Jug Hole Post on FB

[CaveSloth]

Hoping this spot does not become overrun by jabronies:

[MORGAN]

There's not much of an open water dive there. Hopefully the half mile hike in will deter most of them.

[ddunlop]

I thought it was already open to open water divers. I see them there frequently

[WEPIV]

Is this true? Are open water divers now allowed at Jug Hole?

[WEPIV]

I decided to check on this myself and I called Ichetucknee Springs State Park after looking at their website. The female park ranger I spoke with said that it's an across the board state park policy for certified divers to be allowed to dive in state parks but within their certification level. So when I asked if open water certified divers can now dive Jug Hole, but stay out of the cave, she said yes. I mentioned that the website still said cavern and cave certified divers only, and she said they would change that. I asked when this change took place, and she said she wasn't sure.
I called the office around 2 pm today, Tuesday Dec. 17th 2019.

Gene

[Diverlee]

With the flow do not see much of an OW dive there.


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[CaveSloth]

With the flow, the way it concentrates in the cavern entrance, the rocks sticking out, the easy access to a lower "cavern" that is quite dark, no permanent guideline in that dark part before the cave sign and now open water rec divers in rental gear being invited to come try out the cavern I predict disaster. People are going to be crashing into rocks and each other in the entrance and get lost and freak out in the dark lower cavern.

Not to mention graffiti and fossil removal and other damage that will occur.

[Draker]

The female park ranger I spoke with said that it's an across the board state park policy for certified divers to be allowed to dive in state parks but within their certification level.

If only this were actually true...

Think of all the amazing caves located on state parks that we would actually have access to. Wakulla and Sally Ward quickly come to mind, along with Weeki and Twin D?s.

And think of all the certified DPV divers who would be happily riding their scoots in certain parks where it?s currently not allowed.




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[Kelly Jessop]

certified divers to be allowed to dive in state parks but within their certification level. So when I asked if open water certified divers can now dive Jug Hole

Guess we will start seeing OW divers in P1 now.

Thing about Jug Hole there is very little direct ascent to the surface for OW divers, so much of the dive is cavern. The big problem I see is what closed Jug Hole was the damage to the eel grass, and the concern that divers would cause. I convinced them to re-open Jug Hole, and with October to April window, they felt that the traffic wouldn't be too great. If it gets damaged again, look for the site to be closed until it repairs itself.

[Steve_]

Guess we will start seeing OW divers in P1 now.

How about freedivers posting videos of themselves going into P1

https://www.facebook.com/groups/25361763539/?fref=nf