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Workshop 2010 Sessions

Saturday

9:00 - 9:15 Opening Ceremonies

9:15 - 10:00  Brian Kakuk – Exploring Bahamas Blue Holes for NOVA/NGS  Presented by Wes Skiles

Funded by a National Geographic Expeditions Council grant and The Antiquities Monuments and Museums Corporation/National Museum of the Bahamas, a unique team of scientists, explorers and film makers investigate significant blue holes and underwater caves throughout the Bahamas.  Their biological, archaeological, geological and paleontological discoveries have now drastically changed what we know of past life throughout the Bahamian archipelago.

Wes will also share some of his amazing images of Bahama Blue Holes shot over the last seven months for National Geographic!

 

10:00-10:45  Kevin Gurr – Rebreathers: Fact, Fiction, or Voodoo?
 
A technical look at what it takes to design and manufacture a life-support system including some of the myths and mis-conceptions associated with rebreather diving combined with a 'Survivors Guide' to using Rebreathers on Expeditions.

10:45 - 11:00 Video Short & Door Prizes

11:00 - 11:45  Walter Pickel – Exploring in the Dominican Republic

For many years archaeologists and paleontologists have worked in caves to better understand species that have long been extinct. We are now entering a period of time where cave divers and scientists can work together for the better of science. A trip to the Dominican Republic in June, 2009, turned out to be a lot more than just beating the bush, dry caving, finding virgin cave and laying line. What we found in the caves was so intriquing to Brooklyn College, CUNY that they brought us back down to the Dominican Republic in November, 2009, to recover some fossils. The fossils were removed from the cave with government permits and are being housed in the Museum of the Dominican Man in Santo Domingo; there they will study them and hopefully you will soon be able to read of these studies in some prestigious science journals.

11:45 - 12:30  Jill Heinerth – CCRs in Cave Diving - Update

Jill Heinerth will speak about issues that are specific to CCR diving in caves. She'll discuss history, trends, exploration and the future of CCR Cave Diving with an emphasis on specific issues such as gas management, diving in mixed teams, bailout options and sidemount diving. Her tips, tricks and and suggestions will help you to become a better CCR diver or make you aware of the intricacies if you are new to rebreathers.

12:30 - 12:45  Kelly Jessop - The North Florida Springs Alliance

 
12:45 - 1:45  LUNCH & time to visit exhibitor booths
 
1:45 - 2:00  Fritzi Olsen - Current Problems
 
2:00 - 2:45  Jason Richards – Mega Extreme Turbo Cenote Expedition XT 2010
 
Projecto Arquelogico El Culto al Cenote operates from the Independent University of Merida, in conjunction with The National Speleological Society, the Wisconsin Historical Society, and INAH, the Mexican Institute of Archaeology and History, to catalog and protect cenotes of archaeological importance in the state of Yucatan, Mexico. For more than five years, Professor Guillermo de Anda has brought a varied team of cavers and archaeologists to Yucatan to assist in his study of delicate and historically significant cenotes. In 2009, the project was given permission to access a cenote within the ancient Mayan city of Chichen Itza, a cenote within which only the Mayan dead traveled. In January of 2010, two underwater archaeologists from Wisconsin, two underwater cave mappers from Tennessee, two Woods Hole imagery specialists, and two videographers made their way into the flooded Mayan underworld to come face to face with Mayan supernatural beliefs and the remnants of their ruined society.
 
2:45 - 3:30  Agnes Milowka – Cave Diving In Australia

Australian cave diving has something for everyone. The ever-popular and frequently visited Mt Gambier is home to some world-class sinkholes and a number of pretty and easily accessible caves. Beyond the easy diving of Gambier however, exists a whole other world of cave diving with incredible potential. The downside is you have to be willing to pull up your sleeves, work hard, and go the extra mile and that’s just to get to the water’s edge. Ag will give a glimpse of cave diving in Australia; everything from the longest caves out in the Nullarbor, to the tight passages of Jenolan, from sump diving in Buchan to cold water diving in Tasmania. Ag will share her photos and stories from recent discoveries within these incredible cave systems scattered throughout Oz.

3:30 - 3:45  Video Short & Door Prizes
 
3:45 - 4:30  Harley Means (of the Florida Geological Survey) – The State Of Our Springs
 
4:30 - 5:15  Jon Lillestolen -  Deep Sump Diving in Southern Mexico - Recent Explorations in J2 and Sistema Cheve"

 

The USDCT is a team of true explorers who assemble every spring in the mountains of southern Mexico to push further into the depths of what could possibly be the world's deepest cave system.  Despite the deepest proven dye-trace in the world, the Cheve System doesn't like to give away its secrets easily.  The latest spell of explorations in the Cheve System have netted over 15km of surveyed passages and the greatest challenge the team has yet faced, hauling production rebreathers and enough equipment to support a camp of divers beyond a sump at -1200m.  

