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Scuba Forum / Scuba Locations / June 2006Freshwater recommendations in central FLA
Hi. I'm looking to do some freshwater diving in central Florida and I was hoping to get some testimonials from those who've dove there. I'm looking for spots with lots of life. I'm not too enthused by these sterile grottos with 200' viz but no fish. In particular, I was thinking about Alexander Springs near Ocala. Anyone dove there? Thanks for any info. Alex springs is a nice easy dive, 25 ft max depth, some fish, but not alot, Blue springs in Orange city has more fish, and a deeper hole. gary Deltona, FL > Hi. I'm looking to do some freshwater diving in central Florida and I > was hoping to get some testimonials from those who've dove there. I'm > looking for spots with lots of life. I'm not too enthused by these > sterile grottos with 200' viz but no fish. In particular, I was > thinking about Alexander Springs near Ocala. Anyone dove there? Thanks > for any info. > Hi. I'm looking to do some freshwater diving in central Florida and I > was hoping to get some testimonials from those who've dove there. I'm > looking for spots with lots of life. I'm not too enthused by these > sterile grottos with 200' viz but no fish. In particular, I was > thinking about Alexander Springs near Ocala. Anyone dove there? Thanks > for any info. Try a trip down the Rainbow River http://www.funandsun.com/parks/RainbowSprings/rainbowsprings.html . Depths range from 15 to about 45 feet. Water is crystal clear and there's plenty of fish, turtles, etc. as well as small springs bubbling up through the sand all over the place. Lee "Lee Bell" <pleebell2@bellsouth.net> pounded away at his keyboard resulting in: :Try a trip down the Rainbow River Been there, done that, second that emotion. It's a cool dive. Patti even got to see a diving bird. The longnosed gar was something you certainly don't see every day either, unless maybe if you live in Florida. Dan Bracuk If we don't succeed, we run the risk of failure. > :Try a trip down the Rainbow River > > Been there, done that, second that emotion. It's a cool dive. Patti > even got to see a diving bird. The longnosed gar was something you > certainly don't see every day either, unless maybe if you live in > Florida. I'm not a big fan of freshwater diving, but that one I really enjoyed. I'd do it again in a heartbeat. When are you planning on being down here next? Lee "Lee Bell" <pleebell2@bellsouth.net> pounded away at his keyboard resulting in: :I'm not a big fan of freshwater diving, but that one I really enjoyed. I'd :do it again in a heartbeat. When are you planning on being down here next? Down to the USA? Saturday. Doing a week of touring about and then going on the Aggressor. Dan Bracuk If we don't succeed, we run the risk of failure. > Down to the USA? Saturday. > Doing a week of touring about and then going on the Aggressor. I was thinking of something a bit more specific, such as down to Florida. Regardless, your trip won't allow me to particpate in a "Dive With Dan." I recently completed some repairs to the boat. I'll replace the zincs and props and clean the crud off the running gear and it will leave the dock for the first time in 7 months sometime tomorrow afternoon. The following weekend, I hope to be fishing in my boat club's father's day dolphin fishing tournament. We missed the lady's tournament last week. Sometime when you're going to be in S. Florida, let us know in advance and we'll see if we can't get some people together for a dive or so. If it's on a weekend, we might even manage one or two on the Rainbow. It's a five hour drive from here, so I need an excuse to make it, but not much of one. Lee > Down to the USA? Saturday. > > Doing a week of touring about and then going on the Aggressor. Kona Aggressor? "Greg Mossman" <mossman@qnet.com> pounded away at his keyboard resulting in: :Kona Aggressor? jealous? Dan Bracuk If we don't succeed, we run the risk of failure. > "Greg Mossman" <mossman@qnet.com> pounded away at his keyboard > resulting in: > :Kona Aggressor? > > jealous? Simply curious. Of all the Aggressors, it's perhaps the easiest for me to get to from L.A., so I've given it some thought. I've heard mixed reviews from people I actually know, ranging from the best boat they've been on to the worst. It's bouncy and I sometimes tend to get seasick, and it's small, though I've heard that it never fills to capacity. Still, I've dove out of Kona, and with the exception of the manta night dives, wasn't too impressed. Yet I'd love to get a close up of the lava spilling into the sea. So I remain curious. If you're in the L.A. area for any meaningful amount of time, give me a buzz. I'm stuck in town working hard to make up for my trip that leaves in 18 more days, an 11-day Voyager trip to Komodo. >> Hi. I'm looking to do some freshwater diving in central Florida and I >> was hoping to get some testimonials from those who've dove there. I'm [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > > Lee I'd check what the water discharge is before anyone goes, you might find the 15' is now 5' and the 45' is now 20'. The drought has brought lake levels down at least two feet from last summer. (source: the distance between my chest to my penis, and the time between last summer and this) I tried to find, "groundwater levels of Florida" but couldn't find anything resent  SignatureCB Donating blood cuts ones risk of heart attack in half and reduces Cholesterol by a third. Save a life today. Donate your blood >>> Hi. I'm looking to do some freshwater diving in central Florida and I >>> was hoping to get some testimonials from those who've