Solo diving at Peacock

[nakatomi]

That was 1990. It's 2014 and we're now in sidemount, solo diving should be allowed.

[Walter Pickel]

Kind of partial to them.
1)Peacock used to be owned by the Cattlemen's Association before it became a state park,it was closed to all forms of access
2) Madison moved between county contractors,and the diving access was intermittent,and eventually stayed closed for quite awhile. State took it over,and we have consistent access
3)Lafayette was closed to diving as a county park,but once the state took it over,diving was established
4) If the state had Telford,we would be diving it now

Then what's the story with Bonnet? We used to have access but now it seems that only a select few are allowed access there.

[adam_Hughes]

That was 1990. It's 2014 and we're now in sidemount, solo diving should allowed.

I Agree! But when a question is posed regarding the state-park-solo-diving-rule, it's worth pointing out why that rule got put in place to begin with. It wasn't just a subjective notion conjured from thin air, it was the result of an accident analysis at the time. Should someone attempt to actually get the rules altered, they should know the facts/history of it and what kind of arguments they might be up against.

Like I said before, I think the benefits of solo diving Peacock outweigh the risks. I would pay mega $$$ to be able to dive that place solo whenever I want. But I also respect the park, the rangers, and the idea that perhaps that rule is in place for a reason.

[Greenwood_60]

Cave diving agencies should take this up with the state. They want to sell certs, we want to solo scooter peacock. Push for solo diving and scooter diving with proper certification.

[jj1987]

Cave diving agencies should take this up with the state. They want to sell certs, we want to solo scooter peacock. Push for solo diving and scooter diving with proper certification.

Cave divers are the ones that begged to get scooters banned.

[tbone1004]

I am glad there's no scootering in Peacock, that would be an utter disaster with the low flow, and it really isn't all that necessary, sure it would be nice to expedite entry, but it doesn't outweigh the consequences of a misdirected wash and blows the cave out for a week.

Solo diving I wish they would take back, especially with the huge change in gear configuration since 1990.... Just means the agencies have to go back and push them to allow us to, I think it is something that we can change, but not without NFSA and the agencies backing it.

[SlowDiver]

That was 1990. It's 2014 and we're now in sidemount, solo diving should allowed.

+1. 24 years a lot has changed. We used to teach buddy breathing by passing the regulator back and forth between divers. I for as I know the YMCA was the last to drop that from there requirements but now they are out of the certification business. Yet I keep hearing the basic open water training agency's teach having a buddy so the state says all scuba diving must be done with a buddy.
I don't blame the upper management of the parks for requiring a buddy. I imagine a lot of them are recreation open water divers and that was what they were taught. But cave diving is not open water diving and it sure isn't diving like in the nineties. So maybe the state needs to be updated into what there visitors of the park are now diving.
I understand where Russell is coming from about the use of State Parks. I still buy the Annual Family Pass every year more for support than anything else. Remember the Florida law that required all motorcycle riders to wear a helmet. Now the rider has a choice, helmet or no helmet. (Buddy or No Buddy)


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[Kelly Jessop]

Then what's the story with Bonnet? We used to have access but now it seems that only a select few are allowed access there.

Bonnet presently doesn't have access because of erosional issues. At the Peacock Springs Advisory panel meeting I was able to enter wording into the draft management plan that would allow access with the provision that the erosional issues were addressed. As soon as we get the draft management plan approved we will start the process,and seek engineering assistance to design steps.

Presently I have access to the site on a quarterly basis by scientific permit for fauna counts and water quality survey,which calls for documenting fauna in fixed distances,and using equipment to check dissolved oxygen levels, pH, conductivity, oxygen-reduction,and temperature to determine faunal patterns. All reports we generate are not proprietary,and viewable by anybody,but there is quite an extent of data.This data is being used for publication in a scientific journal,which will be the first time stygobitic species have been looked at in this manner,so it actually is cutting edge due to an awesome team we have. The information we collect doesn't inspire cave divers because we are not laying line or connecting systems,but we are opening up a hidden world,and doing exploration on a micro-perspective. Participation is not closed,and we have requests to help,which we honor and appreciate.

[Kelly Jessop]

Cave divers are the ones that begged to get scooters banned.

You sure????

Scootering was stopped in Peacock,but caver divers didn't ask for it,even though their actions were the cause.
The management plan called for scootering to be stopped,this occurred when Azail Nail was the park manager of Peacock out Of Ichetucknee (year approx. 1998 to 1999) Nobody read the management plan,so scootering never stopped. When they got a new park manager,which I think was Tom Brown,the management plan was enforced,because he enacted what it called for.

Why was scootering stopped? There was damage that had occurred to the cave,and there was a concern that scootering would cause more. I recall a point where scootering was being conducted irresponsibility,for example scootering OG to Challenge back when that section used to have a lot of silt,and it would silt out the cave. People were scootering Waterhole tunnel without getting off the trigger etc etc. These things resulted in complaints to the park staff,which I am sure resonated upward.

[FW]

.... for as I know the YMCA was the last to drop that from there requirements but now they are out of the certification business. Yet I keep hearing the basic open water training agency's teach having a buddy so the state says all scuba diving must be done with a buddy.

True, but it was the YMCA that started the buddy system. They had always taught swimming using the buddy system, because the instructors only had to watch half as many students. All the later agencies were made up of YMCA instructors, and just carried on the tradition.