Anyone dive Crystal River Cavern in Florida?

[frndrfoe]

I guess when someone asks why primary lights are so expensive they should watch something like this.

made my stomach hurt

 

[lerpy]

I will state what has already been stated, you are a new OW diver with only 9 dives, you have no business in an overhead environment, you do not have enough dives to have good buoyancy control, so you will silt it out. What makes you think as a brand new diver you have the ability to go into an overhead environment, where you are likely to end up in a very low vis situation?

I would also seriously question the integrity of the instructor that certifies someone as OW then within 9 dives takes them on a trust me dive into a place they know you have no business.

 

[Uber Dave]

I agree....bad Idea

 

[Marie13]

OP, I've only got 9 dives, as well. You can be danged sure I know better than to go into an overhead environment.

Why are you even considering this?

 

[Rapid Star]

Why are you even considering this?

I have to imagine that the OP is considering this because her instructor or the "more adventurous divers" at her LDS told her "it will be fine". Or worse someone spoke those two words that strike fear in the hearts of those of us who know better, "trust me".

OP listen to what is being said by divers with much more experience and do not attempt this dive! The cavern will still be there later when you are more experienced and have taken the proper courses for entering an overhead environment. Wait until then.

 

[Marie13]

I have to imagine that the OP is considering this because her instructor or the "more adventurous divers" at her LDS told her "it will be fine". Or worse someone spoke those two words that strike fear in the hearts of those of us who know better, "trust me".

OP listen to what is being said by divers with much more experience and do not attempt this dive! The cavern will still be there later when you are more experienced and have taken the proper courses for entering an overhead environment. Wait until then.

My instructors quoted the following many times to us: "Live to dive another day."

 

[Lorenzoid]

FL cave divers, is my understanding correct that the "Ballroom" cavern at Ginnie Springs is the only FL cavern that is generally accepted as being suitable for non-cavern/cave trained divers? (And even then there have been occasional incidents.)

 

[Yancey M]

FL cave divers, is my understanding correct that the "Ballroom" cavern at Ginnie Springs is the only FL cavern that is generally accepted as being suitable for non-cavern/cave trained divers? (And even then there have been occasional incidents.)

Their(Gennie Springs) website says:
"Ginnie Cavern is among the handful of sites that experts consider sufficiently safe to allow exploration by divers who lack formal cavern or cave diver training."

And:
"Certified divers of all experience levels may take lights into the water with them at Ginnie Spring and use these lights to explore the underwater cavern. "

So it sounds like you're correct.

With that said. I pretty well agree with everyone else on this subject. The dive the OP is talking about is a bad idea with an outcome that could possibly end in demise. Even if you look at it with the glass half full perspective that it could go down without an issue the risk far outweighs the reward.

 

[Lorenzoid]

Their(Gennie Springs) website says:
"Ginnie Cavern is among the handful of sites that experts consider sufficiently safe to allow exploration by divers who lack formal cavern or cave diver training."

. . .

Good info. So I guess my question would be whether the "experts" consider Kings Spring at Crystal River to be "among the handful"? Anyone know what others might be in this "handful"?

 

[kelemvor]

Their(Gennie Springs) website says:
"Ginnie Cavern is among the handful of sites that experts consider sufficiently safe to allow exploration by divers who lack formal cavern or cave diver training."

And:
"Certified divers of all experience levels may take lights into the water with them at Ginnie Spring and use these lights to explore the underwater cavern. "

So it sounds like you're correct.

With that said. I pretty well agree with everyone else on this subject. The dive the OP is talking about is a bad idea with an outcome that could possibly end in demise. Even if you look at it with the glass half full perspective that it could go down without an issue the risk far outweighs the reward.

I think I dove the ballroom as dive #3 after getting my OW certification. I went back many times. A few years later, I started cave training in the ballroom.