Name some decent open water sites in cave country

[jasonb751]

These are all pictures of the mill pond in Marianna

 

[JamesK]

Nothing weird at all about it. After a nice dive in the Devils system at Ginnie, I regularly play around in the spring run in 5 feet of water for a half hour. To me it is fun.

 

[JesperS]

Here is a google map I've made of the spring locations we plan to visit on our trip (plus some others), including OW Scuba friendly sites, snorkeling and tubing sites, dive shops / air fills, restaurants, and some hotels.

LINK

All the scuba sites listed should be OW friendly, please let me know if you see any that are not.

 

[ucfdiver]

Just curious-- why are you avoiding the ocean? Fort Lauderdale and Jupiter have some of the best diving anywhere, let alone in Florida. If I were spending my vacation open water diving, I might hit a spring or two, but the majority would be in the ocean.

 

[JesperS]

Just curious-- why are you avoiding the ocean? Fort Lauderdale and Jupiter have some of the best diving anywhere, let alone in Florida. If I were spending my vacation open water diving, I might hit a spring or two, but the majority would be in the ocean.

A whole host of reasons:

• After doing Weeki Wachee, I'm absolutely fascinated and awed by the springs, and am hungry to see more
• No salt water
• No boats / waves / risk of seasickness
• Family in the area that we may (then again, probably won't) stop to see
• No salt water
• Buying a state park year pass, so other than beach, this will be the cheapest diving possible
• Will make for a fun road trip
• No currents
• Time won't allow doing the east coast and all the spring spots I want to hit
• Planning a future east coast trip (as well as more trips to the keys).
• No salt water
• Want to see the rest of the beauty some of the sights will offer
• Did I mention no salt water?

Note that we plan on doing non diving stuff like tubing and snorkeling too. Staying in cheapish hotels and using my marriott points when possible, so it should be a pretty economical trip.

Also, we're on the gulf coast and five minutes from beach dives and access to cheap charters, so we can do ocean dives when time allows here. This is a spring specific trip.

 

[karstdvr]

• No salt water
• No salt water
• No salt water
• Did I mention no salt water?

.

This may not last long at some places. With prolonged drought and over development,the aquifer is in significant danger of being over utilized,and we are having salt water intrusion. Cedar Key,if I recall correctly,last summer their water supply was found undrinkable due to salt water intrusion. Many of the other springs are showing a rise in conductivity/salinity numbers from probes indicating what we don't want to see.

 

[JesperS]

Ugh, that is terrible. Is there anything one can do besides spread the word and buy a license plate?

 

[karstdvr]

Ugh, that is terrible. Is there anything one can do besides spread the word and buy a license plate?

Awareness is the biggest issue. People were greatly concerned prior to tropical storm Debby because water levels were at an all time low. After Debby water levels are back up,and people assume the issue is done. In reality it will take 5+ years of above average rainfall to bring the aquifer returns to normal,that is dependent on development,agriculture,and thirsty major municipalities. Same practices continue,and with another drought,we will see salt water intrusion into the aquifer.

 

[PfcAJ]

Ugh, that is terrible. Is there anything one can do besides spread the word and buy a license plate?

Vote. Educate others. Get them to vote. Wash, rinse, repeat. Otherwise, it will be 'desalinate, wash, rinse, repeat.'

Also, read this Florida's vanishing springs | HeraldTribune.com

 

[JamesK]

Ugh, that is terrible. Is there anything one can do besides spread the word and buy a license plate?

Social media is wonderful for things like this. Post the articles you read, and put the info out there. Write to the politicians and let your feelings be known. Join groups like the NFSA. Volunteer for clean ups and seminars. Etc etc etc.