Attempt second and third – successful!
Thanks to few tips from Jim and help we received from Kuba and Krzysztof, transporting equipment to the mine was both easier and quicker than the last time. After less than one hour we were fully equipped, with tanks hanging from below our arms, ready to jump in to the mystery Shalee!
As You can see on the photos Shalee doesn’t look like mines we know. When we think – mine, we imagine regular shaped horizontal tunnels, rails with little trolleys, all connected by horizontal chimneys with elevatorsJ
Old silvermine looks more like cave, more like a work of nature than human. Right after We enter, We find ourselves in a huge chamber. 10m high with celling hold by a massive columns cavern. By windows in the walls, sun is shining illuminating small lake inside. It could easily attract not only cavedivers looking for some adrenaline but photography passionate as well!
From info We got appear that We should find the line going inside the flooded tunnel on our right hand side. This line we were going to use as main line.
The plan as simple. But life likes to verify our plans in its own wayJ
On the right hand side from the entrance was mentioned before small lake. We assumed that this will be our water entry point. Unfortunately We couldn’t locate the line. That could mean that water level raised and the place where this line starts was now below surface. We started putting our own line and decided that when we found the one that was there before we just connect and follow it. After 20 min of search we found nothing ( ok once we found our own line when me made a loop around one of the pillarsJ ) Its not so bad – this time we had a chance to diveJ The tunnel we were looking for was supposed to fall down to -30 meters yet We didn’t even got to -3m…
Out of the water. What to do????
We know We are close, so close…place we are looking for is somewhere here! The only question is where?:)On the left hand side from the entrance We found a way that goes to lower level. Its flooded up to the celling but there was small stream going into it, and there was more mug than water. It has to be somewhere else… just behind that lake we found some way going down. It didn’t look to invitingJ Marcin went down first to check it up and bingo! The line we were looking for is there!Whole side of the chamber was filled with stones which make it bit difficult to go down.
Few minutes after we are ready to go in
Second dive successfulJ
We got down to -24.5 and EOL about 80 meters inside the mine. Tunnel most of the time is going down. Visibility decent 2-3 meters. Even that on our way down we touch some of the bigger boulder causing this way clouds of silt, on the way up vis was back to normal. We reached EOL after 10 min and because we didn’t had our main reel with us we had to turn around.
Riders on the Storm
I would like to invite All of my readers for presentation of Waldek Furmaniaks and Quentin Cowper films incuding full movie " Riders on the Storm". The premiere is on friday 23 march 7.30PM in Trinity College ( E Burke Theatre, Arts Block ).
"The deepest underwater cave traverse in UK and Ireland
3km of underwater passages explored
30 months
45 dives
2 winter floods
Average depth -45m
Maximum depth -62m
Visibility ... 1m"
You can find mre info regarding travers and detailed dive reports on:
www.hellandhighwater.eu
www.waldasso.com
I would like to invite All of my readers for presentation of Waldek Furmaniaks and Quentin Cowper films incuding full movie " Riders on the Storm". The premiere is on friday 23 march 7.30PM in Trinity College ( E Burke Theatre, Arts Block ).
"The deepest underwater cave traverse in UK and Ireland
3km of underwater passages explored
30 months
45 dives
2 winter floods
Average depth -45m
Maximum depth -62m
Visibility ... 1m"
You can find mre info regarding travers and detailed dive reports on:
www.hellandhighwater.eu
www.waldasso.com
Hell, biggest system in Green Holes, lies just between Reef cave complex from one and Marmaids Hole cave from the other side. Hell and Reef cave systems are connected via "Polish Connection". Connection established by Artur in 2008, is low and tight rift down about 50m past Brittlestar Bouldevar tunnel on your right hand side. If you fallow pernament line ( the one on the bottom ) you can find a plastic page attached to the line that marks the spot.
Polish Connection
On the other side ( but not connected ) lies Marmaids Hole. 1035m long cave. Longest sea cave in Ireland and probably one of the longest in the world. Again the push from 935 to 1035m was established by Artur in 2008:)( 2008 was good for Artur:) )
You can enter Hell from the sea by multiple entrances ( J.B. , Sian and Sarah Teashop , Lost Entrance or Pollnamongach ) or from the Hells Kitchen, an inland entrance about 400m away from car park. If the sea is calm you can swim from the shore and save yourself long walk to Hells kitchen. By following underwater cliff, first you see submerged entrances to Reef cave complex and Robertson cave. Past those and go for the hell "JB" or "Sian and Sarah" entrace that is easy enough to find. From JB by going right you enter "Brittlestar Boulevard" and than "Honepot Chamber". By going left you enter main Hells tunnel.
