Morrison Trip, 02/24, All are welcome!

[frankc420]

A few of us from MS are heading to Morrison this weekend, the water levels look like they are going to be 2 foot, so visibility shouldn't be all that bad =)

If you decide you want to come, please let me know!

 

[SuPrBuGmAn]

SeaYoda and I are hitting up the Destin Jetties, you guys should head farther south! Besides, the waterlevel chart is showing ~5-6' levels by Saturday, don't confuse flow with water levels

 

[frankc420]

SeaYoda and I are hitting up the Destin Jetties, you guys should head farther south! Besides, the waterlevel chart is showing ~5-6' levels by Saturday, don't confuse flow with water levels

High tide at Destin isn't until 3:15pm right? If that's the case, we may try to dive Morrison a couple of times then head to Destin... If that's not the correct time, then I must be looking at the wrong spot on the tide search

What time are you guys heading out there?

 

[SuPrBuGmAn]

Meeting at the parking lot for 2PM.

Thread for Destin Jetties is at http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=178122

 

[frankc420]

Eh, plans are about to change then, I'm not diving a soup bowl!

 

[SuPrBuGmAn]

It won't be soup, it just won't be pristine.

 

[utdivermatt]

What will it be then? I am still looking for a place to dive Friday afternoon, and was looking at Morrison and Merrits Mill. Is it worth driving further to dive MM?

 

[SuPrBuGmAn]

You'll need to get a boat to dive the springs at the Merrits Mill Pond less you are cave certified, which only opens up Jackson Blue from land access.

Morrison will have visibility, without diving it, I can only guess 10-20', maybe more, maybe less. Not exactly what I call soup, but I wouldn't show up expecting to hop in the water and see the cavern entrance beyond the platform from your entry point.

There is quite a difference between soup and Morrison's optimal visibility, and alot of it is very divable regardless to whether or not its 'pretty'.

 

[utdivermatt]

I know very little about Merrits Mill, but my dive instructor said something about being able to walk in at a point near a parking lot where there was quite a bit of cavern to explore. She hasnt been there in a while, but it was a thought of a place to go. Anybody have more info about this?

 

[SuPrBuGmAn]

She's talking about Jackson Blue, which is the only spring(and the largest in the pond, one of the largest in FL infact), that has public access via a park with beach. The park is closed during the winter months, but you can obtain a key from the Sheriff's station with proof of Cave Certification.

Otherwise, you'll need to bring a boat to access the multiple springs in the Mill Pond.

You can spend the day out there diving the outside of the various caves and having fun in OW watching bream, bass, and crawfish. Access just isn't all that easy, less you have the certs or a boat.

There is a dive shop out there that rents pontoon boats.

Jackson Blue has a big cavern with a rocky bottom, but there is nothing to keep you out of the cave. Flow has been strong. Shangri La has a small cavern with a rocky bottom.

Stay out of Hole in the Wall and Twin Caves, as I hear even the caverns there are silty as hell - again, less you are cave certified.

We couldn't find Indian Washtub last time we were there, but I think its just a deeper area with a few cracks in the bottom, basically all OW. Might be fun.

We didn't have time to check out Gator Hole, but it may be worth a look.

All the above is found within the Mill Pond.