It's official!!!

[aw]

What does the DEP manual mean by cavern/cave shaft? Are they talking about the entire system or just the entrance. Sounds like the entire system, but I wonder if they'd consider 15 minute intervals between dive teams entering? This would effectively space out the teams and reduce the chances of bottle necking. I don't know that you'd be doing more than 15 minutes deco on O2 in Madison anyway (if you had any deco at all) unless you were really doing an agressive dive.

[mcmacken]

I have to agree, this arrangement effectively closes the park to diving. I have to drive a long way to dive and just can't afford to hang around the surface in a queue. The sad part is, this policy seems designed to address a problem that doesn't exist. In previous visits to Madison, swimmers and divers didn't seem to get in each other's way. In fact, a lot of the people swimming there seemed to show a great interest in talking to the cavers and learning more about the spring. Perhaps a polite meeting with the managers might help?

[Cindy]

Hey all, I have already set up an appointment with the new manager Ed Higgins. I am a member of the CSO at the park and we are permitted to dive at Suwannee River. We have an established contact. If you email me ideas or concerns I will print them and take them to Ed when I meet with him. He is a very nice man and is researching the problem right now. My email is butler_cynthia@bellsouth.net give us a little time to work on it. Cindy Butler

[Kelly Jessop]

Hey all, I have already set up an appointment with the new manager Ed Higgins. I am a member of the CSO at the park and we are permitted to dive at Suwannee River. We have an established contact. If you email me ideas or concerns I will print them and take them to Ed when I meet with him. He is a very nice man and is researching the problem right now. My email is butler_cynthia@bellsouth.net give us a little time to work on it. Cindy Butler

Cindy-thanks for your efforts. Look at my previous post in a method that worked in the past for diver/swimmer interaction if possible solutions are needed. Also a consideration is an entrance/exit point at Martz sink similar to Friedman's.

[curtschu]

Thank you Cindy, sometimes it almost seems like the State would rather all users of the Park would just go away. Especially Fringe users like us.
I hope this can get resolved Madison is one of my favorite systems I spent alot of time in there with Mike B. back in the day. Like others have said it is a long way to go and it just won't be worth the trip the way they are setting things up.

[mcmacken]

Hey all, I have already set up an appointment with the new manager Ed Higgins. I am a member of the CSO at the park and we are permitted to dive at Suwannee River. We have an established contact. If you email me ideas or concerns I will print them and take them to Ed when I meet with him. He is a very nice man and is researching the problem right now. My email is butler_cynthia@bellsouth.net give us a little time to work on it. Cindy Butler

Thanks Cindy, I'm sure this will work.

[Gary]

Thanks Cindy.

I can see some need for scooter control - I'd have prefered DPV certs to be recognized rather then DPVs forbidden.

Diver limits I don't see a need for. They don't seem to do any good IMO. They generally make no sense especially in a system with as many braches as this one. The only place diver limits would be a common concern would be Rocky Horror: one team at a time through there would be a good rule.

I hope they can allow some significant lessening of the restrictions.

[lonestarfl]

How about the Martz sink entrance? Is there a limit to going in and out of a "non-swimmer" area.
Lee