News on Wakulla Springs

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03-21-2012 06:02 PM
NorthWoodsDiver

News on Wakulla Springs

The "Friends of Wakulla Springs" have taken more steps to prevent cave diving at Wakulla and their most recent campaign is targeted to the people who frequent the Center for Biological Diversity.

They are reaching out to people who may never visit the Spring but who are environmentalists.

here is a link:

http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o...st_KEY=1239042

If you still have not written a letter supporting opening Wakulla, this is the time to step up. If you don't want Wakulla open but do want to see other sites on state land (Sally Ward, Emerald, Promise, etc) than voice that instead/also.

Get your friends and family to write also. Join the "Friends of Wakulla" and voice your opinion to them.
03-21-2012 07:29 PM
Kelly Jessop

Interesting. I always felt the biggest threats to manatees were boats,or at least I assume those scars on their backs were caused by boats not divers. They bring up the threat to isopods and amphipods,but I have data that supports water quality is the biggest threat. Can anybody set up a web site like this that people responding will bounce a form email to the parties that are listed?
03-21-2012 07:57 PM
OutlawCaver

36 years diving Florida springs and I have yet to moleste a manatee.
03-21-2012 08:03 PM
tj

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kelly Jessop

Interesting. I always felt the biggest threats to manatees were boats,or at least I assume those scars on their backs were caused by boats not divers. They bring up the threat to isopods and amphipods,but I have data that supports water quality is the biggest threat. Can anybody set up a web site like this that people responding will bounce a form email to the parties that are listed?

I'll donate the domain and webhosting but I need help from some web developers... who I know are reading this! What exactly did you have in mind Kelly?
03-21-2012 10:31 PM
Sly-vester

Quote:

Originally Posted by OutlawCaver

36 years diving Florida springs and I have yet to moleste a manatee.

Don't knock till you try it. Just kidding, The concept that cave divers somehow impact manatees is ridiculous.
03-21-2012 10:47 PM
Wizard

Next thing you know we'll be determined to be a threat to drinking water and speeding up mass species extinctions.
03-22-2012 02:41 AM
Kelly Jessop

Quote:

Originally Posted by tj

I'll donate the domain and webhosting but I need help from some web developers... who I know are reading this! What exactly did you have in mind Kelly?

Basically a form letter with why we support cave diving at Wakulla Springs,and rebuttal to the inaccurate comments made on the Biodiversity letter. Visitors will sign in with same information such as name,address etc,and when they hit send,it will go to Ron Scott,Herschel Vinyard,and Donald Fiogione. I am betting there is a service like this somewhere on the internet.
03-22-2012 03:16 AM
Sly-vester

Concentrated phone calling is another effective tactic. After the first few emails they end up in the spam folder. Pick a day and a time window. Organize here and have everyone call their representatives in a four hour period. They can not ignore the calls. They have to pay someone to answer the phone.
03-22-2012 04:28 AM
cavedivingwoman

Ctr for Biological Diversity no friends to cavers

Our grotto has had some dealings with this group. They support widespread closure of caves in response to WNS. From what I know of them, they are nut cases (even by California standards). I'm not surprised that they would jump into the Wakull fiasco with their misconceptions.

Barbara
03-22-2012 05:16 AM
Kelly Jessop

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sly-vester

Concentrated phone calling is another effective tactic. After the first few emails they end up in the spam folder. Pick a day and a time window. Organize here and have everyone call their representatives in a four hour period. They can not ignore the calls. They have to pay someone to answer the phone.

They aren't going to read the emails that are sent,but they log the "fors" and the "against",and like a ball game the larger number wins. I noticed that at the public meeting in Crawfordville,everybody who wanted to speak was granted time,but they were logging the people into these two categories. The cave diving community is several thousand versus a couple hundred.
03-22-2012 05:20 AM
Kelly Jessop

Quote:

Originally Posted by cavedivingwoman

I'm not surprised that they would jump into the Wakull fiasco with their misconceptions.

