Florida bound!!

[crpntr133]

A few of us from IN and KY are headed to FL on the 16th. Our plans are to leave KY the morning of the 16th and camp at Ginnie Springs. The next moring we are headed to Crystal River for a manatee dive, we are looking into a scuba dive as well someplace close. Headed back to Ginnie till the 19th which we will depart from the sunshine state and head back to the cold water states.
If anybody wants to join us or is going and would like to meet up someplace PM me, I'm sure we can come up with something.

[DeepDiverBob]

I will be in Florida finishing my cave class about that same time. I will be further north in Mayo and Luraville area.

[nauifins73]

The manatees are great. I dove with them the middle of Jan. Where are you staying? We dove the 3 Sisters Spring. There is a very small sanctuary outside the 3 Sisters. There were maybe 50 manatees there. If you go to 3Sisters watch for the CURRENT coming out of the spring - it is literally pull yourself in over the rocks. Once in it is free sailing. Be sure and take a snorkel as that is really all you need in a lot of the areas where the manatees are.

[mikiedfd]

Let me know how things are - conditions-wise - - - I'm planning to be there March 4-12 to dive Ginnie Springs, Devil's Den and hopefully some more. . . Any suggestions from anyone? The must see - I have a newbie with me so shallow dives are appreciated.

Mike :)

[crpntr133]

We are going to snorkel with the manatees. Have been told that they will swim away from a divers bubbles.
We are staying at Ginnie Springs. Driving the 1 1/2 hour down to Crystal. We were going to snorkel with Bird's Underwater and stay at a hotel but Bird's is booked solid that week.

The Blue Grotto?? Heard about it but this is my first time to dive in FL.

I will let you know how things are. I think Ginnie pretty much keeps itself cleaned up with the amount of water that flows through there.

[DeepDiverBob]

Ginnie has excellent dive conditions. However, if you arent cave certified, you are going to get bored of the ballroom in about a dive or two.

Blue Grotto is interesting to see. Its a horse shoe shaped cavern. Max depth there is just over 90 feet. Its fun to play at for a few dives. I heard he has bumped his price up to 40 bucks though. If you have never been there, it might be worth it, but I had a hard time going back for 27 bucks. I wont go back for 40. PLus, the guy can be a reall jerk sometimes, too, in my opinion.

Devils Den is interesting, but as with most of the springs for OW divers, after a dive or 2, you've seen everything there is to see.

One dive site I really enjoyed was Paradise Springs. That place is like diving in a museum. The walls are coverd with fossils every where you look. Unless you are legally blind, it is impossible to not see any. Also, there are some fossils of whale bones on one side as well.

http://underwaterflorida.homestead.com/paradise.html


I hope you enjoy your time in Florida.

[crpntr133]

I guess since we will only be at GS for one day of diving I will be fine. Always good to know thing like this. Ever done the drift dive down the river?

[DeepDiverBob]

I have not done it, but I know plenty of people that have, and I havent heard a bad thing about it yet.

[nauifins73]

We are going to snorkel with the manatees. Have been told that they will swim away from a divers bubbles.

In Jan at the 3 Sisters or King Spring at Crystal River the bubbles didn't seem to bother them at all. The cows slept right through our visit but the calves were quite interested in us. They were starting to become interested in mating, according to one of the Fish and Game officers we talked to on the River.

We also did the drift dive down Rainbow River. It took us about 1 hr 30 min. Kinda of boring - nothing much to see, a few sun perch and a cool school of gator gars. They have quite nasty looking teeth. The deepest we got was 15 ft down to one of the springs. Most of the time our head was out of the water. Where we enter the river were able to do a giant stride entry - definately the deepest spot in the river.

[crpntr133]

Reporting in!! Things didn't go like we had hoped but a good time was had by all.

We were told that it is illegal to scuba with the manatee in the 3 Sisters. Don't know why you would want to scuba anyway since the deepest we found was about 10'. Word of advice, go as early as you can and also a week day if possible.

We ended up diving Devils Den after the manatees. Pretty nice dive but $31 for entry fees!! Thought that was a bit high. I agree that a dive or two would do me in. We dove once since my DB was having ear problems.

Ginnie was even better, even though we were there on a weekend and the place was packed. 100 divers at least at the ball room area, it wasn't bad. Our morning dive was earlier than most and we waited till around 3 for our second dive. The night dive, we were the only ones left and it was early. Even though Ginnie is higher than I am use to it was well worth the money. With the nice facilities that they have I would go back.
We were going to dive the Devils Ear but we were told that it was pretty much a lame dive.

Still find it weird that they charge tax on air fills. Thus making it $5 and a few cents a fill.

[Atlaua]

Even though Ginnie is higher than I am use to it was well worth the money.


