First non-training dive - Ginnie Springs

[MasterFritts]

WOW, can I say WOW. First time I dove without doing training of some sort and just for pleasure.

A friend of mine (another Master in the martial arts organization) took me to Ginnie Springs on Sunday. I had a blast. We spent a ton of time just exploring the cavern where open water divers can go. That was the coolest thing I have ever seen.

Going from 15 ft vis to unlimited seeming there was awesome. Going in the cavern and poking around was sweet. He is a cave instructor so he was showing me all the stuff to see.

 

[TSandM]

Oooh, be careful! The cave bug lives in places like that, and once you contract it, you are lost . . .

Go do a bunch of non-training dives, and then come back and do a cavern class. You'll love it, and it will improve your diving skills enormously.

I can't end this post, though, without reminding you to be careful about where you go until you are trained. The double fatality from just a few days ago was an OW diver with a cave-trained companion; having one person know what they are doing doesn't guarantee a good outcome.

 

[cmufieldhockey8]

Ginnie is where I got bit by the cave bug too. Definitely very cool.

And since you were with a cave instructor, it looks like what you did was safe too. Even cooler.

 

[Hetland]

Cave-Shmave :tongue2: REAL divers have saltwater in their veins :joke:

Seriously though, welcome to the wonderful world of diving. Lots of folks here that love the sport and are happy to go diving at a moments notice.

Hope to see you soon, and stay away from those boring old caves

 

[MasterFritts]

Thanks all. One thing about me is I am overly cautious. I guess it comes from being a pilot too. While I always strive to attain greater abilities, I will always get adequate training first. One day (I am thinking 2-3 years of diving down the road) I want to do cave diving, wreck diving, etc.

It is all so addicting.

 

[SuPrBuGmAn]

Hope to see you soon, and stay away from those boring old caves

If only you knew

 

[brockbr]

WOW, can I say WOW. First time I dove without doing training of some sort and just for pleasure.

A friend of mine (another Master in the martial arts organization) took me to Ginnie Springs on Sunday. I had a blast. We spent a ton of time just exploring the cavern where open water divers can go. That was the coolest thing I have ever seen.

Going from 15 ft vis to unlimited seeming there was awesome. Going in the cavern and poking around was sweet. He is a cave instructor so he was showing me all the stuff to see.

Caves are diving crack

 

[Hetland]

If only you knew

That's what people keep telling me but... *pulls pin from flame grenade* I think you would have to put gold bars or nekkid mermaids in those things to make them interesting to me. *throws flame grenade and runs* While I agree that caves/caverns both above and below water are beautiful, they can't compare to the mystery and beauty of the reef.

Now if you have a line on some gold bars, nekkid mermaids, or perhaps better, saltwater caves with gold AND nekkid mermaids, then I'll go buy a 8' reg hose and sign up for some classes :tongue2:

/hijack

 

[PerroneFord]

Now if you have a line on some gold bars, nekkid mermaids, or perhaps better, saltwater caves with gold AND nekkid mermaids, then I'll go buy a 8' reg hose and sign up for some classes :tongue2:

/hijack

Weeki Wachee Springs - Mermaids of Weeki Wachee!

Karst Underwater Research Weeki Wachee Spring

How's that?

 

[Hetland]

Weeki Wachee Springs - Mermaids of Weeki Wachee!

Karst Underwater Research Weeki Wachee Spring

How's that?

Weeki Wachee was already on my list, but I did not know about the survey you posted, which in all seriousness, is pretty cool (though no gold was found). To me, that would be the lure of cave diving, exploring areas that had yet to be explored. Sadly, the depths and dive times involved would require me to go into the technical/rebreather end of diving, and the technology is not where it needs to be for me to be comfortable with that yet. Perhaps one day. In the meantime, I'll keep my eyes out for those mermaids