Blue Spring requires what and type of dive is?

[MNStarfish]

New to Florida diving.

we just bought new computer and wanted to dunk our heads and get familair with computers.

We heard Blue Springs State Park good place. We looked in "Diving Guide to Underwater Florida." It says need up-to-date certification card? Which one open water or cave diver? Second it is says dive is demanding and current is strong and not a dive for begineers?

What do locals say, I was looking for fresh water place to get skills up, stay current, and not drive a long way from Space Coast.

Please provide feedback on Blue Springs or other suggestions.

Thank YOU

signed Minnesotian divers in Florida

 

[pdoege]

You need a CCard and a Buddy with a CCard.

If you have a light, leave it in the car.

You'll need to gear up at the tables and then walk your gear to the actual entrance. It is about 300'.

The current is strong coming off the spring, it is possible to tire yourself out if you swim against it.

I suggest leaving your fins off and walking up the right side of the river.

There is a nice ledge where you can rest and practice skills etc.

Blue Springs is a nice site.

Peter

edit: fixed typo

 

[Wendy]

Blue Springs is a good site to test out new gear. Open water classes are even held there. Just make sure you don't carry a light, and that you stick with your buddy. The park rangers can be less that freindly towards divers. The flow over the hole is pretty strong, but you'll be fine. Just leave your fins off and walk along the right side of the river and put your fins on once you get to the basin, and one the way out just do a drift dive up the spring run back to the steps. If you do a site check before you gear up you will see what we are talking about.

 

[The Chairman]

if your ARE Cave or Cavern certified and your buddy is too, then lights are "OK". Just make sure that you clear that with the Park Ranger du jour (and leave your Cave or Cavern C-Card) when you check in. If you AND your buddy are not cave certified, then it can be a $500 fine and the confiscation of ALL of your dive gear if you are caught. Not worth it!

As for the rangers being refered to as "Scuba Nazi's" well, thats a bit harsh. They do not understand our sport and it shows! I am not sure that they even like us much less want us around. I think "barely tolerate" is the term that best describes their attitude towards us as a whole. Do not try and engage them with any reasoning... "Yes sir, no sir" (or maam) are what they want to hear. BTW, show up BEFORE 2:00 and do NOT wait till after 5:00 to recover your c-cards (big no-no!). Once your dives are over, they want you to reclaim them ASAP. You can still stay in the park, but they want to know that you are not divers any longer.

And for the record... it is called Blue Spring (not plural).

 

[Krisscuba]

Which Blue Springs,.. ? If the one on the Mill Pond Run at Marrianna, you are allowed to dive off swimming hours, before 11 A.M and all day Monday. Will have to check in with the sherriff office and have a cave diver card. Or have a boat and dive the springs from the river.

 

[metaldector]

I've been diving there for years. The other post are exactly correct. Two other things you should know, first add about 4 extra pounds. Unlike diving in a lake or the ocean the current is pushing directly up against you. Once you're in the hole you can hover in the flow and feel exactly weightless. Second, most divers arrive by 7:45 AM so if you go without a buddy you can usually join a group. Most do two tank diving, so prepare to be there until about 12 noon. Oh, it's 72 degrees in the water year round. I wear a hood, many others don't but I'm never cold.

 

[bluebanded goby]

Hi all, had a quick question about Blue Spring State Park for you locals. I made my way through thunderstorms to get there last week for a brief swim and snorkel recon visit. It was quite rainy when I was in the water:

http://www261.pair.com/inkbox/undersea/bluespring-rain.jpg

and since I had short fins on, wasn't able to make much of a freedive penetration of the Boil:

http://www261.pair.com/inkbox/undersea/bluespring-boil.jpg

Anyway, here's my question. Several of you have mentioned the park rule that scuba divers are not allowed to carry dive lights unless they are cave-certified. I gather the boil plunges more or less straight down for about 60 feet, which is the extent of the dive for OW divers, and some passage(s) angle off to a depth of 120 feet, which is doable by cave-certified divers.

It seemed to me (visiting on a rainy, overcast day) that it looked pretty dark down there in the boil. Can you OW divers see much when you get down to 60 feet without a light?

 

[The Chairman]

No. Blue Spring is not the most interesting place to dive, and I am not sure why I have so many dives logged there!!!