Taking a multi-day trip to the Springs

[The Chairman]

For AOW divers, are any of the springs DPV friendly and worth taking the DPV to?

Orange Grove in Peacock Springs are open to OW divers, but not worth a scooter. Don't go into the cavern there.

Most of the springs are open to divers, but many are not conducive to a DPV. Troy would be an exception, but I have no idea if they have rules governing it. I doubt they do. The only cavern environment open to OW divers is the ball room, but that's not a good place to run a scooter. Zipping from the eye to the run would be fun, but they have lots of rules about what you can and can't dive with there. I doubt they would let an OW diver have a scooter unless you have a cert for it. Even as a Full Cave Diver, I can't dive my Rebreather or a scooter in there.

 

[Green Frog]

@The Chairman, I’ve been in “dry caves” up here in VA & WV and seen lots of neat fossils. IIRC I also saw a few in Devil’s Den or another “cavern-type” dive I did back in the nineties. You’re right about those great opportunities. However, I’m old enough now and good year round diving is so far away and requires so much preparation, time and expense, I plan to get the most bang from my buck by doing primarily ocean diving when I come down your way. This is not to belittle cave/cavern diving at all, it’s just not where I plan to put my limited dive opportunities.
I still vicariously enjoy the reports and pictures you guys post and will continue to appreciate them as long as I can. Thanks for sharing!
The Phriendly ‘Phibian

 

[Johnoly]

Just one minor equipment suggestion for you/or buddy........ In ocean diving with booties alot of us drill a small hole in the sole to let water escape out. If you have this hole,, make sure it is plugged up/taped/different booties, etc.. All the springs have sand near the stair exits and by walking on it >> that sand gets sucked up inside the bootie as your foot steps on the sand. For one dive it's not a problem. But for multiple dives a day, it will 'chafe' your foot skin and it's painful after day 2. Don't ask me how I know it hurts.

 

[Divin'Papaw]

In ocean diving with booties alot of us drill a small hole in the sole to let water escape out.

Who drills a hole in perfectly good dive boots??!!!! You’re a crazy man!

 

[MrChen]

Who drills a hole in perfectly good dive boots??!!!! You’re a crazy man!

Lol I do!

 

[MrChen]

Just one minor equipment suggestion for you/or buddy........ In ocean diving with booties alot of us drill a small hole in the sole to let water escape out. If you have this hole,, make sure it is plugged up/taped/different booties, etc.. All the springs have sand near the stair exits and by walking on it >> that sand gets sucked up inside the bootie as your foot steps on the sand. For one dive it's not a problem. But for multiple dives a day, it will 'chafe' your foot skin and it's painful after day 2. Don't ask me how I know it hurts.

I also wear dive socks, does this mitigate the issue?

 

[Green Frog]

When you get sand between your booties and your socks it’s even worse!

 

[Johnoly]

I also wear dive socks, does this mitigate the issue?

If sand can get next to the skin even with a sock, it hurts. On wednesday I did 16 short 10 min dives in Alexander springs doing product testing. It's a 75 foot long very shallow walk in the water across a sand bottom till you are at 3 foot depth and can flop forward to begin kicking the remaining 200 feet to the deeper boil hole. And that's after a 50 foot walk across the dry beach sand. All the dive sites have some sand topside that gets kicked up as you walk. One diver had sand in his boot and they were in pain before noon it hurt so much. It's just a bit of pain-free advice to pass along to your cousin, cause if he quits after day one of pain, it's gonna shorten your trip also and that sucks.

 

[The Chairman]

I wear actual boots worn by Navy Seals. They are called OTBs (Over the Beach), and have lots of drain holes so they can go from the water, over the beach, and into battle without having to mess with their boots. I wear thin nylon socks and pull the socks over the tops of the boots and laces. this keeps most sand and rocks out of the boots bottom and top as well as keep the bows from the laces getting hung on anything. I usually have a bit of sand accumulate between the sock and ankle right at the top. But it doesn't make it down any lower.

 

[The Chairman]

They were bought out by New Balance, but now they are being offered by Altama as "Maritime Assault Boots". It's hard to find the right size, but these are available: