I took a couple of former cavern students to Jug Hole yesterday for a nice cavern dive. Compared to many of the other springs in the area, it looks healthy and had air clear water and it was a great day of diving.
I've always felt that Jug is a jewel, but the long walk and the limited window to dive it tend to keep the crowds away. It's a great cavern dive (rock bottom, air clear, 55' depth, beautiful big cavern with the occasional eel), and I've been bringing people here since the 90s. Even during my hiatus from cave diving I managed to try and get there once or twice during each open season.
While I think the cavern is suitable for new cavern and cave divers, anyone wishing to go beyond the cavern zone into the cave should consider it an advanced cave dive due to the bedding plane at the beginning. Please only go in there with full cave + a few dives. The cave is also quite pretty, and is best dove in either sidemount or large single tank with H-valve configuration.
I've always felt that Jug is a jewel, but the long walk and the limited window to dive it tend to keep the crowds away. It's a great cavern dive (rock bottom, air clear, 55' depth, beautiful big cavern with the occasional eel), and I've been bringing people here since the 90s. Even during my hiatus from cave diving I managed to try and get there once or twice during each open season.
While I think the cavern is suitable for new cavern and cave divers, anyone wishing to go beyond the cavern zone into the cave should consider it an advanced cave dive due to the bedding plane at the beginning. Please only go in there with full cave + a few dives. The cave is also quite pretty, and is best dove in either sidemount or large single tank with H-valve configuration.