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Me and a group of friends are planning our annual trip to cave country. We have been to many caves, but have missed a few. We would like to dive Manatee this trip. I don't know where I heard this before, but I just want to know if it is true. Do you need a guide to dive Manatee? Or is it suggested if you haven't dived there before? Thanks for the help.
Matt
No guide required, get a map (floridacaves.com has some you can download free, thx for a great site), Catfish Sink is the most common entrance used (upstream and downstream), Friedmans will give you an entry point farther into the system, bring your best pair of swimming legs and ask the Rangers for any info they have available. Be careful if/when you exit out of Manatees headspring, the flow/volume of water is heavy. Enjoy, this is a big beautiful cave system.
If I were you, I would go in the main spring first, before trying the downstream from Catfish, especially if you don't go with someone that has done it before. Upstream Catfish is fine, the line is marked like all other popular FL caves, with a warning sign :-)Quote:
Originally Posted by Herbie
From the steps at Catfish, go straight until you can see the bottom, then look to the left for the huge cavern. Upstream is to the right in the cavern. There is a short gap between the sign and the start of the main line, so use a primary reel from one of the logs in OW.
This is my third time coming back to look at you photos and each time I am seeing new and more interesting things. Great work to everyone involved.
Garth
Manatee is a nice cave. Very dark walls, it absolutely eats your light. If you enter from Catfish just be careful if you head into the syphon. It can pull hard and you need to plan your gas wisely. If you already have experience in strong syphons then you will be fine, if you don't then you need to prepare for it.
If I remember correctly Manatee has a daily maximum of divers as well as a limit of divers in the cave at any one time. The office at the entrance pays attention to these limits, they also hold your c-card while you are diving. You need to park your car and head in to the office when you enter the park.
Have fun.
Mark Vlahos
Did you mean to post this in a different thread?Quote:
Originally Posted by Garth
There are important things to consider when diving Manatee.
1. If you come on the weekend show up when the park opens. I prefer 15 min before.
2. Mosquitoes there are no joke, wear long sleeves and pants
3. BBQ joint on the main road right across from the turn off is good
Forrest's directions are spot on. I would avoid downstream from catfish until you've done it the other way first.
? How many people diving Manatee on an typical (heavy flow) day have made it from Manatee headspring to Catfish sink swimming (aprox470-500 feet length)? What was gas consumption? I personally have never attempted it, my first dives there was with a local who knew the system intimately. We did check headspring first to verify it was clear of any restriction/open for exiting.
I do that dive on a regular basis .. Gas consumption depends on flow . I've done it on low flow days when I only burned 300 400 psi and on higher flow days 500 600 psi . Most of which is is used trying to pull into the entrance .. It's a challenge to get past the entrance but once on the line it's not so bad .. Excellent workout .. LolQuote:
Originally Posted by Herbie
Sheck made his students make the dive from the head spring to Catfish, to prove a point. He had them keep track of gas consumption in and out. For the most part, it showed that if you made the dive from the Catfish ends, thirds wouldn't be anyway nearly enough gas to get back out safely. It worked out to be more like fifths.
Matt,
Let me know when y'all will be here and I'll be glad to come show y'all around Manatee.
Fondling a manatee? Won't the manatee object?Quote:
Originally Posted by sskasser
Don't forget about the Tic's.... that's why I call it Manatic springs...lol Ken
Is there a technique to entering the head spring? 3 years ago I decided it was impossible... Haven't been back since.
I did a dive through the head spring at manatee furring my intro course, of course flow was down a bit because the river was up but it's a pull and pull entrance.
;) Nah, I just use bacon flavored lettuce and e'r'body happy happy happy!Quote:
Originally Posted by OFG-1
I was on the floor, pulling on the biggest rocks I could grab. They were rolling uphill as I pulled on them. I've never seen flow like it at Ginnie, Little River, Madison, Jackson, Jug... etc.Quote:
Originally Posted by Paulmal
It is pretty potent, but can be done. You need heavy steel tanks, and dump all the gas from your BCD. Then try to find a path with less flow. Once you are past the window, get over to the side ASAP. I tried it in AL 80s once, and kept getting blown back out.Quote:
Originally Posted by Greenwood_60
I was in BM PST 104s.Quote:
Originally Posted by FW
The only time I have ever even considered trying it is when the flow is down. Catfish is a shorter walk as well.
