Deep in the heart of the Eastern Oregon desert lies a lava tube that contains unforgiving waterfilled passage. It is this passage that brought me here to explore this dark, forboding place. Until now, I had known of no fully submerged caves in the Northwestern United States, and as can be imagined, I was excited to say the least! Since then, I have came upon another... which awaits exploration. The bottom of the cave was composed of a clay like material that if disturbed in the slightest manner, would in no time leave you in zero visibility. With the low ceilings and these conditions, the cave demanded the utmost care and attention to body position and propulsion techniques. Although the cave ended in a mound of clay at 580' of penetration distance, the journey felt as though I had swam a mile in the most treacherous conditions. This is no place for the weak of heart! : ) The name and location of the cave are not given due to conservation concerns.

 

Gearing up for the "big dive" Off to the water... The long swim to the cave zone The use of a fully closed circuit rebreather helped avoid ceiling percolation
On the quest for the elusive vents The incredible candle power of the HID lighting cut right through the darkness of the cave Returning from a successful dive Reflecting on a great dive
Photos taken from video by Sidney K. Macken ~ Mocean Video