Post-Dive 3 March, 2024
Location: Mccormick
- Executive Summary
The team arrived on site at 720 AM. The basin was clear despite rain the last 24 hours. Trail to the water was readied and trash wash collected while divers surveyed the trunk line in preparation for future survey.
- Goals and objectives
- Explore 2 leads.
- Check status of the lines and repair.
- Complete survey.
- Introduction
Tom Hundley, Bob Beckner and Steve Lambert met at the gate around 7:20AM. Equipment was shuttled down to the sink and divers were in the water by 9:05AM.
- Description of dive operations
Conditions at Mccormick have been consistent for the last 4 weeks with visibility of about 30-40 feet, more in some places. Several spring leads are visibly flowing. The siphon strength is noticeably firm—which is a very positive sign for the immediate future of exploration here. 2 leads were examined. Both appear to have promise but the team’s primary objective was the survey so the leads were saved for later. The team captured the trunk line survey from the breakdown room to the basin. Survey was done with tape measure and analog compass. LRUDs were estimated. All intersections were marked with REMs and labeled on the main survey for ease of tying in the additional passages. Total runtime was slightly over 6 hours.
- Description of activities planned and completed within the dive
All planned activities were completed without incident.
- Discussion of issues with the dive
There were no issues with the dive.
- Findings and recommendations
Conditions at McCormik are suitable for exploration. The line has been cleaned up and it is time to capture all current data and plot on our KML. We should work to capitalize on diveable conditions to gather as much survey as possible.
Author: Robert Beckner
Bob Beckner has been diving for 36 years and technical diving for 27. Growing up in Florida led him to cave diving and wreck diving and working in several dive shops along the way. He was fortunate enough to have had Terrence Tysall as a technical instructor and learn in a very “GUE” like fashion before GUE existed. He has participated in several USSR Monitor expeditions with the Cambrian foundation, gone with Mote to the Gulf Blue Holes and worked with Karst Underwater Research for 13 years helping Explore and Document Florida’s Karst features. His favorite KUR projects are Weeki Wachee Springs, Peacock Springs, Werner Boyce State Park/Deep Salt Springs and any site that needs photo documentation. Number one bucket list dive type: mine diving. He lives in Central Florida under the watchful and protective eye of Sheriff Grady Judd.