Cavern Suggestions

[FW]

This is what the NSS-CDS website says about Downstream Cow:
"Diving is per the “Diver” section of this document with the exceptions that it is open to all levels of Cavern and Cave Diving and there is no requirement to show proof of 100 cave dives after full cave."

The only item in the "Diver" section that is relevant is:
"Shall have DAN diving accident insurance or equivalent."

[JerseyJersey]

oops, my bad...sorry only quoted upstream..... no more reading on the fly..... Larry is right it is an interesting cavern

[ssmdive]

Buford is an awesome cavern.

• Buford, You earn this dive and I would recommend taking someone who has been there before with you. It is quite a hike through a swamp and it is about 150 feet deep. Serious silt so stay off the bottom, but an AMAZING view from about 90 feet looking up. This dive is hard to get to, so it does not have a lot of the carved names everywhere. There is a line in the system, but once you get below 90 feet or so you are getting into the cave... don't. Plus, deco starts to rack up and there is not really that much to see. There is one swim through, but it is a dirty passage and it is deep...So stay away. Cool rocks around the 40 foot mark. But take a good light and at least one spare (If I say bring a light... Just assume a spare as well). Pack a lunch, and bring lots of water.

• Ginnie Ballroom, Easy to get to, easy to do, and a very nice dive. High flow so it is difficult to blow out. It has the problem of being a popular dive site on weekends.... So there can be people EVERYWHERE. I mean you will be looking at something and a person will fly right in front of you or bump into you. You really don't need lights, but they are nice to have. Try to swim to the gate they have... Some days it is easy, others quite hard. There is a cool swim through on the left side about 3/4 of the way back.

• As long as you are at Ginnie, might as well head over to Devils Ear. Go the the log at ~20 feet and flip over and look up. As the river water rolls into the clear spring water you get an awesome effect that looks almost like the water is on fire. I'd stay well clear of the opening and you are not allowed to take lights.

• Paradise, Curt is a good guy and they have fills on the site. They make you watch a video that explains everything so I will not go into detail. Stay off the bottom since it has a fine silt. Get there early, or other divers will have the viz greatly reduced. Take a light, don't go below 90 feet or so and stay out of the lower cavern. Take some time to look at the ceiling. Nice little area, I wish it was my backyard. There is a little cave that goes to 140' and then it is no mount to 211'.... Of course stay out. At 100+ your air goes quick, deco comes fast and it can get silted in a hurry.

• Kings Spring Crystal River, Nice place. Need to take or rent a canoe to get there. You will need to paddle ~1/4 mile to get there. It is shallow around it, so you can gear up once you get there. In the winter there might be manatee's around. It drops to about 25 feet and the the cavern starts. It goes back about 60 feet and down about 60 feet. It can be a nice dive as long as others have not trashed the place. It has a few swim throughs and one that is not recommended in the ceiling that could be a a bad idea...So just don't. A dive flag should be taken and watch out for the morons boating around.

• Devils Den, Nice, but I never really loved this place. It has a bunch of grates that keep you from being in the wrong place. About 50 feet deep if I recall correctly. But it has been 12 years since I have been there.

• Blue Grotto, Nice, but not as nice as any of the above. It does have a cool little diving bell that is a gimmick, but neat.

[kensuf]

FWIW, I just spoke with a ranger at Itchnetucknee State Park this morning, and he said a cavern cert is good for Jug Hole. IMHO, it's one of the nicest caverns in the area.

To the OP, if you'd like to go dive it either of the next two Sunday's, drop me a PM.

Ken

[Kelly Jessop]

FWIW, I just spoke with a ranger at Itchnetucknee State Park this morning, and he said a cavern cert is good for Jug Hole. IMHO, it's one of the nicest caverns in the area.

To the OP, if you'd like to go dive it either of the next two Sunday's, drop me a PM.

Ken

Per ISSP Park Manager-cave certified only. Ranger has old info

[MDiver429]

just so you know the water above the ear at ginnie right now is not tannic at all... you could actually check out the ear and then drift down the river to the ginnie ballroom.... the river is really clear right now

[rddvet]

Thanks for all of the suggestions. I've added a few to my list. I think we may try King Springs soons, since it's very close to home. Most of the others that were put up are trips we can make from this area on a short weekend. So we're hopefully going to be checking them all of the list pretty soon.

Since this is a rare long weekend, we've definintely decided on the panhandle. Morrison and maybe Vortex if we have a little extra time. Jackson Blue the second day, and potentially add a second site that day as well if time permits.

Thanks again. It's great living so close to so many sites. Hopefully next year I'll be asking for which caves to hit first, not just caverns.

[T. Bix]

Please report back on King Spring. It used to be one of our favorites years ago but the viz just hasn't been there in the last couple years.... maybe it cleared up!

[scuba_shark_fart]

My mother doesn't live to far from there, so I can kayak out to the spot one of these days to check it out. Last time I was there (about 2.5 years ago), viz was crap unless you're right over the spring. I'm thinking there was a nasty form of an algae bloom. It clears up in a few spots.
I like to kayak out to Hospital Hole and dive that one, so this would be very similar. I'll definately let you know next time I/we check it out.

[jayc]

The viz at King Spring has sucked since the late 90's and almost invariably does every time. Sometimes you get a good day here and there. I live about 15 minutes from it. If you are in the area on a weekday I'd be happy to run you out to it. Always looking for reasons to get my new boat wet.

+1 on Buford. Took a while for someone to mention it but it is a fantastic cavern dive. Don't go after a rain cause without a GPS you'll never find it in the thigh deep swamp water. Its a bit of a hike but totally worth it.