Two quick Ginnie-related questions

[LiteHedded]

if you dont dig the cheap highway motels in high springs there are more options in alachua

 

[victorzamora]

I don't mind cheap motels (recent college grad ), especially when the room has nothing to do with the trip. I mean, the point of a dive trip is to enjoy the dives. If the room is not ABSOLUTELY disgusting, I'm normally okay with it. Carrying makes me feel better about sketchy motels, too . What bothers me is driving a ton once I get there. Driving two hours between dives is VERY low on the list of things I'm excited about doing (hour each way, right?). I don't own two sets of tanks, and that seems like a crazy expense to compensate.

 

[HIGHwing]

Air share from max pen plus missing deco bottles = bent/dead. Might as well not dive if you think that's going to happen.

Maybe, but the deco bottle thieves at Ginnie have been quite busy. I'm just sayin'...

 

[ucfdiver]

Maybe, but the deco bottle thieves at Ginnie have been quite busy. I'm just sayin'...

I have never heard of a deco bottle being stolen other than clipped off to the log, and rarely clipped off by the sign. If you carry it 100ft in I'd say you're not going to have any issues.

 

[PfcAJ]

Well if you leave it in a place where someone can swim down and snatch it at ginnie (apparently the only cave where this is an issue), then yeah. Put it at the sign like everyone else.

Back to practical matters... The dive shops near Ginnie really aren't that far. If you're dead set on staying the entire day, rent some tanks. 2800' on lp85's without a stage or scooter is uhh...not realistic. Maybe 2800 round trip?

The usual suspects for hotels are the Cadillac and the Country Inn. Both are reasonable. Stuff in Alachua is better, and the food options are a step up, as well. Conastogas is great.

1st dives for the Full Cave diver in Ginnie: the mainline, bone line, and hill 400. That's 3 reasonable ones right there to get you oriented with the main trunk passages in the front of the cave. From there, I'd suggest parallel lines of hill 400, the expressway/mud tunnel stuff off the mainline and bone line, and the white room and wonder tunnel off the bone line are pretty cool. Do all those things then consider staging or something more complex.

 

[ucfdiver]

I don't mind cheap motels (recent college grad ), especially when the room has nothing to do with the trip. I mean, the point of a dive trip is to enjoy the dives. If the room is not ABSOLUTELY disgusting, I'm normally okay with it. Carrying makes me feel better about sketchy motels, too . What bothers me is driving a ton once I get there. Driving two hours between dives is VERY low on the list of things I'm excited about doing (hour each way, right?). I don't own two sets of tanks, and that seems like a crazy expense to compensate.

If you're diving in a budget, consider renting out one of Jim Wyatt's trailers. They're reasonably close to Ginnie and you can cook for yourself there (saves $$$).
Cave Dive Florida - Rental property at Rum Island

 

[AA3JY]

The main question I have is because I was told by a local that he dives to p2800' on thirds on LP85's with no stages and no scooter. My experience is on the Mill Pond, and that much penetration is just not possibly. That's ~56 min penetration assuming 50fpm. Sanity check here, am I being lied to?

PM me if it's the person I think it is..

 

[PfcAJ]

I think there's more cave to see w/ less hassle at peacock. Fills are right around the corner, its shallower, no flow, no deco, and 3 entrances.

 

[victorzamora]

So, I hate to be that guy....but how is lodging near Peacock? However, that's already sounding like the better site for me. JB flow is up and I'm already sick of it!

Also, I'm sending the PM.

 

[LiteHedded]

bill rennaker has comfortable trailers near peacock for rent and there's a hotel in mayo