SuPrBuGmAn
Contributor
Headed out Friday night to get a jump start on a trip longer than normal, crashed in Tallahassee to start our Saturday off a little closer. We loaded up TheAwesomeFish's SUV with gear on a far less frigid morning than the past few weeks, but the warmer tempertures came with very overcast skies and continuous rains. We hit Chick-Filet before heading further East.
1-16-2010
The trip to Peacock was uneventfull and we even stopped to check out a sidemount spring along the way with land access that makes for a really interesting view. The spring has two visible land bridges making for three holes to make up the spring itself. Lots of exposed karst makes for a great view asthetically. Anywho, Peacock was pretty crowded considering the rainfall. We still managed the closest parking spot to the boardwalk - awesome. We walked down to the water and found the basin to be blue-green and very clear. This was the very first time I've been able to see Peacock I without a nasty algae bloom on the surface - very nice!
We suited up, getting soaked by rains as we dawned our suits and the rest of our dive gear. There were a few people doing deco stops along the ceiling at the entrance to PI and another class at the end of the cavern zone of the Peanut line, as we worked our way down to the reaper sign. After spending some time within the Peanut side of the cavern zone, we headed back up the goldline and swapped to the Pothole line. We followed it down to where it drops off to about 65', which is at the end of the daylight zone. Once down there we worked our way back up and started looking around. We peered down the hole leading to the Well line heading to Peacock II. Afterwards, we headed back up the Peanut line and harassed a few bream and catfish. We found some interesting shells and even a few troglobites swimming midwater. Always interesting to see these tiny little creatures frantically moving along the water column. We ended the dive after 55 minutes which included a quick jaunt around the basin. The water was up enough to swim around a bit. Great cavern dive and it was fun watching other teams make there way in and out of the system.
Getting back to the surface allowed no sanctuary from the wet. We hit up Dive Outpost and Ms Awesome managed to work up a trade for some weights. Our tanks were filled and we headed to the Luraville Country Store for some sandwiches. I went with the roast beef on wheat, it was quite yummy! Time didn't allow for our original plans to head to another spring, so we decided to do a little spring touring.
The first spring we visited was another sidemount cave near Troy Springs. Ms Awesomes SUV proved its worth as we slid down several soaked dirt roads. We found our way to the Suwannee River at one point and were treated to a great view with lots of fog hovering over a large bend in the river. I should have brought my camera, but I didn't on this particular excursion from the truck. We did spot the spring run, so knew we were in the correct general area, a few more dirt roads and we found the spring. It was of course tannic, but still pretty. Even got a pic.
We hit up Brandford Spring as well, which was completely inundated with pure coffee-like riverwater. Totally blown, so no pics, but it was easy to check out. It was starting to get late, so figured it prudent to head over to Manatee Springs State Park to setup the tent before it got too late. We even made it to the gate about 10 minutes before closing. Setting the tent up was fun in the rain, but it didn't take long. Had a great meal of junkfood before getting some much needed sleep. I found out I don't own the only leaky tent in existance, thank God for air matresses.
1-17-2010
A quick breakfast and we headed over to the ranger station to check in for diving. There was only one other team onsite when we pulled up to the parking area for both Manatee Springs and Catfish Hotel. Manatees were in the basin at Manatee Spring itself, living up to its namesake, so we weren't allowed in that particular hole in the ground. We moved gear to Catfish Hotel, which is a duckweed covered sinkhole just upstream from Manatee Spring. The water was clear and cool.
Once in the water, I find that I lost a piece of my mask, so drop my tanks and make a run back to the car to look around for the missing piece. A ziptie worked well enough and I found TheAwesomeFish ready to go back at the sink, along with a pair of OW divers. Once in the water, the first team onsite had already made it back to Catfish and were doing their deco stops. I've never been to Catfish, so ran a line to the obvious ledge containing cave. As soon as I felt that I was in the siphon side, I veered right immediately and dropped line towards the upstream side of the cave. The bottom was course sand with lots of shell and debri while the walls and ceiling were stained black and very dark - my kinda cave! We had alot of fun harassing the namesake catfish and looking for interesting fossils. Ms Awesome even found a neat turtle shell piece. Once a turn pressure was hit within the cavern zone, I reeled back up and into OW. All hell broke loose then, there was some fin stealing, some excess gear replacement, some free rides stolen, and all other sorts of shinanigans. We had a great dive with visibility of 70' or so with a max depth of 68' for a dive time lasting 52 minutes.
Great dive and we decided to head on out since we had to break camp and head back to Tallahassee for the night. Everything broke down and made it into the truck easily, maybe better than we had originally packed it. We meant to eat lunch on the way back, but parades and detours ate up our largest possibilities so it was decided to just wait till we hit Tally for more options. Teds Montana Grill has some good buffalo steaks
The weather was great Sunday though, cleared right up with blue skies, maybe a bit of wind though.
Yeah, I didn't get pics of anything I actually dove during the weekend.
1-18-2010
Took a little hike around the loop trail at Leon Sinks Geological Park on Monday. The weather was great! Most of the sinks were tannic, but Gopher Hole, Big Dismal and Little Dismal were all clear and blue... and looked very inviting! Too bad you can't dive em!
