Manatee Springs ?

[Fox-Cousteau]

How much diving is available to open water certified divers at Manatee. I've checked on several web sites, but I'm not having much luck.
I have my Cavern, but I'll be diving with OW divers so I need to dive their profile. is it worth the trip from Deltona? or should we choose another site?

By the Way, there are 4 of us diving Friday, 11/14.

thanks in advance for the help.

 

[Scuba Crab]

They allow Open water divers at the main spring and Catfish hole The main spring is a nice easy fun dive for beginers. Catfish hole is covered with duckweed and a cool dive, starting out open water going into 2 caves One upstream cave and a downstream siphon cave system that goes to the main spring.The flows are known to vary. I would be carfull taking open water divers in catfish hole depending on there experience as for you would not want them to venture too close to the siphon and end up in a cave by accident then panic. Divers have died here!

This is a beutifull park! I believe it is worth the trip and the price is rite$

 

[Going The Distance]

Its right around 2hrs from Tampa. The park itself has a walkway overviewing the spring, with several walkways leading into it. Very nice and clean place. As far as the dives, the open water easy, and good place to practice and shoot a few photos. Catfish sink is abit diff, when your walking down the steps you see nothing until your under some slime, very small area if your not cavern cert. Overall it was a good way to spend an afternoon after we left crystal river. Now if I figure a way to post a few picks id do it.

 

[pickens_46929]

You can get at least 2 dives in... I think it's worth 3... lots of neat stuff in Catfish... the otherside is ok and now that summer is done, a lot less crowded... 'sides I use it mainly to wash off the duckweed {rofl}

 

[Fox-Cousteau]

Now if I figure a way to post a few picks id do it.

Thanks alot, I'm looking forward to the pics. . .

 

[siikik]

It's been a few years since my last dive at Manatee. I've only been in the spring and not the sinks so I can't say much about them. The one thing Manatee has is a tremendous flow... I remember it being something like 96mgd. You can also dive in a good portion of the run, but the run is not very deep.

I grew up going camping at Manatee and it hasn't changed much over the years.... a little less aquatic vegetation maybe.... Manatee has great camping and trails too!

I'm waiting for the pics too!



Ken

 

[InkDiver]

Here are a few pics from Manatee Springs

 

[K Mejean]

Those are some great pics. I need to get up there and give it a shot. Do I need to go by boat or is this a shore thing?

 

[SuPrBuGmAn]

There's a state park built around it... just walk right in.

 

[Salmonboy97]

You can get there by boat from the Swuanee river. It is just a LOT easier to get there from land.
As stated before, be careful with the siphon flow out of catfish sink toward the spring. It can pull you in. There is not much more to the actual spring than you can see in the pics posted, the better dive is in catfish.
Note: when ascending be sure you are close to the stairs and purge your regulator enough to punch a hole in the duck weed big enough to get out. I have done this several times and I dont leave with much weed at all.