Quick Vortex Report 1-28-10

[wjefferis]

I made it over to Vortex this moring to get in a dive with GlenFWB and JBM to play around some with our sidemount rigs. Upon arriving I was kinda shocked to see the water levels. The water was all the way up to the top steps in the spring. While talking to Shane he told me that it was actucally down from what it had been a few days ago :shocked2:. Once we geared up we shot on down to the cavern/grotto area. I could tell the water levels were up as my computer was reading 50 ffw at the bottom of the buoy rope at the mouth of the cavern. There was alot of suspended clay particulate in the water in the basin and cavern area that the spring was shooting out. Visibility was 60 or a little better, but hazy due to the suspended particulate. When I got back to the reaper sign I could actually feel the flow, this was definately a first. I had fun playing around in my sidemount rig. I even turned upside down a bit and swam around attempting to do my best Steve Bogaerts impression. Had a fun day of it and hit up Sally's for the obigitory post dive grub.

 

[wjefferis]

I just thought about it and probably alot of you may not know who Steve Bogaerts is, here is a video:

 

[GLENFWB]

This picture shows how high the water level was at Vortex today.

Sunrise over the Destin Harbor this morning on my way to Vortex

Sunrise over Choctawhatchee Bay

I know, they are not diving pictures....but gotta love a sunrise.

 

[GLENFWB]

There was only one other diver there this morning besides our group of three. But, the visibility in the basin looked like it does when classes are in there training. The cavern was milky and so was the run toward the cave. They are still running the pumps to keep the river water out of the basin.

I am posting some pictures of Morrison from this morning in another thread.

 

[wjefferis]

Hey, where are the Morrison pics???????

 

[Mopar]

Graet pics. you are right you got to love a beautiful sunrise before the dive. What is the air temp.? If it is fairly warm or close to the water temp. I would be tempted to go down and get away from the snow showers at the house.

 

[GLENFWB]

I put them in a different thread.

http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/de...tures-condition-report-january-28-2010-a.html

Hey, where are the Morrison pics???????

 

[Halftime]

I thought that I might try to get over there this weekend but now I'm not sure.

 

[wjefferis]

I thought that I might try to get over there this weekend but now I'm not sure.

It's still a good dive and I noticed that it had gotten clearer by the time I was finishing my second dive from what it was during my first. They are pumping out the excess water right now so levels should be down to normal very soon if we don't get another gully washer rain storm.

 

[irishsquid]

It's still a good dive and I noticed that it had gotten clearer by the time I was finishing my second dive from what it was during my first. They are pumping out the excess water right now so levels should be down to normal very soon if we don't get another gully washer rain storm.

I sure hope this Global Warming ends before Springfest 3.