3-5-5 Cypress Springs Dive Report

[SuPrBuGmAn]

Today started out a bit chilly, in the low 40ºsF, when we started loading up the truck around 5:45 this morning. Forecast was calling for highs in the 70ºs, but that was obviously a few hours away. Starting off cold, Mikey Paul and I headed out to meet up with jlayman(ScubaBoarder from MS) and his neighbor at Vortex Springs at 8AM. We'd rent a canoe and head to the boat launch on 277(about 1 mile downstream from Cypress Springs). It was a sunny day and we got to see the sunrise on our way to Vortex - couldn't have asked for better surface conditions

Once we made it to the basin and tied off the canoes, jlayman's computer was reading air temps in the 60ºs and still climbing. We threw our gear in the water and then ourselves to don-in-water. Water was a refreshing 68ºF and gin clear, you could see clear across the basin and pretty far down the spring run until everything just became washed out in blue. We headed into the cavern off the bat to enjoy the overhead environment filled with bream, rock bass, carp, and eels. After we ascended from the cavern we explored the spring basin and the cypress trees that outskirt the spring run. There were bass, bream, and even pike hiding in the submerged trees, uw vegatation, and various nooks-n-crannies in the limestone. We also found a small snapping turtle hanging around the trees. Cypress is one hellova nice spring, if you haven't been - you should add it to your list of to-do's. Its a hellova nice place to get reaquainted with your camera gear too

We did two very leisurely dives with a long lazy SI. The weather was great and water was spottless. We had the spring to ourselves again, it seems as though a canoe entry scares most people away, and who could be happier? By the time we were leaving, air temps were in the mid 70ºs. On our way home, we got to see the sunset, again into fairly clear skies. What a day!

I'll be heading back to FL again tomorrow to see what Morrison has in store for me

I'll attach some pics, the rest can be found at http://www.suprbugman.com/gallery/album59

 

[Corigan]

Great report Mat. I am glad to see you back in action after you accident. I hope morrison is a great day for you as well. I dove in Lake Lanier yesterday around here, it was 46 degrees. Oh how I wish I was down in NFL with you all. I guess there is always next weekend.. I can't wait to try out cypress one of these days, the pics are great.

Matt

 

[Timeliner]

That's some Cool stuff and great pictures too. It's got me all excited. We're going to be down that way next weekend and all of Spring Break and hope to make it by the Vortex and also do the jetties in Destin.

 

[jviehe]

Nice job, suprbugman. Tell ya what. If I dont have adv nitrox dives in 2 weeks, I will committ to coming west. Maybe we can do jetties also. You just need to get intro certed so we can do some cave dives at JB. Or hell, we can take a boat up to the cavern.

 

[SuPrBuGmAn]

Thanks for all the comments on the pictures.

If I dont have adv nitrox dives in 2 weeks, I will committ to coming west. You just need to get intro certed so we can do some cave dives at JB. Or hell, we can take a boat up to the cavern.

Funny thing is, in two weeks, I may be heading east to central FL to dive Ginnie...or somewhere near it. One of these days, our schedules will work out - they can't always work against each other.

Did I mention I have a little inflatable that should be ample to get 2 people up to JB? I'd still like to verify that its not illegal for me to dive it(or atleast not step on anyone's toes - making it harder for the right people to get access). Intro is a long way away for me, I do want to get cavern cert'd by the end of the summer though - atleast then I can be legit when I jump into these holes in the earth.

 

[jviehe]

Ah well, maybe Ill just head that way then. ITs definetly legal to dive JB form a boat. Im sure the cave divers woud be pissed though (darn). Id be fine going with you into the first cavern, but not much further. It might be boring if your not cavern trained. Definetly a cert worth getting up here.

 

[SuPrBuGmAn]

Id be fine going with you into the first cavern, but not much further.

From what I hear, the first cavern has a rocky-sandy bottom that won't easily kick up(kinda like Morrison/Cypress/Ginnie/ect) and I hear its a pretty nice cavern. That would be as far as I would want to go. I don't want to get in over my head.

 

[SeaYoda]

Thanks for the report - still looks very nice. The camera seems to be working great. Can't wait until Saturday at St. Andrews.