Vortex/Morrison Report - 10/6 - 10/7

[frankc420]

So the plan was to leave Friday night and stay the night at Vortex.  We ended up stopping about an hour short of Vortex and getting a cheap room.  Planned to wakeup the next morning at 7, leave by 8, but we didnt wakeup until 8:30.  So we ate breakfast, showered (I did anyway), and headed to Vortex.

Brad and Selena were about 50 miles ahead of us, they wokeup at 3am and drove from Pearl, MS.

We met them inside the shop and paid our entry fees to Vortex then loaded up my truck and parked in a nice spot.  Brad's regulator kept free flowing (I guess that's what happens when you don't service it for 5 years), so he took it to the shop and they fixed it by adjusting the internal knob on the 2nd.

So we gear up and hit the water, at this point we realize that Selena's BC is leaking, so Brad takes it to the shop and gets a rental.  20 minutes later we are on our way!

[frankc420]

Dive #1:  Vortex Springs
- Time In:  12:40PM :: Time out: 1:17PM :: Total Dive Time: 37m
- Max depth: 57ft :: Avg depth: 32.88ft
- Min Temp: 67
- SAC Rate: 0.562 on 29% Nitrox
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Details:  There were ALOT of people in the water, so many that the visibility was no more than 5-10' majority of the time.  At first I had a hard time finding the cavern entrance, but finally found a large tube running into it.  Once inside the cavern I got bored pretty quick.  It's maybe 20' across and 15' tall.  About 5 eel and no fish.

I won't waste my $$ here again... sorry!

[frankc420]

Dive #2:  Morrison Springs
- Time In:  03:04PM :: Time out: 04:12PM :: Total Dive Time: 28m
- Max depth: 86ft :: Avg depth: 44.28ft
- Min Temp: 67
- SAC Rate: 0.663 on 29% Nitrox
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Details:  When we drove up to Morrison, everyone in the truck went, "WOW."  For one, I was the only one in the truck that had ever been here, and two, after Vortex I'm sure a swimming pool would look better! =)

We geared up and got in the water, Chris and myself went down into the Cavern while Brad and Selena stayed near the log and in the smaller cavern.  I've always liked this dive!  The cavern has really opened up since the last time I was there!  I remember looking behind the entrance the last time I was there, could hardly see anything, now that whole section is opened up.  I think the flow is getting stronger also, it appears that there are many more spots on the bottom that you can see and feel water coming up, the landscape inside the cavern will continue to change I'm guessing.

All of our dives from here on out were at Morrison, same reports, except for the Night dive!

[frankc420]

Dive #3:  Morrison
- Time In:  05:24PM :: Time out: 05:43PM :: Total Dive Time: 19m
- Max depth: 74ft :: Avg depth: 37.7ft
- Min Temp: 68
- SAC Rate: 0.572 on 29% Nitrox
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Details:  Brad wanted to go inside the cavern, so we took him in.  My computer went wacko, so we ended the dive short.

[mwhities]

Great reports. Sorry to hear about Vortex.

Michael

[frankc420]

Dive #4:  Morrison - NIGHT DIVE!
- Time In:  08:35PM :: Time out: 09:16PM :: Total Dive Time: 41m
- Max depth: 86ft :: Avg depth: 45.98ft
- Min Temp: 67
- SAC Rate: 0.527 on AIR
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Details:  This was my first ever night dive, so I was pretty nervous at first.  Once we were in the water I was fine, my eyes had to adjust!  Once inside the cavern we did the same thing we did in the daytime.  The lights were reflecting off the walls and hitting other parts of the cavern, it was pretty sweet.  After searching all day for the yard gnome, I finally found him on the night dive, he was hiding in the back on the ceiling of the cavern!

Brad got cold and headed up, like a rocket he was pushed through the hole and up to the tree.  Chris and myself followed shortly after and we made sure to grab the rope.   We told Brad about the rope, but he must have forgot   I saw Brad up on the tree doing his stop so Chris and myself continued the dive.

At this point we had skipped the small cavern, so we went in, and I am glad we did!  The floor was COVERED with Eel.  There had to be over 100 of them.  Some were as big around as my arm, it was insane!   Most of them were sitting on top of the silt, but there were several that were under it with just their heads sticking out.  Shining my light on them made their eyes glow,  cool to see

[frankc420]

Dive #5:  Morrison
- Time In:  10:30AM :: Time out: 11:19AM :: Total Dive Time: 49m
- Max depth: 79ft :: Avg depth: 28.8ft
- Min Temp: 67
- SAC Rate: 0.664 on AIR
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Details:  We wokeup late, but ended up getting our dives in.  When we arrived the place was PACKED, but we didn't see anyone standing at their cars, so that leaves one place for them, the water.  <gulp>  We geared up and got in, yep, they were all there, all 30+ of them.  What were they doing?  OW class, and you all know what comes along with that?  Rotto tilling.  The visibility was horrible around the platform, so we swam wide and made our way to the hole, there were some OW classes in the hole stirring it up also, but I just swam past. 

[frankc420]

Dive #6:  Morrison
- Time In:  12:36AM :: Time out: 01:07PM :: Total Dive Time: 31m
- Max depth: 81ft :: Avg depth: 45.09ft
- Min Temp: 67
- SAC Rate: 0.543 on AIR
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Details:  Last dive of the trip, we wanted to get in the cavern for the last time so we could soak up the memories.  I brought my camera.  I forgot to mention on dive #5 I brought my camera and the batteries died.  So, new batteries and off we go.

As I was heading into the big cavern, the batteries died again, so no big cavern footage, sorry!

We were inside the cavern and there were 4 guys in doubles tieing off cave line, I'm guessing they were doing their cave class.  Chris and myself did our dive and were ready to leave, about this time the guys in doubles jet to the opening and exit.  Funny thing is, they were doing circles at the entrance, so we couldn't get out.  5-8 minutes went by and we were finally able to exit, bad thing, we couldn't see crap, they had silted up the entire hole.  Hand above my head with a slow ascent I made it to the tree, did a safety stop and watched the OW classes stir up all the silt.  I moved over to the rock and was immediately bombarded by a silt cloud.  I decided to stay where I was and see what a silt out moment was like... very interesting   Another 10 minutes of observing and we were out of the water, packed up and on our way home!

[chefchris]

We ended up stopping about an hour short of Vortex and getting a cheap room. 

Ya, thanks to me we got a cheap room. Why don't you tell the whole story, Frank?

[frankc420]

We ended up stopping about an hour short of Vortex and getting a cheap room. 

Ya, thanks to me we got a cheap room. Why don't you tell the whole story, Frank?

What's to tell?  She offered the room to you for $59.95, and then she offered it to me for $69.96 not 10 minutes later.  Then she went down to $59.95 for me... same price

[chefchris]

We ended up stopping about an hour short of Vortex and getting a cheap room. 

Ya, thanks to me we got a cheap room. Why don't you tell the whole story, Frank?

What's to tell?  She offered the room to you for $59.95, and then she offered it to me for $69.96 not 10 minutes later.  Then she went down to $59.95 for me... same price

you had to work for it. not me. 

[Dive-aholic]

Sounds like some decent dives.  Truth be told, if those guys in doubles were in a class, they should have moved out of the way for you.  Major rule in cave/cavern diving - always yield to the exiting team.

If you ever want to head over to Jackson Blue and do a guided cavern dive, let me know.  It's only about another hour drive east.  You'll never go back to Morrison again!  Oh, and the getting up late part is fine.  I'm not much of a morning person myself.