Cow Springs Access Restrictions for Conservation, Safety, Accessibility

[Bobby]

I like this idea. How about Full Cave, 100+ non-training cave dives, and someone in your team with previous Cow experience. I think that will do a better job protecting the cave than the option I voted for.

That is how I understood it to be diving upstream Cow. I have always thought it was like diving Bonnet as in had to have 100 cave dives after full and have someone that was already experienced there evaluate and take you before diving it. Unfortunately unlike Bonnet there has never been a list kept. Even with Bonnet that system was not kept properly and a good number of people got in there that were not qualified to dive it.

[SuPrBuGmAn]

That is how I understood it to be diving upstream Cow. I have always thought it was like diving Bonnet as in had to have 100 cave dives after full and have someone that was already experienced there evaluate and take you before diving it. Unfortunately unlike Bonnet there has never been a list kept. Even with Bonnet that system was not kept properly and a good number of people got in there that were not qualified to dive it.

Also, the 100-dive requirement is in place at Bonnet, too, and enforced by the Park Service, but the area between the Z-Bend & the Debtor's Payment has been trashed, so what's the answer?

Am I missing something? I thought Bonett has been closed for ages due to a friggin aligator in the basin.... which is weird cause there are aligators everywhere in Florida that don't affect site closures?...

[w ripley]

Am I missing something? I thought Bonett has been closed for ages due to a friggin aligator in the basin.... which is weird cause there are aligators everywhere in Florida that don't affect site closures?...

Yes, but I was just using Bonnet as an example, since it has a 100-dive requisite + it's just down the road from Cow.

[Line Squirrel]

Bonnet also restricts the team size and the amount of teams per day. It's been awhile since I dove Bonnet but I believe it was one team in the morning and one in the afternoon, max team size is 4 divers. Also subjected to park hours so it sees a LOT less traffic (when you could dive it) than Cow...sorry for the derail.

[Kelly Jessop]

How much interest would there be in having a conservation kiosk out there,which explains diving the site,areas of sensitivity etc. Ginnie has the video that people who go there for the first time will watch,but this may not be too practical for Cow,but something on site may make more sense. Wouldn't cost a lot of money,and donors could have their name placed on the sign.

[huxley]

If the reason is to protect the cave the only way I see is to limit the amount of divers in there.
There are people with abe davis or similar that are not perfectly buoyant and there are people with only a few after cave dives that are. Some have hundred or more dives at each level others went from zero to hero and get all their experience after full cave.
I do see the 100 + after full cave for complicated dives that require experience well past full cave training, but is cow that complicated of a dive? As people mentioned in the other post the restriction are not really major, it's not a very deep dive either. So why restrict it, you have to be a member, that cut a few people out to dive cow, you have to be full cave for the upper part (or full +100 which is new).
It has worked before so why change it now. I don't see how this helps cave vandalism that has happened there.

[huxley]

+1 for the kiosk idea

[SuPrBuGmAn]

I think the kiosk would be a great tool to inform people on why limitations are in place and perhaps give a heads up to those who would be diving it.

If the reason is to protect the cave the only way I see is to limit the amount of divers in there.

An Abe Davis/Wakulla award limitation would do just that

There are people with abe davis or similar that are not perfectly buoyant and there are people with only a few after cave dives that are. Some have hundred or more dives at each level others went from zero to hero and get all their experience after full cave.

Those are the exceptions, not the rule. In general, more experience will create a better diver. Since its definately not realistic to evaluate every diver before diving Cow, its the most practical means we have to protect the cave from those who haven't quite gotten the skills down to dive the cave cleanly.

Its a fragile cave.

[fno]

Thanks for all the replys and input!!! This is really Good Stuff!!!!

[Skorpiov]

The 100 full cave rule seriously limits those that dont live near cave country and cant run get dives in whenever they want. Not certified yet, just making an observation. I do over 200 dives a year in open water, and bouancy is not a problem, and I do respect the environment so woundn't do anything to hurt the caves. Seems like 100 dives is a penalty for not living in Florida. I'll be 60 before I can dive there... But I guess there are plenty of other places to go. Not in any hurry to get in over my head.... That may have been an unintentional pun.