The state of Texas has given the world a unique attraction - Jacob's well. This is a huge artesian source of fresh water. Its diameter is 4 meters, and its depth is more than 10 meters. When a person stands on top, it seems that an abyss has opened up under his feet. Or maybe it doesn’t seem like it, maybe it’s true…
Dangerous Beauty
Many would never have known the name of the city of Wimberley if not for the system of underwater caves. By showing the world Jacob's Well in photographs, Texas attracted the attention of a huge number of divers from all over the world. Still, it is simply impossible to pass by such beauty. It attracts both explorers and ordinary adventurers. But attempts to penetrate the secret lead to sad consequences. To date, Jacob's Well has already sacrificed eight divers to its secrets.
Underwater cave system
So, a huge fresh source comes to the surface. For many millennia, he "dissolved" the rocks, and in their place a huge funnel with sheer walls formed. But that's not all. The attention of divers is attracted not only by the well of Jacob itself, but also by the unique system of caves. The first of them is located at a depth of nine meters and is considered the safest. Algae grow here and fish are found. Transparent fresh water allows you to observe the life of the underwater world, the width of the cave makes it possible to relatively safely dive not only one by one, but also in small groups. The length of this cave is not too great. It goes down a slight slope and ends at a depth of 16 meters. But that's where the quiet underwater walk ends. Further, real tests await researchers.
Diver trap
The entrance to the second cave is located a little deeper. The diver will have to overcome 24 meters of water to reach it. Here Jacob's well shows its treachery for the first time. Entering this cave is much easier than leaving it. The passage is quite narrow, and it is almost impossible to turn around. The first victim of this cave was a young student from Texas who could not get out to a wide place.
The second cave has its own secret. Here is the entrance that allows you to continue the journey. But is it worth the risk?
Third and fourth cave: curiosity or recklessness?
Getting into the third cave is quite difficult. The entrance is a narrow opening among the unsteady and unstable gravel. Divers have to show miracles of dexterity in order not to touch small pebbles and not fill up the gap. But that doesn't stop the daredevils. They aspire further and deeper, where no one has gone before.
The fourth cave is called "Virgin". It has not yet been possible to explore this cave to the end. This causes many to return to the well every year in the hope that now for surelucky.
What's happening today
Once Jacob's well was considered eternal. Everyone was sure that this spring could not dry up and become shallow, but this was a mistake. Jacob's well, the photo of which continues to excite the minds of extreme people, is gradually losing water.
A couple of millennia ago, the pressure of the source was so strong that it hit the surface like a giant geyser. The height of the water fountain was almost 10 meters. However, the aquifer is gradually decreasing, and the water level in the well has become less. The fountain is no longer discussed at all.
At the end of the 20th century, the first scuba diver dived into the cave. This gave rise to a number of dangerous dives, which repeatedly led to death. After another death, they tried to block the entrance to the well opening and underwater karst caves with a strong grate. But the divers still tried to get inside.
In the end, the roof and superstructure were removed, and today the entrance to Jacob's well is open again. However, the geological treasure of Texas continues to zealously guard its secrets, and the next divers are already filling scuba tanks with oxygen.
