Is Ginnie Springs worth it if you aren't Cave or Cavern Certified?

[PfcAJ]

The food in the little restaurant isn't bad, although I don't recommend eating anything laced with Jalapenos before going diving (been there, did that).

Livin' on the edge!

 

[lv2dive]

Also, that time of year, your family could enjoy swimming in the spring/run. I mean, people go there to do that.

 

[GDI]

I'm an OW diver who made the rounds to various FL springs, .......... Granted, by the time I checked out Ginnie I had already been taken on guided tours of Mexican cenotes and seen what real caves look like.

Really You know caverns and have seen "REAL Caves" as a OW diver?

Now back to the thread posters questions about Ginnie and the "Ball Room"

Every dive location you ever do in your life has something. Good or Bad. It will depend on a personal experience which only you can answer. I do dives in many of the same locations over and over and see something unique nearly every time, YOU just have to look and just need to keep in mind what the intent of your dive is.

To answer your question about Cavern Tours: Please Read the following extract from NACD Standards:
If you do a cavern tour and the instructor provides the right context Ginnie Ballroom is a good spot to get an idea of what one can see. The Ball Room is a relatively made safe sanitized environment suitable for this sort of experience, under supervision of a qualified cavern to cave instructor. Not all caverns are the same and caverns and caves are different. A good knowledgeable instructor can show you how best to enjoy the diving experience of any location. The Ball Room is GTG for OW divers to experience. The Devils Ear has the rule of no lights unless under instruction by a qualified cavern to cave instructor or You are a qualified cavern to cave diver. It is this way to save lives, OW Scuba Instructors are not permitted to carry lights Not even Cave Instructors can carry lights unless teaching or diving cavern to cave classes. You can carry lights in the Ballroom

CAVERN TOUR

1. PURPOSE:

The purpose of these standards is to guide recreational divers into the cavern environment to

popular sites such as those found in North Florida, the Bahamas, and the Yucatan peninsula

of Mexico. The cavern tour recommendations are offered as guidelines for certified

cavern/cave instructors.

2. PRE-REQUISITES:

Certified open water diver.

3. LIMITS:

A. Natural sunlight.

B. Maximum linear distance from surface: 200 feet.

C. Maximum depth: 100 feet.

D. No restrictions.

E. No decompression.

F. Minimum visibility: 30 feet.

G. Guide ratio, 4:1

H. Minimum psi to begin cavern dive: 2000 psi or 50 cubic feet.

4. GUIDE QUALIFICATIONS:

NACD Cavern, Intro or Full Cave Instructor on active status. Must use full cave equipment

configuration. For air management, handling of potential emergencies and as an example to

student doubles mandatory, manifold recommended. Instructor must have a first aid kit and

Oxygen available for surface support.

5. PROCEDURES:

A. Detailed briefing before each dive.

B. Explanation and review of rules for cavern diving.

C. It is not necessary to go through extensive equipment modifications as the cavern tour is

considered a controlled experience. Minor changes may be necessary, such as addition of

alternate air source, removal of snorkel and proper weighting.

D. Use of guideline is essential to ensure that its need and importance are demonstrated. It is

essential that the guide demonstrate proper overhead protocol at all times.

E. A recommended three (3) minute safety stop on all dives.

F. Definitions:

I. speleogenisis and hydrology

II. cavern/cave environment (unique and fragile)

III. accident analysis

IV. problems

G. Techniques.

I. Brief review of:

II. buoyancy control

III. finning techniques

IV. light use and signals

V. line referencing

NACD Standards & Procedures 2-14

H. Review of basic communications

I. "OK"

II. "Stop or Hold"

III. "Dive is over, exit"

IV. "Out of air"

V. Instructor's choice for additional hand signals

I. Equipment: Equipment is the same as for the cavern course, with the following

exceptions; no reel is required.

I. Mask, low volume type recommended.

II. Power fins-straps taped together, if applicable.

III. 72 cubic foot or greater single cylinder.

IV. Single hose regulator with an octopus as the alternate air source and submersible

pressure gauge.

V. Exposure suit, suitable for diving location.

VI. Buoyancy compensator with auto inflator, C02 devices rendered inoperative.

VII. Submersible dive tables or computer must be used

VIII. Knife, preferable small and sharp, or line cutter acceptable to instructor.

XII. Battery powered dive lights, at least two per diver. These lights should a suitable burn

IX. Slate and pencil.

X. Watch or bottom timer and depth gauge. A dive computer may be used in place of

these.

XI. Weight belt or other instructor approved weights.

time for the dive being planned.

J. Complete post dive review: Guide should stress that divers on the tour are under

supervision and in a controlled experience, and urge the divers to participate in a cavern

course if they wish to continue to cavern dive.

 

[Nick A]

I did it on the way home from my IE. I thought it was awesome. Actually my avatar is me at Ginnie springs. Theres 4 springs all are pretty cool. Devils spring (I think that's the name) was intense. You had to pull yourself down to the cave entrance. The ballroom was super cool too. I think all of it, the springs, the river, the cuts between the springs was all realy cool. If ya got a half day/day to burn I would recommend it. I would do it again

 

[Lorenzoid]

Really You know caverns and have seen "REAL Caves" as a OW diver?

Now back to the thread posters questions about Ginnie and the "Ball Room"

. . .

