There is a published list of rules. Don't break those. If it's not on the list, and it's something very common, I wouldn't go out of my way to ask. For example, the rules doesn't say that it is ok to leave the main passage of the cave, but because that is common practice in cave diving, I do not feel the need to call up Mark or his mother and ask them if I'm allowed to venture up the Hill400 tunnel. I have done quite a bit of diving in Ginnie, and I've never felt the need to run my dive plan by any member of staff.Quote:
Originally Posted by ScubaGypsy
Infact, there have been several instances where divers HAVE run plans by a member of staff, only to receive a wrong answer and be turned away from diving. For example, staff doesn't know certification limits. Most are not divers, and those who are, aren't always current divers. If you ask them about a dive, and mention your certification level, you are likely to get a wrong answer. I know there was a big hullaballoo over CCR Cave. Some divers mentioned they were CCR, and Full Cave, and asked if it would be a problem for them to dive. They were told they had to have a CCR Cave card to dive their CCR units. They were turned away from diving, and were probably not very happy because of it. It took a while for the truth to come out that you do not need a CCR Cave card to dive, only full cave and CCR.
A few months later, I heard a park staff person telling a diver they had to be full cave to carry a light in the devil's system. I had to step in and correct them. They are really nice people, and some of them are good friends, but they definitely aren't cave diving experts.
Infact, there is no need to tell park staff you are diving CCR at all. Show them your full cave card, pay you money, and go dive.
They have staff positioned by the water at times to check on divers, but as long as you don't look too bad, then you don't get questioned there either.
Do you call up park staff at Peacock, Little River, Manatee, or others to ask if your dive plans there are ok? Remember, the park staff doesn't technically own the site, so perhaps you should call the Florida Legislature and ask them to pass a bill declaring your dive plan to be ok? I agree landowner relations are important, but that doesn't mean we have to go to some lengths to dive a site. Don't be ridiculous, just be ridiculously good at diving ;)
