Wakulla Springs—December 6-8, 2013: Dive Summary

Dive Date: December 6-8, 2013

Location: Wakulla Springs, Florida

Objectives:

1. Work with FGS to exchange flow meters: K, AK, D, AD and B tunnels
2. Extract B/C meter cable to surface and facilitate install of replacement cable
3. Install new flow meter in C
4. Replace safety tanks: 300ft, 2,200ft and 3,500ft
5. Extract cable for NWFWMD vent meter for testing
6. Prep basin habitats and install 40ft habitat
7. Capture video of activities

Project Baseline Observations:
Weather Conditions: Partly Cloudy, Rain
Air Temp (F): 70
Water Temp (F): 68

Avg Depth (ft): n/a
Max Depth (ft): 295
Total Run Time: 8.5hrs

Basin Observations at Depth (ft): 120
Basin Visibility (high, medium, low): low
Basin Turbidity (high, medium, low): medium

Dive Observations at Depth (ft): 290 – A Tunnel
Dive Visibility (high, medium, low): low
Dive Turbidity (high, medium, low): medium
Water Current Speed (high, medium, low): high
Water Current Direction: out

Notable Flora: minimal
Notable Fauna: fish
Comments: Poor visibility in basin and cave and HIGH discharge with boil on spring surface

Activities:

1. Work with FGS to exchange flow meters: K, AK, D, AD and B tunnels - COMPLETED
2. Extract B/C meter cable to surface and facilitate install of replacement cable - COMPLETED
3. Install new flow meter in C - COMPLETED
4. Replace safety tanks: 300ft, 2,200ft and 3,500ft - COMPLETED
5. Extract cable for NWFWMD vent meter for testing - COMPLETED
6. Prep basin habitats and install 40ft habitat – COMPLETED
7. Capture video of activities - COMPETED

Summary:
WKPP divers successfully completed all planned objectives. Visibility in the cave system is poor and estimated at 25ft in A-Tunnel with high particulate. Visibility does not improve at D-Tunnel or K-Tunnel junctions. Outflow in K-Tunnel is minimal with majority of water moving across the Mountain in A-Tunnel. B-Tunnel is high flow, excellent visibility (100ft+) and electric blue. C-Tunnel is good visibility estimated at 50ft with some haze. There is noticeable discharge/outflow at vent (estimated at 900cfs). Visibility does not improve at D or K-Tunnel junctions out to 4,000ft. All 6 of the FGS flow meters were replaced with new units. The data cables and water sampling tubes in the B/C well were extracted from the cave system and replacement data cables and water sampling tubes re-installed. New safety tanks were installed at the 190 drop and 2,200 and 3,500ft in A-Tunnel. All basin diver habitats were cleaned, re-positioned and filled with air. Future exploration activity in Wakulla will require improved visibility. We will now wait it out.

Comments:
The WKPP dive team accomplished their planned objectives. Despite minimal rainfall in recent weeks, discharge at the spring vent was unusually high and particulate in the water was also high; reducing visibility in the cave system to less than 25ft in the main A-Tunnel conduit out to at least 4,000ft. There was a noticeable boil on the spring and we estimate discharge exceeding 900cfs. Flow in the main A-Tunnel conduit was high with no improvement in visibility at A/D intersection and minimal flow in K-Tunnel. Our expectations were for much lower discharge and better visibility based on recent reports but that was not the case. Unconfirmed reports indicate Spring Creek spring on the coast may be shut down or reversing which in turn is directing most of the spring basin drainage towards Wakulla. Visibility in the spring basin is estimated at 25-30ft. Conditions at Emerald Sink are tannic in both the shallow and deep sections of the cave system. This was also a surprise given the lack of rainfall. Surface observations from Black Hole swallet and Fisher Creek swallet #2 in the LS Geological Area indicate the creeks are draining again.
FGS to re-activate all meters this week and report status. NWFWMD to test cable this week and report status.

