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Hey Everyone. I am looking for some info on dry caves in Florida. I would like to go try dry caving. It would need to be a tourist style cave because I will probably take the wife along and she doesn't know anything about caves so repelling or anything like that would not be a great way to start her out.
Any help and info would be great.
Thanks,
Ken
The nicest tourist cave in FL (maybe the only) is Florida State Caverns in Marianna. http://www.floridastateparks.org/floridacaverns/Quote:
Originally Posted by K Mejean
Get a hold of the Tampa Grotto of the NSS...they do dry cave tours/cleanups, and orientation days quite a bit.
And...prepare to get REALLY filthy!
Hey! That is good clean Florida mud :-DQuote:
Originally Posted by phreaticus
I 2nd contacting TBAG (Tampa Bay Area Grotto). Also touch base with Florida Speleological Society. Marianna Caverns is the only one I know of where you can just show up, pay your fee, and walk through. Bat Cave is cool and can be done with no rapelling. Tucks Cave is a fun little cave, dry, and rapelling is optional. It's a good place for a rookie to try it out, though. The Catacombs is gorgeous, but does require a little climbing to get in/out, and is very wet.
Walter Pickel is a great resource for dry caving on here, as is Matt Vinzant.
Ken, there's some dry caves just east of Eagles Nest I go to sometimes, I can send you directions. Not as spectacular as those in Marianna, but it's fun to crawl around and get stuck a little...and think how great it is you're not diving when it happens!
Dave
Thanks for the info everyone. I will get with Walter and see what he can tell me. Loquat .... let me know the next time you are headed to one of these dry caves. I would love to tag along.
You know, with a big set of stop logs and a few pumps, we could get any of them pretty dry.
Sure, we can dive the nest sometime then hit the dry caves.
Dave
I really want to do some dry caving, also!
Quote:
Originally Posted by loquat149
HEEEYYYYYYY!!! Can I go too?! That sounds fun!
Me too!
Y'all need to come to TAG and do some real caving.
I was thinking the same thing :-DQuote:
Originally Posted by jmaddox
I will be in NE Alabama this weekend, if anyone is interested.
Quote:
Originally Posted by sskasser
Sure! Bring your SM helmets and let's see how many people we can get stuck in the rabbit hole at Peace Cave...Quote:
Originally Posted by SuPrBuGmAn
Dave
Just signed up for the fall Cave-In. I looooooovvvvveeeee TAG caves...and most TAG cavers ;)Quote:
Originally Posted by jmaddox
Quote:
Originally Posted by loquat149
Deal! I've got a bright new hot pink one that needs some mud on it!
I have no idea what TAG is. Someone please learn me something here. ;-) Where do I begin? What do I need?
Considering dry caves are the only ones my wife will go in I'm always up for dry caving. (Unless she isn't with me then I prefer wet)
My wife's gotta sweet orange TAG she wears on her wrist, keeps pretty good time and it's water resistant.
Dave
Quote:
Originally Posted by graepaep
That's where I'm at. She won't cave dive but she says she would like to go into a dry cave so I am trying to get the ball rolling.
TAG = Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia. Where the three states meet, there a lot of caves.Quote:
Originally Posted by K Mejean
There is also a big party up there in October. It is a good place to start. I will also be leading some dive trips. http://tagfallcavein.org/
SM Helmets? Those are silly :PQuote:
Originally Posted by loquat149
I do need to get me something to protect my noggin in dry caves though...
Quote:
Originally Posted by SuPrBuGmAn
An old motorcycle helmet w/ 2 big mag lights (the 6 D cell ones) duct taped on the sides is about the best Ive seen ; )
Noice!
I was thinkin mountain bike helmet and an indiana jones open flame torch :)
Nah, you need one of these:Quote:
Originally Posted by SuPrBuGmAn
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_YFezDGvE5T...20/images.jpeg
To the original poster:
TBAG meets every month on the first (or second) Friday in Seminole Heights, Tampa. We have online presence through
yahoo groups http://groups.yahoo.com/group/TBAGrotto/post and on Facebook (Tampa Bay Area Grotto). Our next meeting will be next week Sept. 9, with a planned trip for Sunday, I believe?
We are starting to organize a monthly trip and if you want to join one just let us know through any of the sources listed above. We have helmets and lights, but you will need to get your own knee pads. And as already stated, you will get dirty.
If it had a bigger spike ontop, maybe!Quote:
Originally Posted by OFG-1
Ken,
I would recommend checking out the SCCi (www.scci.org). Also, when you make it to TAG... you are required to climb Mt. Olympus and see the Pillar of Fire in Tumbling Rock Cave. It's the quintessential beginner cave, and will thoroughly kick your a**. All you need are pads, helmet, lights, water and food. Limrock Blowing Cave is another horizontal cave that is a pretty good beginner cave. Easy walking, and relatively short.
Both of these caves are managed by the SCCi, and you can find more information about them on their website.
Also, Sitton's Cave in Cloudland Canyon State Park (GA) is another good beginner cave.
Adam
The Pillar of Fire trip is not the best beginner trip, that is a solid day of caving, and you better be prepared. The Christmas tree at Tumbling Rock is a good beginner day. There is some "sporting" breakdown scrambling in Tumbling Rock and it will kick your butt. Sitton's, Limrock Blowing, Howard's Waterfall are great starter horizontal caves, some vertical experience will open up many more caves.Quote:
Originally Posted by KarsticGator
I agree with SDHussy, get in touch with the local grotto, TBAG or the FSS. They are the best way to get introduced into dry caving (horizontal and vertical). There are more caves in Florida than most people know of, Florida dry caves are typically small tight and hot. But they are a ton of fun.
If you have any questions feel free to PM me and I will help out however I can.
BTW the next FSS meeting is on Sept. 8th in Gainesville in room CG-41 of the Communicore section of Shands Hospital. All are welcome. Don't be afraid to show up. A lot of our members are both dry cavers and cave divers.
Sean Roberts
President FSS
www.floridacaving.com
I was being facetious. Come on Matt... how many times have you taken a new caver back there, just to show them what TAG is all about?! It's the weed out trip. Then on the second day, you take them to Thunderhole (preferably in the wet season).Quote:
Originally Posted by cavermatt