Best Location for morning or evening dives near High Springs next week?

[J-Vo]

Hi All,

I know it's not great cave timing, but the opportunity to work remote in FL for a month has come up suddenly. Specifically I'm booked at @Capt Jim Wyatt 's Rum House next week, then will be down in Sarasota for three additional weeks.

What is going to be my best bet for early morning or evening dives next week?

How are conditions expected to be next week in general?

My understanding is Ginnie isn't too cooperative with cave divers these days. Is it still possible to dive after hours, and what is the process?

Thanks,

 

[rddvet]

My understanding is Ginnie isn't too cooperative with cave divers these days. Is it still possible to dive after hours, and what is the process?

Thanks,

Ginnie's likely your best bet if you're talking pre-8am. Or something like Telford. Ginnie is hit or miss. There are still a ton of people that dive Ginnie in the off hours. But there are also a handful of people who have been denied access for no reason. It actually seems to happen the most early AM when the office is opening in just a few hours. I know of 2 people in the last 90 days who arrive in the 5-8am range with annual passes and were told they'd need to wait until the office opens. No amount of arguing helped. I personally won't buy an annual pass for ginnie because I don't want to support them if they're not going to honor the 24 hour access. . And I also dive there way less than I used to. Which sucks since its one of my favorite caves.

 

[Manatee Diver]

IME if you arrive more than an hour before opening time, no one is at the gate and I drive right by.

If I arrive within an hour of opening time your experience will depend on how much the gate attendants know, and how willingly they are to listen to you. There is a form that they fill out with your plate number and annual pass information and they are supposed to let you through.

The staff that works during the week are the easiest to work with as they have been there the longest. Most of them know me and just wave me right by on my way out.

Early morning Ginnie is wonderful. My Catacombs video was filmed early mornings so as not to disturb anyone.

 

[J-Vo]

Is it possible to get into Ginnie off hours with a day pass?

 

[Manatee Diver]

Evenings, if you check in while they are open yes.

Getting in the next morning, without buying a pass for the day before, that is more tricky. They might do it if you come in right before closing. But even with an annual pass getting checked in for the next day is hit or miss.

 

[Capt Jim Wyatt]

Little River is good and it is open.
Ginnie was cloudy all the way back to 2500 feet this morning.

 

[rddvet]

IME if you arrive more than an hour before opening time, no one is at the gate and I drive right by.

If I arrive within an hour of opening time your experience will depend on how much the gate attendants know, and how willingly they are to listen to you. There is a form that they fill out with your plate number and annual pass information and they are supposed to let you through.

The staff that works during the week are the easiest to work with as they have been there the longest. Most of them know me and just wave me right by on my way out.

Early morning Ginnie is wonderful. My Catacombs video was filmed early mornings so as not to disturb anyone.

Sadly since the pandemic and the new ownership of Ginnie, they simply can’t keep a decent staff. There’s multiple reasons why I’m sure, but more importantly it’s obvious they do a horrible job of training employees and have little to no oversight over what they do. Rules are interpreted differently depending on what employee you get and what mood they’re in. It’s a shame cause I love diving Ginnie.
Every year Ginnie is becoming more of a sh-t show and care less and less about having divers there.
Wish it wasn’t the way. Even if the annual pass was the same ridiculous price it is now, if you were always guaranteed to be able to just show up and dive, I’d buy an annual pass again (had one for 11 years). After getting the “I think you have to wait until the clubhouse opens” a few times and being turned away I just can’t support them.

 

[Manatee Diver]

obvious they do a horrible job of training employees and have little to no oversight over what they do. Rules are interpreted differently depending on what employee you get and what mood they’re in.

That really is the biggest issue. As I mentioned there is a defined procedure to let annual passes in, but often the people at the gate don't know it.

If Beth were a little more friendly perhaps we could work together like GSO management and divers did in the past. But to quote someone else "I don't like playing with fire."

 

[rddvet]

If Beth were a little more friendly perhaps we could work together like GSO management and divers did in the past. But to quote someone else "I don't like playing with fire."

Sadly I agree with that perspective. I’ve dealt with her in the past and it didn’t go well. My annual pass had ccr and dpv cave on it and one of the newer employees told me I could only choose one for my wrist band. I was very nice since she was new. Beth had to come help and it didn’t go well at all.

 

[Manatee Diver]

Well to add one more occurrence.

Went on Tuesday, got there at around 7:15am. It took some cajoling to get the dude at the gate to let me through with my annual pass. I guess he finally asked someone as he let me out with just my card with no problem a few hours later.