Florida cave country and looking for buddies

[Mark Vlahos]

I will be in cave country for a few days in the not too distant future, and I am looking for buddies!

I will be able to drive up from Orlando from Wednesday March 26 thru Friday March 28. On each of these days I would need to be back in Orlando cleaned up and ready for work by 6PM.

The following week I will be taking some time off from work and I will drive down from Birmingham to stay in the area. My accommodations are not yet set so I am extremely flexible on this trip. I expect to be in the area starting late morning Wednesday April 2, and need to drive back up to Birmingham Saturday April 5, departing sometime in the early afternoon.

Please feel free to reply in this thread or via PM.

I am full cave, but don't get to spend nearly as much time in cave country as I would like. It would be reasonable to expect that my skills would be comparable to a recently minted full cave diver, and not those of an area resident who spends lots of time in the overhead.

Mark Vlahos

 

[Eileentk]

You may want to check the conditions before you head up there. Little River was siphoning earlier this month and may not be diveable for quite awhile. Peacock was also closed earlier this month due to river water incursion (zero viz). Last that I heard Ginnie's was still open and a temporary/permanent line has been run from the eye to the gold line (the ear was trashed from river water).

 

[Meng_Tze]

The ear is still diveable. Once you get past the intrusion, it is clear.

Ginnie is very busy now that most other systems are not diveable, so when you come up, be prepared for a lot of divers in the system, clearly silting up some parts.

 

[Mark Vlahos]

I am still looking for the ever elusive buddy! Ginnie mid day, mid week, shouldn't be too bad. Even if it is crowded I've dealt with that before, just let the exiting teams have the right of way.

What I don't want to do is drive up without something lined up only to drive back still dry.

Bueller, Bueller, Bueller...


Mark Vlahos

 

[LiteHedded]

if it wasn't during the middle of the week I'd dive with ya
of course I'm just a lowly cavern diver until next weekend =)
if ginnie is too crowded try manatee

 

[DeepSeaExplorer]

I am still looking for the ever elusive buddy! Ginnie mid day, mid week, shouldn't be too bad. Even if it is crowded I've dealt with that before, just let the exiting teams have the right of way.

What I don't want to do is drive up without something lined up only to drive back still dry.

Bueller, Bueller, Bueller...


Mark Vlahos

Go to Ginnie and do a pickup dive. If it's busy, you should be able to find someone to dive with. I have done this numerous times and have met some good dive buddies.

 

[contender]

You have a pm.

 

[Mark Vlahos]

You have a pm.

As do You!

Mark Vlahos

 

[Mark Vlahos]

if it wasn't during the middle of the week I'd dive with ya
of course I'm just a lowly cavern diver until next weekend =)
if ginnie is too crowded try manatee

Nothing lowly about cavern.

Remember, cavern is more advanced than most divers ever get.

You said "next weekend," I assume that you will be taking Intro. Would some part of my week from Birmingham work out for you? Of course it is still weekdays, but there is still the last morning on Saturday the 5th of April. Or is that the weekend you are talking about?

Mark Vlahos

 

[jeandiver]

And ME out in California this week (sniff)
Oh wait , you said you are looking for a buddy , not a silt slug.

Jean