JB Entrance
On the other side ( but not connected ) lies Marmaids Hole. 1035m long cave. Longest sea cave in Ireland and probably one of the longest in the world. Again the push from 935 to 1035m was established by Artur in 2008:)( 2008 was good for Artur:) )
You can enter Hell from the sea by multiple entrances ( J.B. , Sian and Sarah Teashop , Lost Entrance or Pollnamongach ) or from the Hells Kitchen, an inland entrance about 400m away from car park. If the sea is calm you can swim from the shore and save yourself long walk to Hells kitchen. By following underwater cliff, first you see submerged entrances to Reef cave complex and Robertson cave. Past those and go for the hell "JB" or "Sian and Sarah" entrace that is easy enough to find. From JB by going right you enter "Brittlestar Boulevard" and than "Honepot Chamber". By going left you enter main Hells tunnel.
JB Entrance
Almost every time I was there i met huge shrimps and giant lobsters hiding in darkness. In Arturs report i also read about conger that lives in Honey Pot and seen one on Krzysztof clip from Marmaids Hole. There is dolphin often seen in the harbour area so who knows, maybe one day we meet him ( or her ) in one of Hell's passages?:)
My favourite way to dive it is to make a loop throu main tunnels thats aprox 200m and all nice large passages.Then jump to "Brittlestar"and down to the end of this side of the system ( most of the time you can use pernament line ). On our last trip on our way back, just across from "Brittlestar" we enter a smaller system of tunnels that lies right in the centre of main passages. We didnt found it on any maps so will try to make a most up to date one.
Unfortunately weather wasnt good enough to allow us to dive in Marmaids Hole so we dicided to take a closer look at Reef Caves. While we were swiminng along underwater cliff we accidentaly past all entrances and when we thout we found Robertson Cave we acually found JB entrance to Hell:) We decided to stay where we were and do a nice and slow dive and take second look at "Polish Connection" We had bulky 80cu cylinders ( and fact im 30kg hevier that Artur:) i didnt try to squize thru but defiently will take a chance next time with pair or smaller 7s and maybe diver waiting on the other side in Robertson Cave. More less we know whats waiting there for us and we know that someone did it before:)
All in all great weekend! Great dives and nicely spend time above water! Now when We got even more familiar with all main and side passage in our next trips to Doolin we gonna try to get even deeper ( Marmaids Hole ) and into bit tighter spots ( Polish Connection )., Now we need to save some money for another trip, watch weather forecasts and we hope to be back in there soon!
We would like to invite everyone for our range of diving courses. Courses are conducted in accordance with the rules of the organization IANTD, the oldest technical federation in the world. IANDT was one of the first supporters of the use of mixtures such as enriched air Nitrox and Trymix and from the very beginning priority was the quality of training and safety.
Standard courses as OWD, AOWD, EANx, RESCUE and DEEP will be held in the previously scheduled dates but can also be adjusted to the time individuall customer needs. In the near future we will also organize workshop Sidemount Diving. During the workshop, divers will be able to try side mount diving using different harnesses, and also find out what are the benefits of this system and why and how was created.
On this page we try to include current information about upcoming courses, if you have any questions You can contact us; Michal 0873633534 and email: nurek.t @ gmail.com.
Standard courses as OWD, AOWD, EANx, RESCUE and DEEP will be held in the previously scheduled dates but can also be adjusted to the time individuall customer needs. In the near future we will also organize workshop Sidemount Diving. During the workshop, divers will be able to try side mount diving using different harnesses, and also find out what are the benefits of this system and why and how was created.
On this page we try to include current information about upcoming courses, if you have any questions You can contact us; Michal 0873633534 and email: nurek.t @ gmail.com.
Technique of Diving Ireland and SnoopyLoops would like to invite you to Sidemount diving workshop .
Workshops will be held on 18 and 25 of August.
The workshop consists of 2 dives during which you will have the opportunity to try out this fast-growing system of diving. Anyone will be able to choose from several available models harness and judge which is best for him, learn how to adjust and prepare all the equipment. During dives with an instructor, will do a few sets of sills. We show the differences in diving SM: from recreational, to technical and cave. For people already diving SM this may be the opportunity to try out new configurations, a comparison with the one in which the current dive or improve your skills. Cost of workshop is only 80 euro (plus entrance to the dive sites and air fills)
At the time of workshops we provide harness (3 types), cylinders and regulatorss, rental of extra equipment at cost.
The number of participants is limited to 2 per term, on first come first served basis :)
Place of workshops: Portroe Dive Centre.
Workshops will be held on 18 and 25 of August.
The workshop consists of 2 dives during which you will have the opportunity to try out this fast-growing system of diving. Anyone will be able to choose from several available models harness and judge which is best for him, learn how to adjust and prepare all the equipment. During dives with an instructor, will do a few sets of sills. We show the differences in diving SM: from recreational, to technical and cave. For people already diving SM this may be the opportunity to try out new configurations, a comparison with the one in which the current dive or improve your skills. Cost of workshop is only 80 euro (plus entrance to the dive sites and air fills)
At the time of workshops we provide harness (3 types), cylinders and regulatorss, rental of extra equipment at cost.
The number of participants is limited to 2 per term, on first come first served basis :)
Place of workshops: Portroe Dive Centre.
Its hard to believe its been a year since Artur died. At that time, I think we all felt the emptiness...
Waldasso Thanks for this amazing movie!
Waldasso Thanks for this amazing movie!