dove there. I'm [quoted text clipped - 21 lines] > I tried to find, "groundwater levels of Florida" but couldn't find > anything resent Here's a scale ranging from the year 1940 to the present. The location is in the northwest part of florida, in Walton County, which includes Wakulla Springs http://www.nwfwmd.state.fl.us/hydrology/ground/levels/g3101.htm >>>> Hi. I'm looking to do some freshwater diving in central Florida and I >>>> was hoping to get some testimonials from those who've dove there. I'm [quoted text clipped - 26 lines] > Springs > http://www.nwfwmd.state.fl.us/hydrology/ground/levels/g3101.htm Where "The Creature From the Black Lagoon" was filmed. > Here's a scale ranging from the year 1940 to the present. The location is > in the northwest part of florida, in Walton County, which includes Wakulla > Springs Wakulla Spring is in Wakulla County, a bit east of Walton County. Curtis >> Here's a scale ranging from the year 1940 to the present. The location is >> in the northwest part of florida, in Walton County, which includes [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > > Curtis According to this page, we're both wrong... Several of the early Tarzan movies starring Johnny Weissmuller, as well as the Creature from the Black Lagoon, Airport 77 and Joe Panther were filmed on location at Wakulla Springs. Another spring of distinction in Wakulla County is Spring Creek... more - http://www.wakullacounty.com/wakulla-30.htm >>> Here's a scale ranging from the year 1940 to the present. The location >>> is in the northwest part of florida, in Walton County, which includes >>> Wakulla Springs >> Wakulla Spring is in Wakulla County, a bit east of Walton County. >> (Curtis) > According to this page, we're both wrong... How so? It is located in Wakulla County, and that page has some very old information on it. Curtis ""Magilla"" wrote > How so? It is located in Wakulla County, and that page has some very old > information on it. Last I heard, it is located all over the place. Your entrance is in Wakulla, but I'm not sure anyone yet knows where all the exits will prove to be. >> How so? It is located in Wakulla County, and that page has some very old >> information on it. > > Last I heard, it is located all over the place. Your entrance is in > Wakulla, but I'm not sure anyone yet knows where all the exits will prove > to be. In thinking about his response, maybe he meant the site as well as he was wrong with the name. At any rate, think Walton County is in a different karst plain, so I doubt there's any connection unless there's as many Wakulla Springs as there are Blue Springs. :-) Curtis >>> How so? It is located in Wakulla County, and that page has some very >>> old information on it. [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > > Curtis ;) SignatureCB The crucial steps are these. Build a fence along the 2,000-mile border to stop the flood. End welfare benefits to illegal aliens, except emergency medical treatment. Vigorously prosecute employers who hire illegals. Cease granting automatic citizenship to "anchor babies" of illegals who sneak across the border to have them. Take care of mother and child, then put them on a bus back home. Turn off the magnets, and the illegals will not come. Cut off the benefits, and they will not stay. In five years, the crisis will be over. As this is what America wants... ~~Pat Buchanan "CB - aka Unfrozen Caveman Politician Algore" i>> Try a trip down the Rainbow River >> http://www.funandsun.com/parks/RainbowSprings/rainbowsprings.html . >> Depths range from 15 to about 45 feet. Water is crystal clear and >> there's plenty of fish, turtles, etc. as well as small springs bubbling >> up through the sand all over the place. > I'd check what the water discharge is before anyone goes, you might find > the 15' is now 5' and the 45' is now 20'. I'm not sure how much local drought conditions have on spring fed rivers, but it's still a good point. Lee >Hi. I'm looking to do some freshwater diving in central Florida and I >was hoping to get some testimonials from those who've dove there. I'm >looking for spots with lots of life. I'm not too enthused by these >sterile grottos with 200' viz but no fish. In particular, I was >thinking about Alexander Springs near Ocala. Anyone dove there? Thanks >for any info. Hi Vin; Try a little further west. In Marion County (Ocala), in a town called Williston, you'll find two unusual dive sites. The first is call the "Blue Grotto". This is a 100' cavern diver. Very nice and interesting from a geological aspect. The "Blue Grotto" is an example of non-karst sink. It's fed by laminar flow where the water enters the sink via rock seepage. The other, the "Devil's Den" is a 45-50 feet deep depending on the water table. The surprise is that "Devil's Den" is a true karst (upstream/downstream cave) sink that hasn't completely collapsed, It's covered by a dome of rock and dirt. They've built a stairway leading down into the sink. The bottom of the stairway provides a nice platform that leads off of the rocky debris cone. I guided both of these sites for over two years. Always found something new. Devil's Den: http://www.devilsden.com/ Blue Grotto: http://www.divebluegrotto.com/ Wayne >>Hi. I'm looking to do some freshwater diving in central Florida and I >>was hoping to get some testimonials from those who've dove there. I'm [quoted text clipped - 24 lines] > >Wayne Sorry. I should have the post in its entirety. You don't care for geological formations. Such as those found in caverns and caves? Well then, You've got to drift the Rainbow River, near Dunnellon, FL. There you see a varitey of terrapins. Some bite. Large Mouth Bass