inter_alia
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Once again, dad and I needed to get in some dives. We loaded up the Element and headed to springs country. On the way (kind of) we stopped to look around Madison Blue Springs, where some highly qualified looking guys were in doubles, heading into the cave. You know it's serious when their license plates are from Connecticut and New York... The weather was much cooler than the water and the facility was great. Real bathrooms and nice docks leading to the water. If I uploaded correctly, there's a photo overview of the place attached.
Our idea was to dive Troy, though, so we headed south. We had tried to get into Troy last year but, as you know, Troy was flooded out for months. This time, it was lovely. I had a new full 5mm hood on, dad was diving dry. (Actually, I was covered in 5mm neoprene except for the space between mask and reg.) We were both warm and toasty in the water while playing with DOZENS of turtles and, near the river, some enormous Florida Gar and a type of bass I haven't looked up yet.
In winter, of course the springs are like bathwater compared to the air above. There's a lot of talking your body into things: once I don all this crap and go under, I'll be warm, I promise. Or, once leaving the sanctity of 68 degrees, you have to remind yourself not to take off that hood (or gloves, if possible) until you're in the bath house because when air meets damp skin, it just burns... and the shakes start... and there are no warm showers in state parks. Part of the dive planning is how to best doff gear. I call it an adventure.
After Troy (and some badly needed hot choc, we thought ahead and took a thermos of hot water and packets with us), we went to Floyd's in High Springs for burgers. We didn't stay in High Springs this time, though, we just needed Floyd's. We stayed over in Chiefland in order to do Manatee Springs the next morning -- a place which had also been spectacularly flooded out the last time we were in the area.
Manatee Springs has the Catfish place and then the regular duckweed-free Manatee headspring. We chose the latter. Nobody else was around. Bliss. (Actually, for the sake of full disclosure, there were some surveyor people working nearby...) We walked around the boardwalk to the river where, according to the rangers, manatee might have been hanging out. Manatee, apparently, conserve energy and being in the run from the Manatee headspring necessitates quite a lot of effort for them. Therefore, they chill nearer the river where it's easier to nap. We didn't see any manatee but the vultures were out in force.
Eventually, back at the Element, we geared up and trekked (as opposed to walked, or hiked, or moseyed) to the steps leading in. It's not a complicated dive, but it's warm and with some effort you can pull yourself against massive flow to about 35 feet. I only got to 30 by sneaking up to the cave entrance along the drop-off and diving a little before being giddily swooshed away. At times, it was like being in a whirlpool. Fun and shallow (15 - 20 feet) and you're gently tossed about. You can hang out looking at smaller fish and piles of shells for as long as you want and then, like we did, turn it into a drift dive to exit a different set of (algae-covered) steps.
Diving springs is not rocket science, but it is fun. Just getting wet around Christmastime in some pristine forest settings isn't something I take for granted. Not to mention, Florida's state parks rock. All of them are open every day of the year and it's $10 to dive. Off-season, you're basically alone... and those that you meet who are also diving are either as happy to be there as you are or, better, just as nutty. When we arrived at Troy, three guys were coming out of the water and two were in 3mm at most... one in a SHORTY. Ahhh!
So after Manatee, we stopped by Fanning Springs to look-see. One manatee was in the swimming area and it was nice to see him, a medium-size young man. There are new cabins at Fanning: 2 bedrooms, full kitchen, etc., with these enormous L-shaped wrap-around screened-in and furnished porches. Tin roofs, outdoor grills. $90/ night according to Reserve America. They looked great, didn't see inside, will consider them as a base camp for future endeavors.
The drive home from Fanning took a couple detours (Wakulla among them) and in Dothan, at Divers Den, I got a surprise Christmas gift which is now the best reason to take my old computer to the range as target practice for my 1911.
A good time. Two days, lots of highway and a couple comfy dives.
Happy Christmas everyone!
Madison Blue
View attachment 25880
Troy Overview
View attachment 25881
Manatee Headspring
View attachment 25882
Fanning Overview
View attachment 25883
Our idea was to dive Troy, though, so we headed south. We had tried to get into Troy last year but, as you know, Troy was flooded out for months. This time, it was lovely. I had a new full 5mm hood on, dad was diving dry. (Actually, I was covered in 5mm neoprene except for the space between mask and reg.) We were both warm and toasty in the water while playing with DOZENS of turtles and, near the river, some enormous Florida Gar and a type of bass I haven't looked up yet.
In winter, of course the springs are like bathwater compared to the air above. There's a lot of talking your body into things: once I don all this crap and go under, I'll be warm, I promise. Or, once leaving the sanctity of 68 degrees, you have to remind yourself not to take off that hood (or gloves, if possible) until you're in the bath house because when air meets damp skin, it just burns... and the shakes start... and there are no warm showers in state parks. Part of the dive planning is how to best doff gear. I call it an adventure.
After Troy (and some badly needed hot choc, we thought ahead and took a thermos of hot water and packets with us), we went to Floyd's in High Springs for burgers. We didn't stay in High Springs this time, though, we just needed Floyd's. We stayed over in Chiefland in order to do Manatee Springs the next morning -- a place which had also been spectacularly flooded out the last time we were in the area.
Manatee Springs has the Catfish place and then the regular duckweed-free Manatee headspring. We chose the latter. Nobody else was around. Bliss. (Actually, for the sake of full disclosure, there were some surveyor people working nearby...) We walked around the boardwalk to the river where, according to the rangers, manatee might have been hanging out. Manatee, apparently, conserve energy and being in the run from the Manatee headspring necessitates quite a lot of effort for them. Therefore, they chill nearer the river where it's easier to nap. We didn't see any manatee but the vultures were out in force.
Eventually, back at the Element, we geared up and trekked (as opposed to walked, or hiked, or moseyed) to the steps leading in. It's not a complicated dive, but it's warm and with some effort you can pull yourself against massive flow to about 35 feet. I only got to 30 by sneaking up to the cave entrance along the drop-off and diving a little before being giddily swooshed away. At times, it was like being in a whirlpool. Fun and shallow (15 - 20 feet) and you're gently tossed about. You can hang out looking at smaller fish and piles of shells for as long as you want and then, like we did, turn it into a drift dive to exit a different set of (algae-covered) steps.
Diving springs is not rocket science, but it is fun. Just getting wet around Christmastime in some pristine forest settings isn't something I take for granted. Not to mention, Florida's state parks rock. All of them are open every day of the year and it's $10 to dive. Off-season, you're basically alone... and those that you meet who are also diving are either as happy to be there as you are or, better, just as nutty. When we arrived at Troy, three guys were coming out of the water and two were in 3mm at most... one in a SHORTY. Ahhh!
So after Manatee, we stopped by Fanning Springs to look-see. One manatee was in the swimming area and it was nice to see him, a medium-size young man. There are new cabins at Fanning: 2 bedrooms, full kitchen, etc., with these enormous L-shaped wrap-around screened-in and furnished porches. Tin roofs, outdoor grills. $90/ night according to Reserve America. They looked great, didn't see inside, will consider them as a base camp for future endeavors.
The drive home from Fanning took a couple detours (Wakulla among them) and in Dothan, at Divers Den, I got a surprise Christmas gift which is now the best reason to take my old computer to the range as target practice for my 1911.
A good time. Two days, lots of highway and a couple comfy dives.
Happy Christmas everyone!
Madison Blue
View attachment 25880
Troy Overview
View attachment 25881
Manatee Headspring
View attachment 25882
Fanning Overview
View attachment 25883
