Dry Florida Caves ?

[ermaclob]

Im personally much of a cave diver yet. Still fiddling around in the cavern zone lol.

Ive been wondering about checking out some dry caves as an alternative to diving...especially when adventurous non diving friends are around. I hear that there a quite a few of them in florida in the same area as cave country.

Can anyone point me in the right direction to start dry caving, procedures, how to find caves etc? .... really hope i dont have to take a $1000 class...

[jlillest]

Well, the NSS webpage has changed, I used to be able to post a link to the page for a state's grottos. But here's the page for NSS grottos by state:
http://www.nssio.org/Find_Grotto.cfm

Choose Florida and choose a grotto(club) to go join or hang out with. This is the best way to get involved. A good grotto has beginner trips on a regular basis (2-4 times a year or so?)

Except for possibly paying for a grotto membership (less than $30 a year at worst) the caving mentorship is free. No instructors here.

Enjoy!

-Jon

[twaldo]

Just PLEASE don't play around with the "caverns" with out getting the training to go along with it. It's fine to goto Ginnie and dive the ball room, but it is easy to get in over your skill level QUICK if your diving where the caves are not blocked!!!! you learn a lot of the skills in a cavern class that you will then build upon in the cave classes...


With that being said, there are few if any formations in the dry caves around Gainesville, they are mostly hands and knees crawling and small... but if you want to check out the dry cave scene... like in the prior post the NSS is the place to start.


Just my thoughts on the subject


Tim

[ermaclob]

Just PLEASE don't play around with the "caverns" with out getting the training to go along with it. It's fine to goto Ginnie and dive the ball room, but it is easy to get in over your skill level QUICK if your diving where the caves are not blocked!!!! you learn a lot of the skills in a cavern class that you will then build upon in the cave classes...


With that being said, there are few if any formations in the dry caves around Gainesville, they are mostly hands and knees crawling and small... but if you want to check out the dry cave scene... like in the prior post the NSS is the place to start.


Just my thoughts on the subject


Tim

i have my cavern cert, class done in full cave gear drysuit and all (minus jump spools).... Trust me, i dont "play around" i practice and have fun at the same time. cave class is on the way as soon.... hopefully

I just dont have enough buddies/ things to do when pulling 8 hour drives up north. Sooooo looking at dry caving.

[FW]

The link Jon posted is good, if you are really interested in "dry" caving. For starters, you might want to try Florida Caverns state park: http://www.floridastateparks.org/floridacaverns/

[FW]

Well, the NSS webpage has changed, I used to be able to post a link to the page for a state's grottos. But here's the page for NSS grottos by state:

FYI, for Florida: http://www.nssio.org/find_grotto_overview.cfm?state=FL

[twaldo]

i have my cavern cert, class done in full cave gear drysuit and all (minus jump spools).... Trust me, i dont "play around" i practice and have fun at the same time. cave class is on the way as soon.... hopefully

I just dont have enough buddies/ things to do when pulling 8 hour drives up north. Sooooo looking at dry caving.

I understand that concept ALL too well.... if your planning a trip up to cave country, give me a yell... only cavern at this time as well and starting cave I very soon... I LIVE in cave country and dive almost every weekend be it OW or Cavern. However just to clarify YOU said something along the lines of "playing" with cavern I thought it was weird for someone to be on CDF and not certified to at least cavern but responded to what I "thought" you were saying


Come on up, lets go dive


Tim

[Walter Pickel]

Both the FSS and TBAG are both very active grottos

[ARY]

There will be dry caving gathering soon: https://plus.google.com/u/0/111610247864593899054/posts

The Tampa Bay Area Grotto welcomes all cavers to preregister for the 2014 Florida Cave Cavort, March 28-30, 2014 in Bushnell, Florida. Join us for some “Fresh Squeezed” Florida caving along with a vertical competition, photography salon, live music, and camping under the palm trees! Preregistration is available through March 1, 2014 at http://buff.ly/1eA8plh.

There is also a new grotto founded in Jax AFAIK.

FSS cavers will be there too. www.floridacaving.com

[ermaclob]

I understand that concept ALL too well.... if your planning a trip up to cave country, give me a yell... only cavern at this time as well and starting cave I very soon... I LIVE in cave country and dive almost every weekend be it OW or Cavern. However just to clarify YOU said something along the lines of "playing" with cavern I thought it was weird for someone to be on CDF and not certified to at least cavern but responded to what I "thought" you were saying


Come on up, lets go dive


Tim

lol well i was saying it relative to everyone else on the form. Planing and tieing a guide line in the cavern zone dive and just being there and then back is probably some what of a game to some doing a planed mix gas decompression dive trying to get to the back of the cave.

Anyway im pm you man. defiantly need more buddies