Just wondering, should i cancel my plans to dive in cave country this weekend (August 22 - 24)? Will Ginnie, Little River and Peacock close? What about conditions? Can I expect conditions to be effected by the heavy rains?
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Just wondering, should i cancel my plans to dive in cave country this weekend (August 22 - 24)? Will Ginnie, Little River and Peacock close? What about conditions? Can I expect conditions to be effected by the heavy rains?
I'm in the same boat. The weather looks pretty crumby. But, I'm still planning on cave diving.
never know until you get there or hear about conditions. I can tell you Jackson blue in the Mill Pond will more than likely not flood out, same with Ginnie. The nest 12-24 hours will tell alot of what will happen.
I won't be taking a boat ;) but I do plan on cave diving this weekend :DQuote:
Originally Posted by systematic.entropy
I'm keeping everything crossed.
~Jeff
My buddy and I plan on diving Ginnie Fri., Sat., and Sun. Hopefully they'll be open!!
JB won't flood, but local rains can cause it to be pretty murky.Quote:
Originally Posted by akcaver
I'm diving JB, Hole, etc. on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.Quote:
Originally Posted by FW
Im planning on Ginnie Sat and Sunday.
Just spoke with Ginnie Springs on the phone (5 pm thursday). They said they were closed today for camping, but open for cave diving. They said to call tomorrow morning to check for a status on camping and cave diving.
I guess Fay is migh cause adverse conditions for cave diving. Dark, wet conditions do sound a bit challenging. :)
All kiding aside, I think the concern is with the wind.
BRING ICE....and beer :roll:
I'm here at the Fairfield Inn in Marianna tonight. No rain on the drive from Louisiana this afternoon. It's not raining now. I'm planning on getting some dives in on the Mill Pond tomorrow. We'll see how the weather holds up.Quote:
Originally Posted by mmcauliffe
I've heard forecasts of 5-10 inches of rain for the Marianna area. And IIRC, we had 8 inches of rain in February when JB was blown out for the weekend.Quote:
Originally Posted by FW
The "Eye" seems to be heading more or less right for Ginnie. Gainesville had our peak earlier and it looks like High Springs is getting much the same now. There isn't much wind here - just a lot of rain.
I'm guessing Ginnie will be in the eye from 4am-10am and we'll see what the storm has left after that. Places much north or south of Ginnie probably will get drenched the whole time.
...
Actually the Eye is now on Gainesville and looks like it might even pass south of Ginnie.
Looking at the 5am radar, south GA is getting a lot of rain, which means the rivers will be going up. A lot will depend on whether the aquifer, or the river ends up with the most water. I am pulling for the aquifer! :-)
The Santa Fe river is predicted to reach flood stage of 16 feet at Three Rivers Estates on Monday morning. The current level is 7 feet, so that means a 9 foot increase in the river level in 3 days.
Jim
Walmart studies buying habits. The #1 item people purchase before a hurricane is beer,and after a hurricane it is Pop-tarts.Quote:
Originally Posted by mmcauliffe
Just called Ginnie. As of Friday at 8 am, they are still closed for camping, but open till 7 pm for cave diving. As I'm writing this post in Jacksonville Florida, it is unclear whether my house will blow away. But I seem to have internet access and cold beer (no pop tarts), so I guess I should consider they day will be business as usual.
On the bright side, there won't be a cluster of tubers to navigate. I'm just wondering if my car won't be blown off the road while in transit. But, like I've said to many a non cave diver, the most dangerous part of cave diving is the drive to the parking lot.
Just wondering if the Santa Fe river level will hold, or if the predictions will come through and Ginnie will close, just as I arrive.
It is rare that Ginnie will close for diving as they tarp the run to keep the tannic water out of the system. It really has to get up over the roads there to make it not diveable. When we had a flood I walked down the path from the benches when water was several inches deep and made nice dives. I would call first but I suspect it will be open for diving. I work there on Sundays and I suspect it will slow enough I will get most of the day off.
Well, I don't have to worry about it anymore. Just got word from Delta that my flight was cancelled. :(
You people are all complaining about what cave country really NEEDS...lots of LOCAL rain, (not in S. Georgia in the Okeefenokee... that just causes flooding, which you all ***** and moan about!) ... to recharge the aquifer, get things flowing and clear again!
