Florida springs question?

[double125's]

hello all,
This is my first post on this forum, so please be gentle. I had a question about florida springs. I read a post on this forum stating solo diving is not permitted at Ginne spings, is this true. I am planning on visiting ginnie, blue grotto, vortex and morrison. Any info you could give me on these springs would be greatly appreciated, especially if they do not allow solo diving. I do recoganize the dangers of solo diving but I dive redundant. As for having a unfamiliar buddy I dont like taking that risk. I believe in being responsible for myself and myself only. I am not opposed to having a buddy, however I dont want my dive planning revolving around picking up the first person who came stag. I dont want this to turn into a debate about solo diving I just needed to clarify why I was interested in the solo aspect of there rules and regs. Thanks in advance.

 

[100days-a-year]

Ginnie gets dove solo.I have no idea if it's allowed.PM Divesherpa,it's his 2nd home .

 

[herman]

I don't remember seeing the scuba police around Ginnie or some of the other springs. Kind of doubt you will be questioned. I have seem them watching pretty close for lights in the Devil system however. Fact is, if there is much of a crowd, you are "same ocean" buddy diving, like it or not. As an alternative, if you ask around here I suspect you might be able to pick a good quality buddy. A lot of friendships have been made here that way. Worth a try.

 

[Dr. Jay]

If I may ask.....

....when do you plan on heading down?

 

[Waterborne]

I will be moving down to Jacksonville on Friday. I'll be going to school there but I'll have the weekends off and some weekdays. Kind of a big change for me as I don't know anybody there. I'd love to get out and enjoy the springs as well as the ocean if anyone needs a buddy and doesn't mind a little orientation. If anyone wants a buddy pm me. I'll be offline for the weekend but once I get moved in, I'll be back up and running.

 

[chuckrt]

I no that Manatee Springs State park states no solos and when you check in they will no if you have a buddy as they keep your c-card. Devils Den is very rigid as well,they tried to buddy up a third with us but he didn't have enough time to get the dive in. Most of the Springs I have visited will no if you are solo when you check in without a buddy because of filling in the release forms and no one is there with you.
Good luck and enjoy the diving in FL.

chuckrt

 

[double125's]

I will be in biloxi from 14 apr until 2 may, that opens up 2 weekends for me, one of which will be a 3 day weekend. As a rough plan I would like to hit vortex 19 apr, morrison on 20 apr,ginnie on 25 apr, blue grotto on the 26th and leave the 27th open for whatever spring I feel like going to.

 

[Wendy]

All state parks in Florida don't allow solo diving, not sure about the privately owned places you mentioned.

 

[vodolaz]

I don't know if it's allowed in Ginnie, but no one said anything to me when I dove solo there last year.

Lucky thing no one noticed the scout lights I'd forgotten to remove when I moved from the Ginnie cavern to the Devil's spring run, where lights are forbidden to OW divers. I didn't use them for peering into the Devil's system, and I strongly recommend that no one else do so without proper certification.

 

[jdb]

I know that Vortex and Morrisons allow solo, and I believe that Ginnie does also.