Peter unspools a line of nylon rope and ties one end to a rock. Then he swims to the edge of a drop-off and dives headfirst into the dark. I push off to catch up. No go. The valve on my tank is tangled in the guideline. My instinct is to pull hard against it; I need to catch up with Peter. But I make myself calm down, back up, and free myself from the snag.
We swim up to a metal grate that has been welded across the tunnel, preventing us from continuing deeper into the cave. The grate was put there to stop the loss of life. Peter and I had prearranged to cut off our lights for 30 seconds, which we now do. The blackness is tomblike, all-enveloping. There are absolutely no distractions. What a contrast when, several minutes later, we return to the mouth of the cave. We swim out and arc up toward blurred, watery images of oak trees and blue sky. And then we break the surface -- into the world of light and sound and the living.
Learn more about the Ginnie Springs Camping and Diving Resort on the Web (www.ginniesprings.com).
Update: Ginnie Springs Outdoors' Web site has moved.
Email
Digg
StumbleUpon
Facebook
Buzz Up!
LinkedIn