at vaious stages of development. Gar alley is on the way. Big alligtor gar. Some 5 feet long. It's a mild 1-2knt drift), depth 4-21 feet, All types of grasses can be observed. Some nice geological formations. Sand, crushed rock, and rock bottm. Check out the boils. The Rainbow is consisdered a pristene river in Florida and you'll see why. It's a fun dive. Give it a try. I have whatever infor you require, including dive shops providing daily tours from Crystal River (town nearby). Wayne >>>Hi. I'm looking to do some freshwater diving in central Florida and I >>>was hoping to get some testimonials from those who've dove there. I'm [quoted text clipped - 39 lines] > >Wayne And the water temperature is 72 degrees F. Contacts: American Pro: http://www.americanprodive.com/ Birdsunderwater: http://www.birdsunderwater.com/ Crystal Lodge Dive Center: http://www.manatee-central.com/ These are all located on Crystal River. > Try a little further west. In Marion County (Ocala), in a town called > Williston, you'll find two unusual dive sites. The first is call the [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > stairway leading down into the sink. The bottom of the stairway > provides a nice platform that leads off of the rocky debris cone. He specifially mentioned a desire to see more fish and other life. Both of the sites you mention are worth a visit or two, but neither is particularly well known for their aquatic life. > I guided both of these sites for over two years. Always found > something new. I can't imagine needing a guide at either of these sites. Lee >> Try a little further west. In Marion County (Ocala), in a town called >> Williston, you'll find two unusual dive sites. The first is call the [quoted text clipped - 18 lines] > >Lee It's not that folks need a guide, but rather want one. Some folks have never done a cavern dive. They have no idea what a cavern is but would like the experience. They hire a guide to feel comfortable with someone who has. Others want to cover as much ground as possible during their vacation. A guide can get you through both sites in as little as four hours. There are lots of reasons folks hire a guide. >>I can't imagine needing a guide at either of these sites. > It's not that folks need a guide, but rather want one. Some folks have > never done a cavern dive. They have no idea what a cavern is but would > like the experience. They hire a guide to feel comfortable with > someone who has. Others want to cover as much ground as possible > during their vacation. A guide can get you through both sites in as > little as four hours. There are lots of reasons folks hire a guide. Point made. > Devil's Den: http://www.devilsden.com/ > Blue Grotto: http://www.divebluegrotto.com/ Devil's Den sure has changed since last time I dove there. Back then, they had an office and the sink hole. I may just have to pay them another visit. Blue Grotto's website really does not do the site justice. In my personal opinion, it is, or was, much more interesting than Devil's Den, but you'd never know it from the website. Lee >> Devil's Den: http://www.devilsden.com/ >> Blue Grotto: http://www.divebluegrotto.com/ [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > > Lee How can this be inviting? http://www.devilsden.com/Photo_Gallery/photo_flowstone1.htm It looks spooky > >> Devil's Den: http://www.devilsden.com/ > >> Blue Grotto: http://www.divebluegrotto.com/ [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] > http://www.devilsden.com/Photo_Gallery/photo_flowstone1.htm > It looks spooky Looks like a big gray mouth that's gonna gobble you up. "CB - aka Unfrozen Caveman Politician Algore" > How can this be inviting? http://www.devilsden.com/Photo_Gallery/photo_flowstone1.htm > It looks spooky It is spooky. Some of us find spooky inviting. What can I say? If you want a taste of what cave diving is like, without getting the cave or cavern certification first, this is one of the places you can do it. Lee > "CB - aka Unfrozen Caveman Politician Algore" > [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > > Lee I don't like cave diving. I got lost in a spring 20 years ago and had to turn my light off to see where the light was coming from. I know it was stupid to go without a line and I know even with a line I'd never go again, nothing to see really. Some people get off on seeing nothing but sandstone, God bless'm. I prefer the oceans. I knew two people who died in caves. They too were no doubt stupid. I be smarter now >> "CB - aka Unfrozen Caveman Politician Algore" >> [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] >stupid to go without a line and I know even with a line I'd never go again, >nothing to see really. You is one lucky feller. >Some people get off on seeing nothing but sandstone, God bless'm. I prefer >the oceans. > >I knew two people who died in caves. They too were no doubt stupid. > >I be smarter now Amen to that brother and Florida is the burial ground. >>I knew two people who died in caves. They too were no doubt stupid. >>I be smarter now > Amen to that brother and Florida is the burial ground. I wish you were wrong, but you're not. Lee >>> How can this be inviting? >> http://www.devilsden.com/Photo_Gallery/photo_flowstone1.htm [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] >> want a taste of what cave diving is like, without getting the cave or >> cavern certification first, this is one of the places you can do it. > I don't like cave diving. I got lost in a spring 20 years ago and had to > turn my light off to see where the light was coming from. I know it was > stupid to go without a line and I know even with a line I'd never go > again, nothing