How many would dive in Wakulla County?

[speleodiver]

The shop is not going anywhere. We made the decision to open here based on our own desires which are mainly what you just mentioned. Wakulla Springs may be the desire of most but there are way better sites here to dive if access is gained. We wanted to complete the gap between Marianna and the High Springs area. We are keeping 10 t-bottles of helium on hand and have plenty more where that came from. With our compressors we have found it faster and more reliable to just stick the trimix right into tanks. We are within .5% accuracy this way. A set of 108’s take about 10 minutes to fill from empty. Refills from typical cave diving is less than 4 minutes. We have 10/65 banked but topping off tanks with it, there is a waiting period to ensure analyzed accuracy. Homogenization just takes time we can’t control. All other gases we bank and filling to any mix is not a problem.
There are many new things on the horizon for Wakulla County and diving is only one of them. The folks here have listened and things are being discussed. I left a meeting this morning in which Panacea is launching new events to promote tourism there. Spearfishing is one and diving charters is another. While it is a sleepy little town, they do understand the need for economy and in my opinion, I would not be getting invitations to attend meetings and sit on committees if these folks were not interested in what I have to say and what my little part in diving and spearfishing could actually offer this whole county.

James I appreciate the support and vode of confidence. Our shop has opened the door on meeting park schedules as well. I dive daily somewhere if I'm not in meetings. I can pull a 3-4 hour dive and not have to get up early or feel rushed to do so. I have never been late making it out before they close. On another note, there are 2 subways here within 4 miles of the shop but there are way better places to eat at about the same price.

[gasdiver]

In both Marianna and High Springs, my buddy and I typically do 2 dives per day. Bottom time averages 60-90 minutes with a short deco stop. If access were not an issue, what systems could we dive to maintain this pattern? A single 3-4 hour dive with lots of deco is not what we like to do on a trip to FL. Pardon my ignorance, but I would like to know what systems we are talking about here that would interest us. We are definitely interested in diving the Wakulla area. Again, if access were not an issue, how many cave systems are we talking about that don't require trimix and hours of deco to dive?

[Kevin Carlisle]

In both Marianna and High Springs, my buddy and I typically do 2 dives per day. Bottom time averages 60-90 minutes with a short deco stop. If access were not an issue, what systems could we dive to maintain this pattern? A single 3-4 hour dive with lots of deco is not what we like to do on a trip to FL. Pardon my ignorance, but I would like to know what systems we are talking about here that would interest us. We are definitely interested in diving the Wakulla area. Again, if access were not an issue, how many cave systems are we talking about that don't require trimix and hours of deco to dive?

There is plenty there that doesn't require you to rack up deco. A lot of us just prefer one good long dive to short ones.

[a64pilot]

In both Marianna and High Springs, my buddy and I typically do 2 dives per day. Bottom time averages 60-90 minutes with a short deco stop. If access were not an issue, what systems could we dive to maintain this pattern? A single 3-4 hour dive with lots of deco is not what we like to do on a trip to FL. Pardon my ignorance, but I would like to know what systems we are talking about here that would interest us. We are definitely interested in diving the Wakulla area. Again, if access were not an issue, how many cave systems are we talking about that don't require trimix and hours of deco to dive?

I think his questions are very valid to the usual "tourist" diver and to the point, can anyone answer them?

[jj1987]

In both Marianna and High Springs, my buddy and I typically do 2 dives per day. Bottom time averages 60-90 minutes with a short deco stop. If access were not an issue, what systems could we dive to maintain this pattern? A single 3-4 hour dive with lots of deco is not what we like to do on a trip to FL. Pardon my ignorance, but I would like to know what systems we are talking about here that would interest us. We are definitely interested in diving the Wakulla area. Again, if access were not an issue, how many cave systems are we talking about that don't require trimix and hours of deco to dive?

I think his questions are very valid to the usual "tourist" diver and to the point, can anyone answer them?

There are a limited number of good visibility and little deco dives in Tally. If all you're worried about is limited deco, then there are more options. However I have found that as long as I can scooter, the cost of trimix isn't much more per minute of fun than a swimming nitrox dive (that's how I justify it). The iDive300 makes deco a lot shorter.

