New member in North Florida

[TMHeimer]

Welcome from a veteran panhandle "snowbirder". Have you dived St. Andrews State Park yet in PCB?

 

[soduh]

Welcome from a veteran panhandle "snowbirder". Have you dived St. Andrews State Park yet in PCB?

That's where I did my first open water training dives. I wasn't expecting a lot but it turned out to be really cool. Saw some batfish and some large schools of jacks amongst some others. Definitely want to go back and hit it again now that I will be able to enjoy it more since I won't be drilling skills as much. That walk with gear is no fun though!

 

[Lorenzoid]

That's where I did my first open water training dives. I wasn't expecting a lot but it turned out to be really cool. Saw some batfish and some large schools of jacks amongst some others. Definitely want to go back and hit it again now that I will be able to enjoy it more since I won't be drilling skills as much. That walk with gear is no fun though!

I used the St. Andrews jetty area to get used to diving double tanks. Talk about the walk with gear being no fun

 

[James79]

That's where I did my first open water training dives. I wasn't expecting a lot but it turned out to be really cool. Saw some batfish and some large schools of jacks amongst some others. Definitely want to go back and hit it again now that I will be able to enjoy it more since I won't be drilling skills as much. That walk with gear is no fun though!

If you didn't like that walk, the Destin death march will really wreck you! Lol

 

[Librarybarry]

Get some dives under your belt then go do the Ballroom at Ginnie. Will give you a wee taste. OW divers are allowed in the Ballroom.

Recreational cave diving is FUN!

I have been doing a quick search specifically to ask about Ginnie Ballroom, and if it is actually considered safe by "experts" for OW certified divers. Is it actually okay for OW divers? I'm a new diver, and take my instructors' insistence to enter any overhead environments seriously, so I was kind of surprised to see the description on the GS website. I guess maybe it's not too dissimilar to the overhead at Blue Grotto?

 

[Marie13]

I have been doing a quick search specifically to ask about Ginnie Ballroom, and if it is actually considered safe by "experts" for OW certified divers. Is it actually okay for OW divers? I'm a new diver, and take my instructors' insistence to enter any overhead environments seriously, so I was kind of surprised to see the description on the GS website. I guess maybe it's not too dissimilar to the overhead at Blue Grotto?

I didn’t do the overhead at BG. But the Ballroom at Ginnie is considered safe for OW divers. Have fun in the flow down at the grate.

 

[billgraham]

Well, if you are in this area, it couldn't hurt for you to come to Merritt's Mill Pond and have a look at JB. I'm guessing it would change your mind about taking a cavern course!