Vortex Springs

[bmoore237]

Have any of you guys gotten the "key" at vortex springs in NW Flordia , Ponce Deleon, and dove past the grate?

Just wondering if it is worth doing and what the procedure is.. God I hope they do not make you have to lock it behind you. Might make things difficult if you misplace the key!

[FW]

Have any of you guys gotten the "key" at vortex springs in NW Flordia , Ponce Deleon, and dove past the grate?

Just wondering if it is worth doing and what the procedure is.. God I hope they do not make you have to lock it behind you. Might make things difficult if you misplace the key!

It is worth doing, if you are in the area. Most people just close the gate, but don't lock it (for that very reason).

[temrich]

What is the dive like past the grate?

[SuPrBuGmAn]

I've gone up to the third restriction, which is only a few hundred feet past the grate. Its pretty, completely different from the cave up-to the grate thats been pretty much obliterated by traffic. You'll hit ~115-118' up to the third restriction(as far as I went), I hear something around 120-125' in the third restriction that opens up into a room that goes down to 150'ish?

[Puttzer]

How far back can a diver get into system past the gate?

[RN]

From what I understand, not very far in backmount. It also depends on whether anyone has been in there digging out restrictions.

[Taucher-Tom]

It´s no problem to get the key, just show your c-card and pay the fee.

Behind the grate, you pass the first restriction and come into a room with sandy bottom, depth 118

Then follows a rocky scenery until you reach the second restriction 350ft behind the grate.

Restriction No2 leads into a low tunnel, length 250 ft with sandy bottom

Depth of floor at the entrance to larger room behind tunnel is 120ft.
Ceiling more or less horizontal and floor slides down here to 145ft.

Here´s r3. A low muddy tunnel follows, length 250ft. Then the tunnel goes up a little bit to a small room. From here sidemount is your choice till you reach r4 after 100ft at a depth of 150ft.

Now you´ve reached the area where Eduardo Taran is digging his way futher into nomount-land

Alltogether the length of the cave up to now (behind the grate) is 1200ft.

Being on Nitrox I made it only to room No2 before r3.

The data above was given to me together with a hand drawn map by Eduardo himself who is working there since seven years and is still digging his way down there.

I´ll try to attach two photos

No 2 -at the grate
No 1 -shovel at 115ft before r2

The sand Taran digs out is brought to the spring pool through the blue tube laying on the floor, it works like a huge vacuum cleaner.

It was fun diving there and talking to Taran

[Line Squirrel]

Tom,

Good report! and pictures, the vis looks fantastic in there. I have never had a desire to dive Vortex but suddenly.....hmmmm.

1200ft of passage, I thought it was much shorter than that but I have nothing to base that on. Sounds like with the restrictions and all, you can make a fun little dive out of it.

I may have to go one of these days.

[Taucher-Tom]

Mike, I´ll be in Florida for the NSS CDS workshop in May and I know you´re there too.

If you want I´ll pick you up at Cathy´s a day earlier and we´ll dive Vortex together.

[Line Squirrel]

Mike, I´ll be in Florida for the NSS CDS workshop in May and I know you´re there too.

If you want I´ll pick you up at Cathy´s a day earlier and we´ll dive Vortex together.

Hey Tom - I've already made arrangements for a room in Marianna for Fri. Sat. & Sun. nights and I'm 80% sure I have a roomie and a driving/diving buddy.

Sorry Bud.