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9th Annual NACD Sponsored Cleanup at Cannonball Springs We held our 9th NACD sponsored cleanup at Cannonball Cave (Davidson's Blue Springs), at Lake Wappapello, MO on Saturday 13 August 2011. The record level high waters this spring had also deposited record levels of debris on the hill side above the spring and the road to the boat landing. The height of the water above the lake was easily seen by the deposit of debris. Our volunteers picked up trash above the spring first and there was three to four times the amount of trash we had been seeing in the past few years. We then cleaned up on the trail leading down to the spring. Last of all we picked up debris on the road leading to the boat ramp and the camping area adjacent to it. There was a ton of trash this year. There were hundreds of drink containers (metal, plastic and glass). A good many of these must have floated down river into the lake. There had not been this much trash since our first year of the pickup. There were oil cans, plastic food containers, fishing line, a number of fishing floats. assorted paper products and cigarette butts. We also found a tire still in the wheel rim (probably fixable with a little duct tape), a bowling ball (well, three-quarters of one), floats of various kinds, light blubs, splats, a garden hose and just about anything that could float. There was also an eight track tape with the tape still intact, of course, there was also mud in it as well. Still I think things have improved greatly since the days we were finding oil filters in the mouth of the cave. We recovered some cans in the mouth of the spring, but the best time for picking up trash in the lake is in October when the visibility improves to 15' to 30'. We actually started picking trash up around 08:00 because Michael Tarver, stationed at Fort Leonard Wood, and Steve Sullivan, a health care professional from Kentucky, arrived early. Other joined us as they arrived. We spent a little over two-and-a-half hours picking up trash above the lake, and then drew for some of the fine gifts we had this year. We had a number of excellent items donated by the National Association for Cave Divers. NACD has sponsored the cleanup all nine years. NACD donated T-shirts, cup holders, key rings, mouse pads, luggage tags, line arrows and line cookies, and a year free membership. Amigo Dive Center had donated caveline cookies (markers), but following my move to central Illinois earlier this summer I haven't been able to find them. Ed Pavey's Ozark Dive Shop in Poplar Bluff, Missouri donated 4 Nitrox/Air Fill Cards which were greatly appreciated since many were diving the next day. Also donated were a few pairs of diving shears and a new recreational Scubapro mask and snorkel. NACD also provided journals, pens, and stickers. We went diving afterwards, then had a picnic lunch on the shore, then everyone else went diving again. My work has taken me to a new location further away so I skipped the second dive because I was facing an eight hour drive home. Attending this year were Ben and Amanda Perkins, Michael Tarver, Denis Forbes, Brent Cooper, Steve Sullivan and Douglas Rorex. The water was refreshing, there was very little flow. Viz in the spring was a 30' and in the lake, away from the mouth of the spring, it was somewhat less than 3' most places. Spring water temps were 57 f. and the lake was a warm 82 f. The weather was also beautiful with temps in the eighties and sunny with a few occasional clouds. There had been a storm the night before and there were tree limbs down everywhere as well as a tree partially blocking the road to the springs. I called the Corps of Engineers office and they had a work crew out to remove the trees before I left and they hauled off the trash bags and debris we had picked up as well. |
National Association for Cave Diving, PO Box 14492, Gainesville, FL 32604, Telephone and Fax: 386-497-3011 |
9th