From the Orlando Sentinel
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/spor...?coll=orl-sports-headlines&ctrack=1&cset=true
Divers take the plunge
A unique underwater world awaits those who train to become certified scuba divers
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By George Diaz | Sentinel Staff Writer
Posted March 24, 2005
BLUE SPRING STATE PARK -- You feel the power of the water upon descending into a vertical tapestry of rock shelves and crevices. The sunlight trickling in from above allows decent visibility until 60 feet, where an ominous sign warns divers abut the dangers of going deeper.
Divers and instructors have drowned because of mistakes made while plunging into the strong flow bubbling from a boil below at 120 feet.
A group of six divers have Blue Spring, near Orange City, to themselves on a recent weekday morning, allowing a leisurely pace after walking -- with dive gear in tow -- about a quarter-mile from the parking lot to the entry point of the springs. The 72-degree water -- which never fluctuates -- is refreshing as the divers strap on their fins, snuggle masks over their heads and prepare to plunge at a wide basin that shrinks quickly as they descend.
The walk will be the most difficult part of the journey. Despite the warnings, plunging into springs or open waters in Florida is not dangerous -- given proper planning and instruction.
Like many things in the world, scuba diving is an acquired taste. Anyone with claustrophobic tendencies or forever traumatized by soundtrack from Jaws is better off on dry land.
But for any diver who has seen another world through the prism of a mask, the rush is truly exhilarating.
As April nears and the water temperature rises, the sea beckons divers once again. Local dive-shop operators estimate that 2,000 divers are certified yearly in Central Florida. "If you've got good training you're not going to get yourself into trouble, and hopefully your buddy has good training too," said Keith Mattson, who has run the Dive Station out of Edgewater Drive for 20 years. "In the water is where it's at."
Certification through two certifying entities, PADI or NAUI, allows scuba divers access to most dive sites in the world. A typical certification course involves class work (usually a CD-ROM), pool instruction and four open-water dives, usually spanning over a 10-day to two-week cycle.
By the end of the certification sessions, a student should have the fundamental knowledge and skills to scuba dive. A 60-foot depth limit is imposed unless one takes further instruction.
Progressive certification courses -- including advanced open water, rescue diver, nitrox course -- are available for those interested in expanding their skills.
"We have a saying -- LDS -- local dive shop," said instructor Tom Johnson, who runs the DAYO Scuba operation in Orlando. "It's not the agency, it's who they are comfortable with."
Scuba diving should not be difficult or dangerous. At its essence, it is a leisure activity that allows someone to swim effortlessly with the fishes, big and small. The training involves familiarity with the equipment, and what to do in emergency situations (mask comes off, no air).
The two most challenging hiccups for beginning divers usually involves mask-clearing (taking a mask off and putting it back on underwater) and achieving neutral buoyancy by using the proper amount of free weights, in conjunction with breathing techniques and a buoyancy compensation device.
"The hardest thing seems to be mask-clearing skills," Mattson said. "We're trained to breathe through our nose and if there is flooding in the mask they think about that and take in water through the nose. Fortunately, we can catch that in the pool."
Pool training allows students to get comfortable in a controlled environment before progressing to more training in Blue Spring, De Leon Springs or another enclosed area, followed by open-water diving. Most certification dives for divers in Central Florida are in West Palm Beach, which has an abundance of reefs and marine life. It includes five species of large sea turtles, moray eels, nurse sharks and a colorful variety of tropical and sport fish. Shark disclaimer: The majority of sharks are non-aggressive and do not consider divers a potential entrée.
Diving at Blue Spring is mostly fish-free in comparison to ocean dives, though there are plenty of bluegills and blue cats, largemouth bass, and speckled perch.
After the dive, Johnson is back at the wide basin, where he is chatting with two of his students. Jan Warshaw, from Illinois, is here getting cavern-certified. J.R. Maxey of Winter Springs is testing a mask before going on an open-water dive.
"He puts a lot of effort into teaching you, not rushing you to learn," Maxey said of Johnson. "Comfort level is important."
Landlubbers might call them thrill-seekers, not knowing the joys of entering a colorful world free from nattering cell phones and co-workers.
There is usually a quiet calm to the ocean, where the only sound comes from the air bubbles of a regulator ascending to the surface.
George Diaz can be reached at
gdiaz@orlandosentinel.com.
