We needed February dives and although we have been sick we just couldnt waste the most beautiful weekend in a long while. We headed to Vortex bright and early this morning and got there around ten. The spring was kind of crowded with lots of students and we lucked out on a parking place. Shane was kind enough to get us a couple of oxygen sensors from Oxycheq so we left him a few Blue Label Chimays on his desk. Now were back in business for the Nitrox class Wednesday evening.
We chose tables in the sun and began the tedium of setting up gear and watching people. Every shape, form, and type was there today. Most of them were anxious new divers who were braving the chilly air in wetsuits. We learned that there was an event deep in the aquifer last Saturday around 6 am. It clouded out the water and they had to drop the level way down and let the spring refill to clear. All was clear in the cave today and the spring was not as bad as I thought it would be with so many students. The flow is strong and the water clears quickly.
Eddie reported that they did have snow last week. That would have been interesting to dive in the snow. I was there at the shallow platform once during a hailstorm and that was indeed exhilarating. Wish I could get some pictures. I have seen pictures of the beaches at Panama City covered with snow some years back
Anyway we tried out the new Sea-Doo scooter and it is so much fun. We zoomed into the cave almost to the grate. The scooter is rated to 100 feet so we left it at 90 and explored the hole. The water was clear and even seemed warm.
The crowd dispersed in the afternoon and left us alone in the spring. We went a little ways into the cave and explored the entire little swim-through areas and then we went into the creek run. We learned very quickly that the water in the creek is colder than that in the spring. The scooter worked very well against the current coming back upstream
.
We found a piece of pottery and a rock that is translucent like a gem. We also found a super piece of fossilized bone about eight inches long.
With reluctance we rinsed the gear and packed. The sunshine felt wonderful out of the wind. We agreed that we couldnt have picked a better day as we ate Subways in Samson.
We chose tables in the sun and began the tedium of setting up gear and watching people. Every shape, form, and type was there today. Most of them were anxious new divers who were braving the chilly air in wetsuits. We learned that there was an event deep in the aquifer last Saturday around 6 am. It clouded out the water and they had to drop the level way down and let the spring refill to clear. All was clear in the cave today and the spring was not as bad as I thought it would be with so many students. The flow is strong and the water clears quickly.
Eddie reported that they did have snow last week. That would have been interesting to dive in the snow. I was there at the shallow platform once during a hailstorm and that was indeed exhilarating. Wish I could get some pictures. I have seen pictures of the beaches at Panama City covered with snow some years back
Anyway we tried out the new Sea-Doo scooter and it is so much fun. We zoomed into the cave almost to the grate. The scooter is rated to 100 feet so we left it at 90 and explored the hole. The water was clear and even seemed warm.
The crowd dispersed in the afternoon and left us alone in the spring. We went a little ways into the cave and explored the entire little swim-through areas and then we went into the creek run. We learned very quickly that the water in the creek is colder than that in the spring. The scooter worked very well against the current coming back upstream
.
We found a piece of pottery and a rock that is translucent like a gem. We also found a super piece of fossilized bone about eight inches long.
With reluctance we rinsed the gear and packed. The sunshine felt wonderful out of the wind. We agreed that we couldnt have picked a better day as we ate Subways in Samson.
