Florida Cave Watch...

[Bowers]

thank you for the update, as an ohio diver, updates like these can save me a lot of driving and headache! (i squeeked in a couple weeks ago right before P1 went under )

 

[kensuf]

Looks like I picked a good week to go to Bonaire.

 

[Bowers]

when does the weather in northern florida warm up enough (and have worthwhile viz) for wetsuit diving again? ill be acclimated to ohio so im thinking comfortable would be air temps nearing mid 60s..

 

[PfcAJ]

when does the weather in northern florida warm up enough (and have worthwhile viz) for wetsuit diving again? ill be acclimated to ohio so im thinking comfortable would be air temps nearing mid 60s..

Water temp is constant 68-72.

It’s 75 and sunny today in Gainesville. Could be 30 degrees and raining in a week. Ya just never know.

March is a good bet for all around comfy temps. Still rains, though. It always rains.

 

[WetRocks]

I believe the caves West of Tallahassee are still open... please chime in if they are not.

Yep. Millpond caves are good to go: JB is pumping and Hole in the Wall viz is reportedly quite good for winter conditions. Chipola River is too high for Bozel or Maund but Maddachalk should be fine.

No recent reports on the river caves further West but Ebro should be good.

 

[Dominick Gheesling]

Conditions yesterday, Friday 28 December at Ginnie Spring: The real bright spot is that the flow is so low that I think I had to actually swim to exit the Gallery yesterday. Seriously, on the way in I could just hang in space up in the ceiling of the Gallery. If you like seeing other divers, now is the time to go with half the population here (the other half split between Manatee and the Millpond). Over at Jackson Blue on, Thursday 27 December: Most flow this new Cave Diver has experienced and confirmed from more seasoned divers that the flow is indeed up. Visibility is a bit milky. The flow is everywhere. We planned to avoid some of it by hanging in the front of the cave, Horseshoe circuit, lower cave to the left below the Stop sign. That flow was everywhere!!! Really good experience laying lines and multiple jumps in high flow. FL/GA just received a ton of rain yesterday/last night (Friday 28 December) so definitely worth checking for conditions before traveling.
Run at Ginnie:

A few tanks:

JB Thursday 27th:

Clear water means tanks:

 

[cerich]

Conditions yesterday, Friday 28 December at Ginnie Spring: The real bright spot is that the flow is so low that I think I had to actually swim to exit the Gallery yesterday. Seriously, on the way in I could just hang in space up in the ceiling of the Gallery. If you like seeing other divers, now is the time to go with half the population here (the other half split between Manatee and the Millpond). Over at Jackson Blue on, Thursday 27 December: Most flow this new Cave Diver has experienced and confirmed from more seasoned divers that the flow is indeed up. Visibility is a bit milky. The flow is everywhere. We planned to avoid some of it by hanging in the front of the cave, Horseshoe circuit, lower cave to the left below the Stop sign. That flow was everywhere!!! Really good experience laying lines and multiple jumps in high flow. FL/GA just received a ton of rain yesterday/last night (Friday 28 December) so definitely worth checking for conditions before traveling.
Run at Ginnie:

A few tanks:

JB Thursday 27th:

Clear water means tanks:

Last week Edd and I went for a fun dive swimming in JB. For the first time ever in hundreds of dives with Edd I saw him do some pull and glides (outside training) and as you say, the flow was everywhere.

It still very divable and if you like looking for things like shark teeth, now is the time to get there.. seriously.

 

[The Chairman]

@tbone1004 and I visited Peacock today. It's a bit cooler than normal and the vis sucked. The problem is that it got worse to the point that I turned the dive within 20 ft of Olsen Sink. I don't think I've stuck this close to a line since I was first certified Cavern. It was a cool, albeit spooky dive and I don't ever remember it looking quite like this.

On a side note, my SF2 did awesome and kept me warm throughout the dive. We'll probably be back there in the am.

 

[The Chairman]

As a side note, Little River opened this past week for two days. The river rose again, so it's now been closed.

 

[Caveeagle]

As a side note, Little River opened this past week for two days. The river rose again, so it's now been closed.

I went past Little River yesterday in my boat. Water was up past the second landing, and the cement terraces were all completely submerged. I did not see a boil. But I can tell you they water temp in the run was 65*, and 60* out in the river, so there is decent enough flow out of the cave to warm up the run by 5*