to see really. If you could turn off your light and see where the light was coming from, you were in a cavern rather than a cave, but you're point is still valid. > Some people get off on seeing nothing but sandstone, God bless'm. I prefer > the oceans. Me too, but the thread is about freshwater diving. > I knew two people who died in caves. They too were no doubt stupid. Not necessarily. Some that died in caves were ignorant. Some were ignorant because they were some of the first to dive in caves. I came very close to being one of them. Others died in caves because they didn't have what it takes to dive in them. They got claustrophibic or something happened to rattle them and, rather than remaining calm, the paniced and did the wrong thing at the wrong time. Some died in caves because cave diving is a dangerous hobby and dangerous hobbies occasionally kill people, even people who do everything they can to avoid death. Whatever the cause, they're still dead. > I be smarter now It's always good to be smarter. Lee > Some died in caves because cave diving is a dangerous hobby and dangerous > hobbies occasionally kill people, even people who do everything they can > to avoid death. If you don't consider scuba diving as a dangerous hobby, then you cannot consider cave diving a dangerous hobby. Maybe wannabe cave diving is very hazardous, but we in recent years have a far lower accident rate. Training and proper equipment, have both before entering. > Whatever the cause, they're still dead. Yes, indeed they are....... > It's always good to be smarter. to have known at 18 what we now know, and not what we thought we knew then...... Curtis ""Magilla"" wrote >> Some died in caves because cave diving is a dangerous hobby and dangerous >> hobbies occasionally kill people, even people who do everything they can >> to avoid death. > If you don't consider scuba diving as a dangerous hobby, then you cannot > consider cave diving a dangerous hobby. Maybe wannabe cave diving is very > hazardous, but we in recent years have a far lower accident rate. Unless you think George watched his buddy die participating in a safe sport, you have to admit that cave diving is a dangerous sport. Since he died of an accident that could not have happened in open water, you also have to admit that cave diving is more dangerous than open water diving. Anyway, I'm the one that says all diving is dangerous. Lee >> If you don't consider scuba diving as a dangerous hobby, then you cannot >> consider cave diving a dangerous hobby. Maybe wannabe cave diving is [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > died of an accident that could not have happened in open water, you also > have to admit that cave diving is more dangerous than open water diving. I'm just not one to call it "dangerous" just because some divers do it dangerously. Inherent risk is greater, but just pointing out that open water divers do seem to have accidents at a far higher rate. Of course, that does play in well to the training issues, eh? One death due to a cave in, only one I can think of not related to not following the 7 rules. How many to, say, boat propellers? > Anyway, I'm the one that says all diving is dangerous. My apologies then, I'm thinking of some of our mutual friends. Curtis Magilla wrote >>> If you don't consider scuba diving as a dangerous hobby, then you cannot >>> consider cave diving a dangerous hobby. Maybe wannabe cave diving is [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] >> died of an accident that could not have happened in open water, you also >> have to admit that cave diving is more dangerous than open water diving. > I'm just not one to call it "dangerous" just because some divers do it > dangerously. Inherent risk is greater, but just pointing out that open > water divers do seem to have accidents at a far higher rate. Of course, > that does play in well to the training issues, eh? Actually, I pretty strongly suspect that, over the years, the percentage of cave divers that died in scuba accidents is higher than the percentage of non cave divers that did. Training certainly has a lot to do with it. Then again, failure to pay attention to that training had a lot to do with several technical diving deaths in the last few years. > One death due to a cave in, only one I can think of not related to not > following the 7 rules. > How many to, say, boat propellers? Too many. Some had help. George once cut his drysuit open on a scooter propeller, but he didn't die. >> Anyway, I'm the one that says all diving is dangerous. > My apologies then, I'm thinking of some of our mutual friends. Apologies? What the heck for? Lee >> Devil's Den: http://www.devilsden.com/ >> Blue Grotto: http://www.divebluegrotto.com/ [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > >Lee The Den is a fun place. Some divers don't experience the site as it should be seen. They spend their dive in the open water portion of the sink. As you know, half of this dive is behind rock, at the edge of the debris cone. The Grotto came under fire from a local neighbor not caring for Ed's (owner Ed Paradisio) compressor business. It seems that the neighbor mustered some clout with local politicians that worsened matters. He tried to sell the place last year; but didn't get what he was asking. The buyers (several of them) were interested in the site for water. Ed has a water bottling license also. That could have put an end to a fun dive site. Some folks like the Grotto for its depth. Others like the "Den" for the ambiance provided by the dome on the sink. I might add that a lot of training goes on at both sites. Best time to visit: Tuesday through Friday. Monday