I don't doubt their misconceptions are driven by a group that has demonstrated their lack of understanding, versus doing the research and understanding the information. I am sure someday it will be found girl scouts selling cookies at a strip mall in Crystal River is harassing the Manatees.
03-22-2012 08:59 AM
RN

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kelly Jessop

Basically a form letter with why we support cave diving at Wakulla Springs,and rebuttal to the inaccurate comments made on the Biodiversity letter. Visitors will sign in with same information such as name,address etc,and when they hit send,it will go to Ron Scott,Herschel Vinyard,and Donald Fiogione. I am betting there is a service like this somewhere on the internet.

No service, but easy enough code to write. TJ, if you want to set something up and send me the ftp info, and Kelly, send me yours thoughts on what you want included in the letter, I will set up the page. We can have people sending letters by the weekend.
03-22-2012 09:45 AM
Dark Eternal

Quote:

Originally Posted by RN

No service, but easy enough code to write. TJ, if you want to set something up and send me the ftp info, and Kelly, send me yours thoughts on what you want included in the letter, I will set up the page. We can have people sending letters by the weekend.

Rob, let me know if you need help. Im primarily a mobile developer, but do have some web experience, even if it is limited - this is an easy task.
03-22-2012 10:14 AM
SuPrBuGmAn

When you guys set this up, I'll be sure to distribute the link to damned near everyone :)
03-22-2012 10:17 AM
OFG-1

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kelly Jessop

I am sure someday it will be found girl scouts selling cookies at a strip mall in Crystal River is harassing the Manatees.

It is not the Girl Scout Cookies that are the problem, it is the elevated methane levels generated by eating too many Girl Scout Cookies. The methane released in the water will form a de-oyxiginated zone that will cause the bacteria on the skin of the Manatee's to die off, leaving a layer of decomposing material on their skin, leading to layers of skin sloughing off of the manatee, leaving them prone to infections that may be picked up while swimming in the hundreds of outfalls from various municipal and industrial treatment plants, where they go to stay warm in the winter.

Now, I'm not saying that additional research would not be required to verify this hypothesis, however, for the sake of the manatees, it is time to ban Girl Scout Cookies.
03-22-2012 10:48 AM
JamesK

Quote:

Originally Posted by OFG-1

It is not the Girl Scout Cookies that are the problem, it is the elevated methane levels generated by eating too many Girl Scout Cookies. The methane released in the water will form a de-oyxiginated zone that will cause the bacteria on the skin of the Manatee's to die off, leaving a layer of decomposing material on their skin, leading to layers of skin sloughing off of the manatee, leaving them prone to infections that may be picked up while swimming in the hundreds of outfalls from various municipal and industrial treatment plants, where they go to stay warm in the winter.

Now, I'm not saying that additional research would not be required to verify this hypothesis, however, for the sake of the manatees, it is time to ban Girl Scout Cookies.

Don't give them any ideas.
03-22-2012 11:00 AM
Britt

Quote:

Originally Posted by tj

I'll donate the domain and webhosting but I need help from some web developers... who I know are reading this! What exactly did you have in mind Kelly?

How do you know we are reading this? :D
03-22-2012 12:46 PM
marissa

And they are using a photo of a manatee that was probably taken by a diver to promote the protection of manatees from divers??
03-22-2012 01:25 PM
Wizard

Quote:

Originally Posted by marissa

And they are using a photo of a manatee that was probably taken by a diver to promote the protection of manatees from divers??

The flash from the strobe blinds the manatee and then they crash into boats.
It's photography that is the culprit, not divers.
03-22-2012 01:54 PM
Cavemn

Quote:

Originally Posted by tj

I'll donate the domain and webhosting but I need help from some web developers... who I know are reading this! What exactly did you have in mind Kelly?

Sounds like a simple web form with mailto: as an action.

Would a simple email trojan be out of the question? Just thinking
03-22-2012 02:48 PM
OFG-1

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cavemn

Would a simple email trojan be out of the question? Just thinking

How do you email one of these????????/

http://www.bertsperling.com/wp-conte...ms-150x150.gif
03-22-2012 06:01 PM
ScubaSteveL

Quote:

Originally Posted by OFG-1

It is not the Girl Scout Cookies that are the problem, it is the elevated methane levels generated by eating too many Girl Scout Cookies. The methane released in the water will form a de-oyxiginated zone that will cause the bacteria on the skin of the Manatee's to die off, leaving a layer of decomposing material on their skin, leading to layers of skin sloughing off of the manatee, leaving them prone to infections that may be picked up while swimming in the hundreds of outfalls from various municipal and industrial treatment plants, where they go to stay warm in the winter.

