Morrison Springs

[GLENFWB]

If you are talking about the connected platform and not the floating one in the middle of the basin, I suspect some loose limbs have found their way by the platform. There were no hazards under the platform when it was built. I was there about two months ago and the platform area had no dangerous limbs. You will note several of the folks on here are very sensitive to the issue. That is because many remember what it was like before the "improvements" were made.

If you go to the park when swimmers are present, you will find most of the divers entering from the beach anyways. The platform is mainly used by swimmers to jump off of. I don't want to get jumped on so I stay away from it. Also, it is a shorter walk to the beach. I hope to be by Morrison in the next week...I will check out what you are talking about.

If the state puts up a platform with the reasonable expectation that people will be jumping off of it, it has the responsibility to not put it directly over a hazard. I'm not saying that we should delegate our safety to the state, but the state should not entice jumpers into a hazard.

That was my first trip there, and to be honest, I didn't spend a lot of time examining them, but they didn't look like Cypress knees or roots to me. It just looked like a pile of jagged debris that accumulated there. I am not advocating "sanitizing" the spring, just moving some debris that is a hazard. If I am mistaken and it is Cypress knees, the platform shouldn't even be there.

 

[Dive-aholic]

If the state puts up a platform with the reasonable expectation that people will be jumping off of it, it has the responsibility to not put it directly over a hazard. I'm not saying that we should delegate our safety to the state, but the state should not entice jumpers into a hazard.

That was my first trip there, and to be honest, I didn't spend a lot of time examining them, but they didn't look like Cypress knees or roots to me. It just looked like a pile of jagged debris that accumulated there. I am not advocating "sanitizing" the spring, just moving some debris that is a hazard. If I am mistaken and it is Cypress knees, the platform shouldn't even be there.

The "hazard" serves as a habitat for the life in the spring. You will find most of the fish, crawdads, etc are in areas like that, not in the middle of the spring where there is nothing but sand.

With your argument, then we shouldn't have and docks anywhere in the state. When I worked in Panama City, there were at least 2 teenagers/young 20s every week in the summer that ended up paralyzed from the neck down because they jumped head first off a dock into 2-3 feet of water. Apparently, whoever put the docks up "enticed" them to jump in. Maybe they should have dug out the bottom to make sure it is safe to dive into head first?

 

[SCUBASailor]

My only intention with my comments here were to point out that there is platform that will invite jumping right over a hazard of sharp branches. This case is different from shallow water. You can jump into shallow water feet first. Here, no matter how you get off that platform, you run the real risk of serious injury.

It's not that I don't respect nature, I do. I live in an area where the beauty of the natural environment is key to our quality of life. But once people start changing the natural environment, the public safety has to be taken into account in light of those changes.

When the platform was built was when they first altered the spring. To say that, "Yes, it's unsafe, but no more altering is allowed." is just not right. I know many of you will not agree with that, but it's my opinion.

After all this, I hope you guys let me back into Florida. I love it over there, and I never take anything, or leave more than bubbles.

 

[diver 85]

global warming???........

 

[SuPrBuGmAn]

Here, no matter how you get off that platform, you run the real risk of serious injury.

There's only a risk if you're way too negative. Fill your BC and splay out as you stride into the water. You won't bolt into anything on the bottom.

 

[mrmccoy]

You could always just wait to dive when the river level is higher.....

There are stumps and such around the beach entrance too. I have seen a diver just about fall on their face from the remains of a stump ---that was at night
All the locals dive off of the platform that is anchored in the basin and most jump feet first off the floating dock.

 

[CamG]

Greetings fellow divers it is not just Morrison but many more and all over the country.
Here in the land of hoosier it is extremely dry; swamps are dry, ponds and lakes, and the ground is hard as "XXXX". We need some rain pretty bad.
It does make on think about water conservation when you see the levels we are experiencing.

The rainy season is coming though and it will hopefully recharge all those beautiful springs and caves!
I must say that even the swimmers were complaining at Little River a few weeks ago while I was visiting.
Even low as it is the diving in cave country rules compared to the conditions up here right now.
I will start to research the native american rain dance to get things going!
See you soon,
CamG Keep diving....Keep training....Keep learning!

 

[Dive-aholic]

My only intention with my comments here were to point out that there is platform that will invite jumping right over a hazard of sharp branches. This case is different from shallow water. You can jump into shallow water feet first. Here, no matter how you get off that platform, you run the real risk of serious injury.

It's not that I don't respect nature, I do. I live in an area where the beauty of the natural environment is key to our quality of life. But once people start changing the natural environment, the public safety has to be taken into account in light of those changes.

When the platform was built was when they first altered the spring. To say that, "Yes, it's unsafe, but no more altering is allowed." is just not right. I know many of you will not agree with that, but it's my opinion.

After all this, I hope you guys let me back into Florida. I love it over there, and I never take anything, or leave more than bubbles.

Even jumping off a dock feet first into shallow water can cause broken bones. Especially when you add alcohol to the equation...and that's a given in almost all of these cases.

When the water level is up at Morrison, it isn't an issue. This is the first time it's been so low since the paved it and added the docks. It's temporary and hopefully won't last.

As for letting you back in, we've already notified the authorities. They will be on the lookout for you trying to penetrate our borders...

 

[Kevin Carlisle]

If you are talking about the connected platform and not the floating one in the middle of the basin, I suspect some loose limbs have found their way by the platform. There were no hazards under the platform when it was built. I was there about two months ago and the platform area had no dangerous limbs. You will note several of the folks on here are very sensitive to the issue. That is because many remember what it was like before the "improvements" were made.

If you go to the park when swimmers are present, you will find most of the divers entering from the beach anyways. The platform is mainly used by swimmers to jump off of. I don't want to get jumped on so I stay away from it. Also, it is a shorter walk to the beach. I hope to be by Morrison in the next week...I will check out what you are talking about.

I was hoping the floods would wipe out the new stuff. I miss the old Morrison.

 

[SuPrBuGmAn]

I'd like to know how deep it actually is... if the ladders ain't hittin the bottom... someone's too negative on their giant stride







FWIW, you can monitor the water levels at the Choctawhatchee River at Caryville, which is not that far from Morrison and good indicator on water levels there.

I've dive Morrison when the water levels were at -1'. It hasn't been that low in quite some time, it isn't too low at the moment.