would be good, but the visibility may be off as a result of heavy weekend diving. Either way, I always enjoyed myself at both sites. In addition, the management have always been kind to me. Wayne > The Grotto came under fire from a local neighbor not caring for Ed's > (owner Ed Paradisio) compressor business. It seems that the neighbor [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > has a water bottling license also. That could have put an end to a fun > dive site. That would be a damned shame. There are very few places where an open water diver can get a feel for cave and cavern diving without at least a cavern diving card. We'd hate to lose een one of them. > Some folks like the Grotto for its depth. Others like the "Den" for > the ambiance provided by the dome on the sink. I might add that a lot > of training goes on at both sites. Best time to visit: Tuesday through > Friday. Monday would be good, but the visibility may be off as a > result of heavy weekend diving. I used to meet friends from a Northern Kentucky dive shop there once or twice a year. Jayna and I would drive up from Ft. Lauderdale and they'd brink a bus load down from Kentucky. The first time we met up with them, the Kentucky group was amused that Jayna was having trouble getting into her 3mm wetsuit, but they were amazed when she told them it was the first time she'd ever worn a wetsuit. 8^)) The group leader/instructor was a good friend we had met years before on our first Blackbeards trip out of Miami. That's about the only way we got to see him and his wife. He lives down here now and we never get to see them any more. Go figure. We usually dove Devil's Den on the weekday they arrived and Blue Grotto on the day they departed. Because we usually got to Devils Den first, most of the times we dove there, we were the only ones in the water. We spent the weekend diving King Springs and the surrounding area with the manatees. Lee >> The Grotto came under fire from a local neighbor not caring for Ed's >> (owner Ed Paradisio) compressor business. It seems that the neighbor [quoted text clipped - 31 lines] > >Lee The Kings Bay in Crystal river. A good one for the manatees. I conducted manatee tours for most of the shops in the area. Good fun. Folks get in the (year round 72 degree) water no matter what the surface temperature is (low 30s in the winter) and pet the gentle giants. One little girl told me that petting manatees was more fun than Disney World. If you don't have a boat, tours leave from the dive shops that I've mentioned as well as others in the area between 7 and 9 in the morning everyday except Christmas. The folks at "Birdsunderwater" are especially good. Donuts, coffee and fun, knowledgeable captains. The favorite dive site there is the "King Spring", Unfortunately, the visibly has gone to hell over the past several years due to fertilizer runoff among other things. The "King Spring" has a small cavern (50ffw) that is usually clear. It's a rocky room that can comfortably house maybe twenty-five people. A couple years ago, a young fella died diving in that spring head. Many things went wrong for this poor soul. On his fifth dive, WITHOUT a buddy, a half of tank of gas and no plan decided to slip off the boat to conduct a little solo dive (last seen approx. 9AM). He was found (9:45AM) wedged into a rock formation without his gear on. It seems that he squeezed into a pile of rocks, got stuck, struggled to remove his gear and ran out of air. His linear depth was no more than 60 ffw: max depth 48 ffw. The initial report was: "Hey I see a light down there next to a guy that's not moving". No kidding. I was there guiding a dive for three customers that had never experienced a cavern dive and didn't want to go it without a little help. You'd be surprise at how many folks get anxious when it gets dark. There are several other dive site in the bay of which Three Sisters, Jurassic spring, Mullet Run, Catfish Corner and Magnolia (Gator) springs come to mind. None of these sites are deep, but offer other attractions such as the wildlife that surrounds them. Again. Gotta boat? Maps are free at most dive shops as well as tips that might improve your dive experience. Wayne A couple of summers ago I worked for International Divers (http://www.swimdolphins.com/manatee_adventure_tours.htm). We would take mostly British tourists out to breakfast then haul them up to Crystal River from Orlando, on the Homosassa River to swim with manatees. The shop we used was run by Captain Charlie (Water Dog) Slider @ http://www.aquamarineimages.com/info.htm. It was a fun gig but when the hurricanes came the boss (a Brit) couldn't understand my priorities were with my family and home so I quit. >>> The Grotto came under fire from a local neighbor not caring for Ed's >>> (owner Ed Paradisio) compressor business. It seems that the neighbor [quoted text clipped - 74 lines] > > Wayne > We would take mostly British tourists out to breakfast then haul them up > to Crystal River from Orlando, on the Homosassa River to swim with > manatees. My father lives in Homosassa. I visit him occasionally, but don't normally plan on diving when I do. One of these days, however, I'm going to get back up there for scallop season. The bay scallops are more work than they're worth, but catching a limit of them is a real hoot. The last time we did that was before they closed the area to scallop hunting. I understand the season opens once again, but the timing has not been right since it did. > The shop we used was run by Captain Charlie (Water Dog) Slider @ > http://www.aquamarineimages.com/info.htm. It was a fun gig but when the > hurricanes came the boss (a Brit) couldn't