Do not dive at Blue Springs in the winter!

[simbrooks]

It seems the folks that frequent this site most often (i cant think of anyone who has dived as much at Blue Spring as metaldetector) and have read the rules have no problems sticking to them.

 

[reefsavers.org]

Amazingly, this boils down to the rangers at the park. In my only experience there the Ranger happened to be elsewhere at the time. My buddy and I geared up and hit the water, he a little ahead of me since I was playing picture hound..

I finally hopped in the water and began to swim up to meet him near the spring. During the entire time we'd been there so far, no manatee's had been seen in the park at all - the next thing I know I'm being bumped by one of the largest I'd ever seen and the tiniest I'd ever seen.... awww mama and brand new new born! Mama races back up toward the sink and there's my buddy and 2 snorkelers up on a fallen tree! After making sure they weren't leaving to follow she zips back, collects the baby who'd been hanging out with me and left. Come to find out she RAMMED my buddy in the hip so hard he had a bruised side and cheek out of it!

Anyway, moral of the story: The Blue Spring ranger is a ticket happy person who I am glad we didnt run into that day because we'd have been ticketed for the manatee showing up and treating my buddy like an aqua rodeo clown!

thats exactly what happened to us but there were at least 25 and there was no room at all. we could of walked across the river on their backs.

 

[pipedope]

Let's not get personal in here.

It seems to me that if the conditions are such that diving cannot be done within the rules the Ranger should close the park to diving and NOT collect any fees for diving.

Considering how the lines are to get in the park they should post the closing at the gate also.

 

[Scuba_Dad]

The Ranger only gave you a Warning. Normally, fines aren't associated with Warnings. Also.. did you ask the Ranger how you could have avoided the situation that cost you a Warning?

I do believe you did what you thought was correct, but ended up on the wrong side of the Park Ranger. Sorry to hear that happened, but... an explanation of how to avoid the situation that cost you the Warning.

 

[FL_Chad]

It is quite obvious that most of you who think this is reasonable have no clue how long this manatee debacle has been going on (and I dont just mean in the springs). Like what you are implying to do, accepting it because it is the "rules" has finally gotten old enough that people are uniting and fighting it and uncovering the flawed science used to dupe the public for so long. It is amazing to me that some people's solution is to give up their right to responsibly enjoy one of the unique wonders of FL. I may not have been diving that long, but I have lived here my whole life and enjoyed my time on, in and around the water most of it. Darned if I am going to give that up as some of you imply.

 

[adurso]

have no clue how long this manatee debacle has been going on (and I dont just mean in the springs). Like what you are implying to do, accepting it because it is the "rules" has finally gotten old enough that people are uniting and fighting it and uncovering the flawed science used to dupe the public for so long. .

Can you enlighten those of us clueless folks as to what the manatee debacle actually is? And what flawed science has been duping us in reference to what?

 

[OneBrightGator]

My issue is not with manatee protection, the measures in place now may be extreme, I don't have the background nor have I done the research as you evidently have to generate such a strong opinion.

My issue is with SCUBA divers breaking rules in State Parks. I love to dive in State Parks, I spend close to every weekend in one or another. If the rangers see a trend (real or not) of divers breaking rules we won't be allowed to dive at all, how's that for losing the right to enjoy one of the unique wonders of FL?

 

[FL_Chad]

adurso, I dont mean to come across like I am some kind of authority on the subject, so sorry if I did - I know enough to be slightly informed, truth be known. Also, it may be out of context with the spring conversation here as this mainly pertains to manatee zones for boats, but to me it all is linked that we have had it shoved down our throats with walking on eggshells anytime the word manatee is said.

SMC got the general public aware of the danger of boats and manatees. Manatee zones were formed. No one really studied their effect, good or bad. SMC continued to lobby for more zones. More zones are issued, and more water access is lost. Meanwhile, manatee numbers are on the rise while SMC is still preaching they are on the virge of extenction. Finally, after suing the govt which put them in their back pocket for whatever they wanted, some other informed people starting questioning their science. It gets alot deeper, but that is the jist as I beleive it. SMC generates ALOT of money donations and if you look at their public budget, much of it goes to lawyers and people's salaries. Imagine if they admit that the manatee is saved. What happens to them then? No need for SMC anymore since they can claim victory; what to do now - go out and get a real job? This is just my opinion on it and you know what they say about those. Pertaining to the spring - if this whole uproar about the tees wasnt such a big deal, we could share the water reasonably (current rules sure dont seem reasonable) so long as people were not harassing them.

OBG - you seem to always be full or sarcastic jokes to people. the best one yet is your screen name. I'm 31, by the way.

 

[JustJoe]

Quite a bit of the manatee problem exists because the general public reads that they are endangered and must be saved. What they do not understand is that their natural habitat is quite small compared to the entire State of Fl. Considering the fact that the Indian Manatee never took up residence in the Caloosahatchee River until FPL built a power plant, we are now expected to "save" them here. It is such a farce that after a rebuild of the plant to eliminate heated water emissions, FPL was sued to continue the practice because of the threat of endangering the unnatural environment for the manatees.

Back to the subject. The springs are the natural habitat for the manatee. We as divers should not molest them there. I also know that just being in the proximity of the animals does not qualify as harassment.

BTW, manatee is an excellent food source. Contact me privately for recipes.

Joe

 

[simbrooks]

To further clarify Ben's arguement about state park access - how many of us have seen non-cavern/cave trained individuals diving with lights contrary to the no-lights rule? I am not saying i am completely without spot on that as i did once on one of my first dives, but havent since until i got my training and saw how dangerous it is. There are other rules out there about buddy diving and of course avoiding the manatees - do we purposely go out to break rules and laws each day? Can you see the chain of events where parks get shut down due to divers being unthoughtful and breaking the rules? Look at Blue Spring with its beautiful rock formations, which some dumb divers have defaced with their knives and put graffiti up on, others have stolen the reaper sign on more than one occasion - in fact as long as i have been diving there it hasnt been in place, only a stump of post where the sign used to be. I see folks diving on cavern certs going into the caves of some other springs, way beyond the daylight zone - they really should know better though. I would like to continue to access the state parks for years to come if possible, this means i am willing to live by their rules as they are the authority there - same as the mods are on here and you should really play by those rules as well (which includes NO PERSONAL ATTACKS), i'll ask Mike or another to revisit this thread and clean it up a bit

BTW i can see if from the other side, sometimes the rules are overtightened by overzealous folks, it happens, if we campaign against it legally (ie not breaking rules) they might well change it. If the difference is just not getting up close to the manatees, i can live with that.