Why do you think Peacock's basin is peasoup, and LR is green and barely flowing...??
Come on, do a little research about hydrogeology/rainfall, etc...... especially you non-locals (i.e haven't lived in N. Florida for less than 20 years, or ANYONE from out of Florida who just see's it as a place to dive, stay in cheap hotels, then drive home to your already totally polluted home environment!).
The springs (and cave systems) are NOT Disney World, or EPCOT, or MGM, or....whatever!......they require NATURAL resources (like RAIN!) to keep them pristine and attractive!
You will NEVER be able to throw money at the aquifer to make it like it used to be, so treat it wisely....it is going away, yet most (even cave divers, who should know better!) seem to think it is an infinite resource!
I have been blown out many times in 35 years, diving in Florida, from cave-country to Marianna, but in all circumstances it was because of too much rain....not too much water!
Figure out the difference!
I live 18 miles from PSSP we have gotten 4.5 inches so far, only .50 at PSSP so far. The Santa Fe is rising because of rain in the area last week then today's rain will help raise the level it's not rising just from Fay.
Janet
Can I ask, who is complaining? All I'm seeing is a simple dialogue amonst friendly respectful people about dive conditions, and whether to wait for another day to go diving. I think maybe someone got to the store and found all the beer gone? I'm more then a little afraid of who you will attack and what angry presumptuous comments you will make if the pop tarts are gone after the hurricane. Can someone who doesn't live in Florida, and who stays at expensive hotels while visiting Florida, please send this guy a care package and show him that not everyone who isn't a local is a bad person.
I see most people asking...when can I dive? Not just on this board, but everywhere I look.
A bit short term selfish, don't you think?
You obviously didn't digest much of the post...
.......read it again, get a greater perspective..
A slow moving (not to lessen the flooding that people from Palm Beach to Jax. have experienced.... I can empathize, as I live 11 ft. from mean high tide on the Gulf coast) is EXACTLY what N. Florida needs!
You just can't hope for it to occur over a month, or two, or a couple years! It does what it does....
Get a clue.....most of the divers today think that cave country, at it's best these days, is nirvana..
..and complain when the viz drops below 80 feet. It was way better before the State had 18 million residence!
Rain is what makes it work, rain is what we are getting...if that upsets your weekend plans, you need to diversify!
complaining about complainers there phreaticus?That makes alot of sense.
Actually , the EYE of Fay passed over our house about 8:15 AM this morning. So it DID go right over Ginnie.
We had about 1-2 inches of rain today here around Fort White and I am waiting for the back-side rain-bands to come in from the south now. Still watching the radar with great interest.
I saw the latest reports from Florida AHPS/Jacksonville that the Sante Fe should crest on Monday or Tuesday.
Anyway , back to your regually scheduled , er , uh , what ever this is.
If I can't find a buddy up at Peacock etc , I might tip-toe over to Ginnie this weekend , since I DON'T CAMP there anyway :D
Jeano Beano
P.S. And if the water comes up again , etc etc etc
There's always Ginnie and Manatee :D
Gives me a good excuse for trying to DAMAGE MY LEG AGAIN at Friedman's. But that's another story (sigh)
Wow. I'd better stop *****ing about the weather and think happy thoughts, that'll fix everything. Thanks for setting me straight.
Quote:
Originally Posted by phreaticus
Yes, good solid rain without a lot of wind or damage. Definitely for the good.
At 3am the eye was looking tiny (over Gainesville but looked like it would miss High Springs) and Jacksonville looked like it was getting hammered but the storm started to fall apart and this afternoon the eye stretched nearly from Ocala to Lake City (and Jacksonville still catching a lot).
Looks like good rain all over North Florida and only those few tempting fate by windsurfing the storm were endangered much.
Well considering that this is the Dive Reports forum and people post here to ask about conditions so THEY CAN DIVE, WTF do you expect? Get off your sanctimonious high horse. The question was really simple and was asked in the appropriate forum. Who's the one who needs some perspective?Quote:
Originally Posted by phreaticus
Oh yeah, and as far as your first post, "You people" has to be one of the most demeaning things I've read on this forum. When exactly did mother Earth give you the deed to the caves, that makes people from out of state or even from out of the country "You people" who are any less worthy than you to dive here?