Dive Team and Coordinator Observations:

Friday- December 6
Objective—Assess habitats (re-position/replace, fill with air as needed), gear set up for Saturday mission (place deco bottles and other equipment) and RB Team 1 to initiate B/C tunnel work inside cave system with FGS team on the surface.

Team 1 (McKinlay, Cox) Objective—Install 190 safeties, remove Falmouth flow meter at B-Tunnel, install new Falmouth at B-Tunnel, install new Falmouth flow meter at C-Tunnel, disconnect old cables/tubes from B and C-Tunnel meter stands and route cabling for extraction to surface through well head, video all activity, confirm new cabling deployed into cave system.

Casey’s comments: significant discharge at entrance restriction making it extremely difficult to negotiate entrance restriction. Once through we dropped the new safeties at 190ft, switched to 300ft gas and traveled to B-Tunnel meter location. I removed the old flow meter and installed the new meter with Steve capturing video. I then disconnected the cabling and towed it back to the well head. We then traveled to the C-Tunnel meter location, installed a new meter and extracted the old cables back to the well head. FGS then began to extract the cable to the surface and we made sure the cables did not get tangled. Several minutes later the new cable arrived down the well head and we exited the cave system to begin decompression.

Thanks to all who were present on Friday, we were able to reposition/replace all the habitats, fill with air from the bottles that were available (remainder of air fills to be completed on Saturday once additional bottles arrive), and place most of the deco bottles and other gear needed for Saturday.

Team members present: McKinlay, Koritz, Cox, Wilson, Browne, Palm, Johansson, Rose, M. Vieta, L Vieta, Dicker, Pruden

FGS Team: Scott Dyer, Tom Greenhalgh, Clint Kromhout, Sara Smith

Saturday- December 7

Team 1 (Koritz, Rose) Objective—Transport new safety tanks to 3,500ft in A-Tunnel and exchange K and AK flow meters for FGS.

Team comments: Equipment - 2 - 300' Drives, 2 - Suex XK-1 Scooters, usual deco gases, heater batter packs, food tubes and hydration.
Bottom Time - 80 minutes.
Visibility in A-Tunnel 20-25 feet.

Comments -- the team departed the basin around 9.30 a.m. Saturday December 7, 2013. After picking up the staged gear on the habitat and switching to closed circuit, we motored through the restriction to the 210' rock for our 300' bottle switch. The flow coming out of the 190' restriction was among the strongest I have experienced at Wakulla. Nevertheless, we made it through without event. The team left the 210' rock 20 minutes after leaving the beach. A-tunnel flow was noticeably higher than average.
We dropped the safeties on top of the rock at 3,500', pressurized the regulators, and closed the valves. From there, we proceeded to the K tunnel T and K meter. There was considerable silt on the K tunnel meter, line, and PVC tripod, indicative of low flow. The meter swap was accomplished successfully. We then proceeded to the A/K junction meter, which is about 50-75 feet upstream of the T. This meter swap also was accomplished successfully.
We then switched scooters, John switched to a fresh drive and we elected to exit rather than look for John's lost reel further upstream in A-tunnel. Upon exiting, we joined up with Team Canada (Wilson/Garland) at the A/D junction, who were finishing up their meter swaps, for a four-wide hammer down ride out.
Deco was uneventful except for managing the high flow through the 200 to 160' stops.

Team 2 (Garland, Wilson) Objective— Transport new safety tanks to 2,200ft in A-Tunnel and exchange D and AD flow meters for FGS.

Team comments: After a very difficult entrance through the restriction due to extremely high flow we left the 190 drop with two stages, 1 safety, one tow scooter and 1 flow meter each and rode out to 2200 where we dropped two safeties. Proceeded to D tunnel and switched out the meter followed up with switching out the AD meter. Visibility estimated about 15'.
Rode back to B/C junction and stretched out the new cable dropped down the well the previous day. Connected B tunnel meter and C tunnel meter. Headed for the door. Bottom time 100 minutes. Used one aluminum 80 with RB 80. Total run time approximately 9 hours. - clear water only present inside D-tunnel proper; no indication of clear water mixing into A-tunnel. Little to No flow in D-tunnel. Clear water visible at A-B/C junction. Moderate flow coming out of B tunnel, little to no flow in C-tunnel.

