Letter to help prevent recreational diving @ Wakulla Springs State Park

Sue Damon sent the following to Herschel Vinyard:
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=...id=65283961569

Quote:

---

Dear Mr Vinyard,

I oppose recreational diving at Wakulla Springs for a number of reasons. I am a volunteer boat driver there, and I work two days a week. Diving would conflict with the tour boats. This would require that the tour route be drastically changed for the river boat and would... eliminate 90 percent of
the glass bottom boat route when divers were in the water. No other state park that
allows diving in a spring has motorized boats operating where divers are present.

Also, due to water quality issues, we have frequent days of low visibility: In recent years the clarity of the water at Wakulla Springs has been extremely poor with visibility often less than 10 feet adding poor visibility to the extreme depths of Wakulla Springs makes it an inappropriate state park for diving.

Due to the extreme depth of Wakulla Springs the time required for decompression would be greater that other state park diving sites. These increased decompression times could easily extend the duration of the
dive beyond the closing time.

Swimmers and alligators have safely co-existed for years at Wakulla Springs as lon...g as the people abide by the rules and stay in the swimming area. Two attacks have occurred and both were outside the designated swimming area. Divers would be swimming in this area.

Diving at Wakulla Springs is already provided: Two different sites managed by Wakulla Springs State Park (Cherokee and Emerald Sink) currently allow diving.

Direct revenue for Wakulla Springs State Park would likely be negatively impacted as a result of conflicts with tour boats and swimmers as described above. Divers ...pay the same park admission as the other nearly 200,000 park visitors so they would not generate additional revenue. The local economy does, however, benefit greatly from the other recreational activities offered in the park, with more than 11 million dollars in economic impact, as reported by the DEP Division of Recreation.

Please, don't allow diving to disrupt this beautiful historic park, with their primal trips back into the wild rivers, and how life once was, in beautiful Wakulla County. Please leave one thing undisturbed and unspoiled by today's opportunists.

Thank you in advance for your consideration.

Best,
Sue Damon

---

Since she posted this on the "Friends of Wakulla Springs State Park" facebook page, I'm certain she would appreciate our feedback.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by jj1987

Since she posted this on the "Friends of Wakulla Springs State Park" facebook page, I'm certain she would appreciate our feedback.

---

SHE doesn't need our feedback, Herschel Vinyard does. An email is okay, but a hard-copy letter is better. It's most productive to be respectful and polite in your replies and include specifics: I make ___ cave dives each year, I spend ___ in cave diving gear each year, I spend ___ in air fills each year. I stay at hotels when I travel to cave dive, I eat at locally-owned restaurants. I want to dive your site and give you my money, etc. I am a butcher, baker, candlestick maker, not an 18 year old corvette driving alcoholic, and so on.....

Secretary Herschel Vinyard
Department of Environmental Protection
3900 Commonwealth Blvd MS 10
Tallahassee, FL 32399

Thanks Benderr, I have started a Facebook page, Divers For Wakulla Springs. That is really a good idea about sending a hard copy. I dont know if it is ok to link it here, I would never want to make an admin made at me:-)

Oh, and not that I dont like getting into a pissing match, but I think we should take the high road and just pick apart the ops. argument on its lack of merit.

Some considerations:
1)When the WKPP dives they are usually in a side area that is out of site of diving,and their viewing by the visitors is minimal
2) Visitors enjoy seeing the divers,and have many questions. Places like Weeki Wachee the divers enhance the visitors experience
3)Recreational diving and co-exist well with swimmers at state parks ie Madison and Manatee (hint use other state parks for an example) Things can be done as not to interfere
4)The primal trips mentioned go down the Wakulla river where there is no diving,so there is no interference. The glass bottom boats don't run much anymore due to diminished water quality,and this would be the only conflict,but divers can be directed away from this area.
5)Many springs such as Lafayette and Madison (hint state park examples) have low visibility due to other factors,and in those cases diving activity is halted.
6) Cave diving is another example of ecotourism that supports another visitor opportunity to see primal Florida before history. (not opportunists,but want to enjoy another aspect of the park)
7) No history of attacks on divers by alligators. Alligators are intimidated by people with dive gear that generates bubbles ,and unless threatened they will yield.
8) Emerald does allow diving,but with a limited carrying capacity. Other diving opportunities can have a similar carrying capacity to assist with management issues,and not interfere with other visitors. Emerald has been managed very well with a reservation system,and check in and out.
9) Divers can bring money to the park for improvements to support the activity. The steps at Emerald were paid for and built by divers,as well as improvements at other state parks like Peacock (hint state park example)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Kelly Jessop

...4)The primal trips mentioned go down the Wakulla river where there is no diving,so there is no interference. The glass bottom boats don't run much anymore due to diminished water quality,and this would be the only conflict,but divers can be directed away from this area.

---

If you do mention the letter from the "boat lady", stress the fact that the divers can stay well below the surface to avoid problems with the boats, and that tourists like watching divers.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by FW

If you do mention the letter from the "boat lady", stress the fact that the divers can stay well below the surface to avoid problems with the boats, and that tourists like watching divers.

---

Better yet the divers can be directed with unobtrusive guide line to an area where the boats don't go. They probably won't accept the argument we will stay below the surface,because the possibility of someone surfacing in an area where boats are still exists. Important,for safety issues the park will consider,that divers can be completely seperated from the boats,and surfacing near the boats won't occur due to procedures put in place.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Kelly Jessop

Better yet the divers can be directed with unobtrusive guide line to an area where the boats don't go...

---

Don't the boats go over the top of the cave entrance?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by FW

Don't the boats go over the top of the cave entrance?

---

Yes,but exiting divers can go to the side in an area away from boat traffic. Quite easily a zone can be set up for divers where the boats don't traverse,and not take away from the park experience of the boaters.

The key is to provide solutions to problems in advance,that is a win-win situation.

Must have missed it...has someone (with any kind of influence) proposed that recreational diving be allowed at Wakulla?