Megadive party!

[DEEPSEAWOLF]

Check out the trips/happenings thread!
http://www.scubaboard.com/t70420-halloween-megadive--ginnie-springs.html
Get down here and make fun of the Floridian Hurricane Magnets!

 

[SuPrBuGmAn]

I've heard alot about Ginnie and Devil springs, but I've never been there myself. In all the threads that I have read through about experiences at that site, it was always about cave diving. Is this a good dive for a regular OW diver as well? The website states that there is a large cavern that is available to all cert'd divers and at Devil springs normal cert'd divers can descend anywhere within day lights reach(apparently they have a NO LIGHT rule unless you are properly certified - an excellent way to enforce safety IMO).

 

[RBachman]

I've heard alot about Ginnie and Devil springs, but I've never been there myself. In all the threads that I have read through about experiences at that site, it was always about cave diving. Is this a good dive for a regular OW diver as well? The website states that there is a large cavern that is available to all cert'd divers and at Devil springs normal cert'd divers can descend anywhere within day lights reach(apparently they have a NO LIGHT rule unless you are properly certified - an excellent way to enforce safety IMO).

Ginnie has 4 main springs; Ginnie, Devils Eye, Devils Ear and Little Devil.

"Certified divers of all experience levels may take lights into the water with them at Ginnie Spring and use these lights to explore the underwater cavern. Moving to the back of the upper room, divers pass through a large opening into the amphitheater-sized area called the "Ballroom." Although surface light is clearly visible from most places within the Ballroom, divers will want to carry dive lights to see everything there is to see.

"The Devil Spring system is home to three separate springs: Devil's Eye, Devil's Ear and Devil Spring ("Little Devil"). Ginnie Springs enforces a strict No Lights rule there. Only certified cavern or cave divers may enter the water at the Devil Spring system while carrying dive lights. This helps prevent untrained divers from going any place where their lack of training, experience and specialized equipment could get them in trouble."

The water is CLEAR with visibility that you have to see to believe.

Devils Den and Blue Grotto are also a cavern dives that allow lights for OWD. Daylight is always visible and the water is clear...though not as great as Ginnie. Troy Springs recently re-opened and is also a good dive.

I rank them in this order, Great to good.

Ginnie (lots of amenities, bath houses, deli, dive shop, air, campground, best vis, about $28 for a day)

Devils Den (rest rooms, vendor usually sells burgers, air, great vis, about $30)

Blue Grotto (lots of amenties, take your own food, camping, good vis unless idiots crawl on bottom and stir things up, air, about $30)

Troy Springs (minimal amenities, rest rooms, good visibility, swimmers also use the site, $10.)

There is also Paradise Springs. The dive is okay but not worth the entrance fee. Minimal amenities, a rest room, carry your own food. About $30 that's best spent going back to Ginnie.

 

[adder70]

The Ginnie park offers several options for the OW diver.

The basins offer very clear water and a reasonable variety of fish to see. Watch the vegetation along the side for Bass and check the bottom closely for small flounder.

The Ballroom at Ginnie allows the OW diver a chance to explore a cavern envinronment in relative safety. Don't forget to turn off your lights briefly as the view from the back part of the cavern with no lights is pretty impressive.

The fissure (Little Devil) that is one of the most popular fresh water dive pictures (looking up from the bottom) is a neat few minutes of diving, and then you can proceed down the run to Devils Eye and Ear. Be VERY careful entering the overhead portion of the Devil's system if only OW. I wouldn't do it even without lights. In fact, I would say just don't do it. There really isn't anything to see in the first little bit of the Devil's system that you can't see in the ballroom anyway.

You can do a drift from the Devils run to the Ginnie run along the Santa Fe river. The water is not spring clear, but usually has vis of around 15 feet. here you see a much wider variety of fish and turtles, including mullet, alligator gar, and maybe even a very occasional alligator. You can also see crayfish if you pay close attention, or even visit a couple of small springs on the far side of the river that are prisitine due to the minimal access.

 

[SuPrBuGmAn]

If you pay diving admission at Ginnie, do you have to repay at Devils Eye, Ear, and Little Devil? I'm assuming those 3 springs make up Devils Den correct? They mention them on the Ginniesprings website but do not note a seperate charge, however, RBachman shows a admission price for both Ginnie and Devils Den.

Me and atleast one other buddy are very interested in making a weekend trip out of this but we need to clear up a few details

 

[Wendy]

If you pay diving admission at Ginnie, do you have to repay at Devils Eye, Ear, and Little Devil? I'm assuming those 3 springs make up Devils Den correct? They mention them on the Ginniesprings website but do not note a seperate charge, however, RBachman shows a admission price for both Ginnie and Devils Den.

Me and atleast one other buddy are very interested in making a weekend trip out of this but we need to clear up a few details

Devil's Den is a completely different place than the site at Ginnie and in a different town all together about an hour away. When you pay to go to Ginnie Springs you have access to all the springs there. Devil's Den is loocated in WIlliston, Florida. Ginnie SPrings is located in High Springs.

 

[SuPrBuGmAn]

Ah, thanks for clearing that up.