Ginnie Springs

Please register or login

Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.

Benefits of registering include

  • Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
  • A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
  • You can make this box go away

Joining is quick and easy. Log in or Register now!

Yes! I still vividly remember the first time I led a team past the Grim Reaper sign. Of course, i was long since gone on cave diving . . . but that first trip into the dark, into the unknown, is one I will always remember.
 
I'm getting all warm and tingly just thinking about the first time Bill Rennaker led me deep (about 200' LOL) into peacock. I was thinking to myself, "oh my God, are we really going to do this, holy crap, omg omg omg"

LOL, what a blast.
 
Hundreds of open water divers dive the caverns at Ginnie, Orange Grove, Devils den, Blue Grotto, Paradise, and Catfish hotel at Manatee. Others require a cavern card like Peacock and Madison. Cavern diving is fun and really a no brainer untill something goes wrong, and then it can get dangerous in a hurry. Its best to get the training for these types of dives but until then, be careful!
 
All it took for me was one trip in the Ginnie Ballroom and it was over. When My cavern / intro class concluded with a dive down the Peanut line and I saw the Peacock cavern coming out, I knew I had fallen in love.
 
+1 what ^they^ said.

If you don't have enough days for a cavern class, then consider hiring a local cave diving pro as your dive guide for the day. In addition to the Ballroom cavern at Ginnie Springs, there are other beautiful springs within a short drive. Once you see them you will get bitten by the bug!
(Spoken as a recent cave graduate). :D
 
Even if you decide that diving underground isn't for you, cavern training is a great way to improve OW skills. On my first OW dive post-cavern I was amazed at how much my buoyancy and trim had improved and how overall more comfortable I was in the water. The course was more than worth it for that alone. As mentioned previously, there are a number of privately owned sink/caverns in the area that allow AOW divers (although some only without lights), but the cavern course gives so many additional skills that it's very worth the time and money.

On the last day of my cavern course my instructor took me into the cave, through the gallery and into the lips at Ginnie, where I hit 1/6ths on my AL80. I was thunderstruck -- could not believe there was a place like that on Earth and that I was in it. Got my Cave I, and am now diving cave every chance I get, working up to my next (full) cave course next year. Still dive the salt sometimes (I'm not a purist), but more in the fresh. Of course if you do get bit by the bug, you know all that money you spent on gear and training so far? A drop in the bucket once you start gearing up for cave. Of course, once that's paid for, a cave is cheaper than a boat trip.
 
Just a quick list of the basics, you can add more.
Doubles
2x first and second stages
Doubles wing
Back Plate or similar
7mm wet suit or Dry suit
Hood/ helmet (optional)
Primary reel
2x safety reel/ spool or combination of both
1 more jump reel/spool than jumps planned
Primary light
2x backup lights
Wet notes
Bottom timer/ dive computer
Backup Bottom timer/ dive computer (optional)
Booties
Fins
Mask
O2 tank and reg for deco (full cave)
Cutting devices
Lots of bolt snaps to attach everything
Pee valve, it's great to not pee all over yourself (optional)

Other gear for cave diving beyond full cave:
Scooter
Stage bottles, rigging, regs
More deco bottles and regs

I could be missing something but its a start.


P.s. I forgot the most important piece of scuba gear your snorkel. NOT.
 
What kind of additional gear do you need for cave diving?

There's a list of recommended gear on my website (you can find the link below)
But for Cavern Diving, the only additional gear you need is a couple of lights and a reel or two. If you're wearing split fins, you'll need to swap those out for class. :D

LOL... that should make for good conversation. :D
 
https://xf2.scubaboard.com/community/forums/cave-diving.45/

Back
Top Bottom