Navarre Strike-Out & Vortex Report

[Hetland]

Met my buddy in Mobile, and we went down to Navarre in order to give the pier a try. Sadlt, there was some event planned, and the public parking area was closed. Since we did not want to use the shuttle bus in our gear, and couldn't leave our stuff on the beach unattended, we decided to "settle" for a Vortex dive.

We got to Vortex just in time to set up our gear before the sun went down. We ended up doing two night dives, and had the whole spring to ourselves on the second one. The eels were out in force, and very playful despite the fact that we had nothing to feed them. I learned Vortex drops to 62° at night, and that 62° is frikkin' freezin' in a 3mm suit. A mosquito bit me about 5 minutes after our second dive, and promptly died of hopothermia

YouTube - Vortex Springs - Night Dive w/Eel

 

[SuPrBuGmAn]

The water temps at Vortex do not change at night, are you talking about air temp dropping at night?

 

[Hetland]

No, that's what the temp said on my buddy's computer My analog gauge showed low 60's as well. It also felt like it was much cooler than the usual 67°-68°, which is comfortable for me in a 3mm.....

But now that you mentioned it, I did not check my gauge until I was out of the water.......

 

[JAN 1974]

I was at Vortex on Sunday during the day and my computer showed 66'. I haven't been there a few months but the water seems to be a little bit colder than it always been. Maybe just my computer was not correct.....

 

[SuPrBuGmAn]

No, that's what the temp said on my buddy's computer My analog gauge showed low 60's as well. It also felt like it was much cooler than the usual 67°-68°, which is comfortable for me in a 3mm.....

But now that you mentioned it, I did not check my gauge until I was out of the water.......

Guages can be wrong, inconsistant, and inaccurate

The water at Vortex is groundwater from an underground aquiffer, its a constant temperature that doesn't get effected by ambient temps. Its the same, within a degree or so, day/night/winter/summer.

In the extreme hot and cold days, the water on the surface can change a few more degrees as its subjected to the ambient temps, but the spring outflow will always be the same.

 

[Reef]

Great little vid!

 

[Hetland]

Just re-checked my bud's computer, and it did in fact say 62°. He agreed that it felt 62° as well, and he's been diving about 12 years. Go figure.

 

[SuPrBuGmAn]

Guages can be wrong, inconsistant, and inaccurate

I'm sticking with it. Vortex doesn't drop to 62F. Even if there was river intrusion, this time of year the river water would be warmer than spring water. The guage is wrong, and so is your bud's gut feeling Go further north to find colder water springs. Further south to find warmer ones.

 

[Kevin Carlisle]

I have to back up Bugman on this one. I dove it in 40 degree air temps and still recorded 67 degrees. I have yet to dive a spring in the panhandle and get a temp lower then 66. I will agree I have felt like they were a bit colder.

 

[VortexBlue]

I would have to agree with Matt, I live here and work here at vortex, I have never seen the water temps here drop below 65 and that was behind the grate. The average is 68. I have dove this place at least once a week and found that temps do fluxuate but not that much maybe 1 or 2 degrees and after a heavy rain 3 but thats it.