was above that
of the air. I finned into the resurgence carrying a buoyancy compensated
OMS 45 cu ft stage. Thirty feet into the first sump a school of at least 20
2 to 3 inch long fish hovered to my left. My conclusion that they were
responsible for the poor visibility in this first section was reinforced by
their numbers. As I reached the bottom of the first sump at a depth of 33
feet the vis once again opened up to a solid 10 feet. Coming up the slope
on the other side of the first sump I notice two large 10 inch long
versions of the fish that inhabited the entrance resting on the bottom,
these larger guys ignored me as I finned above them. A few pure white Cray
fish raised their claws up toward me as I glided over head.
The first sump ends in a 4 foot deep section over a hundred feet long
with some small air pockets above it. At a width of 10 to 15 feet you can
see the entire passage clearly and because of this it is one of my favorite
sections of the cave, beyond this area the second sump begins. At this
point the passage widens considerable, the ceiling lowers and it begins to
slope gradually downward. As I entered this section I stopped and hovered
above one of the line belay spikes carefully examining the passage to either
side with my AUL HID. I could faintly make out the right wall but to my
left the passage appeared to go. Once again I wondered if this was just a
wide low room or if this direction held more potential. The answer to that
question would have to wait for another day for my goal lay 260 feet in
front of me.
At a depth of 30 feet I floated against the ceiling hovering 3 feet above
the line, switched over to my primary side mounts and placed the stage to
be recovered during my exit. The passage remained low and began to slope
downward more steeply, once again I used my HID to examine the walls to
either side for possible leads I might have missed on previous dives, I
spotted one low sections on the left that appeared to go but if it did it
would be a major restriction and did not look very promising.
I soon found my self in the last known room and carefully hovered above
the spike I had placed in the deep sediment bank. Directly to my front was
a sheer wall that blocked any further progress. Looking to my right I
could see the reel were I had left it, the passage was low and getting
lower, no doubt about it, the cave was definitely not going in that
direction, at least not easily. Finning as gently as possible, to prevent
stirring up the fine clay that covered the bottom, I retrieved the reel and
wound the line back to my spike. The sediment at this point was very fine
and not completely happy with the holding power of the spike under these
conditions I opted to use my three pound drop weight as a line belay in its
place. Satisfied that I now had a bomb proof tie off I continued to the
left with the wall on my immediate right. As I finned forward I found
myself going up a gentle slope but after 20 feet hit a dead end. On my last
dive to this section the clear water had been coming from this direction so
I knew that there had to be a continuation. Looking above me I noted a
canyon type passage heading straight up. It ate the beam from my light.
Although I had been hoping the second sump would begin an upward trend I
had not been expecting something this dramatic. I placed a spike in the
bottom and did a line rap and began a gradual assent paying out the line as
I went. I was now at a depth of 50 feet, 8 feet above my deepest point,
and the slot continued to go. Looking downward I could see the line had
come off the spike, the angle was wrong so I had to abort and dropped back
down. I would need another weight at this location to safely continue.
Without that weight and with the vis trashed the push was over.
With plenty of gas left I spent some time adding additional spikes to the
line as I exited and familiarizing myself with the feel of the passage in
near zero vis by finning back through the low section before the line made
its 90 degree jog to the left twice. Satisfied I continued up the slope
and picked up my stage and did safety stops at 20 and 10 feet before
continuing my exit through the first sump. I used up the remainder of my
spikes in the entrance section moving the line away from the right wall
where it had the potential to rub and exited the cave 51 minutes later.
Although I had not achieved any significant gains in distance on this dive I
now felt much more comfortable with the end of the cave and the line
placement and now had a good idea of where the cave was headed. Only an
other dive would determine if the canyon continues and remains passable.
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 Tom
and Jon 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, , 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 Explorer
Joseph Kaffl
Stand By on call Divers and Support Team
Paul Montgomery Virginia Area Coordinator
Jeff Mott
Eric Tesnau
Dave Nicholas
..
JOSEPH
KAFFL
SUMPDIVER@MS*.CO*
NEST
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