Vortex Question and Answer

[timetodive]

I just noticed the post count for timetodive.

One post and it's wasted on this drivel. What a troll !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

To the hole that called me a troll and the other that addressed me as a wet sock puppet. Everyone was new to the Boards at some time...even you. I speak my own mind. Information is the goal and there is some info out there that even the wise hole of yoda doesn't need....you already have the total sum of all the world's info.
For all of the others who may be able to help

I was told from a dive pal in Tallahassee that Vortex is in serious hot water with DEP. Does anyone else know of a dredge and fill violation that the DEP has sighted Vortex for under the new management? This powerful government branch attempted to get DOC back in the 80s (FROM MY BATHROOM READING AT VORTEX) for something (other than dredge and fill) but he proved them wrong. DEP also went after the guy in Marianna FL who tried to open Magnolia Spring to divers. They shut him down and jailed him I think.
Doc do you know if the DEP is after the Spring again?
$19.00 per diver or Free won't make much difference if the DEP shuts the place down.
Shane you should have this info, wats up?
These agencies threaten water to dive in across the US and especially in FL. When land owners violate the rules they attempt to close the place and take the land. Control may not be in either of your hands if you are doing work without the necessary permit!!!

 

[SuPrBuGmAn]

Magnolia Spring(Becton) isn't in Marianna, its closer to Vernon and the guy who wanted it open lives on the hill(still) above the spring. I see him out there every so often. He also used to own the grounds around Cypress and ran it as a commercial dive op. I don't know if he was ever jailed, but I believe he did get in a bit of trouble for ripping up limestone to increase flow of Magnolia/Becton.

 

[Tom Smedley]

You won't get far on this board by dissing on Yoda. He is the finest kind and a heck of a nice guy.

You'd get much further by filling in your profile or at least introducing yourself.

Most of us have known the Dockery family since Erica was a toehead kid and Connie sold hamburgers in the Grandview. We can agree or disagree or brag on or sit and have coffee with them all.

We've also known Harold, Linda, Heather, and James Vickers (of that spring near Marianna?) about that long.

Show us who you are and maybe we'll listen.

 

[SeaYoda]

To the hole that called me a troll ... even the wise hole of yoda ...

Thank you for clearing up my misunderstanding of you being a Troll ...

You won't get far on this board by dissing on Yoda. He is the finest kind and a heck of a nice guy.

Thanks for the vote of confidence, BUTT I know the HOLE truth .

 

[mike_s]

You won't get far on this board by dissing on Yoda. He is the finest kind and a heck of a nice guy.

Yeah... I've got to agree with that 100%. SeaYoda is a heck of a nice guy.

You'd get much further by filling in your profile or at least introducing yourself.

but then he's let everyone know who he really was! heh.




Now... all this bable brings up another observation.

we now have two different sources of people posting on the internet from the grounds of Vortex Springs. So this leads us to the next question (to get us back on topic of Vortex in a positive way...)

So since there is an obvious internet source at Vortex.... Does this mean that you guys might/could/would set up some 802.11g wireless routers for the rest of us to use while we are there?

Maybe near the Pinewood and campground and the Grandview/dive-basin?

Considering the muti-star rating of the accomdations, this is wouldn't greatly approve staying there.

That and how about some cable TV during football season? At least in one central location, like under Grandview lodge? We're in a SEC state remember?!!!!

Most of us have known the Dockery family since Erica was a toehead kid and Connie sold hamburgers in the Grandview. We can agree or disagree or brag on or sit and have coffee with them all.

We've also known Harold, Linda, Heather, and James Vickers (of that spring near Marianna?) about that long.

Show us who you are and maybe we'll listen.[/QUOTE]

 

[timetodive]

You won't get far on this board by dissing on Yoda. He is the finest kind and a heck of a nice guy.

Name calling does not display this nice guy. I do not seek to "get far", I was looking for information.

Most of us have known the Dockery family since Erica was a toehead kid and Connie sold hamburgers in the Grandview. We can agree or disagree or brag on or sit and have coffee with them all.

I was a witness to your recent encounter with Connie at Sally's in Ponce de Leon. The cold shoulder you and table of four gave her was astonishing. To her as well as the folks I was with and me.

One of the blessings of diving is that it is done in complete silence, not at all like this board.

 

[Parysa]

I was a witness to your recent encounter with Connie at Sally's in Ponce de Leon. The cold shoulder you and table of four gave her was astonishing. To her as well as the folks I was with and me.

