Ginnie Springs Dive Report

[JEScholz]

Okay... where to start. Cavern diving at night is no longer cavern diving, but I guess Ginnie is the exception. Going in to burn off air? You didn't violate minimum starting volume rules I hope. I won't touch the solo part because I do that myself, but the burning off air AND solo AND night combined sounds a little over-the-top for a first time cavern diver.

But, I'm with ya on the solitude part. There are few things better than a solo hike or dive.

Thanks for the input. Sorry I wasn't clear on my message, I thought the photos would show it was daytime when I did the solo. The solo was really a bounce to burn off some of the remaining air I had in the 95 I was diving with. I still got back to the picnic table with more than 500 in the tank.

The night dive was the third tank of the day. Each of the three divers had 2 hand lights each plus a flashing light on the neck of the tank. We definitely stayed together and made sure we were out of the cavern with plenty of air left. I think even after swimming around in the pool and playing with the fish we hit the beach with well over 1/3 of our air left!

To help you understand my mind set for this dive, on the drive over my buddy and I had been discussing a quote from Gary Gentile in "Deep Descent". I can't quote it verbatim with out looking it up in the book but to paraphrase it "Divers often don't know they have exceeded their capabilities until it is too late and they are about to die."

I have been in enough overhead environments to know that you have to throw on and keep on that mental switch that keeps you aware that your exit is not straight up! Situational awareness is key to survival.

I may be dumb, but I ain't stupid and I ain't suicidal.

 

[Riverrat Dave]

Betail, I was there on Friday, what a great time. this is the third year we have gone down there and see new stuff every time... We also went to Crystal River's King Spring and Three Sister's Spring - the Manatees were great... and on Sunday we finished up at Devil's Den, if you have not been there it's a must do in Fla.

 

[DeepSeaExplorer]

Thanks for the input. Sorry I wasn't clear on my message, I thought the photos would show it was daytime when I did the solo. The solo was really a bounce to burn off some of the remaining air I had in the 95 I was diving with. I still got back to the picnic table with more than 500 in the tank.

The night dive was the third tank of the day. Each of the three divers had 2 hand lights each plus a flashing light on the neck of the tank. We definitely stayed together and made sure we were out of the cavern with plenty of air left. I think even after swimming around in the pool and playing with the fish we hit the beach with well over 1/3 of our air left!

To help you understand my mind set for this dive, on the drive over my buddy and I had been discussing a quote from Gary Gentile in "Deep Descent". I can't quote it verbatim with out looking it up in the book but to paraphrase it "Divers often don't know they have exceeded their capabilities until it is too late and they are about to die."

I have been in enough overhead environments to know that you have to throw on and keep on that mental switch that keeps you aware that your exit is not straight up! Situational awareness is key to survival.

I may be dumb, but I ain't stupid and I ain't suicidal.

I understand where you're coming from, but divers have died in there.

I was just checking...