 

While the team prefers dry boreholes to diving sumps, recent explorations have forced the realization that long trips beyond sumps are the only way onward into the depths of the mountain.  Preparations revolve around how to get the divers, as well as their essential gear, beyond the first unfriendly 9 kilometers of cave so they can safely explore what lays beyond the end of the survey line.

 

5:45 - Until -  BBQ & Dessert Cook Off Followed By A Film Festival & Cave Diver's Music Jam

 

 

Sunday

9:00 – until

Hands On Workshops to Include:

 

9:00 – 10:00  Technical Cylinder System Inspections  led by Bob Sheridan at Otter Springs – no fee

An overview of what takes places during inspections on cylinders, valves and manifolds for use with air, oxygen, nitrox and mixed gases.

 

10:00 – 11:00  Ocean Management Systems “OMS” Regulators  led by Bob Sheridan at Otter Springs – no fee

This workshop will cover the function, features, care and maintenance of the Workhorse, High Performance and Deep Performance regulators.

 

10:00 – 11:00  IUCRR Workshop led by Lamar Hires at Otter Springs – no fee

This workshop will cover the changing environment with recovery operations: new procedures and applications for recovery divers and surface support personnel.  We have new tools, video and cameras, so how do we use them without opening ourselves up to liability and situations not in the interest of the cave diving community.

 

10:00– Until  Bat Cave Dry Caving Field Trip led by Pete Butt – no fee

Meet at Otter Springs.   It’s recommended each participant bring two sources of light, wear long sleeves, long pants, closed-toe shoes, water, a snack, and bring a change of clothes.  Must be able to provide your own transportation.

Limit 10 people per trip.  if more than 10 sign up for this, Pete will take a second group through in the afternoon.

 

10:00 – 12:00  EcoTour of Otter Springs with Tom Morris – no fee

Take a 3-mile round trip hike through the 4 distinct ecosystems leading from Otter Springs to Little Otter Springs on the Suwannee River.  Ecosystems Biologist Tom Morris will guide this hike.  Tom’s passion and insights will provide one of the most rewarding hikes of your life!

 

10:00 – 12:00  In-Water Rebreather Experience  with Kevin Gurr  $45

Meet at the pool at Otter Springs

 

Cave Survey Clinics: Introduction

Cave surveyors Michael Poucher and Jason Richards will be presenting two concurrent cave survey classes for surveyors at different levels. For the new surveyors and divers interested in the basic mechanics of cave survey, Michael Poucher will be teaching how to start your cave survey, the mechanics of underwater cave survey, instruments, setting up your data, and much more.

For the cave surveyor who already has some data, Jason Richards will be showing how to turn your data into a raw line plot using Walls that can be exported to ArcGIS  for plotting onto a topo map, or into Adobe Illustrator for drawing a full detail map. Jason will also demonstrate how "round-tripping" can be used between Walls and Adobe Illustrator to draw your cave map in small sections, rather than waiting until all of the data is collected.
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9:00 - 3:00 - Basic Survey Clinic with Mike Poucher – $5 donation requested

Plan to meet on site on Sunday. We'll give maps out on Saturday to those that sign up.  The class will be held at the Santa Fe Community College Bat Cave Preserve. We will do lecture on surveying techniques and a couple land drills before breaking into small groups and going into the cave and doing a knotted line survey of one of the passages. This is a dry cave and may require some crawling through mud depending on the weather. We recommend long pants and lace up shoes or boots to go into the cave (no flip flops). Helmets with lights will be provided or you can bring your own. We ask for a $5 donation to offset the cost of helmet maintenance.


We will eat lunch on-site, so bring a bag lunch and something to drink. Also water for the rest of the day.  

There are bathroom facilities on-site and a pavillion with picnic tables for the lecture and lunch.

10:00 – 12:00  Advanced Survey Clinic with Jason Richards – no fee

To get the most out of this class, you will need to bring along a laptop computer running Windows XP or better. Required software will be provided on a CD-ROM. If you have any cave data from a survey that you are working on, please bring it along, and we can use it for examples.
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11:00 – 12:00  Scooter Clinic with Rodney Nairne and Suzie Dudas of Silent Submerge – at Otter Springs – no fee

 

12:00 – 2:00  Sidemount Clinic with Lamar Hires – Meet at the Otter Springs pool – no fee 

There are many options on the market today. This workshop will address how to pick one suited for your needs and diving locale, how to stow back up gear and stay streamlined, and how to carry stage bottles.
 
The discussion portion of this clinic will be followed by a pool session to try out some Nomad systems

 

12:30 – 1:30  Haskel Repair Clinic with Frank Ohidy at Otter Springs – no fee

 

1:00 – 3:00  Eco-Paddle on Otter Springs Run to the Suwannee River with Tom Morris – meet at the canoe launch  $10

Paddle the lazy mile and a half run to the river and back with guide Tom Morris.  Again, Tom’s knowledge and passion for the environment will make this a paddle to remember! 

 

FREE CAVE DIVING AT HART SPRINGS all day Sunday thanks to sponsor Karst Environmental Services, Inc.and Gilchrist County! 

To coordinate with a guide go to: http://www.hartspringsguide.com/