Some divers consider getting into Cave Diving at one time or another. Having caves close by is a plus as is a substantial amount of training, skill development, gear and a good partners to have at it with. As the light is artificial and at times you can have astoundingly clear water, you can also capture some unique photos.
Wes Skilles shot this wallpaper image of Diepolder Cave near Brooksville, FL above Tampa for National Geographic at only 250 ft. I believe he used several divers holding powerful light sources to "paint" the vast surface of this chamber. We talked about doing this at night along wrecks in clear water years back. Still need to do that. Amazing imaging and at depth with a large depth of field. Wes of
Karst Productions has been shooting superlative cave images for many years. You can see and acquire some of them on his website.
From:
http://science.nationalgeographic.co...ve-diving.html
Here is an great image of a tunnel connected to a cenote in the Yucatan. You can see the fuzzy interface between fresh water on top and salt water below. They have karst or large scale solution features in the Yucatan and in parts of northern Florida. Unlike the micro karst we have in southern Florida, smaller voids in other words. Allson is the photographer, from:
http://www.discoverydiving.com/charlie_nelson_pics.htm
There are saltwater caverns and caves as well. Here's the chimney of a swim through in Eden Rock, Grand Cayman. The water is shallow enough to free dive through quite a few of them. At least when you can see the way out from the entrance. Got a lot more video than stills unfortunately but there is this one. There are extensive tunnels and chimneys that riddle the rampart of Palancar Reef off Cozumel. Start with limestone, add acidic water and sooner or later you should get caves.
Photo by Rick Iossi
There are a lot more salt water caverns than well developed caves in some parts. Coral can fabricate caverns and caves under different influences. Shown above is a shallow cavern spilling forth tarpon along the Turtle Reef mini wall on Grand Cayman. Without air exhaust the tarpon just cruise along with you if you go slow. They will even run up on you and join in at times as you approach. Saw quite a few tarpon in caves and caverns there. They hang out in the dim light during the day and they venture out at night to forage. The enclosed environment of caverns and some caves make me feel mellow, how about you?
Photo by Rick Iossi
Here's a blast from the past as if you couldn't tell from the vintage gear. It's yours truly in 1975 crawling out through the strong flowing current of one of the twin orifices. This was just below the ballroom of Jennie Springs in northwest Florida. Technically, I would have been smarter not to have been where I was, whoops! I believe Tom Mount and Ike Ikehara put a steel grate up blocking the cave system just outside this point a few years later. The reason could be found just past the orifice. I thought a caving team was coming out seeing a light but my dive light had reflected back to me off a marble tombstone for a lost diver. Lots of lost cave divers in the 1960's and particularly 1970's in Florida caves. New activity, few safety systems, limited training and a lot of denial of the possibility of bad things happening. Sort of like kiting a few years back. Good thing we know better today, right?
Photo by Ben Clarke
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