Friedman sink protocol?

[chilldive]

I learned this past week that in order to be able to enter Manatee from Friedman sink, you have to go one time with someone who has dove that sink before. Then you're able to take others there. Just curious - can someone explain this reasoning and purpose?

I understand doing that at some "special" systems, but this one seems strange to me.

[Daedalus]

I learned this past week that in order to be able to enter Manatee from Friedman sink, you have to go one time with someone who has dove that sink before. Then you're able to take others there. Just curious - can someone explain this reasoning and purpose?

I understand doing that at some "special" systems, but this one seems strange to me.

Probably has something to do with the entrance occasionally being zero visibility and pretty snug until you pop into the cave.

[WEPIV]

I was told a few years ago that you had to swim up to it from Catfish as well as go with someone that has entered there before. (And be full cave of course.)
I remember my first time going down that small entrance with the visibility being almost nil and then all of a sudden seeing the cave below you. What a great feeling and I still enjoy it!
Also, on a historical note -- Sheck found the remains of an old Spanish water jug there dating to the 1500s I believe. Maybe it was left there as part of Desoto’s trek north looking for gold but I always think about that when I dive there.

[Serota]

I would guess that it is because the entrance is more advanced than Catfish and they feel more comfortable if someone who has dived it before is involved.

[aw]

Sheck found the remains of an old Spanish water jug there dating to the 1500s I believe. Maybe it was left there as part of Desoto’s trek north looking for gold but I always think about that when I dive there.

Why did they stop at Friedman's to fill water jugs? Why not just go down to Manatee's headspring and get water from the bathhouse? Concession stand may have been open too. Not sure the concession stand attendee's would have accepted peseta's though. . . We are talking about upper-middle Florida.

[WEPIV]

Why did they stop at Friedman's to fill water jugs? Why not just go down to Manatee's headspring and get water from the bathhouse? Concession stand may have been open too. Not sure the concession stand attendee's would have accepted peseta's though. . . We are talking about upper-middle Florida.

When a man's thirsty, he's thirsty...

[FW]

They wouldn't have "stopped at Friedman's". They probably came in from the river, up the run. They found Friedman's in the woods, and thought it might be the fountain of youth

[chilldive]

I was told a few years ago that you had to swim up to it from Catfish as well as go with someone that has entered there before. (And be full cave of course.)
I remember my first time going down that small entrance with the visibility being almost nil and then all of a sudden seeing the cave below you. What a great feeling and I still enjoy it!
Also, on a historical note -- Sheck found the remains of an old Spanish water jug there dating to the 1500s I believe. Maybe it was left there as part of Desoto’s trek north looking for gold but I always think about that when I dive there.

I've read in another thread that the notion of having to swim to Friedman is a myth or was a joke or something to that end. I was there on Friday and talked to the park personnel who check you in. They're the one's who informed of the protocol of having to dive with someone who has already done it once.

Apparently, it's a long hike to be able to enter at Friedman's. It's long enough for this lazy boy to just put in at Catfish. I'll just add an extra stage when I want to go farther. We made 2100' past Friedman on backgas. Great dive even though the vis was a little low. Vis after Friedman got better. 50 min scootering in and 60 min swimming out - we took our time and really enjoyed checking out all the cave we could see.

[WEPIV]

What about having to swim to confirm a route (and line placement) before doing a basic trust me dive following a line that you only know where it should end and not definitely, (as having not seen it with your own eyes).
I'm not saying I've done it correctly every time but I know it is safer to...

I've read in another thread that the notion of having to swim to Friedman is a myth or was a joke or something to that end. I was there on Friday and talked to the park personnel who check you in. They're the one's who informed of the protocol of having to dive with someone who has already done it once.

Apparently, it's a long hike to be able to enter at Friedman's. It's long enough for this lazy boy to just put in at Catfish. I'll just add an extra stage when I want to go farther. We made 2100' past Friedman on backgas. Great dive even though the vis was a little low. Vis after Friedman got better. 50 min scootering in and 60 min swimming out - we took our time and really enjoyed checking out all the cave we could see.

[chilldive]

What about having to swim to confirm a route (and line placement) before doing a basic trust me dive following a line that you only know where it should end and not definitely, (as having not seen it with your own eyes).
I'm not saying I've done it correctly every time but I know it is safer to...

I think I'm more focused on the word "swim". Swimming from Catfish to Friedman is not something I would want to do when I can just grab a scooter and go. I've only dove there twice and each time the flow was pretty strong. I've swam Ginnie before - ugh. Now, I only swim out to enjoy the sights and the ride - yippee.