Jug Hole Opens-message from NFSA

[Kelly Jessop]

Tomorrow starts the first day of the dive season. The North Florida Springs Alliance wanted to pass along some info:

The site is open for cave and cavern diving,and since it is a state park the same rules that you are used to at Peacock etc still apply. There may be a ranger at the entrance,if so be prepared to show your gear for a search for nonindigenous plant species ie duck weed,so it may be wise to clean it an advance.

For those unfamiliar with the system you will go to the entrance off Elim Church Rd,same road Amigos Dive Center is on. You'll enter a large parking area,and there is a trail leading back to the spring. There is a 5' diameter opening in the bottom of the basin,the opens into a very large,"jug" shaped cavern. The cave is 550' long with a very low bedding plane to start,and a restriction called the Diamond Sands midway in. It is highly recommended this cave only be done in sidemount for safety and conservation reasons.

As many will testify the walk to the spring is quite significant,but very much worth it due to the beauty of this cavern and cave system. Thanks to North Florida Springs Alliance we have provided a cart that can be used by all to carry your gear back there. http://northfloridaspringsalliance.org/jug.htm All we ask it that you please return the cart to the location you found it and padlock it. If you like what we have done,we would appreciate you join our organization,because we depend on support from people like yourself.

Special thanks to John Nascheck for a donation toward the cart,and Jim Wyatt for getting the cart and placing it on site.

Enjoy
Kelly Jessop

[Kelly Jessop]

PS: If you find a Silva compass on a bungee I would appreciate it if you'd save it for me. I lost it when I was doing some work there recently

[sandy]

Kelly,

I have never dove Jughole so have a few questions.

Is it OK to dive the cavern BM? Enough to see?

If yes, is any part of the cave diveable with BM such as the first 100 or 200 feet without causing damage or is the entire cave best left for SM?

Ok, i just looked at a map on Tampadiving. I guess you can dive the Blue Room in BM but going thru the Bedding Plane Restriction is a no in BM?

Thanks.

[Kelly Jessop]

Kelly,

I have never dove Jughole so have a few questions.

Is it OK to dive the cavern BM? Enough to see?

If yes, is any part of the cave diveable with BM such as the first 100 or 200 feet without causing damage or is the entire cave best left for SM?

Thanks.

The cavern is fabulous,it opens up into a very large area,and the first room,called the Blue Room,is easily accessible. Once you reach the sign,there will be a very low flat bedding plane. It is very easy to roll off a valve here,and will ding the ceiling of the bedding plane. The Diamond sands restriction won't allow movement through with anything backmounted. I know some people will argue that it can be done with "x" back mount configuration,but ideally,and for safety reasons,sidemount proves to be the best equipment of choice.

[fghray1]

Is the path there in nice shape?

[Jim Wyatt]

Is the path there in nice shape?

I walked it today...it is in good shape.

[sandy]

The cavern is fabulous,it opens up into a very large area,and the first room,called the Blue Room,is easily accessible. Once you reach the sign,there will be a very low flat bedding plane. It is very easy to roll off a valve here,and will ding the ceiling of the bedding plane. The Diamond sands restriction won't allow movement through with anything backmounted. I know some people will argue that it can be done with "x" back mount configuration,but ideally,and for safety reasons,sidemount proves to be the best equipment of choice.

Thank you.

[Sam2000001]

Jug Hole is beautiful and well worth the walk!

[MichaelAngelo]

as a non cave diving note the park has a wonderful visitor center at the other end of the park. Besides the 3D displays there are pics by Wes and Jill and others. I also have an artwork there,
MA

[LiteHedded]

great news
thanks to the NFSA for donating the cart!