Hoping to get back in the water soon, till then, peace!
1-16-2010
The trip to Peacock was uneventfull and we even stopped to check out a sidemount spring along the way with land access that makes for a really interesting view. The spring has two visible land bridges making for three holes to make up the spring itself. Lots of exposed karst makes for a great view asthetically. Anywho, Peacock was pretty crowded considering the rainfall. We still managed the closest parking spot to the boardwalk - awesome. We walked down to the water and found the basin to be blue-green and very clear. This was the very first time I've been able to see Peacock I without a nasty algae bloom on the surface - very nice!
We suited up, getting soaked by rains as we dawned our suits and the rest of our dive gear. There were a few people doing deco stops along the ceiling at the entrance to PI and another class at the end of the cavern zone of the Peanut line, as we worked our way down to the reaper sign. After spending some time within the Peanut side of the cavern zone, we headed back up the goldline and swapped to the Pothole line. We followed it down to where it drops off to about 65', which is at the end of the daylight zone. Once down there we worked our way back up and started looking around. We peered down the hole leading to the Well line heading to Peacock II. Afterwards, we headed back up the Peanut line and harassed a few bream and catfish. We found some interesting shells and even a few troglobites swimming midwater. Always interesting to see these tiny little creatures frantically moving along the water column. We ended the dive after 55 minutes which included a quick jaunt around the basin. The water was up enough to swim around a bit. Great cavern dive and it was fun watching other teams make there way in and out of the system.
Getting back to the surface allowed no sanctuary from the wet. We hit up Dive Outpost and Ms Awesome managed to work up a trade for some weights. Our tanks were filled and we headed to the Luraville Country Store for some sandwiches. I went with the roast beef on wheat, it was quite yummy! Time didn't allow for our original plans to head to another spring, so we decided to do a little spring touring.
The first spring we visited was another sidemount cave near Troy Springs. Ms Awesomes SUV proved its worth as we slid down several soaked dirt roads. We found our way to the Suwannee River at one point and were treated to a great view with lots of fog hovering over a large bend in the river. I should have brought my camera, but I didn't on this particular excursion from the truck. We did spot the spring run, so knew we were in the correct general area, a few more dirt roads and we found the spring. It was of course tannic, but still pretty. Even got a pic.
We hit up Brandford Spring as well, which was completely inundated with pure coffee-like riverwater. Totally blown, so no pics, but it was easy to check out. It was starting to get late, so figured it prudent to head over to Manatee Springs State Park to setup the tent before it got too late. We even made it to the gate about 10 minutes before closing. Setting the tent up was fun in the rain, but it didn't take long. Had a great meal of junkfood before getting some much needed sleep. I found out I don't own the only leaky tent in existance, thank God for air matresses.
1-17-2010
A quick breakfast and we headed over to the ranger station to check in for diving. There was only one other team onsite when we pulled up to the parking area for both Manatee Springs and Catfish Hotel. Manatees were in the basin at Manatee Spring itself, living up to its namesake, so we weren't allowed in that particular hole in the ground. We moved gear to Catfish Hotel, which is a duckweed covered sinkhole just upstream from Manatee Spring. The water was clear and cool.
Once in the water, I find that I lost a piece of my mask, so drop my tanks and make a run back to the car to look around for the missing piece. A ziptie worked well enough and I found TheAwesomeFish ready to go back at the sink, along with a pair of OW divers. Once in the water, the first team onsite had already made it back to Catfish and were doing their deco stops. I've never been to Catfish, so ran a line to the obvious ledge containing cave. As soon as I felt that I was in the siphon side, I veered right immediately and dropped line towards the upstream side of the cave. The bottom was course sand with lots of shell and debri while the walls and ceiling were stained black and very dark - my kinda cave! We had alot of fun harassing the namesake catfish and looking for interesting fossils. Ms Awesome even found a neat turtle shell piece. Once a turn pressure was hit within the cavern zone, I reeled back up and into OW. All hell broke loose then, there was some fin stealing, some excess gear replacement, some free rides stolen, and all other sorts of shinanigans. We had a great dive with visibility of 70' or so with a max depth of 68' for a dive time lasting 52 minutes.
Great dive and we decided to head on out since we had to break camp and head back to Tallahassee for the night. Everything broke down and made it into the truck easily, maybe better than we had originally packed it. We meant to eat lunch on the way back, but parades and detours ate up our largest possibilities so it was decided to just wait till we hit Tally for more options. Teds Montana Grill has some good buffalo steaks
The weather was great Sunday though, cleared right up with blue skies, maybe a bit of wind though. Yeah, I didn't get pics of anything I actually dove during the weekend.
1-18-2010
Took a little hike around the loop trail at Leon Sinks Geological Park on Monday. The weather was great! Most of the sinks were tannic, but Gopher Hole, Big Dismal and Little Dismal were all clear and blue... and looked very inviting! Too bad you can't dive em!
Hoping to get back in the water soon, till then, peace!
