Solo diving at Peacock

[Squirrel Girl]

Yeah,but we will need the night diver card (its dark in there), drysuit card,and the PADI specialty card for spring diving.

Hmmm. You're right. I can't argue with any of those! Does PADI teach spring (and quarry for that matter) divers that they don't need to rinse their dive gear off afterwards?

[Squirrel Girl]

Yeah,but we will need the night diver card (its dark in there), drysuit card,and the PADI specialty card for spring diving.

I had to get an Oh-Fisc-Ci-Al Solo Card to dive solo in the local quarries.

[Kelly Jessop]

divers that they don't need to rinse their dive gear off afterwards?

Les we forget,always wash gear off so we don't spread exotic plant species

Damn...forgot the PADI Washing Your Dive Gear to Avoid Spreading Exotic Plant Species c-card

[tstormdiver]

Heaven forbid someone wants to stay until the posted closing time, and the ranger is ten minutes late getting his supper.

Some buddies & I were late coming off a dive there. Certainly was an honest mistake. It was only a couple days after completing our Full Cave class. We decided to do a dive without our instructor (he went back to the trailer to take a nap). Well,... we went off our time pieces (We're central time). No one even considered that we were actually in Eastern time. We started the dive at what we thought was 3:00pm (was actually 4:00pm). We surfaced about 15 min after closing,... The ranger & our instructor was there (He was worried because we hadn't returned & Saw our vehicles unattended still),... the ranger stood back & let our instructor chew us up one side & down the other. We threw our gear into the vehicles & even stripped one guy of his gear because he wanted to screw around. We got a massive butt chewing & also apologized to the ranger for keeping him late. He seemed to be lenient that day & just waved us off & warned us not to let it happen again. That was a big oops....

[Squirrel Girl]

Les we forget,always wash gear off so we don't spread exotic plant species

Damn...forgot the PADI Washing Your Dive Gear to Avoid Spreading Exotic Plant Species c-card

[diveconjeff]

Les we forget,always wash gear off so we don't spread exotic plant species

Damn...forgot the PADI Washing Your Dive Gear to Avoid Spreading Exotic Plant Species c-card

Apparently you also forgot the prerequisite exotic species ID specialty as well

[SoCo]

Yeah,but we will need the night diver card (its dark in there), drysuit card,and the PADI specialty card for spring diving.

Hahaha...Well Played.

[Kelly Jessop]

I am sure this thread can go on forever,but the bottom line I think the park system does a pretty good job. Is it perfect-no. Are there rules that we don't like or inconvenience us- yes. Then again we all may meet up in the after life and we will read on "cave divers in heaven" forum- my cloud is too soft, the harp playing is too loud, the boogeyman is liked by St Peter more....... Perhaps some of us are setting the bar too high for an agency that caters to recreation and resource management where cave divers are just a fraction of a percent of the overall user group. I tend to be glass is half full person and look at the places we have access to would be potentially a lot more difficult if not managed by the state,because a couple of the places were a nightmare before the state took over,and yes with this come rules by the land owner/manager. I have found the state park management to be quite reasonable,and really wanting to accommodate our needs. When I petitioned to have two sites reopened,it happened. Asked to have cavern diving returned to two sites,it did. When the carrying capacity quota was going to be like Manatee for Peacock,we negotiated a way of averaging it so no one is inconvenienced. This list goes on longer than you care to read,but the bottom line is they listen,and do their best. Several things have been brought up. #1 Solo diving at Peacock- this needs to be carried to the top (Tallahassee),and is a wholesale change in philosophy. Like I said rules can be changed,but time needs to be put into this and provide a good presentation. The energy used to type complaints about not being able to do it on the forums could be used for letter writing to people who can fix the issue. #2 DPV use at Peacock. This quite clearly is stated in the management plan,and is in the next management plan that is pending. Here again it needs to go to Tallahassee and show justification on how it can be done and managed well. Here you will have a mountain to climb,because I have run into some of that wall myself #3 Extending the dive time at Peacock during the summer. The NFSA has had a dialogue with park management about this,and changing hours like this requires approval from higher up. This is an issue that isn't done,but moving along slowly through the management chain. All of us can exercise our right to civil disobedience and do any of these things,but to what gain. Cave divers have gained a lot of respect over the years,and many of us can remember a few years ago when it was the opposite. Because of this relationship we have been able to have some gains that have made the park experience more rewarding,I for one want to continue this positive relationship.

[curtschu]

You know I go over the speed limit and get pulled over, I don't ask what the statute is that I am being cited under. If I send anthrax in the mail to a public official I don't ask the FBI what federal law I just broke. I am repeating back what law enforcement has said,and I am not questioning them in regards to right or wrong. Obviously there must be something to confiscation of items because there are some great deals to be had their sales. Why doesn't somebody like yourself exercise your right of civil disobedience and have a chance encounter with FWC law enforcement at the park,and then let us know the entire process along with what statue you are charged under.

PS, the lifetime ban from the parks isn't a boogeyman,but is really policy. The people who did the graffiti in the OG basin had the punishment extended to them,and since I lost track of the case,this may have been enacted.

I don't need to worry about it as a Former LEO I have this pathological obsession for not breaking the laws. I just get my hackles up when laws are stated wrong. True IF you were in fact trespassing and IF you refused to leave when ordered you gear COULD be taken for safekeeping but forfeiture laws are pretty specific. Hell why do you think Pot is still illegal in Florida. LEO makes LOTS of money take Cash from people on I-95. Anyway getting off topic, We need to address the hour of operation for summer months with the park managers I don't think we have a hope to get solo diving back in state parks. Too many of the recent "Cave Diver" deaths have been solo.

[OFG-1]

I am sure this thread can go on forever,.......

Do you mean that it hasn't already been forever? It sure seems that way. Damn.