"You People" need to calm down. Civil discourse only or "You People" will have to leave.
What he said. Seriously.
BTW, Metaldector, concerning your signature line, Lewis Grizzard said it best: There's nobody in an Atlanta bar tonight celebrating the fact that they've just been transferred to New York.
For all the hype about this storm, last we checked the rain gage in Luraville we had ONE inch of rain from last night to earlier this morning.
It's been a constant drizzle all day today. We have nothing right now, the "eye" is passing over us. We'll see what the east side of this storm brings us.
We were hoping for at least 6-7 inches if not more.
Actually, people around here retire to the "North" all the time. :) It's ironic that when I lived in North Carolina everyone went South to Florida, now that I live in South Florida, everyone moves to North Florida or North Carolina. The grass is always greener...Quote:
Originally Posted by Slüdge
I'm coming up next week to do some diving, but screw the rain, I just hope there's no damage to the house.
Yea, we got the wind and rain here as well. I'm not sure how much rain but the yard is flooded and I have a large tree down on my shed. I don't think it did much damage to the shed just the front corner of it. I'll see more in the morning. It looks like it's chainsaw time again. fun fun.
hmmm....Quote:
Originally Posted by mmcauliffe
let me know how things go over there.
LL
As we speak a VERY LARGE band coming from the south has gone almost directly over Luraville/Mayo ... :DQuote:
Originally Posted by runawaylobster
I drove from D.O. back to Fort White and managed to avoid it. I think that will give Peacock and company a couple extra inches... lol
Jeano Beano
P.S. The REAL QUESTION is , what am I doing up at 4 AM in the morning looking at the blasted RADAR (EEK)...
Hi Jean,Quote:
Originally Posted by jeandiver
That's cool, sorry you are up at 4:00!! I suspect their internet is down by now, mine
was down all week last week.
believe it or not, even down here we are still getting this thing. I could not see for rain while driving home from work last night, and we had several flash flood warnings!! jeez..
LL
Been raining steady hear all night and continues to, but not very hard at all. This is exactly what we needed. Although it will not end the drought. Over the last couple years ('05 thru '07 added up) we are something like 26-30" below average annual rainfall.
It will be interesting to get the rain gage report from Cathy later today.
The rain guage here at PSSP was full this morning at 5", lots of small branches and leaves blown down, still raining.
Janet
PS The Suwannee's water starts to come in the slough when Luraville's river guage is at 27' elevation. We have about 9 feet more of less to go.
Quote:
Originally Posted by jeandiver
Need to see what the feeder bands are doing over Georgia. The Withlacoochee starts north of Valdosta,and Suwannee in the swamp area of the Okefenokee.
Some rain and flooding is a welcome site.
I will eat my words that I said to a couple of people in Private about it will not close. Ginnie closed the park for the weekend. The roads are getting mushy, the river is rising due to the Suwanee coming up and just not enough traffic to keep it open. I got the call this morning to not bother coming in Sunday.
It's been raining steady in the Marianna area all night and all morning long. Enough wind in the area that I'll be gathering small to medium size branches on my property for a couple of hours...once it stops. The Chipola River level is only about 6.25' right now, about a foot higher than earlier in the week. I haven't heard any thunder. Looks like I'll be diving. :D
I'm surprised. For all the rain over the last few days we only have about 3" added to the pool.
Quote:
Originally Posted by mmcauliffe
Mike:
Jeff and I are scheduled to be there on the 4th. We've been watching the national radar :drowning and Fay sure looks like she dumped a lot of water. Were going to focus on Madison, so...
Please keep the posts coming in.
BTW, that MEG sure looks good on your back!
Regards,
Bill
Little River was closed at 1 pm yesterday. Not sure about today.
Lots of water hyacinth moving down the river since early this morning.
Check out http://cavediveflorida.com/Santa-Fe.jpg
Fay's gone.....
Gustav's next.... tropical storm today,hurricane by tommorow, same projected path (basically) as Fay!