Mark Vlahos
Was your BC empty? Were you in the center, or off to the side?Quote:
Originally Posted by Greenwood_60
Off to the left, as there was a telephone pole (IIRC) on the right (facing the flow). I don't remember if I had air in my wing or not. I assume I would have dumped it.
It wouldn't take too much air in the wing, to make it hard to get in. I usually go to the right, because the line is that way, and it seems like less current.Quote:
Originally Posted by Greenwood_60
Does this look familiar???
Attachment 9412 Attachment 9411 Attachment 9410
I did it in Double LP 98's. I tried to run the line but only made it half way in before I could not make forward progress. My instructor had to run the line in, having no air in the BC was key, also in doubles I'm like a lawn dart so I have no problem sinking.
I will. Thank you. We will be down there from January 16 until 25, 1014.Quote:
Originally Posted by sskasser
Uh... You are aprox 999 years too late....but thats ok since Shirley is an immortal and all , she was probably there. Just messing bro, have a great time and being January hopefully it will be cooler and with less mosquitos.Quote:
Originally Posted by JMB2262
Funny how you say "hopefully it will be cooler and with less mosquitos" We just gotta love Florida, nothing in guaranteed, other than from April to October it is going to be hot. After than it is a crap shoot.Quote:
Originally Posted by Herbie
That's funny. I didn't catch that. Fat fingers on my iPhone is to blame. :)Quote:
Originally Posted by Herbie
That's about the extent of it.Quote:
Originally Posted by Greenwood_60
Go in at Catfish, go downstream to where the gold line starts, then reverse. It's a super short dive, and as long as you stay away from the entrance restriction, you can easily turn and go back to Catfish. It's a really pretty section. Lots of sandy banks with 100's of catfish all shimmering in every corner. I'll do a quick run down that way from now on whenever I'm there. It was pretty enjoyable.
The proper Manatee Headspring dive is as follows:
1 - crawl down the log an inch at a time while any reg on you is purging like crazy
2 - grab anything that doesn't move and finish pulling yourself in
3 - swim as hard as you can to the gold line to get out of the flow
4 - untangle yourself and your buddy from the birdsnest you just created
5 - tie into the gold line, check your gas, and realize you just drained your doubles and it's time to turn already. Pull the line then...
6 - Tell your buddy to GO GO GO and make sure he's clear of the entrance for your own exit.
7 - watch buddy smash himself up, attempt to grab the log, then clothesline himself on the tree outside the entrance and hang on for dear life while waiting for you.
6 - FLY to the restriction entrance and smash against the rocks while trying to grab the log.
7 - Untangle birds nest from yourself because it's now tangled around every rock and all over the log you're death gripping
8 - backwards shimmy up the log while attempting to reel your loose line in.
9 - give up on the line and just let go, smashing into your buddy and hanging onto the tree for dear life
10 - have your buddy untangle your line and reel it in.
11 - enjoy a nice peaceful swim around the spring pool and then tell everyone topside what you saw when you get bombarded with "WHATS DOWN THERE!? WHAT DID YOU SEE!?" remember, the answer is always "Wet Rocks".
12 - Walk across to Catfish and jump back in with fresh tanks and do the dive you should have done to begin with LOL
You left out a step between 11 & 12. Visit Urgent care center to have stitches put in fingers and fingernails re attached.Quote:
Originally Posted by corvettejoe
About six or seven years ago an open water diver attempted to go a little ways into downstream Catfish and return. The flow was too strong, he ran out of air and drowned.Quote:
Originally Posted by corvettejoe
:rollguy That sounds like my attempt wearing 80s, many, many, years ago.Quote:
Originally Posted by corvettejoe
I dove manatee in early August. Looking back, I thought it was a cool dive and quite different. Manatee has a way of sucking the life out of your primary light. I wish I had one of those 200w halcyon hid's
On both dives from catfish, I made it to sue's sink. I turned both dives below 3rds. I just couldn't be bothered to fight past sues as there are no good rocks to pull and the flow is ripping under the sink
My favorite feature of manatee is those shells in the silt. Absolutely gorgeous. They look like the shell logo.
I thought the viz was all right, but apparently the viz was good by manatee standards.
Would love to run my t16 in that cave if they reopen to scooters. Put on low setting and enjoy the ride