WKPP Exploration: Turner Sink

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Update on the cave exploration north of Wakulla Springs, accomplished with Halcyon RB80 rebreathers. 3 miles into a raging syphon at 285' deep, 390 minute bottom time, 13 hours of in-water deco with the breathers:

After the long dark spell we had to sit through since 2000, the WKPP is taking every opportunity to push the limits of exploration in the Leon Sinks/Wakulla systems while conditions are favorable. The team turned once again to Turner Sink on the weekend of July 1, and (again) succeeded in surveying close to another mile of tunnel in the push towards Wakulla. We've posted an extended dive report for the weekend, along with a gallery of images from both before and during the dive:

http://www.gue.com/Projects/WKPP/Upd..._01July06.html

http://www.gue.com/Galleries/WKPP/Tu...706/index.html

From Casey McKinlay's summary of the day's work:

"Turner Sink and Leon Sinks were still going strong and while we did not match the 6,000ft added on June 3, we managed almost another mile of cave heading south-southeast towards Wakulla. We were closing the gap and the reality of connecting the Leon Sinks and Wakulla Cave Systems was seriously within reach. The data was immediately plotted and confirmed Leon was closing in on Wakulla."

Steve

Thanks for the update. What survey methods are currently being employed?

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WARNING: I contain occasional coarse language, extreme sexual references, nudity, and adult themes, which may offend some people - Usually churchy types.

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When the exploration team hits the new section of cave, Jarrod is running the reel (with knotted line) while Casey takes the survey. He's recording compass readings, depth, cave features, and counting knots while Jarrod is placing wraps.

For previously explored sections where the Florida Geological Survey is looking to place sampling wells for the dye trace studies/water quality monitoring, the dive teams are placing cave radio transmitters at specific junctions while a surface team is using a receiving loop up top. So far, the radio system has only been used for specific tunnel junctions at wakulla; if funding permits more stations, I'm guessing that it will be used for other locations in the Leon Sinks system as well.

Steve

If you are interested please PM me your contact details and I will pass them on to Ken Smith. He built the pingers we used in Kija a few months ago and I think they are the best survey helper I have seen to date.

We were surveying just asy you described, ie knotted line, azimuth, bearing and reciprocal bearings on the way out as well as Ken's pingers and they were like a breath of fresh air due to their ease of operation.

Cheers

Steve

__________________
WARNING: I contain occasional coarse language, extreme sexual references, nudity, and adult themes, which may offend some people - Usually churchy types.

jdz

Hi Steve,

Much of the Walkulla work has already been done with Brian Pease's radio location devices, (which is where I developed my "thumper" work from...)
and see here...
http://radiolocation.tripod.com/
and
http://radiolocation.tripod.com/WakullaTalk/index.htm
Ken's "pingers" are a variation of these.... whilst they are Ken's own creations, he did, I think, liase with Brian quite some time ago...

Cheers, JDZ