How is Peacock looking? Maybe planning on heading there or ginnie. Dont really want to head to ginnie with it bieng a holiday and all.
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How is Peacock looking? Maybe planning on heading there or ginnie. Dont really want to head to ginnie with it bieng a holiday and all.
So far, Peacock looks to still be closed to diving: http://www.floridastateparks.org/pea...gs/default.cfmQuote:
Originally Posted by J_glenn06
If you dive Ginnie this weekend, get there EXTREMELY early, and even then...bring lots of patience. Last weekend, it was already pretty crowded in the store, the parking lot, on the stairs, and in the run. Of course, once you're in the cave, it's all good.
Don't forget about the CDS conference on Saturday in Tallahassee. The WCDC (Wakulla County Dive Club) will be there organizing dives for Sunday to some cool sites.
Going to Ginnie on Memorial weekend.... you are kidding right ?Quote:
Originally Posted by J_glenn06
I am at ginnie right now...spent the night last night and it is not bad here yet but i am leaving friday. It is very wet here at the moment...they have had a buch of rain. The ear was a bit tannic yesterday but not bad...can still see all the way down to the sandy area just in front of the entrance under the log out of the flow. The cave is business as usual. BillQuote:
Originally Posted by J_glenn06
Like Shirley said, Peacock still closed. I you have not been to Ginnie on a holiday weekend before, DON'T! As Shirley mentioned, last weekend was already pretty busy on Saturday. Last year we tried to go (I know, we didn't listen) We couldn't even get in the door to check in. We ended up going up to Peacock. Typically, they end up closing the road down to Devil's off to vehicle traffic. And forget about leaving to get fills and come back, You'll have almost no chance of finding a space.Quote:
Originally Posted by J_glenn06
I heard all the people tell me last year not to go, and figured it couldn't possibly be that bad...IT IS!!
What he said!Quote:
Originally Posted by inkdiver
My buddy did a CDS Workshop canoe trip a few years ago that took out at Ginnie on the Friday of Memorial Day weekend. He said he couldn't believe his eyes! He said there was not a patch of grass or sand that didn't have a tent or a body on it.
There's a reason they hire off-duty troopers and set up a make-shift jail in the corral out front for the weekend.
I went once on Thanksgiving weekend and swore I would never go back anywhere remotely near a holiday.
Ginnie is usually pretty calm by about 2PM on Monday... ;)
Ok so ginnie is out because i just really dont want to deal with that. What about Jug Hole? Here is the other problem. We are a 3 man cavern team two of us are in doubles looking for some practice dives, and since monday is the only day we can get off and ginnie is crowded and some springs are blown out where do you guys think we should go?
Manatee is open right now, and is a good cavern dive. Jug Hole is not open again until October.Quote:
Originally Posted by J_glenn06
As Shirley mentioned, there are also lots of places in the Tally area that are in good shape.
Finally, for the best cavern dive you've ever had, Buford, although with the rain we've gotten this week, the Swamp may be more of a challenge.
Tally/Wakulla for the CDS workshop or further west to Marianna. Tons of caverns to dive.
Just a cautionary note on Manatee...
We were in there last Sunday (05/17) .... (Went upstream from Catfish)
Viz in Catfish Hotel varied from 5-20 feet. The cave is flushing out the tanic water at the moment. It maybe in very nice condition this weekend but I wanted to let anyone know that it might NOT be the best of conditions ... ( LOL )
Darn duckweed was still there though ( smile )
At least it was open for diving , and that's a BIG PLUS !!!
Jeano
P.S. Actually it was GREAT PRACTICE running the primary line in the cavern. We were weaving from tree to tree to rock (etc...) until we reached our destination. Unless said reeler person (whom we won't name) bonked her head on a tree limb or two because of low viz. (EEK)
What about Jackson Blue? Will they allow you to do a cavern dive in doubles?
