Ginnie Springs Mini Trip Report

[jviehe]

11-8-03, I met up with getmikewet at Ginnie Springs, in HIgh Springs, florida around 10am on Saturday. I had my new H valve and MK16 ready to go, and a loaner reel to practice my cave skills in preperation for Intro to Cave class. Mike and I paid our requsite $27 to get in, and headed over to the ginnie headspring to suit. Mike hadnt been here before, but I had a few times. Ginnie is probably the best all around land dive in Florida, it having OW, Cave, and gin clear, 72F water year round.

We jumped in, headed into the Ginnie Headspring Cavern, and took a look around. My reel decided to come a bit loose, so I ended up spending a few minutes getting it back in shape, while Mike took a look around. That settled we headed back up to the basin, and I did some no mask swimming, as its something Ive never been good at. I then ran the reel into the cavern to get some practice at that, and that worked out ok. A few more ins and outs and we used up our air. 40fsw for 60mins.

Fills, lunch, and an hour later, and we headed oever to the main cave system, Devils Ear. We jumped in at little Devil, a small crack in the ground, swam over to Devils Eye, a very round hole, with a connection to Devils Ear, and them into Devils ear where the river meets the spring, and you get a nice yellowing effect from below. I pulled past the huge flow coming out, and checked out the Death sign as is in all Florida Caves, then we headed to Devils Eye, and I practiced seme reel running in there too. I think I have the no mask thing down now... 30fsw for 60mins.

Now for the Pics.

 

[DEEPSEAWOLF]

Very cool! Thx for sharing.

 

[pdoege]

I saw you guys, the red vette and the white cavalier, right?

We (Starry Skies and I) were taking cavern with Jill Heinreth. Great class.

Anyway, we are the cavern students in the photos.

We had a great time, looks like you did too.

Peter

 

[jviehe]

pdoege once bubbled...
I saw you guys, the red vette and the white cavalier, right?

We (Starry Skies and I) were taking cavern with Jill Heinreth. Great class.

Anyway, we are the cavern students in the photos.

We had a great time, looks like you did too.

Peter

Hey, didnt realize that was you. I think we actually spoke. Hope I didnt mess you guys up in Ginnie or the Eye. I was trying to practice my reel skills in prep for Intro to Cave.

Its a white Tiburon by the way.

 

[jviehe]

Thanks for light in the Ginnie Cavern, btw. I need to get a HID.

There you guys are...!

Cavern Class

 

[fgray1]

Get a real dive light when you do this.
Canister and HID. Not the place to be and lose your lights. I see you buddy didn't even have an H valve or 7 ft hose. I know it was just the cavern part put still I would make sure You have the right stuff just in case someone makes a wrong turn. If you went from the Ear to the eye did You exit at the Eye or swim back to the Ear and exit there? Just courious. Be careful taking some one in there with open water configuration. Now the ballroom is fine but the dive between the ear and the eye is an actual cave dive. I'm not trying to be critical I'm just making suggestions.
Good Diving
Fred

 

[pdoege]

Yep, a Tiburon. I should have remembered. Just a bit busy at that point.

Thanks for the pics, I'll pass the link to Starry Skies.

Speaking of reels, I jammed the heck out of mine in the ballroom. I had a 30 minute bundle of spaghetti by the time we got out.

Peter

 

[fgray1]

Been there done that.
My buddy use to ask me if I wanted sauce with my speghetti.
And then laugh at me. It just takes practice.
Someday we'll get together and do-a-dive.
Fred

 

[jviehe]

fgray1 once bubbled...
Get a real dive light when you do this.
Canister and HID. Not the place to be and lose your lights. I see you buddy didn't even have an H valve or 7 ft hose. I know it was just the cavern part put still I would make sure You have the right stuff just in case someone makes a wrong turn. If you went from the Ear to the eye did You exit at the Eye or swim back to the Ear and exit there? Just courious. Be careful taking some one in there with open water configuration. Now the ballroom is fine but the dive between the ear and the eye is an actual cave dive. I'm not trying to be critical I'm just making suggestions.
Good Diving
Fred

Actually, I just took him into the Ginnie Ballroom, pretty safe for OWers. I went solo (worse?) into the ear and eye, but did not traverse. I only went to cavern limits, and followed all the rules (except solo). I'm planning on getting a DR Wreck1/MR11, so i can start cheap.

 

[jviehe]

pdoege once bubbled...
Yep, a Tiburon. I should have remembered. Just a bit busy at that point.

Thanks for the pics, I'll pass the link to Starry Skies.

Speaking of reels, I jammed the heck out of mine in the ballroom. I had a 30 minute bundle of spaghetti by the time we got out.

Peter

Yeah, mine came loose in ginnie when i wasnt running it. spent 5 minutes just winding it back in, which is not easy to do with no tension...