What is a" sink hole "?

[Bloodpearl13]

Hi all!

I read about sink hole diving, but I dont know what a sink hole is particulary. I thought that it could be a hollow in the sea filled with fresh water. Is that true? Unless it is, what is it? And what is especial diving in there?

Reply requested!

[scott]

Bloodpearl 13,

I'm not a geologist (I'm a CPA) so don't take my definition as gospel. In Florida, below ground is the Floridan Aquifer- where we get our drinking water from and from which our many springs bubble out of. When the ground above the aquifer is weakened (for a variety of reasons) it collapses into the aquifer and forms a sinkhole. Flow from the aquifer, rain, runoff, etc. fill the hole with water and you've got a place to dive in.

That's my limited understanding and I welcome any corrections or comments.

Scott

P.S. Nothing really special about them to dive in other than that some of them are very deep.

[Bloodpearl13]

Hi Scott!

Thank for your reply! But one more question:
You said sinkhols are very deep. Can you give me a figure, just for imagine? And is there any possibility to get into the Floridian- Aquifer through an thinkhole, or are they compleatly seperated?

[scott]

Bloodpearl13,

I don't want to respond like I'm an expert as I may not know what I am talking about (a little knowledge is dangerous). Some sinkholes are over 100 feet deep (Big Dismal in Tallahassee). Warm Mineral Springs in Sarasota is over 200' deep - I have termed this site a sinkhole whereas it may actually be a spring (it's just a water hole in the middle of a field). It is so different from the other Florida springs and has no apparent flow and thus I'm calling it a sinkhole - and I could very well be wrong.

There are many small sinkholes that open up and are clearly not connected to the aquifer. Large ones (I believe) like Warm Mineral Springs are connected. Having never explored the bottom of the large ones, I can only surmise but I think that at some point the vents become too narrow for human passage (much like many of the springs).

I am only responding to this post as I mentioned freediving in sinkholes in earlier ones. Those diving experiences and just living in Florida are my only sources of information and so I may be way off base.

Scott