Blue Springs 3/20 am

[simbrooks]

We are going to make the long haul (40 mins) up I-4 to Blue Springs for a couple of am dives. Havent been there yet, so we should spend one just exploring and maybe another tank working on new gear configuration, etc.

Dont know if anyone else would like to come along, we are aiming at being there around 9-9.30 for most of the morning.

 

[Wendy]

I was planning on going there on Sunday with a friend.

Just remember no lights, never leave your buddy, and stay 50' away from the manatees. The rangers there are not nice all the time.

 

[simbrooks]

Do that manatees come into the swimming hole or around the area of wherever this cavern is?

Lights are staying at home this weekend. Sunday is not a good day for us to go, hope you have fun there though.

 

[aihfl]

The manatees seem to stay mostly in the lower end of the spring run. I might be interested in coming up and doing a dive that morning. I'll let you know for certain later.

 

[H2Andy]

we were there last week, and there were no manatees. one of the rangers said they've been gone for a while now.

 

[The Chairman]

They leave around the end of February... They will close the spring to diving if they are in the boil area. "Not Friendly" is very diplomatic Wendy.

 

[simbrooks]

Ok, we have one potential taker in Aihfl who is going to meet us at the gate as he doesnt have a buddy. Any of you others interested in coming along? Or are you all teaching, elsewhere or other plans? Although i like the cute/but kind of wrinkly manatees and have dived with them, if they were to stop me from diving, i would prefer them out of there - i guess they are for another 8/9 months now.

Still looking at arriving around 9ish

 

[iflyprops]

Blue Springs Park Rangers = EVIL

I know H2Andy has some experience with this as well! I don't really see what the big deal about the cavern there is, besides being a state park. Blue Grotto is a harder dive in my opinion!

 

[Wendy]

Blue Springs Park Rangers = EVIL

I know H2Andy has some experience with this as well! I don't really see what the big deal about the cavern there is, besides being a state park. Blue Grotto is a harder dive in my opinion!

The big deal with the cavern would be that it is an overhead and untrained divers should not be in there. Its deep, its dark, and its high flow. Any number of problems could occur that some one not trained for overhead diving could get into trouble. Besides its the state's rules and if we make the state mad they could just ban us from diving in any state park all together.

 

[OneBrightGator]

Ditto what Wendy said.

Most of the privately owned springs in the area (Blue Grotto included) are encouraging OW divers to go beyond thier skill and training, they are in the wrong, not the state parks. Please follow the rules.

Oh, and I have to teach this weekend, otherwise I'd be going with one of you guys.

Ben