Team 3 (Browne, Gonzales, Cox, McKinlay) Objective— Fill 120ft habitat, deliver gold line spools to 190ft and extract FGS vent meter cable to surface for evaluation.

Team comments: significant outflow and a lot of work to extract the cabling from entrance restriction area. Old cables in basin should also be removed. Fun dive.

Sunday - December 8

Team 1 (Browne, Gault, Gonzales) Objective—Verify visibility and discharge from Black Hole/Fisher Creek tunnel downstream Emerald Sink.

Team comments: ~20 of vis (tannic water) to the CC/Fishhole T, ~10-15ft between the T and the Dark Water Tunnel. Max Depth 180, BT 20, RT 60.

After the dive, I ran over to Black Hole, and it’s taking on water. Keith, Steve, and Blake went over to the Leon Sinks Geo Area and took a look at Fisher Sink, and its also taking on water (which explains why Emerald is dark).

Surface and In-Water Support – Keith Gault Report
As a result of the thorough set-up work on Friday, together with excellent team preparedness, Saturday morning in-water operations went smoothly allowing for the addition of two dives to retrieve the restriction water meter cable despite the high flow. T1 descended at 9:40, and T2 descended at 9:57. T1 and T2 achieved their Objectives that are outlined above. T1 reached the surface at 18:15 and was out of the water by 18:45. T2 reached the surface at 19:15 and was out of the water by 19:45. Dinner at Outback began at 21:30.

Surface and In-Water Support
In-water support:

09:34 –11:51 McKinlay/Cox & Pruden/Dicker – Escort T1 and T2 to depth. Video T1 & T2 entry. Orientation dive for Pruden and Dicker.

11:30-12:51 Gonzales/Browne – fill 120 fsw trough, delivery two spools of guideline to 190 fsw drop for future line replacement, retrieve restriction water meter cable.

12:12-14:40 Pruden/Dicker - check for early T1 & T2 return. Met T1 at 70 fsw, met T2 at 70 fsw, pulled gear.

14:00-15:30 McKinlay/Cox – retrieve restriction water meter cable. Brought cable up to 70 fsw. Retrieved flowmeters and gear from T1.

14:39- 18:38 Gault/M Vieta/L Vieta – assist T1 into habitat. Assist T2 into habitat, assist of T1 exit from habitats, escort T1 to surface, pulled gear.

Gonzales/Browne – retrieve meter cable from 70 fsw to surface. Pulled gear.

18:20-19:15 Brown/Dicker/Pruden - assist of T2 exit from habitats, escort T2 to surface, pulled gear.

19:15-19:45 various – pulled gear.


Support Team: Curtis Baldwin, Ken Browne, Steve Cox, Keith Gault, AJ Gonzales, Kate Pruden, Kathy Dicker, Casey McKinlay, Matt Vieta, Leah Vieta

Great job done by the support divers. Special thanks to Kate and Kathy for starting off and ending the day on in-water support shifts. Job well done to Leah Vieta for assisting Terry with redonning his rebreather and making it look easy and practiced. Thanks to Emily and Steve Cox for assisting as surface manager and capturing images.

Water visibility remains poor despite dry conditions. Further maintenance and setup objectives remain before exploration dives can be scheduled. Thanks to Jake Hines for visibility reports and to Wakulla Park staff for assistance with surface logistics. Thanks to FGS, Tom and Scott for logistical support with the meter project. Pleased with surface and support operation and impressed with how quickly the new support divers learned the process. Thanks to everyone for a job well done, especially new Project Coordinator Keith Gault.

Casey McKinlay
Project Director
Woodville Karst Plain Project