Yes, but this weekend the park opens for swimmers. While not quite as bad as Ginnie, the park is not really the best place to be THIS weekend. I'd recommend getting a boat (from Edd) and doing JB and Twin from the boat. There are a few other caverns on the pond that are good for cavern dives as well. Doubles, singles, or snorkel no one is going to care.Quote:
Originally Posted by J_glenn06
Are you serious? JB from a boat will be less hassle than from the park where the cave divers have their own parking section, and you have restrooms and all that? I've never dived JB when the park was open for swimmers, but I may be there this Monday or Tuesday.Quote:
Originally Posted by Ben M
He's asking about the holiday weekend, which is also JB's opening weekend for the summer. It's not a huge hassle most of the time, maybe an annoyance. So yes, I'm suggesting getting a boat and doing other caves and then maybe braving JB from the boat. Personally, I wouldn't do JB at all that weekend to avoid the topside circus. Of course, Edd may be out of boats from other people doing the same that weekend.Quote:
Originally Posted by Slüdge
This, I can see.Quote:
Originally Posted by Ben M
anyone driven over to little river?
Closed until OctoberQuote:
Originally Posted by J_glenn06
Peacock more likely will be closed until the beginning of June. Ginnie is a nightmare,but if you get there very early,you can find a parking place,and they system is devoid of cave divers-the only problem is getting to the water with the 1/4 mile long tube line.
The ONLY people who won't allow cavern in doubles is Ginnie. Everyone else will allow it, including at Jackson Blue.Quote:
Originally Posted by J_glenn06
I was at JB last year during Memorial Day weekend, it was crowded on the swimmer side, but really not so bad on the diver's side.
The gate was still locked last weekend. I walked back and there was a very big tannic boil from the spring. You will have to call Suwannee County P&R to see if they will have the park open this weekend. Oh, the "10 MPH" sign in the parking lot has a water mark almost to the top of it...KenQuote:
Originally Posted by BigBoB
Wayne and I took his boat from Branford to look at LR, actually mostly for a boat ride, but anyway a couple of days ago it was the same as Ken described - tannic water and sizeable boil. "The tree" was totally under water, but could be seen near the surface. People were walking in and several boats anchored there. My guess is not good diving for a while.
Save the call. The park will be open but not to cave diving.Quote:
Originally Posted by DogDiver
Forget about diving at Ginnie on this weekend unless its real early Friday morning or late in the day on Monday. Having worked there over several memorial days parking is not going to happen. It took me 30 min to drive from the shop to the water, Ginnie is an interesting place to watch people on that weekend but diving is out unless you like long walks. Then you would have the cave to yourself. Not being able to dive one weekend is good as that weekend pays a huge percentage of their income and keeps prices down even though they had their fair share of increases in the cost of operating like Insurance and overall costs.
I made the mistake of diving Ginnie on a beautiful weekend day during the summer. There were parents letting their kids play on the diver entry steps and not telling them to get out of the way, adults cannonballing from the railing by the sign that says no jumping and the surface was covered tighter with tubers than catfish is covered with duckweed.
I can't imagine it on a holiday weekend. If it weren't for the admission fee I bet it is great for people watching.
That's been there since the 2004/2005 flood.Quote:
Originally Posted by DogDiver
Never tried to upload a picture here before, so hopefully this works. We were out sampling water from the cave during peak flood and the recession curve. During peak flood, we had to take an inflatable up the road and through the woods to get to Orange Grove where we stuck a pump down in the cave to sample water..... The picture that hopefully uploaded was taken at the cave maps by Orange Grove. All of the steps, etc. were completely underwater and we found the cave by depth probing in the small clearing....
Nice, thanks Jason!
any updates on peacock? is it going to be open?
already made it to florida and now looking to plan where we can find a hole to jump into...
any advise would help, we are just not doing ginny! ...lol for obvious reasons...
They said peacock was going to be out for a little while. SorryQuote:
Originally Posted by pittsburgh cave diver
What is a little while? :smt102Quote:
Originally Posted by J_glenn06
Head up to the panhandle, or down towards some of the Tampa stuff.Quote:
Originally Posted by pittsburgh cave diver
spoke to ron at dive outpost and viz is about 10-15 feet into the basen and there is pretty good flow, it's appears that it will definately be divable, now it's up to the state to decide, but in speaking with a few other people the conditions have been worse and the park was open to diving so guess its pot luck....
Forecast is for rain over the weekend here in North Florida, so Ginnie might be empty? Would people camp out at Ginnie in rain?
