Cow Springs Cave System Restoration

January 5th, 2009 was a day of history-making in the cave diving community as the beautiful, yet fragile Cow Springs cave system was restored after vandals damaged it 14 months earlier. Located near Luraville, Florida the cave was initially explored by Lamar Hires, Woody Jasper, Tom Morris and Wes Skiles in 1986. Since then, the land has been managed by the National Speleological Society - Cave Diving Section who in turn imposed strict rules in regards to access in order to protect the delicate nature of the cave.

One of the main attractions Cow Springs offers is a series of spectacular and delicate clay banks. The clay banks feature beautiful multi-colored layers that are not only aesthetically pleasing, but also showcase thousands of years of geology, with each layer representing another layer of history. In 2007 and again in 2008, vandals intentionally destroyed these delicate clay banks by etching their initials into the stratified clay bank. A warrant for their arrest was filed under the Florida Cave Vandalism statue (the first ever in the history of the statute). In the meantime the restoration of the clay banks became the outmost in importance.

Right: The damaged clay bank. (Gene Page)

A volunteer team quickly assembled to perform the world’s first underwater cave restoration. Led by Chicago artist, Michael Angelo Gagliardi, it took the team three days in a series of two and a half hour decompression dives to complete the job. Working at 70 feet in depth and 700 feet inside the cave meant extensive decompression after each dive. Further complicating their work is the strong, two-knot flow that required specialized rigging in order to keep Michael Angelo stationary while he painstakingly recreated the damaged banks with specially-sourced clay.

Taken without strobes and with a slow shutter speed, this image shows the incredible darkness in which the team worked. (Gene Page)

Supported by team members, Wayne Kinard, Gene Page, Jill Heinerth and with topside support from Bill Bowden, Michael Angelo matched each striation of clay coloring to the original banks. He then used a series of clay working tools, sponges and brushes in order to smooth the surface and blend the multicolor layers. This was a slow and meticulous process, however divers in the system just days after the team completed their mission confirmed his success. They simply couldn’t tell where the damage or repair was located.

The project was sponsored by The National Speleogical Society – Cave Diving Section. Dive Outpost and Amigos Dive Center donated gas for the project and lent invaluable help and support.

For the full story on this amazing project, watch your mailbox for the April issue of Underwater Speleology. If you’re not a member of the NSS-CDS and don’t receive the journal but would like to, go to NSS-CDS.org for information on how to join.

The clay bank after the restoration project was completed. (Gene Page)

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