What you apparently missed in that encounter was the "eat **** and die" look that she gave the table before she noticed me looking at her and came over and then gave Tommy a very half-hearted hug. Now, let me say--before you say I was imagining it b/c it was her--I had no clue who Connie was and had never seen her before in my life. Just before she came over, I turned to MM and asked, "Is it just me or is that woman at the cash register glaring at us?" Before MM could answer, Connie came over. It was only AFTER she walked away that I was told who she was. She also glared pretty hard at my boyfriend once she was at the table, as well. That does not lend itself to a warm welcome. Tommy was remarkably nice to her given that he had just been informed that the same woman that was hugging his neck had been glaring at him a moment before. Get your facts straight before you judge. Again, I could have no bias against her over this issue b/c I didn't know who the woman was (I was the dark-haired female of the group, btw) until she had already walked away.

 

[PhilEllis]

Children, children, children......................

To the current owners of the Vortex Springs business and to Doc and his family.......

You guys better get your differences settled or we are just going to lose another spring to diving. I can't IMAGINE how a sales contract could get so confused, so poorly written, and so convoluted that the current state of affairs could exist.

My store has been using this property and this business since our first day in business. This needs to be settled and settled fast.

Phil Ellis

 

[docdockery]

that makes sense as I heard that it was going up from $32 to close to $40 at one time more recently.

I figured at that price it was a simple decision as whether to go or not.



Doc, since you're here now... You should go take a look at the threads about who created the dive flag

Mike, Doc here! I can not find the article you refer to an the divers flag. Help.

 

[docdockery]

Doc here! check this out.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 13, 2004
CONTACT: Lucia Ross, (850) 245-2862

Damage to Beckton Spring Results in Arrest
VERNON – Following an 18-month investigation, Department of Environmental
Protection (DEP) law enforcement agents today arrested 58-year-old Harold
Wayne Vickers for felony criminal mischief and damaging a Florida cave.

The investigation began in November 2002, when DEP received complaints
that Vickers, who owns property at 2988 Cypress Spring Road, near Beckton
Spring, had removed limestone from the springhead to increase the flow of
water into Holmes Creek. Vickers was also reportedly using the spring for
commercial scuba diving.

One of more than 700 springs in Florida, Beckton Spring is protected as
sovereign submerged land -- owned by the citizens of Florida to be
preserved in their natural condition.

If guilty, Vickers could receive five years in prison and a fine of
$5,000. Anyone with additional information regarding this case please
contact Special Agent Tom Harris at (850) 747-5792.

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04-112

FOLLOW UP TO THE ABOVE....

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 28, 2005
CONTACT: Lucia Ross, (850) 245-2862

Washington County Man Convicted of Damaging Spring
-Courts, State law enforcement officers ensure protection of Beckton Spring-


VERNON -- Florida’s springs won a legal victory this week when Harold
Wayne Vickers, age 59, was found guilty of criminal mischief and vandalism
by the 14th Circuit Court in Washington County. Department of
Environmental Protection (DEP) law enforcement agents arrested Vickers in
May 2004 following an 18-month investigation.

The investigation began in November 2002 after DEP received complaints
that Vickers, who owned the property at 2988 Cypress Spring Road near
Beckton Spring, had removed limestone from the springhead to increase the
flow of water into Holmes Creek. Vickers was also reportedly using the
spring for commercial scuba diving. Court testimony revealed that Vickers
planned to charge divers to access the cave from the springhead location.

Beckton Spring is one of more than 700 springs in Florida and is protected
as sovereign submerged land – owned by the citizens of Florida – to be
preserved in their natural condition. Vickers was fined $5,000 on two
counts, ordered to pay all DEP costs and ordered to restore the site.
Vickers was also sentenced to 6 months supervised probation and 25 hours
of public service for criminal mischief. For the charge of vandalism, he
was sentenced to 50 hours of public service and 12 months of supervised
probation.

DEP’s Division of Law Enforcement is responsible for statewide
environmental resource law enforcement. Agents investigate environmental
resource crimes and illegal dredge and fill activities and respond to
natural disasters, civil unrest, hazardous material incidents and oil
spills that can threaten the environment.

From 1999 to 2003, DEP’s Division of Law Enforcement investigated 3,365
criminal environmental cases -- an increase of nearly 414 percent over the
previous five years. In 2000, DEP launched the Environmental Crimes Strike
Force to combat major crimes against the environment and public health.
Its first operation, Operation Green Lightning, resulted in 156 arrests –
the largest environmental law enforcement sweep in U.S. history.

-30-