LOCATION: (lat. 28°00'00.0" N., long. 82°00'00.0" W.)
Hospital Hole is a submerged sink located in the third bend upstream from Rodgers Park in the Weeki Wachee River.
DESCRIPTION:
A circular opening 30 ft across is easily seen through the rivers clear waters. Visibility is usually exellent down to 70ft,where a foul layer of hydrogen sulfide is encountered. Ground water and tides affect the level and density,but going below the layer is generally considered cave diving due to the absence of surface light and undercut of the sides. Tip: offer to go last, then wait till the other divers exhaust bubbles blow a hole through the sulfide layer allowing you to pass through unscathed.
DIVELOG:
Visibility was exellent as usual,we decended to a depth of 60ft to what appeared to be gargantuan cotten ball plugging this classic hourglass shaped sink. Plunging 15ft through the sulfide layer we reappeared in clear water and headed for the bottom. Circling the bottom at a depth of 138ft we found no passages, pits or anything of significance. Ascending to 45ft we came across a couple of solution tubes in the overhang of the west wall, which along with the graffiti was the highlight of the dive. <