[speleodiver]

There may be some changes coming soon. The purpose of this thread is to see how much interest there is. If things change there will be at least 6 caves which will fall within the stated category. While there are lots of deep caves here, there are some really nice <100 feet in depth caves as well. Several with 50' tall by 80' wide rooms and passage. Add the Wacissa River inventory to the list and there will be as many as Marianna. I will certainly post the updates as they come.
I had a very nice meeting with some locals today. This group has interest in turning things around for the county. Many of them were non divers and lifelong residents of Wakulla. The more interest expressed in diving the more these people will see the value. They have been fed the crap that kept diving restricted for so long, even they do not believe it now. Diving has been ongoing here for decades and deaths are few. Those that have occurred were untrained or just made foolish mistakes. The most recent (as tragic as it was) has certainly changed some opinions about the body bag statement and if diving is really as dangerous to the whole community of cave divers regardless of training. The simple fact of what happened has many questioning the very people who placed themselves to higher standards of immortality. Data has been shown and given to key community leaders. They just refuse to run with the ramblings of one certain group any longer.

[gasdiver]

There is plenty there that doesn't require you to rack up deco. A lot of us just prefer one good long dive to short ones.

I've go no problem with what others prefer, I was simply stating what I prefer. What are the names of "the plenty"?

Before I plan a trip to a location I've never been to (e.g. Mexico), I like to research what options are available and try to determine what sites fit my preferences, skill level etc... Speleodiver started this thread with the question "How many would dive in Wakulla County?" Great question. I would like to know what sites are or might be opened in the future so I can answer that question. It sounds like there are some sites that would fit into the type of diving my buddy and I like to do. With the names of the sites, I can do my own research, but not being familiar with the area, the politics and all that, I have no idea what may or may not become open. Others have expressed their reasons why they don't dive the area very often and they are the same reasons we don't. If there are enough sites to dive over a long weekend, we are much more likely to plan a trip to the area.

There are a limited number of good visibility and little deco dives in Tally. If all you're worried about is limited deco, then there are more options. However I have found that as long as I can scooter, the cost of trimix isn't much more per minute of fun than a swimming nitrox dive (that's how I justify it). The iDive300 makes deco a lot shorter.

Great vis is not an absolute requirement, nor is limited deco. I've spent many many hours doing deco in the water and in a decompression chamber on the deck of a pitching work boat. The novelty of that experience wore off many years ago. I've been bent and seen my friends bent. As far as vis goes, I've spent many hours working in water so muddy you would never take a light because it would do you no good. Deco and vis are not the issue.

To me, dive trips are vacation. Making a morning dive, having lunch, getting fills, shooting the bull at the fill station, making an afternoon dive, getting more fills, then dinner ... all add up to the trip experience. From what I've seen in cave country, there are a lot of divers like me. These "vacation" divers are not out to lay line, double/triple stage, make push dives or anything of that nature. They are simply enjoying the sport and the whole experience. It is these divers that will bring tourist dollars into Wakulla County and the more they understand what's available to them, the more likely they are to come and bring their money with them.

[SuPrBuGmAn]

Alot of the Leon Sinks would make a wonderfull dive for most levels of overhead training. The stretch between Inisfree Sink through better than a 1000' upstream of Upper River is all shallow, passes through multiple sinks for a variety of caverns, and is very large passage. The stretch between Promise Sink and and Clearcut is also shallow with large passage, multiple side passages, including circuits, passing through even more sinks and has a greater range of cave changes, especially between Venture and ClearCut. Emerald through Cheryl is shallow, great looking large passage, a few offshoots and a few sinks to traverse while doing so as well as the standard Emerald - Cheryl circuit.

Half of the above is on Wakulla State Park property, the other half is on National Forest property. Sullivan is also on National Forest property, and the upstream dive wouldn't be a bad dive for full cave divers with only a short dip to 140' before shallowing up again.

The National Forest also contains Big Dismal and Little Dismal(Hammock Sink). Big Dismal has alot of passage without being terribly deep. Little Dismal is goes deep fast, but with a succession of big rooms, so you don't have to go far to find something interesting.

Sally Ward and Wakulla Springs are both on Wakulla State Park property. Sally Ward wouldn't require a deep dive to enjoy the top of the Cube Room and the passage leading up to it. Wakulla is obviously very deep right away.

Other deep dives on Wakulla State Park property include the stretches from Emerald downstream to Clearcut(which leads to shallow passage), or branching off to MM Sink(which leads to FishHole) and eventually leads back downstream of Promise. Turner Sink puts you in the middle of deep Wakulla Passage.

Cherokee is a decent OW sinkhole on Wakulla State Park property.

There are more sites on park lands in the area like Natural Bridge State Park(full of sinkholes that connect by cave), State Forests, and National Wildlife Refuges. There are even more sites on private lands.

[gasdiver]

Thanks for the info Bugman, I look forward to the day when we can plan a trip to the area and dive these systems.

[Kevin Carlisle]

Thanks for the info Bugman, I look forward to the day when we can plan a trip to the area and dive these systems.

Speliodiver and his shop are doing a good job of keeping up with current conditions in the area.