understand my priorities were > with my family and home so I quit. Send him south for an Andrew, Charlie or Wilma and he'll understand better. Lee >A couple of summers ago I worked for International Divers >(http://www.swimdolphins.com/manatee_adventure_tours.htm). We would take [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] >hurricanes came the boss (a Brit) couldn't understand my priorities were >with my family and home so I quit. Are you sure you weren't on the Crystal River (in Crystal River). Sliders boats are on the Crystal River, in Kings Bay. Nonetheless, I've driven for Slider before. Nice guy. Wayne >>>> The Grotto came under fire from a local neighbor not caring for Ed's >>>> (owner Ed Paradisio) compressor business. It seems that the neighbor [quoted text clipped - 74 lines] >> >> Wayne > Are you sure you weren't on the Crystal River (in Crystal River). > Sliders boats are on the Crystal River, in Kings Bay. Nonetheless, > I've driven for Slider before. Nice guy. I started in Crystal River and was on the Crystal River. I'm not sure what I said to suggest otherwise. Lee >> Are you sure you weren't on the Crystal River (in Crystal River). >> Sliders boats are on the Crystal River, in Kings Bay. Nonetheless, [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > >Lee I was responding to CB. Wayne >>A couple of summers ago I worked for International Divers >>(http://www.swimdolphins.com/manatee_adventure_tours.htm). We would take [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > Sliders boats are on the Crystal River, in Kings Bay. Nonetheless, > I've driven for Slider before. Nice guy. He is on the Crystal River. I was hoping to see some pictures of his shop on his web site to confirm it. He 'is' a great guy as you said > Wayne > [quoted text clipped - 81 lines] >>> >>> Wayne > The Kings Bay in Crystal river. A good one for the manatees. I > conducted manatee tours for most of the shops in the area. Good fun. > Folks get in the (year round 72 degree) water no matter what the > surface temperature is (low 30s in the winter) and pet the gentle > giants. One little girl told me that petting manatees was more fun > than Disney World. Good thing she didn't meet up with the male that graces our boat with his presence. On of our group, a female as it happens, looks a bit like a manatee. Apparently, one of the male manatees thought she looked like a pretty one. She surfaced beside her and rolled over to display the equipment he hoped would interest her. I was off looking for other manatees, but my wife tells me that his equipment was quite impressive. Unfortunately, everybody on the boat was too busy laughing to get a picture. > If you don't have a boat, tours leave from the dive > shops that I've mentioned as well as others in the area between 7 and > 9 in the morning everyday except Christmas. The folks at > "Birdsunderwater" are especially good. Donuts, coffee and fun, > knowledgeable captains. I have a couple of boats I could have trailered up there, but it was less expensive and a lot easier to rent one at the Best Western, where we usually stayed. > The favorite dive site there is the "King Spring", Unfortunately, the > visibly has gone to hell over the past several years due to fertilizer > runoff among other things. The "King Spring" has a small cavern > (50ffw) that is usually clear. It's a rocky room that can comfortably > house maybe twenty-five people. Been there, done that. Last time I was there, there were a bunch of beginners, some with no business in even a simple cavern like that. For fun, I went to the back of the cavern, turned off my light and relaxed. My idea was to be handy in case someone had a problem. I didn't count on what actually happened. I guess the beginners thought they'd found a body in the cavern, because they certainly got excited when they finally noticed me. I enjoyed that dive, but I preferred the small spring right off the end of the dock to the right, as you face the Bay, from the Best Western. We called it the Catfish Hole for the blind catfish found at the bottom. In the daytime, it was nothing to write home about. At night, it looked and felt like the entrance to a mine, making it something special. The catfish were interesting too. That's where I was the first time I saw anyone cut a cyalume stick open in the dark. Not exactly environmentally correct, but cool anyway. > A couple years ago, a young fella died diving in that spring head. > Many things went wrong for this poor soul. On his fifth dive, WITHOUT [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > dive and didn't want to go it without a little help. You'd be surprise > at how many folks get anxious when it gets dark. I would not be surprised at all. I used to dive Blue Springs pretty often. That was back before it was owned by the state. You had to know where it was and be able to drive a car down a soft sand road without getting stuck. Back then, it was one of those local knowledge things. As far as I know, it was also before there was such a thing as cave or cavern certifications. I had to do a lot of dives with someone, including some night dives, before I'd even tell them Blue Springs existed, let alone show there where it is. Now that it's a state park, only those the with right cards can legally dive with lights, so my days of diving Blue Springs are pretty much over. Not a big deal. Caves no longer hold the appeal for me that they once did. I'll do a cavern dive now and then with friends who are qualified, but it's not something I particularly care about, one way or the other. Ocean diving always has been more interesting to me. > There are several other dive site in the bay