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NEST TRIP REPORT
Buchanan Cave 13 Jan 2001
The Northeast Sump Exploration Team, NEST, conducted exploration efforts
In Buchanan Cave Resurgence in Virginia on 13 Jan 2001. 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.
We set out early Saturday mourning from Paul�s home and our reward for an
early start was a thick layer of ground fog as we headed south to the
spring. As we topped the mountain that separates the valley from the rest
of civilization we broke through this layer and met the rising sun on the
other side. Below us a thick bank of clouds bathe in brilliant sunlight
filled the valley. In one or two spots small hills poked above this layer
like isolated islands in a great inland sea. We wound our way along the
switch backs on the other side of the ridge line enjoying this spectacular
view before plunging back into the soup and completing the ride to the cave.
The sump gods were once again smiling on us for on our arrival we found the
run was low and clear.
This was Dave�s first visit to the site so we walked to the entrance and
discussed the line location and the best way to enter the pool and the sump.
The head pool which is reached after a short crawl, is 20 by 20 feet in
size with a limestone ceiling 5 to 6 feet above it. Over most of its area
it is only five inches deep so you almost have to enter the overhead to
perform your reg checks. After thoroughly discussing dive and contingency
plans we broke out and assembled the gear while the local herd of cows
looked on.
While I stood by as a support diver Dave entered the pool and I watched
the beam from his AUL HID slowly disappear from sight, the sound as the
last of his bubbles gurgled out with their corresponding echoes
reverberating off the surrounding limestone walls provided a fitting touch
to his departure.
I walked back to the vehicle and began the final checks of my
equipment. My gear was ready to go and I had timed my preparations so that
I would be able to enter the sump to find Dave if he failed to appear at the
appointed time or begin my push when he did return. He surfaced right on
que with a massive grin on his face. Although the vis in the first part of
sump one is no more than a foot he was still a happy camper. He was the
third diver to ever enter the site.
After a final review of the exploration plan I entered next carrying a
double stage consisting of a buoyancy compensated Alum 30 and OMS 45.
Between my sidemounts and stages I had 210 cu feet of gas configured in a
very low profile rig. The temperature in the first sump was in the mid 40s
and it felt great when I broke through the thermo cline 300 feet in and hit
the 50 degree water. As I began my assent from a depth of 32 feet up the
slope at this point the vis also opened up to a respectable 15 feet and I
followed the line through some large sections of Florida like cave. At a
penetration of 400 feet the passage narrowed down from its 20 + foot width
into a high wide canyon. At a depth of 4 feet I passed beneath several
small air pockets that marks the end of the first sump.
At the end of this canyon the second sump begins as a large broad 40 foot
wide room with a flat 3 to 4 foot high ceiling. I followed the line
through its center till it intersected the right wall at a depth of 20 feet
and then pumped some gas into my DUI pinning myself against the ceiling.
Comfortably positioned I detached the Alum 30 from the 45 and placed it on
the line. Continuing on the 45 stage I followed the line as it headed down
to a depth of 56 feet and intersected the dome pit 720 feet in. This dome
marks the end of the second sump.
At the base of the dome is a restriction that requires you to dip down
and arch your back as you pass through. I slipped past this point and
finned into the bottom of the dome. To my left the line headed straight up
and I added a shot of gas into my suit to begin my gradual assent floating
horizontally facing it. At a depth of 40 feet the cave opened up on the
left and I departed the line following this wall up a gradual slope
performing short safety stops ever 10 feet. As I neared the surface I was
following what appeared to be a giant half funnel, its surface smooth and
light in color while the walls on either side were decorated with thousands
of thin black fragile ledges that protruded 3 to 5 inches into the passage.
Under dryer times I suspected that this slope might have been a waterfall.
With my final stop completed at 10 feet I continued up the slope and crossed
the smooth lip at a depth of 4 feet. Above be was a large air filled 20
foot diameter dome but with no reason to surface I headed back down to a
depth of 10 feet following the line into the third sump. This section of
cave truly reminded me of Florida with a height of over 15 feet and width of
10 + feet. It bottomed out at a depth of 13 feet before heading back to 8
feet.
As I finned forward the line crossed a shear lip and plunged straight
down into sump 4. I crossed over, vented gas and free fell next to the
line to a depth of 27 feet where it headed of into a side passage. Passing
through a wide restriction I followed the line into 15 by 6 foot high
passage and back toward the surface reaching the end of sump 4 at a
penetration of 1200 feet 23 minutes after leaving the entrance.
