Finally Full Cave! Recommendations for best sites in FL for new divers.

After reading all this enthusiasm, I might just have to move down to N. Florida!! Seriously, life in NYC is not meant for someone who is readdicted to diving (especially for someone who let his license expire from lack of use).

Need to start planning a trip and soon! Thanks for all the buddy offers. It's nice to know that guiding isn't as popular there as in MX. Saves a lot of duckets, too!

Oh...and I don't mind surrendering to the flow at Ginnie! Bring it!

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Originally Posted by DarkSloss

...and I don't mind surrendering to the flow at Ginnie! Bring it!

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I would love to be there the first time you go in through the ear :-D

True, running a reel into the Ear, and bringing it back out, is a great rite of initiation :D Let me know when!

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Originally Posted by DarkSloss

Fantastic! Thank you all for your responses and support. This really seems like a great forum and I'm sure to become more and more active as I get experienced. Even though I've only been back in the states for a week, I'm already craving some zero gravity. Looks like I have a lot of options for my first run.

I actually dived a cave in MX named Xunaan Ha which had a decent amount of flow (quite noticable in the cenote and in entry/exit times). I did circuit training there and had a blast.

Man, is this going to get addictive! Please feel free to PM me if you do guiding at places like Peacock and Jackson Blue.

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I have dived both Xunaan Ha and Devil's Ear in the last 6 months, and the flow in Xunaan Ha would be considered low to no flow by FL standards, similar to Peacock. The flow at Devil's is far beyond anything I have encountered in Mexico. The best thing you could do would be to dive Devil's with someone who knows the tricks for avoiding as much flow as possible until getting past the Lips. I would also recommend alot of swimming in the pool to get your arms in shape for pulling and gliding!

Doug

Yes, running a line into the Ear is a rite of passage! Go with someone who knows the cave -- they'll carefully not give you any tips, and laugh themselves silly watching you try to figure it out :)

Congrats,
I did the same..spent a year 1 week at a time for 6 weeks
However I was not convienced that I was ready after speaking with a friend on mine
a world record holder of deep water dives
I went back to Florida, and hired a new instructor, to evaluate mu survivorability
We went into Ginne and GOT MY BUT KICKED OVER MY EARS, literally
and Started over!!
So PLEASE FLORIDA caves AINT Mexico..
I found out the hard way
Spent another year...really learning to cave dive
and after two years...Got REALLY certified,..and more importantly...
TRAINED!!!

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Originally Posted by LCF

Yes, running a line into the Ear is a rite of passage! Go with someone who knows the cave -- they'll carefully not give you any tips, and laugh themselves silly watching you try to figure it out :)

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Even with the tips from my instructor I managed to stay smack in the flow and leave most of the skin on my finger tips on the rocks. I'm sure I should be chastised for leaving debris in the cave, given what I looked like after a few days. I'm not sure if my instructor was laughing himself silly or crying over the stupidity of his student. I'll let him weigh in on that if he reads this! LOL