of which Three Sisters, > Jurassic spring, Mullet Run, Catfish Corner and Magnolia (Gator) > springs come to mind. None of these sites are deep, but offer other > attractions such as the wildlife that surrounds them. Again. Gotta > boat? Maps are free at most dive shops as well as tips that might > improve your dive experience. I've been in Three Sisters and I suspect your Catfish Corner is my Catfish Hole. I could be remembering funny. I don't know anything about Jurassic spring, Mullet Run or Magnolia springs. I may have been there without knowing the name. We covered that area pretty thoroughly. Lee Got some nice memories from that place back in the mid 80s. Used to be able to swim to it from a doc/boat ramp fairly close by. Nighttime with a full moon watching all the fish hang out in the spring (no dive light needed). Harvesting blue crab outside the spring (gloves needed, tough guy). Swimming back to the dock at night wondering where the larger reptiles are. Gearing down on the dock with all the flying roaches crawling on you. Ah, yes, the memories. SignatureRapid Rick "Just Dive, Baby" > The Kings Bay in Crystal river.... <snip> > That would be a damned shame. There are very few places where an open water > diver can get a feel for cave and cavern diving without at least a cavern > diving card. We'd hate to lose een one of them. <snip> No argument. Blue Grotto was fun (and the barbeque was outstanding). But Hospital Hole and Hudson Grotto aren't too terribly far from there and both provide the same opportunity. (Actually, Hudson Grotto could possibly be classed as a cave dive because you cannot see the surface through the sulfer/tannin (?) layer from the bottom. Well, maybe you could if you waited 10-15 minutes for your eyes to completely adapt to the dark, but if you smother your light you cannot tell visually which way is out.) Also, the visibility is much better in Blue Grotto than it is in either of the above. I've never been to Devil's Den. Maybe next February. John Eells > (Actually, Hudson Grotto could possibly be classed as a cave dive because > you cannot see the surface through the sulfer/tannin (?) layer from the > bottom. Nope, and that's hydrogen sulfide at a halocline.......the bottom is salt water. > Well, maybe you could if you waited 10-15 minutes for your eyes to > completely adapt to the dark, Nope, daylight is lost above the dead zone. > but if you smother your light you cannot tell visually which way is out.) But you can follow your bubbles out. Does give you a taste of cave conditioins though, except no cave critters. > Also, the visibility is much better in Blue Grotto than it is in either of > the above. Curtis "Magilla" wrote: >>(Actually, Hudson Grotto could possibly be classed as a cave dive because >>you cannot see the surface through the sulfer/tannin (?) layer from the >>bottom. > > Nope, and that's hydrogen sulfide at a halocline.......the bottom is > salt water. Ahhhh...that would explain why everything that's brass corroded so quickly. It was still pretty normal-looking before I dove there but it was all blackened when I finished the second dive. I didn't know it was salt below that, though. (I normally dive salt in the NE, so I am not used to so little insulation under the dry suit, and was overweighted by about 10 lbs the first time despite working from my fresh water notes. The second time was about right at depth but still somewhat heavy at the surface. Maybe now I know why.) >>Well, maybe you could if you waited 10-15 minutes for your eyes to >>completely adapt to the dark, > > Nope, daylight is lost above the dead zone. Might be. I didn't wait long enough to find out. (I don't mind the dark but I wanted to continue the dive with nonzero vis.) >>but if you smother your light you cannot tell visually which way is out.) > > But you can follow your bubbles out. I suppose that without a light you can feel which way they go. But that would potentially get you to the overhead part of the grotto. I don't know whether there is enough overhead slope to figure it out from there. (Could be. But the guideline I ran was near the bottom and I'd rather rely on that!) > Does give you a taste of cave conditioins though, except no cave > critters. Similar at first to flying on instruments. A bit of momentary disorientation, followed by reliance on the instruments (guideline, depth gauge, compass, etc.), because they're all you have. My biggest regret: Leaving the good lights home! (Thought I'd be diving in the Gulf. Wrong!) John Eells > Might be. I didn't wait long enough to find out. (I don't mind the dark > but I wanted to continue the dive with nonzero vis.) My experience is total darkness at about 50 FFW, 20 ft +/- above the thermocline / halocline. >> But you can follow your bubbles out. > [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > (Could be. But the guideline I ran was near the bottom and I'd rather > rely on that!) Smart move. Most of the overhead has a noticable slope to it, but I do run a line if off the ones they have in place. > Similar at first to flying on instruments. A bit of momentary > disorientation, followed by reliance on the instruments (guideline, depth > gauge, compass, etc.), because they're all you have. > > My biggest regret: Leaving the good lights home! (Thought I'd be diving > in the Gulf. Wrong!) HID is nice there. Curtis > Ahhhh...that would explain why everything that's brass corroded so > quickly. It was still pretty normal-looking before I dove there but it [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > second time was about right at depth but still somewhat heavy at the > surface. Maybe now I know why.) The discoloration