Before me lay 150 feet of mostly walking passage, I removed my fins and
leaving my stage on the shore crossed this dry cave enjoying the warmth that
this exertion generated. My Rock boots were worth their weight in gold and
made moving the 120 pounds of geared I was wearing a piece of cake. I was
floating in the head pool of the 5 th sump 6 minutes later.
I had not had to use any of my side mount gas up to this point so I was
able to start out with full tanks for my push of the fifth sump. It
started out as a 10 to 15 foot wide passage about 3 to 4 feet high gradually
winding back and forth as it slowly dropped in depth. The vis in this sump
was at least 20 feet so I had a good opportunity to examine the line and
walls as I finned forward. Everything was as I had left it on my previous
push and I soon reached a depth of 51 feet 300 feet in. At this point the
cave gradually began to ascend. At a depth of 48 feet my large explorer
reel and the end of the line came into sight. I picked up the reel, shook
out the sediment and pushed forward into virgin territory. The passage
continued much as it had before and after 20 feet I pulled a Disler Spike
from beneath the bands on my right side mount and attempted to place it.
It went in three inches and bottomed out. I gently pulled it out, drifted 5
feet to the right and to my relief found a deep section of sediment and got
a good placement. I was expecting the reasonably thick sediment in the sump
to continue and had not brought any drop weights with me, fortunately the
cave cooperated. I wrapped the line twice around the slot near the top of
the spike and pressed on continuing to place spikes at every bend. After a
150 feet the passage passed a depth of 30 feet and a dome appeared above me
to my left. It was 10 feet in diameter and headed up at least 15 feet. I
shone my HID into it but it appeared to be a dead end so I continued
following the lower passage. As the line whirred off my reel and the
passage passed through 20 feet I began to suspect I was reaching the end of
the sump. I could hear my bubbles rushing along the ceiling as they headed
upward. At a depth of 10 feet I was almost out of line when I saw the
silvery reflection that indicated an air space gleaming back from above me.
I continued on and slowly ascended to find my self in a large air filled
canyon with a 6 foot high ceiling. I could see another 20 feet of air
filled cave to my front where it appeared that it dipped below the water
level once again.
The passage was hour glass shaped and just below the water level at
this narrow point a large natural tie off protruded from the right wall. It
was the perfect size in the perfect spot. I swam toward it planning to do a
tie off only to discover that I was three feet short so I had to settle for
placing the reel in the sediment on the bottom. I had managed to degrade
the vis quite bit by this point, and with another three hundred feet of new
line laid I opted to turn my dive and head back out. Despite the
disturbance my earlier passage and spike placement had caused I still
enjoyed a good foot of vis on most of my return swim. I surfaced after
several safety stops having used a 1/3 of my sidemount gas for this push.
After emerging from the sump I dropped my gear and treated myself to a
lunch of granola bars and Gatorade, it is amazing how much gear you can put
in the large pockets on a DUI, I then surveyed the dry cave between the
sumps four and five and spent some time gazing on the beautiful crystals
that lie in some fossilized rim stone pools in one of the side passages.
This kept me happily occupied for a 2 hour surface interval.
My exit dives through the first four sumps proved uneventful but some
what chilly. The most memorable part is always the decent down the dome pit
marking the second sump. The free fall into the dome is one of my favorite
parts of the return swim. As you enter the top of the dome and follow the
line just below the surface the downward section of the line abruptly comes
into view. At this point emulating a sky diver you dump some gas and begin
your downward plunge as the ledges rush by arresting your decent just as you
reach the restriction.
In my absence the sun had burned off the ground fog and I surfaced to
find a beautiful sunny day. I took advantage of this letting the suns rays
warm my frigid body while Dave did a second familiarization dive up to the
turn just before the deep part of the first sump.
All in all another successful day for the team with the fifth sump
cracked and the line pushed to a penetration of 1900 feet. Based on the
existing survey we are now 10 % of the way as the crow flies to the
downstream sumps in Buchanan. The goal of connecting to this dry cave
continues to beckon to us. If it is doable it appears that it will not be
easy. But then if it was there would be no reason to do it. We have now
reached the point where establishing a small base camp between sump 4 and 5
appears to be warranted. It should also be possible for a support diver to
transport an additional alum 30 stage to the beginning of the 5th sump. If
we can pull this off I could start my push at the next sump with full
sidemounts. Needless to say we can�t wait to go back to see what this
incredible cave does next.
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
Dave Nicholas
Stand By on call Divers and Support Team
Paul Montgomery Virginia Area Coordinator
Eric Tesnau
Jeff Mott
..
JOSEPH
KAFFL
SUMPDIVER@MS*.CO*
NEST
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