Is Ginnie Springs good diving?

[SandyRobinson]

are non cave divers allowed to dive in the Ear or Eye? When you go there where do you stay? Who, and how, do they prevent you from diving with lights tucked in your bc? Are you checked?

You are allowed to dive the Ear and the Eye to the extent natural light allows. My opinion is a little different about the Eye and the Ear than it is about Ginnie (ballroom) and I would not recommend an OW diver diving them. Some reasons are:

1. Both of these lead into the cave system.
2. The cavern in the Eye is small and if there are any cave or cavern divers present, an OW diver will likely be in the way.
3. As stated earlier, the flow into the Ear is really strong, and most OW divers will have trouble with it. Also, if there are any cave divers going in or coming of the system, it may be crowded, and an OW diver would be inthe way. (Exiting cave divers have the right of way.)
4. For both systems. there will likely be lines run by cave divers into the system. There is always the chance of entanglement by an OW water diver which could really screw up your day and piss of the reel owner.

However, if the Sante Fe is clear, you may consider entering at Little Devils. It is a 20 x 6' (?) crack in the water with a 40 foot depth. You can sink straight down and then look up at a nice view. You can then ascend and swim 50 yards to the Eye. At the Eye, decsend 20 feet and look at the cavern entrance. Ascend and then swim out to the Sante Fe as you pass over the Ear. Drift the Sante Fe down to Ginnie.

There are several hotels in High Springs, about 15 minutes away. The High Springs Country Inn is OK and inexpensive.

Most likely, someone will be checking your wrist band and making sure you are diving to your level of training. If you try to sneak in a light, you may get asked to leave. Please do not try to hide a light. Too many accidents have happened when untrained divers have entererd a cave system.

If you have time, take a cavern course. It is a great course and can help a lot with cavern/cave education, buoyancy and trim, and out of air and failed lights drills. Cost is around 300 and includes at least 4 cavern dives.

 

[pilot fish]

I like that rule and think it is a benevolent rule to save lives. I like that.

They don't specifically forbid OW divers from going into the ear and eye. The light ban is how they control the access. I'm assuming that when you check in, if you don't have a cave cert, they let you know about the "no lights" rule. Plus, there are signs all over warning about the dangers and the light ban.

No one goes around checking divers as they gear up so you might be able to slip a light in a BC pocket. However, there will be cave divers all around you gearing up, too. If they see you slipping a light in a pocket, they will likely confront you about it. If you are found inside in cave and don't belong, you will be confronted and reported. You would most likely be kicked out at that point and not allowed back in. This isn't done to be mean or elitist. It's done because coming across a body in the cave would really suck ass.

 

[pilot fish]

This sounds like excellent advice. Thanks very much for taking the time to bring me up to speed on what to expect. Will look at that High Country Inn. Oh, are there any special times to dive,or not be able to dive? How do they handle lone, single dives?

You are allowed to dive the Ear and the Eye to the extent natural light allows. My opinion is a little different about the Eye and the Ear than it is about Ginnie (ballroom) and I would not recommend an OW diver diving them. Some reasons are:

1. Both of these lead into the cave system.
2. The cavern in the Eye is small and if there are any cave or cavern divers present, an OW diver will likely be in the way.
3. As stated earlier, the flow into the Ear is really strong, and most OW divers will have trouble with it. Also, if there are any cave divers going in or coming of the system, it may be crowded, and an OW diver would be inthe way. (Exiting cave divers have the right of way.)
4. For both systems. there will likely be lines run by cave divers into the system. There is always the chance of entanglement by an OW water diver which could really screw up your day and piss of the reel owner.

However, if the Sante Fe is clear, you may consider entering at Little Devils. It is a 20 x 6' (?) crack in the water with a 40 foot depth. You can sink straight down and then look up at a nice view. You can then ascend and swim 50 yards to the Eye. At the Eye, decsend 20 feet and look at the cavern entrance. Ascend and then swim out to the Sante Fe as you pass over the Ear. Drift the Sante Fe down to Ginnie.

There are several hotels in High Springs, about 15 minutes away. The High Springs Country Inn is OK and inexpensive.

Most likely, someone will be checking your wrist band and making sure you are diving to your level of training. If you try to sneak in a light, you may get asked to leave. Please do not try to hide a light. Too many accidents have happened when untrained divers have entererd a cave system.

If you have time, take a cavern course. It is a great course and can help a lot with cavern/cave education, buoyancy and trim, and out of air and failed lights drills. Cost is around 300 and includes at least 4 cavern dives.

 

[battles2a5]

Gates open at 8am, and you can dive until midnight (I'm pretty sure that applies to open water divers as well). As far as solo divers, I would strongly recommend against picking up a insta-buddy to go cave/cavern diving, especially if you are not trained at that level. If you want to see the caverns and aren't comfortable solo and/or don't have a buddy, set up a guide. A cave instructor can guide you at one level above your current cert. So if you are AOW, they can take you in all the caverns (with lights, too). My first cave instructor once told me that meeting someone in a bar for an unprotected one-night stand is a whole lot safer than meeting someone in the parking lot at Ginnie and going on a cave dive .

Also, try to go down on a weekend that some of the NCDivers cavers are going down ( I think you are on that board, too). I'm pretty sure any one of us would be happy to do a cavern dive with you.

 

[pilot fish]

A guide to do a cavern seems the way to go. Do you happen to know the cost of guide per dive?

I am on that NC Board but never read it, or stop by. I have a Coz dive week coming up in mid March so I would not go down until after I get back from diving Coz.

Damn, that one night stand thing was funny as hell.

Gates open at 8am, and you can dive until midnight (I'm pretty sure that applies to open water divers as well). As far as solo divers, I would strongly recommend against picking up a insta-buddy to go cave/cavern diving, especially if you are not trained at that level. If you want to see the caverns and aren't comfortable solo and/or don't have a buddy, set up a guide. A cave instructor can guide you at one level above your current cert. So if you are AOW, they can take you in all the caverns (with lights, too). My first cave instructor once told me that meeting someone in a bar for an unprotected one-night stand is a whole lot safer than meeting someone in the parking lot at Ginnie and going on a cave dive . Also, try to go down on a weekend that some of the NCDivers cavers are going down ( I think you are on that board, too). I'm pretty sure any one of us would be happy to do a cavern dive with you.