Ginnie Springs Dive Report

[JEScholz]

Oh does that sound tempting........We did a night dive in the Ballroom and had the place all to ourselves. If you look closely at the first photo, you will find me all alone in the pool. After our first dive I had some air left so I went back in solo to burn it off. I ended up down at the grate and when I looked around, there was not another person in sight. I HAD THE ENTIRE BALLROOM AND POOL ALL TO MY SELF! It was pure solitude.

 

[DeepSeaExplorer]

Oh does that sound tempting........We did a night dive in the Ballroom and had the place all to ourselves. If you look closely at the first photo, you will find me all alone in the pool. After our first dive I had some air left so I went back in solo to burn it off. I ended up down at the grate and when I looked around, there was not another person in sight. I HAD THE ENTIRE BALLROOM AND POOL ALL TO MY SELF! It was pure solitude.

Okay... where to start. Cavern diving at night is no longer cavern diving, but I guess Ginnie is the exception. Going in to burn off air? You didn't violate minimum starting volume rules I hope. I won't touch the solo part because I do that myself, but the burning off air AND solo AND night combined sounds a little over-the-top for a first time cavern diver.

But, I'm with ya on the solitude part. There are few things better than a solo hike or dive.

 

[Ber Rabbit]

Okay... where to start. Cavern diving at night is no longer cavern diving, but I guess Ginnie is the exception.

That was what I thought and I was stunned when the staff told me we could night dive in the Ballroom. I understood once I saw the set-up with the lights in the pool so you can still see "daylight" but I was originally wondering if they were trying to kill me. I love the night dives in the Ballroom but I always put a strobe on the line just in case the electric goes out, all of our dive lights fail and the flow suddenly stops.
Ber :lilbunny:

 

[DeepSeaExplorer]

That was what I thought and I was stunned when the staff told me we could night dive in the Ballroom. I understood once I saw the set-up with the lights in the pool so you can still see "daylight" but I was originally wondering if they were trying to kill me. I love the night dives in the Ballroom but I always put a strobe on the line just in case the electric goes out, all of our dive lights fail and the flow suddenly stops.
Ber :lilbunny:

I don't have an issue with the night dive aspect; it was more the combination of things. In this particular case, there seemed to be several issues going on at one time, which bring up that whole accident analysis thing. I hope I'm just misunderstanding the original post.

 

[Ber Rabbit]

I don't have an issue with the night dive aspect; it was more the combination of things. In this particular case, there seemed to be several issues going on at one time, which bring up that whole accident analysis thing. I hope I'm just misunderstanding the original post.

I understand When I called for some basic information I told them I was bringing divers who would have completed their certification the day before and they suggested a night dive in the cavern :11:
Ber :lilbunny:

 

[DA Aquamaster]

I wouldn't get too judgemental about the oxymoron of night cavern diving in Ginnie (In cavern diving, sunlight is your required "primary" light source, so no sunlight, no cavern diving - period.) The Ballroom "cavern" at Ginnie is pretty huge by cavern standards and open with an enormous novice line and enough flow to both prevent any silt out and to pretty much blow you out even if you lose all your light. That is basically why the staff would allow a night "cavern" dive in the Ginne Ballroom and allow cavern dives by untrained open water divers.

In short it's a great place for open water divers to get a taste of cavern diving without really doing it.

That said it is still a great dive with great viz everywhere (if the students have not rototilled the pool in the last hour or so), fish to look at and 72-73 degree water temps even in January and February.

Cavern wise the nearby Devil's eye and Devil's ear caverns are I think more typical with much smaller caverns, a more restricted entrance and no gate leaving it to the diver to determine when the light zone ends. Although that system is also a high very high flow system where silt is not a factor.

I also decided that cavern and cave courses would be a nice way to pick up cave diving skills and once I did that discovered to my horror that I had been seduced by the dark side. I am now finding myself far less enthused about wreck diving (and getting blown out on half the charters) and catch myself having thoughts like quitting my job, starting a consultant business and moving to North Florida to live in a trailer and dive as often as possible.

So don't go there...cave diving could prove to be dangerous to your way of life.

 

[DeepSeaExplorer]

I wouldn't get too judgemental about the oxymoron of night cavern diving in Ginnie (In cavern diving, sunlight is your required "primary" light source, so no sunlight, no cavern diving - period.)

It's not any one issue - it's all three combined: thirds, night and solo. I'm all for personal autonomy and individual responsibility. However, it sounded like the OP was new to cavern diving, maybe not even cavern certified, and didn't realize that he MAY have been violating established protocols. Again, maybe I was misunderstanding, or he just wasn't providing enough detail. However, I was only attempting to educate. If he wants to continue after being more fully aware, I have no issue with that either.

I'm definitely trying not to be judgemental here, because that would make me a hypocrite, since last time I was there I did solo dives in both the ballroom and the cave. I am however full cave certified and aware of the risks involved.

 

[ComputerJoe]

I've been there twice. I stayed at the High Springs Inn, a quaint motel from the 50's. It was clean and a quite place to lay one's head down.

Did you get into the room on the left near the entrance? Then when you go down the spring to the Santa Fe and you see that black wall that make the viz up here look good!

 

[Ber Rabbit]

In short it's a great place for open water divers to get a taste of cavern diving without really doing it.

Yes it is and once I saw the set-up (it didn't make sense on the phone) the students did get the opportunity go do their first night dive in a cavern after doing a daylight dive there. They also did the drift from the Devils to Ginnie that afternoon even though the staff member freaked out about me taking new divers in the river because "There's a current and stuff comes out of the gloom and you know how new divers are...besides you need a flag." We had a flag and the students took turns towing it--I already know how to tow a flag.

I also decided that cavern and cave courses would be a nice way to pick up cave diving skills and once I did that discovered to my horror that I had been seduced by the dark side. I am now finding myself far less enthused about wreck diving (and getting blown out on half the charters) and catch myself having thoughts like quitting my job, starting a consultant business and moving to North Florida to live in a trailer and dive as often as possible.

So don't go there...cave diving could prove to be dangerous to your way of life.

PSSSSSSSSSSSST! *nudge *nudge I have friends who live about halfway between the Ginnie entrance on CR340 and Cave East, I think they are one or two houses down from the underwater videographer place. They've got several acres and a huge house, maybe they could trade room and board for labor
Ber :lilbunny:

 

[Notso_Ken]

PSSSSSSSSSSSST! *nudge *nudge I have friends who live about halfway between the Ginnie entrance on CR340 and Cave East, I think they are one or two houses down from the underwater videographer place. They've got several acres and a huge house, maybe they could trade room and board for labor
Ber :lilbunny:

You forgot Wink* Wink*.