Springs on ‘Roids

After a couple of gazillion dives at Willow, you'd think that there would be nothing new to find – but you would be wrong. Gerhard and I, after deciding to check out the swim area for a change, made our way there along the RR tracks. With only 75 cf of air in my mini-doubles, I figured I'd be coming back on the surface. Viz was 8-10 ft until we stumbled into the silt cloud left by a herd of rampaging elephants. The viz improved on our approach to the caboose, but we no sooner reached our destination than it was time to turn the dive. After passing thru the arch, we took a shortcut home by compassing east and working our way around the south wall. Outside the swim area we bumped into some of the springs that feed the quarry, but instead of being small 2 ft depressions anymore, they were 8 ft deep conical holes. The looked absolutely ominous. The trickle of water entering the quarry from the bottom didn't seem up to the task of excavating these holes. Then, along the south wall, we found four – count them – four grotto-like recesses in this wall. Nothing deep enough to call caverns and certainly not caves, but four good sized alcoves. Pretty cool. Just before we got to the long flight of underwater stairs, we bumped into one of the “torpedos” and used it to test the integrity of my lift bag. My lift bag embarrassed itself by collapsing not once but twice when Kulp and I shot the SOB from the Varanger last week. Nothing worse than seeing your left bag heading down while you're heading up. It was a true Laurel and Hardy moment. This time the bag filled fine, didn't leak, and did a good impersonation of a speed bag when punched – and never lost its air. Even the dump valve worked - at true first. Regardless, it's too late for repentance. This lift bag won't see the ocean again. Dinner last night was a true feast! Dave Gellert, sporting two huuuge subs was the man of the hour. Potato salad, cole slaw, pies and more pies, chips, fruit, and soda. Everyone was fat when they left; some were fat when they arrived.

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