Is Ginnie Springs good diving?

[pilot fish]

Thanks. I'll look at it. It will depend on how much time I can devote to a trip down there. Seems like heading to BG & DD is a good move, as you suggest, and then on way back hit GS?

Honestly, you might want to consider cavern class. I had/have no desire to dive caves but cavern class introduces you to a lot of skills and training that I find very useful in "normal" diving. Even if you have no desire to dive caverns it's a good class to farther your diving education. With the exception of Rescue, it's the most useful class I have taken.

 

[pilot fish]

Are you saying Fl Spring dives are better, or just different? I would guess Fl holes had a dry period in thier history too, right?

Florida spring dives are not anything like the cenotes. Most of the mexico cenotes were dry caves at certain points in time throughout history and developed a lot of decorations in the process. The bedding plane is also much shallower, so the majority of the caves and spring/sink entrances are shallow and begin in 15-30ft of water. So the cenote tours are nice leisurely swims around the cave entrance and you see lots of decorations and the such. Going down into the cavern at Ginnie is more like swimming up a fire hose. Much of the beauty in the Floridian formations is in how the hydrology has shaped the caves and the different compositions of the caves whereas the yucatan's beauty lies primarily in the remains of the dry periods (IMO anyways).

 

[battles2a5]

As a cave diver, I appreciate both. I like the high flow and dynamic nature of the Floridian systems, but I also love the yucatan for the decorations. I love them all for their own reasons. As an OW diver, I would say the cenotes are more stimulating froma visual standpoint but you can't beat the feeling of a high-flow system in Fl either. Just depends on what you are looking for.

 

[pilot fish]

High inflow? Is that an inflow from another source and there' s current? Vis is 100 ft?

As a cave diver, I appreciate both. I like the high flow and dynamic nature of the Floridian systems, but I also love the yucatan for the decorations. I love them all for their own reasons. As an OW diver, I would say the cenotes are more stimulating froma visual standpoint but you can't beat the feeling of a high-flow system in Fl either. Just depends on what you are looking for.

 

[battles2a5]

In the springs, its an outflow. Ginnie is a first magnitude spring, so I think the system flows more than 3 million gallons per hour or something ridiculous like that. So yes, there is definitely "current". We refer to the underground current as "flow". Ginnie is a high flow cave so there is a lot of water trying to push you out the hole time. It's so strong that you can't really swim into it. You have to pull your way in. You won't find that in Mexico where the water is relatively static. I would say the viz in MX is better on average, but the vis in FL is still great in most places. Ginnie usually has 60-80ft, depending on where you are in the system.

 

[SandyRobinson]

In the springs, its an outflow. Ginnie is a first magnitude spring, so I think the system flows more than 3 million gallons per hour or something ridiculous like that. So yes, there is definitely "current". We refer to the underground current as "flow". Ginnie is a high flow cave so there is a lot of water trying to push you out the hole time. It's so strong that you can't really swim into it. You have to pull your way in. You won't find that in Mexico where the water is relatively static. I would say the viz in MX is better on average, but the vis in FL is still great in most places. Ginnie usually has 60-80ft, depending on where you are in the system.

The only area where Ginnie has a high flow is near the grate to the cave. Although it is a first magnitude spring, it is not a problem to swim into and around the cavern. Ginnie is one of the safer caverns around. You need a couple of lights but not a line. It is definitely worth a couple of dives. It is actually fascinating to see what water can do to limestone.

 

[battles2a5]

The only area where Ginnie has a high flow is near the grate to the cave. Although it is a first magnitude spring, it is not a problem to swim into and around the cavern. Ginnie is one of the safer caverns around. You need a couple of lights but not a line. It is definitely worth a couple of dives. It is actually fascinating to see what water can do to limestone.

Uh, no not really. The entire system has flow (when I say "Ginnie" I mean the system (Ear, Eye, Little Devil's, Ginnie, July, Lightning, etc.), not just "Ginnie Spring". The entrance to the ear has more flow than the grate at Ginnie. The eye has considerable flow. There are several areas within the system that have higher flow, and the entire system is considered "high flow".

I wouldn't consider any cavern "safe" without the proper tools and training and I wouldn't recommend penetrating the ballroom w/o a line (as long as you know how to use it). But that's just me. What do I know?

 

[SandyRobinson]

Uh, no not really. The entire system has flow (when I say "Ginnie" I mean the system (Ear, Eye, Little Devil's, Ginnie, July, Lightning, etc.), not just "Ginnie Spring". The entrance to the ear has more flow than the grate at Ginnie. The eye has considerable flow. There are several areas within the system that have higher flow, and the entire system is considered "high flow".

I wouldn't consider any cavern "safe" without the proper tools and training and I wouldn't recommend penetrating the ballroom w/o a line (as long as you know how to use it). But that's just me. What do I know?

LOL, I was only thinking of the ballroom when talking about flow. You are definitely right about the eye and the ear.

 

[packman]

Yeah, I'm just AOW certified so caves would not be on my agenda. Can you do caverns as AOW? I'm not interested in Cave cert, since it would tempt me to do sites I'd be better off staying away from.

I would highly advise against going into a cavern with just an AOW cert. You need the skills and training taught in a cavern class to penetrate even a little bit safely.

The Ballroom is unique in that it is a large, wide cavern with enough flow to push out any silt you may stir up. On top of that, it's mostly a sand and rock bottom that would silt too bad, anyway. They also have the grate in there to keep people from going in too far. Not all caverns will be like this.

 

[tobonaire]

Yep, did it as well for check-off dives for my rescue and master C-cards. Did some cavern dives there. I'm not cave certified so without techy experience probably isin't worth the time.