Quote:
Originally Posted by pittsburgh cave diver
Minimum diving level is 20',but I understand the 10-15' you are getting reported is not present throughout the whole system,in fact some areas are still worse. Also when there is that much of an influx of river water there is also a fair amount of debris that can damage line,block restrictions,so a sight assessment involves more than just standing at the steps looking down.
Good adviceQuote:
Originally Posted by SuPrBuGmAn
Drunk college kids and drunk north Florida rednecks looking for an excuse to drink diring a holiday weekend...Ginnie will be packed, rain or shine.Quote:
Originally Posted by deanme
Mike,
Your new avatar is particularly irritating, but I guess that's the idea - right? Your assessment of the Ginnie situation is also correct, especially since the forecast shows decreasing probability of rain throughout the weekend. Maybe everyone should realize that it just isn't a good weekend to cave dive in north central Florida!
Quote:
Originally Posted by mmcauliffe
yes :twisted:Quote:
Originally Posted by Serota
I keep clicking on it trying to squish it...no luck yet!Quote:
Originally Posted by Serota
Since I only come to Florida during fall & winter, I've never seen Ginnie during tube madness.
Anybody got any pictures to post?
Mike
Here's what you can expect at Ginnie this weekend...Quote:
Originally Posted by MORGAN
http://inkmantpa.smugmug.com/photos/...18_yRvti-L.jpg
http://inkmantpa.smugmug.com/photos/...15_Qmuxt-L.jpg
http://inkmantpa.smugmug.com/photos/...14_zjwgH-L.jpg
http://inkmantpa.smugmug.com/photos/...68_qxd59-L.jpg
Photos courtesy of Amanda Cotton
Disturbing at best.
Jeff
that's hot!
i mean the weather. pics are scary.
outstanding
Cute Michael-! Just what we need: Red ants crawling{or is that a flea-?} inside our flat screens-! ^_^ Get yur fogger out if you're headed to the woods-!Quote:
Originally Posted by mmcauliffe
:clapper
gak
I wasn't going to go this weekend But now I am!!!:rollguy
went to peacock and i can see the cave entrance, you have 20ft in the basenQuote:
Originally Posted by Kelly Jessop
cow had 30 feet plus, we need to open the park, orange looks fair and is no worse
than having 20 students in the basen doing o/w skills. we need to get the show on
the road here and do the right thing and open the park!
i am ready to go in and do a in water site inspection if someone is willingQuote:
Originally Posted by pittsburgh cave diver
to ask, mike and i are ready! call us at kathys!
There are people already designated for this task. It's part of the Line committee's responsibility.Quote:
Originally Posted by pittsburgh cave diver
Don't you think every cave instructor within a 50 mile (or more) radius is chomping at the bit to get Peacock open? I'm sure the line committee is being asked (pestered) daily to look at Peacock.
thats what we are hoping for!....lolQuote:
Originally Posted by mmcauliffe
INK! I dont remember your gut or your bresisists being that big. Or your legs that white. Enjoy the craziness.
well, he's probably padding the top.
Mike,Quote:
Originally Posted by mmcauliffe
I hate to correct you but the expression is CHAMPING at the bit. Champing is the action where a horse pushes his head out against the bit.
Pittsburg dude,
You crack me up. Do you seriously think you're the only person who wants to get back into the caves? This is Florida, life has its own lethargic pace, and no outsider is going to change that... If you want certainty go hang out at Ginnie..... tomorrow, after the summer madness...
Ahhhh! Thank you, learned something today!Quote:
Originally Posted by aainslie
Indeed!! As did I.Quote:
Originally Posted by Me
Thanks Andrew :)
Yeah, I stuffed and pushed :-) Pasty white, the ink doesn't like the sun :-)Quote:
Originally Posted by stairman
Cow is open as well as Madison. I spoke with Cathy from Dive Outpost this afternoon.
Enjoy
Peacock is open but no diving yet is the word from her.
GOODY :D :D :D :D :DQuote:
Originally Posted by tflaris
Thankies for the update :D
Beano
Hehe.. :) yes I bet. I'm getting pretty tired of hanging out down here..Quote:
Originally Posted by mmcauliffe
LL
Started our dive with a nice Manatee today between the eye and the ear...just swam there munching on the grass...the manatee that is....
I miss all the cool stuff! Any pictures?Quote:
Originally Posted by DogDiver