may be due more to the 15 foot thick layer of hydrogen sulfide? Not sure if the salinity matches the gulf or is just "brackish". Curtis "Magilla" wrote: <Snip> > The discoloration may be due more to the 15 foot thick layer of hydrogen > sulfide? Not sure if the salinity matches the gulf or is just "brackish". <snip> Well, the brass in question had been in plenty of salt water without turning black...so it was something in the water there other than salt. I did not notice a big buoyancy change (as I'd expect if it goes from fresh to salt) but then again I wasn't looking for it, either. John Eells > Well, the brass in question had been in plenty of salt water without > turning black...so it was something in the water there other than salt. I > did not notice a big buoyancy change (as I'd expect if it goes from fresh > to salt) but then again I wasn't looking for it, either. You should have "tasted" the layer of nasty water at about 70 feet, strong rotten egg odor. I've never noticed or paid attention to any bouyancy shift, usually in a hurry to get through it, stopping below and above it on ascent and barreling through it on descent. Anyways, never noticed brass discoloration, prolly 'cause I switched long ago to SS. ;-) Hopefully be near there for Father's Day, if "Alberto" didn't raise the swamp. Curtis > My biggest regret: Leaving the good lights home! (Thought I'd be diving > in the Gulf. Wrong!) Every time I have left my HID on shore I've regretted it. No more. > Every time I have left my HID on shore I've regretted it. No more. I've come to prefer a much smaller light for night diving - the HID spooks the critters from far away. >> Every time I have left my HID on shore I've regretted it. No more. > I've come to prefer a much smaller light for night diving - the HID > spooks the critters from far away. Yeah, but with a good HID, you can cook them on the spot. I have about no desire at all to own, much less carry a canister light, but I have to admit, Curtis's light certainly does light up caverns better than my UK 400. As it happens, I don't often care about lighting up caverns. Lee >> Every time I have left my HID on shore I've regretted it. No more. > > I've come to prefer a much smaller light for night diving - the HID > spooks the critters from far away. The critters here don't mind it. In good viz I often put my fingers over the front and reduce the beam until I want it full. ><snip> >> That would be a damned shame. There are very few places where an open water [quoted text clipped - 18 lines] > >John Eells If you go and want another dive close to the Den, go West on Alt 27 to Chiefland. There you will find Manatee Springs State Park. Gas up at the Den. No dive shops around. Wayne > (Actually, Hudson Grotto could possibly be classed as a cave dive > because you cannot see the surface through the sulfer/tannin (?) layer > from the bottom. Hell, if that's the case, I know some lakes that could then be classified as cave dives... Lake Travis at 120 ft -- cold and dark... >> (Actually, Hudson Grotto could possibly be classed as a cave dive >> because you cannot see the surface through the sulfer/tannin (?) layer >> from the bottom. > Hell, if that's the case, I know some lakes that could then be > classified as cave dives... Lake Travis at 120 ft -- cold and dark... If that were the case, even the lake behind my house, which I doubt is even 40 feet deep, qualifies. I don't know what it is that congregates at the thermocline, but it does a damned good job of blocking light from reaching the bottom. Lee >>>(Actually, Hudson Grotto could possibly be classed as a cave dive >>>because you cannot see the surface through the sulfer/tannin (?) layer [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > > Lee Does it have an overhead environment? John Eells > Does it have an overhead environment? Considering the drunks in the boats and jet skis, you could consider it an overhead environment... >> Does it have an overhead environment? > >Considering the drunks in the boats and jet skis, you could consider >it an overhead environment... Had a skier use my flag as a slalom point. Travis County Sherrif got real pissy with them. He told me later that he ticketed them for the dive flag violation, BWI and no life jackets and escorted them to shore to put the boat on the trailer. And there was a car there waiting for them to drive away. Lots of sherrif's deputies are divers around here. Signaturedillon JAFO >> (Actually, Hudson Grotto could possibly be classed as a cave dive >> because you cannot see the surface through the sulfer/tannin (?) layer >> from the bottom. > >Hell, if that's the case, I know some lakes that could then be >classified as cave dives... Lake Travis at 120 ft -- cold and dark... Gives me the willies. The only other place I've dived that's worse than that is Lake Whitney. A much newer (muddier) lake. Bumped into a tree at about 40 feet, scared the crap out of me. Spent two days washing the wet suit. On my AOW deep dive, we were at 85 feet when I had to clear my mask. Accidentally inhaled a little through the mask (air, not water) and it was foul with sulfer. Signaturedillon JAFO > Gives me the willies. The only other place I've dived that's worse > than that is Lake Whitney. A much newer (muddier) lake. Bumped into > a tree at about 40 feet, scared the crap out of me. Spent two days > washing the wet suit. Yep, Travis is 'interesting'... Descending an anchor line through the trees with an HID light gives a type of glow to it that one would expect from a scene from Tales of the Crypt... http://24.95.87.23/sounds/televis/crypt/crypt.mp3 |
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