Manatee

[CaptainSpeleo]

For scootering, I recommend getting in at Friedman Sink and going upstream. It's about a 200-yard trek from the parking lot.

I also have to agree with Kevin. You really need to familiarize yourself with this cave system by making a couple of upstream swims from Catfish Sink before you even think about using a scooter anywhere in there.

[jpdiver]

Have you ever been in Manatee? From the question, sounds as though you have not. It is hard enough to see (learn) this cave cave swimming, much less on a scooter. It is big, very dark, and usually poor visibilty. If you have not, I would think diving without scootering first there would be encouraged.

Why would anyone want to scooter a cave they have no familiarity with? I guess for some people just zooming up a line and back is their idea of cave diving.

Scooters can, when properly used, be a valuable exploration tool. Unfortunately, since about the late 80's and early 90's have been very misused.

Scooters in large part any more, simply level the playing field for divers lacking skill and ability. Allowing them to go farther than they probably should.

Yes- I have dove Manatee doing a couple of traverses from Friedman exiting at Manatee. As well as over 100 cave DPV dives. My question was whether it was easier to enter at Catfish Hotel with a DPV rather than Manatee.

[Cindy]

Take a dolly, get in at Freidmans. Have a great dive. Cindy

[CaptainSpeleo]

And watch out for the deer ticks. I've never made a dive at Friedman Sink without picking up a few of them.

[amphipod06]

And watch out for the deer ticks. I've never made a dive at Friedman Sink without picking up a few of them.

Wouldn't they drown anyway?

Dive safe,

Celia

[Moonfuzzy]

And watch out for the deer ticks. I've never made a dive at Friedman Sink without picking up a few of them.

Wouldn't they drown anyway?

You would THINK so.. but those bugs are tough! I have had to pull them off me after a 1-2 hour cave dive!

[Craig G.]

Cindy hit it on the head, bring a dolly and enter in at Friedmans. That is the most upstream entrance point to the system. It also brings you closer to the milk tunnel, after you past that tunnel viss gets better. When you return from Friedmans pick up your deco bottle and scooter back to Cat Fish and deco out there, just make sure you don't stretch your gas management from Friedmans to Catfish Hotel. Deco at Cat Fish Hotel is optimal, no flow and nice cubbies to snuggle up in for a long deco.
CaverCraig

[Numus]

Just for fun me and a couple of friends tried to enter at manatee entrance.. it isn't impossible.. just very hard.. you have to either stay very low to the bottom of the spring or get yourself upside down on the roof of the entrance and claw your way in..
Fun to do with a single tank and just have nothing to do...