Anyone been to Hart recently...

[sskasser]

Is this information (from 2004) still the valid site plan and rules? www.hartspringsguide.com/forms.php

[FW]

Is this information (from 2004) still the valid site plan and rules? www.hartspringsguide.com/forms.php

I get a "Not Found" message on the link, but if it is indeed from 2004, it is out of date. The most recent changes are about a year old.

Edit: Fixed link in above post.

[sskasser]

Who can update or pull down that info so it doesn't cause any confusion?

[FW]

Who can update or pull down that info so it doesn't cause any confusion?

I am pretty sure Tom McMillan is the current webmaster.

[mdax]

We dove Hart today, swam from little hart to around 300' shy of the black lagoon. Vis was about 60' and it was just awesome in there, everything coated with a light topping of silt, like dark frosting.
You need a guide for black lagoon, an abe davis or equivalent experience to start from little hart.

[Leslie Sapp]

I just emailed Mitchell Gentry, the Hart Springs manager about the confusion. In the meantime, I suggest you call the park at 352-463-3444 and ask to be sure.
As I understand it, Black lagoon is guided only. You must have an Abe Davis or equivalent to dive Little Hart unguided, but after you have dove it once with one of the guides, he has the option to sign off on you as an unguided diver.

[FW]

I just emailed Mitchell Gentry, the Hart Springs manager about the confusion. In the meantime, I suggest you call the park at 352-463-3444 and ask to be sure.
As I understand it, Black lagoon is guided only. You must have an Abe Davis or equivalent to dive Little Hart unguided, but after you have dove it once with one of the guides, he has the option to sign off on you as an unguided diver.

Leslie, if Mitchell will send me the current rules, I will post them here.

[FW]

We dove Hart today, swam from little hart to around 300' shy of the black lagoon. Vis was about 60' and it was just awesome in there, everything coated with a light topping of silt, like dark frosting.
You need a guide for black lagoon, an abe davis or equivalent experience to start from little hart.

Thanks for the viz report. How was the flow?

[diveconjeff]

I just emailed Mitchell Gentry, the Hart Springs manager about the confusion. In the meantime, I suggest you call the park at 352-463-3444 and ask to be sure.
As I understand it, Black lagoon is guided only. You must have an Abe Davis or equivalent to dive Little Hart unguided, but after you have dove it once with one of the guides, he has the option to sign off on you as an unguided diver.

Thanks Leslie.

Yep, that's what I was thinking.

Still not quite clear on which entrance you are referring to with the "it" ...."but after you have dove "it" once with one of the guides,"

I have been in and out through BL and am pretty certain I was signed off, I'll check again. (Probably signed off as a mis-guided diver, instead of an unguided diver though!)

We have called and confirmed with the park we are good to go, and are eagerly looking forward to a return through LH and will look to engage a guide for the next trip.

Trip report will be posted...

[mdax]

First 300' was moderate flow, not really very bad.
Beyond that it was great, hardly noticeable.



The practice of not allowing guides to charge for their time seems absurd to me. I'm not clear on why guides should have to take a day out of their lives for free as I find people rarely value things that are given to them.
It was obvious from the Hart workshop and guide attendance that this policy doesn't really work...but then again I don't understand the point of socialism and why anyone with smarts or skill would embrace it...however that's a whole different conversation.