4 replies to this topic

[Walter]

On Friday morning, I drove to Tampa with my brother, Dennis, and his wife, Donna, following in their rental car. We arrived at Laura's hotel at about 11 AM. After she checked out, we loaded her luggage (she did pack lightly) into my car and headed north.

We checked into the Cadillac Motel in High Springs, which served as our base of operations for the weekend. After getting settled, Laura began studying Nitrox.

Dennis moved from Melbourne, Florida to Williamsburg, Virginia about two years ago and was missing his BBQ. While you can get BBQ in Virginia, it's a totally different style. We went to Sonny's for a late dinner.

While we were at dinner, Bbyctcher (Irene) and her son, Jon, arrived and checked into the motel. We came home to visit and allow everyone to get to know each other.

Next morning, we headed for Ginnie Springs. I don't recommend Ginnie Springs on holiday weekends. The place was packed with inebriated youngsters. We could barely get in the water for all the rafts, but once we were in, we dropped down and left the crowd. All six of us made a dive of about 20 minutes (there's not much to see in a tiny rock cavern) in 72 degree water.

On the second dive, Dennis tried my Aqua Lung DA Aqua Master regulator. I stayed on conventional gear and stayed very close to him since it was his first ever dive with a double hose. He did very well, but wasn't sold on the merits of a 40 year old regulator. He wants his modern reg. At least he tried it and stuck it out for the entire dive.

Following that dive, I geared up for a completely vintage dive, complete with the SOS Decompression meter (affectionately known as the Bend-o-matic), no BC, a tank with the cotton harness bolted on, round extremely leaky mask and Duck Feet. I enjoyed the relaxation of this dive tremendously.

Moo called wondering if we could meet for a dive on Sunday. I told him our plans and invited him to join us.

That evening, we all walked up to Floyd's for dinner and returned to the motel fairly late.

Sunday, we arrived at Blue Grotto at 8 AM to find Moo and his girlfriend, Barb, awaiting our arrival. We filled out the forms, watched the video, paid our fees and headed over to the water. Moo, as usual, geared up quickly and waited for us in the water. Soon Laura, Irene, Jon and I joined him. Blue Grotto has a much bigger area in which to dive, we enjoyed the time a great deal.

After we came out, Dennis & Donna made their dive while the rest of us had a picnic lunch. After lunch, we made another dive.

Leaving Blue Grotto, we stopped by Devil's Den for a walking tour for the diving facilities.

This evening, Laura & I left the others to socialize without us while we concentrated on finishing the nitrox class. Laura passed with flying colors, but I did take off for penmanship.

Monday morning saw us packing everything for a 6 AM departure and a drive to Paradise Springs. Donna decided not to dive, so five of us made the dive. The spring was heavily dived the day before and was still silted badly from the poor technique used by the divers on Sunday.

Dennis & I made a second dive then we all packed up and headed our separate ways after a relaxing lunch together.

Laura and I had a nice drive back to Tampa where I left her at her hotel.

[Marvel]

All six of us made a dive of about 20 minutes (there's not much to see in a tiny rock cavern) in 72 degree water.

Not my kind of diving but difinitely my kind of divers!! Sounds as if you guys had a great time!

[stanner82]

Good trip report. Sounds like you had good company but you find the Florida springs to be boring dives. I'll keep that in mind for future reference. Thanks!

[Walter]

Actually, I enjoy diving the springs, there's just not a great deal to write about. It's difficult to express the attraction of the sprngs in words. I enjoy diving the ocean a great deal more. That's why I have less than 100 fresh water dives. I'd rather be playing where there's more life. I try to make at least one or two trips to the springs each year.

[Laura]

Hi all,

Gotta "dive in" here....

You can't compare the springs to the ocean, because it's not an "apples to oranges" comparison. Yet, just as apples and oranges are both good, in different ways, spring diving and ocean diving are both nice.

I wanted to dive the springs, mainly because I never have done that. It was a challanging, yet very enjoyable type of diving. It was a thrill to be in a "semi-overhead" envirnoment, plus (to a cold Ohio diver like me) the water seemed warm and clear. There was no current or crowded dive boat to contend with. I liked looking at the rock formations and the fossils inbedded in the cavern walls. To me, the viz was really good - at least it was, compared to some of the quarries I normally dive in.

Although I do love ocean diving, I always have fun, anywhere I dive. The reason is that I focus on what IS there to enjoy, not what's missing. Every dive can be cool IF you open your mind, and stay fully present in the moment, where-ever you happen to be.

I liked the variety of trying out something new, and I felt a sense of accomplishment from staying calm, cool and collected while being 85 feet under and 200 feet from the entrance. It was a nice way to stretch myself and test my abilities.

I still like pretty coral, but I think the springs rock, too!

Take care,

Laura