Vortex Expanding. new airstrip?

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mike_s

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According to this, they are building a new airstrip at Vortex so you can fly in and dive.

(kinda negates the idea of don't fly after diving.... but oh well.)



Looks like they are upgrading the Lodging too, which is a plus, but doesn't give details on what....


regardless, looks like we can look forward to some improvements in the facility :thumb:




Vortex Spring dive resort expanding facility

Vortex Spring dive resort expanding facility

Enhancements to include racetrack, airstrip, new lodging

Lowell Kelly, owner of Vortex Spring, has big plans for the popular diving and swimming facility located in Ponce de Leon. New enhancements to the park include an ATV/motor cross racetrack, paintball course and a 3,000 ft. airstrip located on newly acquired acreage adjacent to the facility.

“People will be able to fly in, take scuba lessons and stay at Vortex,” Kelly said.

Future plans to the park include upgraded lodging and expansion of the educational facilities.

Vortex Spring has been a popular dive spot and recreational spot since the mid 1970s. The spring is popular with cave divers offering clear dives into the spring’s limestone rock cavern. The spring produces 28 million gallons of water daily at a year-round temperature of 68 degrees.

Vortex offers scuba dive training, rentals and a complete dive shop supplying dive suits, masks, gauges and accessories.

The recreation area is popular with swimmers during the warm weather months. A diving board, two high jump platforms, zip line, 2 slides, and a rope swing provide fun-filled launches into the cool spring water. Picnic tables and grassy areas surround the spring.

Vortex offers lodging with 2 bunk-bed lodges, cabins and camping with electrical hookup available.

Vortex Spring is located approximately 4 miles north of Hwy. 90 on SR81 in Ponce de Leon, Fla. ::MAP::

Hours of Operation: 7 days a week from 7 a.m. – 7 p.m.

Diving fees are $19.00/day
Swimming $8.00/day
Pets are not allowed.

For more information about Vortex Spring and its facilities, go to: Homepage
 
Thats good. i would hate to see them waste money on stuff like, Oh say traning their employees to say DONT GO IN THE CAVERN OR CAVE!! Or a bigger basin area so students arent cramped and crowded. How about a fence to keep swimmers in the swimming area since NEW MANAGEMENT is totally unable to do so or see the hazards involvedwith them kicking divers.
 
How about a fence to keep swimmers in the swimming area since NEW MANAGEMENT is totally unable to do so or see the hazards involvedwith them kicking divers.

one of the funnier things I've seen at Vortex was on the dock and a bunch of swimmers decided it would be fun to "dive bomb" divers with a "cannonball" on top of them in the water and how the diver reacted.

well one of the divers got tired of it and grabbed one of the swimmers and held onto their ankle for a few short seconds. but enough to panic the swimmer that he was being held underwater.

he came up all coughing up and whining like a baby because he'd held him under for maybe 3 seconds. I said "well I bet you won't do it again now will you.".

he (the swimmer) went off to whine to Vortex management (was when Dockery owned the whole place) and Connie came down and ran them all out of the dive area.
 
Well the new management to me sucks. I was asked a few suggestions. One was to get rid of the damn folk music playing where instructors are tryiing to teach. Nothing has been done. Then I said diver comfort, a place to get warm in winter. Easily done, I bet it doesn't happen. Now swimmers go in dive areas, in my opinion losing Shane has been a very bad thing.
 
I don't mind the swimmers, divers have no entitlement to the spring that swimmers shouldn't have...

The new management does seem quite clueless though. Shane had things worked out, I hope the new management doesn't wreck the progress he's made to the place.

I kinda don't mind the music either :)
 
The airstrip has been in the plans for a while. Shane mentioned it to me a couple of years ago. The plan was to be able to have people fly up from Destin for a different type of Florida. That type of flying is okay after diving because the airplane isn't likely to get more than 1000 feet of altitude.

Actually, none of the plans listed in the article are new. Those are all things Shane had planned to do as time permitted.
 
That type of flying is okay after diving because the airplane isn't likely to get more than 1000 feet of altitude.

That's like saying its ok to drive drunk. I'm only going up the road. . They are alot of restricted airspace between Vortex and Destin. 1000 feet all the way to Destin is unlikely. 1500-2000 is more ideal. This just my .02 I mean no disrespect.
 
Maybe a skydive school will pop up if the airstrip is built, that would be awesome.
 

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