Hey, just to redeem myself (or call myself out) ... I did those couple of cenote dives in 2004, before I discovered Scubaboard and learned that everything can kill me. Seriously, though, for the record, knowing what I know now, I would not do it again as an OW diver. It was a guided cenote dive, and although we followed what I understand are considered reasonable practices in that region (e.g., my guide was a full cave instructor with full cave gear, etc.), he took me farther into the cenote than he should have. It was no cavern dive. Again, for the record, I have no intention of repeating that.

 

[OkByMe]

Really You know caverns and have seen "REAL Caves" as a OW diver?

Now back to the thread posters questions about Ginnie and the "Ball Room"

Every dive location you ever do in your life has something. Good or Bad. It will depend on a personal experience which only you can answer. I do dives in many of the same locations over and over and see something unique nearly every time, YOU just have to look and just need to keep in mind what the intent of your dive is.

To answer your question about Cavern Tours: Please Read the following extract from NACD Standards:
If you do a cavern tour and the instructor provides the right context Ginnie Ballroom is a good spot to get an idea of what one can see. The Ball Room is a relatively made safe sanitized environment suitable for this sort of experience, under supervision of a qualified cavern to cave instructor. Not all caverns are the same and caverns and caves are different. A good knowledgeable instructor can show you how best to enjoy the diving experience of any location. The Ball Room is GTG for OW divers to experience. The Devils Ear has the rule of no lights unless under instruction by a qualified cavern to cave instructor or You are a qualified cavern to cave diver. It is this way to save lives, OW Scuba Instructors are not permitted to carry lights Not even Cave Instructors can carry lights unless teaching or diving cavern to cave classes. You can carry lights in the Ballroom

CAVERN TOUR

1. PURPOSE:

The purpose of these standards is to guide recreational divers into the cavern environment to

popular sites such as those found in North Florida, the Bahamas, and the Yucatan peninsula

of Mexico. The cavern tour recommendations are offered as guidelines for certified

cavern/cave instructors.

2. PRE-REQUISITES:

Certified open water diver.

3. LIMITS:

A. Natural sunlight.

B. Maximum linear distance from surface: 200 feet.

C. Maximum depth: 100 feet.

D. No restrictions.

E. No decompression.

F. Minimum visibility: 30 feet.

G. Guide ratio, 4:1

H. Minimum psi to begin cavern dive: 2000 psi or 50 cubic feet.

4. GUIDE QUALIFICATIONS:

NACD Cavern, Intro or Full Cave Instructor on active status. Must use full cave equipment

configuration. For air management, handling of potential emergencies and as an example to

student doubles mandatory, manifold recommended. Instructor must have a first aid kit and

Oxygen available for surface support.

5. PROCEDURES:

A. Detailed briefing before each dive.

B. Explanation and review of rules for cavern diving.

C. It is not necessary to go through extensive equipment modifications as the cavern tour is

considered a controlled experience. Minor changes may be necessary, such as addition of

alternate air source, removal of snorkel and proper weighting.

D. Use of guideline is essential to ensure that its need and importance are demonstrated. It is

essential that the guide demonstrate proper overhead protocol at all times.

E. A recommended three (3) minute safety stop on all dives.

F. Definitions:

I. speleogenisis and hydrology

II. cavern/cave environment (unique and fragile)

III. accident analysis

IV. problems

G. Techniques.

I. Brief review of:

II. buoyancy control

III. finning techniques

IV. light use and signals

V. line referencing

NACD Standards & Procedures 2-14

H. Review of basic communications

I. "OK"

II. "Stop or Hold"

III. "Dive is over, exit"

IV. "Out of air"

V. Instructor's choice for additional hand signals

I. Equipment: Equipment is the same as for the cavern course, with the following

exceptions; no reel is required.

I. Mask, low volume type recommended.

II. Power fins-straps taped together, if applicable.

III. 72 cubic foot or greater single cylinder.

IV. Single hose regulator with an octopus as the alternate air source and submersible

pressure gauge.

V. Exposure suit, suitable for diving location.

VI. Buoyancy compensator with auto inflator, C02 devices rendered inoperative.

VII. Submersible dive tables or computer must be used

VIII. Knife, preferable small and sharp, or line cutter acceptable to instructor.

XII. Battery powered dive lights, at least two per diver. These lights should a suitable burn

IX. Slate and pencil.

X. Watch or bottom timer and depth gauge. A dive computer may be used in place of

these.

XI. Weight belt or other instructor approved weights.

time for the dive being planned.

J. Complete post dive review: Guide should stress that divers on the tour are under

supervision and in a controlled experience, and urge the divers to participate in a cavern

course if they wish to continue to cavern dive.

DANG.... That list made my brain hurt!

 

[BabyDuck]

plus you can do drift dives down the river. that's fun. and there's tubing for non-divers. i think it's more fun for many repeat dives if you're cave certified, but also think it's worth it for ow divers at least one good day.

 

[DivingIvan]

I think Ginnie is the perfect place for you and your family. Been there many times as an OW diver as well as a certified cavern diver and had as much fun as OW as cavern. Your non diving family will enjoy the swimming, tubing, hiking and canoeing, just to name a few.

 

[00wabbit]

We are going to do it for a day.
I want to check out the area.