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| Dunnings Spring Decorah Iowa |
We were on our way
out to Coldwater cave and I wanted to stop off at a couple springs to see if
they are potential dives that can be pushed.
Dunnings Spring is in Cordora IA. Just outside the city limits. There is
a impressive waterfall resurgence coming out of this cave with year round moss
growing on the submerged rocks and a walkway leading to the resurgence. I get
up to the cave entrance and the water was crystal clear with passages that look
like it goes.
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| Dunnings Spring Decorah Iowa |
I donned my gear and
proceed to push on into this underwater cave.
About 20ft into the passage I notice a breakdown restriction that I
proceed to maneuver around this pile of boulders and come up to another
restriction.
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| Dunnings Spring Decorah Iowa |
This one is quite tight and
I was not able to work my way through this restriction without damaging my gear
so I ended the dive and came back out.
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| Dunnings Spring Decorah Iowa |
I referred my study
to a caver at Coldwater cave and he described to me that a cave diver in the
1970s tried the same thing and was not able to proceed where I was
restricted. The cave apparently is a
relief for another cave in the area that has been badly damaged by a nearby
quarry and access to that cave is closed.
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| Dunnings Spring Decorah Iowa |
Even though the water
is crystal clear and nice a follow-up dive will not be necessary as we will not
be able to get access to the complete system or we will have to micro shave the
breakdown restriction which will also not happen due to the city’s risk
assessment. Until the future, whatever lies beyond the Dunnings spring
restriction will remain a mystery in the cold water climate of Decorah
Iowa.