I thought all you cavers wear drysuits... Doesn't that contain the methane expelled by high levels of consumption of Girl Scout Cookies???
03-22-2012 06:04 PM
tj

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dark Eternal

Rob, let me know if you need help. Im primarily a mobile developer, but do have some web experience, even if it is limited - this is an easy task.

Okay, www.wakullasprings.us
03-22-2012 06:11 PM
ScubaSteveL

Quote:

Originally Posted by tj

Come up with a catching domain name... Okay guys/gals... some domain name ideas!

www.divewakullatohideextremistbodies.com
03-22-2012 07:19 PM
tj

Quote:

Originally Posted by ScubaSteveL

www.divewakullatohideextremistbodies.com

Good one, but Darn, I already got that other one... :smt102
03-23-2012 08:26 AM
RN

Anyone have some photos of Wakulla that I can use on the website?
03-23-2012 09:50 AM
SuPrBuGmAn

Sure, I'll send you some when I get home
03-23-2012 11:16 AM
mdax

Creating a web site is nothing, install a wordpress engine, have folks populate, and you're all done. Total cost about $10 per year.
However why not just go to their own site at
http://action.biologicaldiversity.or...ction_KEY=9588
and change the letter(first form field) to SUPPORT diving the spring if that's your opinion.
03-23-2012 11:23 AM
Greenwood_60

Quote:

Originally Posted by mdax

...and change the letter(first form field) to SUPPORT diving the spring if that's your opinion.

I wouldn't do that. Looks like the Subject line is hard coded... and is most likely as far as anyone will read the email anyways.
03-23-2012 12:23 PM
mdax

ah, good point.
03-24-2012 05:51 AM
RN

Quote:

Originally Posted by SuPrBuGmAn

Sure, I'll send you some when I get home

Thanks!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Greenwood_60

I wouldn't do that. Looks like the Subject line is hard coded... and is most likely as far as anyone will read the email anyways.

Besides many are lazy and will be more likely to enter some information about themselves than to try to draft their own letter. I've been sent a nicely drafted letter and the site should be up tonight.
03-26-2012 06:08 AM
RN

www.wakullasprings.us is up with a mailto link as well as e-mails, subject, and body text for anyone whose computer may not support client e-mail. Please visit the site and send your e-mail out today. Make sure to bcc wakullaspringsdiving@gmail.com. I'm trying to keep a count of e-mails sent. E-mails will not be used or sold for any other purpose.
03-26-2012 06:48 AM
Jim Wyatt

That was easy...good job....
03-26-2012 06:54 AM
ffdiver5597

I don't know if it was just my computer at work or Outlook but I had to change all the commas separating the emails to semicolons.
03-26-2012 07:19 AM
tj

Quote:

Originally Posted by RN

www.wakullasprings.us is up with a mailto link as well as e-mails, subject, and body text for anyone whose computer may not support client e-mail. Please visit the site and send your e-mail out today. Make sure to bcc wakullaspringsdiving@gmail.com. I'm trying to keep a count of e-mails sent. E-mails will not be used or sold for any other purpose.

Post this on the Main Forum again, and I will make a sticky of it to keep it at top... Looks nice!
03-26-2012 07:20 AM
RN

Quote:

Originally Posted by ffdiver5597

I don't know if it was just my computer at work or Outlook but I had to change all the commas separating the emails to semicolons.

Might be Outlook. Some e-mail clients accept commas others require semi-colons. I think most of the online based use commas and that's why I chose that.
03-26-2012 07:21 AM
RN

Quote:

Originally Posted by tj

Post this on the Main Forum again, and I will make a sticky of it to keep it at top... Looks nice!

Done.

http://www.cavediver.net/forum/showt...531#post182531
03-26-2012 08:02 AM
JamesK

Rob, thanks for doing this.
03-26-2012 11:57 AM
Wannabe23

Too easy! Thanks Rob awesome job.

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