Nice

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Originally Posted by john

Jack it sounds like you are the guide for this shop. If I am mistaken please correct me.

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FWIW, I did not get that from his post.

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Originally Posted by john

It just strikes me as irresponsible to be taking people cave diving without them getting any cave training prior.

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No argument here.

I am not a guide for any shop, I do not work for a shop, I no longer instruct. I prefer to dive in areas that most people feel are too remote or too difficult a to get to because I believe there are still things to be discovered in the Chassahowitzka Swamp and I am willing to put in the effort to look for them.

For the record, Buford is a little less than 3/10s of a mile, a 10, possibly 15 minute walk down a logging road. According to GPS, from the end of logging road to Buford Spring is about 320 feet through the swamp. Last weekend the grass on the Buford road was knee high in a few places but still an easy walk. From the end or the road to the dive site are red, green and pink pieces of marking tape as well as paint and driveway reflectors on trees every 20 feet or so. I walked in with gear two weeks ago and never sank deeper than ankle deep. Since I have humped my gear through the swamp all the way to Blind Spring head pool and Karst Pond (I have the video to prove it) I do not think a 15 minute walk makes a location particularly remote or difficult to get to.

OW divers are diving Buford almost every weekend. We need to deal with the situation as it exists, not as we want it to be or as we think it is. I got involved in this thread to let people know what was really going on at Buford. I think I have done that now so I will respectfully bow out.

If it is not too hot I am heading to Warm Spring this weekend. If anyone would like to join me send an email, maybe we can get together. As an aside, there are hunters in the woods with guns now, so you must wear blaze orange while in the woods. See hunting regulations for details. Dive Safe

I need to market a blaze orange wing, maybe a blaze orange camo wing! :mrgreen:

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Originally Posted by mmcauliffe

I need to market a blaze orange wing, maybe a blaze orange camo wing! :mrgreen:

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That would be great for our local quarry, where some people dump their old TV's, refrigerators, and couches, and other people shoot at them. :)

Mike

Tracy says she wants to get a camo halter top so she'll be in style in north Florida. She is undecided whether to go with RealTree or Mossy Oak camo, though.

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Originally Posted by jhnmrt1

As an aside, there are hunters in the woods with guns now, so you must wear blaze orange while in the woods. See hunting regulations for details. Dive Safe

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Talk about having a hole in your wing or dry suit!!!

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Originally Posted by jhnmrt1

As an aside, there are hunters in the woods with guns now, so you must wear blaze orange while in the woods. See hunting regulations for details. Dive Safe

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Be careful because if they shoot one of those oxygen tanks on your back they will explode :yawinkle:

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Originally Posted by WEPIV

How in the world can a remote site in the middle of nowhere, (and that is quite a hassle to get to), become in such a short time a well known dive site where open water divers are going there (supposedly) frequently...!
I may be a bit slow sometimes to understand some things so can someone -- if it is even possible -- explain to me how this can happen.
In the relatively short time I've been cave diving I've seen and heard about a number of sites that have become diving hotspots and of course that usually takes a toll on the site in a number of ways.
I don't want to have access changed/denied at EN or surrounding sites but I would at least like to think that there is something that can be done to keep these sites remote (as they have been for decades) and not damaged by people that should not be there.
For the record, I have not been to Buford yet but I'd like to. I have been to EN a number of times and really enjoy it.

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We could start by not talking about these sites on the internet. Where do you think they get the info?

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Originally Posted by Gene Powell

We could start by not talking about these sites on the internet. Where do you think they get the info?

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Ask them.

Most of them get their info by word of mouth still... You'd be surprised where they get their info when you talk to them... online is pretty low on the list.

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Originally Posted by Tegg

Ask them.

Most of them get their info by word of mouth still... You'd be surprised where they get their info when you talk to them... online is pretty low on the list.

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i found out about buford online

I found out online as well.

Kelly brought up earlier that instructors were taking ow or cavern divers to Eagles Nest for deep training.
What he didnt mention was 2 years ago one of those instructors was on a board criticizing an ow shop for taking divers to Buford.

Thats a word of mouth that is a big issue. Even bigger than the online directions.