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I spent this weekend in Wakulla Springs observing/supporting the WKPP team in action. To say that this effort is impression would not be doing adequate justice.. Coming in I had no idea what to expect. Having heard and read so much about the operation and having done so many previous expeditions myself I could not believe what I saw when I arrived.. The 5:30 am wakeup call while still on west coast time certainly didn't help get me on top of my game. I knew no matter what that I needed to bring my A game to the plate I certainly didn't want to make a fool out of myself on my first effort with the team. And I say team because that is what it is... Granted George and JJ do the big pushes, but without ALL the extreme set up and clean up the pushes would not be possible.. The last thing I wanted to do was make a major mistake and introduce myself to the team in stroke fashion... But even at 5;30 am everyone on the team was friendly, supportive and willing to guide the way. By 5:31 am it was clear to me that I was low man on the food chain ( not ever having been inside a cave, that goes without saying ) I did think that my past diving experience would atleast prepare me for what I was about to join, but afterwards I told George that talking about it on the net or reading about it does not do it justice, it is one of those thing you need to experience to appreciate it. George's comeback was, now you know why I don't put up with bullshit... He's right, the stakes are just too high.. Prior to my arrival the GUE surface manage team of Heather and Casey require diligent records of prior experiences and of course C-cards and insurance. While I'm not yet cave certified there is plenty of work for the non-caved trained.. George and Casey made it clear to me early ( prior to booking my flights ) that you need to work your way up the food chain, you need to watch, learn and get mentored by other's before you could get into the water.. You really do learn by osmosis just being on site.. George did say if the was an opportunity to do some support not requiring entering the cave he would try to get me in the water to see the operation.. Now to the dive... After arriving very early it was surprising to see SO many support people there so early.. My first look at the springs and what you saw was more gear than anyone could picture. And this was Saturday morning.. The team had spent all day Fri. already preparing and loading the cave with additional equipment. After the inevitable equipment problems, even after several checks, the rebreather team of TC and Jesse Armantrout went in at about 8:00am ( I'm sure Casey or Heather will post a more accurate report I'm just reporting my observations as a first timer ). I was still at the vans with George and JJ so I didn't see these guys shove off. But at 9:45 it was George and JJ's turn. I helped George rig right at the basin. I understood right then and there why he preaches his physical fitness.. He was wearing the Haclyon rebreather complete with 2 bailout bottles attached. We clipped off 3 stage bottles and 2 scooters and his huge cave light.. And that was just to start the dive. He would add and remove other's during the course of the dive.. Another reason you can't have hoses and clips everywhere.. So gone they were by 9:45am not expected to be back until atleast 10:00pm.. I have heard about the long deco's but I don't think you truly understand it until your there. I asked the other guys on the team ( specifically MJB, no not that asshole I'm talking about Michael J. Blitch and Rich L ) what do you do now??? they had staggered teams of support on the beach throughout the day and then a well-coordinated schedule of what time certain other diver's would either bring deco gas, additional rebreather's etc etc etc... So Blitch, Rich L, Claudia and a few other's decided to go to Indian Springs to do a dive.. My dive was somewhat limited in comparison to the other's since I didn't enter the cave, so I let Rich L or Blitch describe Indian. All I have to say is you warm water, fresh water guys have it made :-) After the dive, we went to lunch, relaxed then drove back to Wakulla and got there by 3:00.. It really hit home at that point.. We left, we did a dive, we ate lunch, we sun tanned and these guys were still underwater at 300'.. Right about that time one of the support diver's emerged and said that they had just seen George and JJ and they were heading back.. Apparently vis wasn't cooperative enough to complete the survey they wanted so they cut the dive short ( If you can call a 12 hour dive short ).. At that point with military precision, Casey and Heather began reorganizing the support effort.. Schedules were adjusted, diver's were prepared and thus the effort continued.. Like a well oiled machine support diver's came and went, tanks were in, tanks were out.. At 4:30 Heather said to me if you want to get in and shuttle tanks the guys are at 20' in the habitat you can get in... Well I was ready in a minute's notice... Probably because I was the only diver without a drysuit ;-) So at 5:00pm 5 of us got in and dropped over the ledge to begin the clean up effort. In my mind I couldn't imagine needing 5 diver's ( on the 1st team to clean up ).. Well as soon as I dropped over the ledge I understood why.. Clipped off to the habitat's were more deco bottles and scooters than I have ever seen in one place at one time.. It was a massive collection of tanks, scooter's ( long and short ), rebreather's, spools, bag's, etc.. And in a startling moment for me, much like the last seen in Carrie when the hand comes out of the grave, I was reaching for a set of bottles to shuttle back and a hand extends from the habitat and grabs mine.. I poke my head into the habitat and Trout asked me if I could get him his sandwiches that are clipped off the other habitat.. Mind boggling... Chris Elmore was kind enough to take me under his wing during the day and explain alot to me about the past and future efforts. Thanks Chris.. Moreover, it is often said that some of the guys in the WKPP are arrogant and hostile, but you would never know it from watching this team in action. I was welcomed right in, even got a few insults thrown my way at the after dive dinner.. I always feel like I fit in when you are getting insulted with the rest of the team ;-) It was refreshing to show up at a site with so many competent and qualified diver's all sharing the same goal/desire and no idiots like BLACK stirring up shit.. But the bulk of the jokes at the dinner were at that idiot's expense.. Once again BLACK, thanks for being the asshole that you are, after a long day your stupidity provided comic relief... So for me, it's cave training at GUE Memorial Day weekend and then hopefully more trips with the team. Thanks guys for having me and showing me the ropes.. Later -- Send mail for the `techdiver' mailing list to `techdiver@aquanaut.com'. Send subscribe/unsubscribe requests to `techdiver-request@aquanaut.com'.
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