Night diving Alexander Springs

[simbrooks]

I think i understand the entrance pass - pays for your entrance (to most parks), does the recreation pay for any other activities - its really not well explained, i understand camping isnt included. It seems to suggest that if you have an annual pass of either sort that you still have to pay $1 per person to get in:
http://www.floridastateparks.org/information/fees.htm
Have you found this to be the case? This phrase particularly confused me: "In lieu of the statewide general entrance fee charge; does not waive any other special use fees charges at some parks." under the annual pass portion of the fees page. It probably still would be good value, i am not sure we use the state parks as much as others on the board - will have to weigh up how often we use the parks before putting money down. We have biked and kayaked at a few state parks, but a good number of those didnt have a concession stand/entrance booth.

Thanks for the info though

 

[SmokeAire]

Wendy, Thanks for the pass info...."THUNK"...the sound you just heard was my head banging on the table for not thinking about the pass before this.

Chuck

 

[SmokeAire]

I agree its better to not to try to find loop holes cuz then the state parks could just ban divers altogether. Its a privledge that that state allows us to dive certain locations and we shouldn't abuse that.

I agree about not abusing our diving priviledges. See my post on Troy Spring/Madison

Chuck

 

[The Chairman]

Do remember that Alexander is not a state park. It is under the NFS (National Forestry Service) and has it's own set of rules. They do have the spring run blocked off with a rope, although I do not recall any signage. I know they do not allow boat traffic in the spring area. They allow swimming by campers there after dark, so I assume that they would allow divers as well. The gates open from 8:00 to 8:00 and people staying the night are given the combination. The thing to do, might be to register for camping and then simply leave when you are done. Or spend the night in the beautiful Ocala National Forest.

 

[SmokeAire]

When I was at Alxndr Springs a couple of weeks ago I asked at the front gate about diving the springs at night. The gate/c-card keeper told me that the springs is off limits to everyone including campers after dark, no one is allowed in the water, at least from park property.

Seems there is a conflict of info.

Chuck

 

[Wendy]

I think i understand the entrance pass - pays for your entrance (to most parks), does the recreation pay for any other activities - its really not well explained, i understand camping isnt included. It seems to suggest that if you have an annual pass of either sort that you still have to pay $1 per person to get in:
http://www.floridastateparks.org/information/fees.htm
Have you found this to be the case? This phrase particularly confused me: "In lieu of the statewide general entrance fee charge; does not waive any other special use fees charges at some parks." under the annual pass portion of the fees page. It probably still would be good value, i am not sure we use the state parks as much as others on the board - will have to weigh up how often we use the parks before putting money down. We have biked and kayaked at a few state parks, but a good number of those didnt have a concession stand/entrance booth.

Thanks for the info though

I think that what it is saying is that if you have an annual entrance pass and you got someone with you without a pass then that person only has to pay $1.

It has been my expereince that if you have the recreationa annual pass that you don't pay anything upon entering the park. Its all included in the pass. I'm not sure what all the recreational pass covers. I do know that it covers scuba. A while back the rangers at Blue Springs and DeLeon Springs were still charging divers the $5 fee to dvie even if they had the rec pass, and I knew it was wrong, contacted my regional state park office and ended up getting a refund for those days of diving (since I knew the exact date cuz I log all my dives helped out too), so it does cover diving.

 

[simbrooks]

I thought i read somewhere that you cant dive DeLeon unless you had a permit or something, you can swim/snorkel it, but couldnt dive?

As for info at the gate about night diving, i got the same answer as SmokeAire from the gatekeeper! Where did you hear it from Pete?

 

[Wendy]

I thought i read somewhere that you cant dive DeLeon unless you had a permit or something, you can swim/snorkel it, but couldnt dive?

As for info at the gate about night diving, i got the same answer as SmokeAire from the gatekeeper! Where did you hear it from Pete?

Instructors can dive at DeLeon Springs with students, I was assisting with a class. Instructors have to have a permit (right Pete?) to instructo at state parks. Its not very big, kinda boring, and you can't cave dive there, so its really not worth even going IMHO.

 

[simbrooks]

That was what i thought i read, that you had to be an instructor with a class and a permit to dive, otherwise i didnt think you could dive there - read from Ned Deloach's book.

If you say its not too exciting i will trust its the case - an LDS we rent thru and go on trips with teaches its OW there, i think mostly BOW, not sure if they do their specialities there, particularly if they cant be taught there, like deep lets say.

 

[The Chairman]

I have not dove at DeLeon Springs, Wendy so I am not sure. BUT, the kind rangers at Blue Spring tell me that my pass to teach at their spring is good for all springs under the Florida Park System umbrella.