Ginnie is a quality operation, only complaint I had was that it seemed to take them forever to fill tanks, and that was on a slow day.


We were going to dive the Devils Ear but we were told that it was pretty much a lame dive.

Pitty, I enjoyed diving Devil's Springs, particularly Devil's ear. Even though I couldn't enter the system I was able to drop down into the hole and experience the force of the current coming out from there. From this vantage point you are in a perfect position to look up and see the tannic water from the river mixing with the clear water from the springs. It's pretty cool looking.

James

[crpntr133]

I can't complain about the fills. We had a total of six fills and the most we waited was a few minutes. They didn't have anyone manning the fill station but as soon as we asked at the desk someone was there.

They had the channel tarped off at the Devils ear. Something to do with the river temps and the muck. You could still go everywhere. Another reason why we didn't go there was that we either packed our gear or unloaded the van and drove down.

The force of the water is amazing. We dove down to the grate at the ball room. Better have some good fins and a strong kick. Not totally sure but I think that the force of the water caused my light to flood. Not sure how but it was weird that it failed just before I got my hand on the grate and it didn't totally flood. Just enough to pop the bulb.

[juls64]

We were told that it is illegal to scuba with the manatee in the 3 Sisters.

Illegal? Where did you get that? We have had several customers dive with the manatees with reputable outfits, including 3 Sisters. I have never heard anything about it being illegal. I have heard the bubbles scare them, but people I know that dove there, didn't seem to have any problems. They simply treated the animals and their environment with respect.

[theskull]

Illegal? Where did you get that? We have had several customers dive with the manatees with reputable outfits, including 3 Sisters. I have never heard anything about it being illegal. I have heard the bubbles scare them, but people I know that dove there, didn't seem to have any problems. They simply treated the animals and their environment with respect.

I was told that before, too. Apparently the news is selective, because the day after I took a group snorkelling with the manatees (since diving was illegal) the very same shop outfitted the other half of the group I was with with tank fills and a dive boat to go to the same locations!

Anyway, I've done it both ways, and snorkelling was the better experience since the manatees came closer to us.

theskull

[nauifins73]

Not sure about it being illegal. We had open water students doing their 1st check out dives with a couple of local divers in our group one being an Instructor. Plus a FL Fish and Game officer came by as we getting on the boat with full gear. If it would have been illegal I'm sure he would have had the authority to have done something.

[crpntr133]

Just thought of something after reading nauifins73's post. One person told us that it was illegal. Our boat captain added that it was indeed illegal UNLESS you were doing a class. Being he is also a diver I would tend to believe him. Not sure why this would make a difference. Just stating what I was told.

[theskull]

Just thought of something after reading nauifins73's post. One person told us that it was illegal. Our boat captain added that it was indeed illegal UNLESS you were doing a class. Being he is also a diver I would tend to believe him. Not sure why this would make a difference. Just stating what I was told.

Ahh, makes perfect sense now. Cause brand new divers thrashing around in the water with poor buoyancy control would be far less upsetting to the manatees. LOL.

The weird part is I'll bet that it is true! That was the difference between the 2 groups I was with that were allowed to SCUBA and the 1 group I was with that was required to snorkel.

Strange world.

theskull

[Atlaua]

I've searched the ordinances of both Florida and Crystal River and can't find any references. It is illegal to harras manatees but nothing that says you can't scuba dive in any particular location.

Sounds to me like it's more of a perpetuated rumor than a law.

James

[crpntr133]

Doesn't make sense to me either but that is what I was told. I will contact the shop that told us this and see if they will enlighten us.

[crpntr133]

Ok here is the email that I got back from Crystal River Lodge. This is the same guy that told me that it was illegal.

Wally,
Here is the deal on manatee diving. There MAY not be a law that says specifically that you are prohibited from SCUBA dive with manatees. But the law does say you are not permitted to disturb a sleeping, resting or eating manatee all of which they do below the surface. and you are not allowed to cause a manatee to deviate from its natural behavior. So if you go below the surface (SCUBA or snorkel) and the manatee as much as turns it's head to see you you
broke the law. Also the SCUBA bubbles scare them. The bottom line is it is against the law to go below the surface (SCUBA or snorkel) to interact with a manatee. If people keep trying to SCUBA dive with the manatees it is just one more thing that the save the manatee club can use against us to keep us from swimming with manatees all together.
I hope this helps.
Thank You
Captain Andy

[theskull]

Now I feel conflicted. Ever since my first experience with the manatees--which was on SCUBA--I have been a donating member of the Save the Manatees Organization.

Now I find out that they have been using my money against me?! You can bet I will be contacting them today. Certainly SCUBA divers (most) are some of the greatest friends and protectors of the manatees. The group has done a great job of protecting the manatees from drunken speedboaters and detrimental construction in the area, but like most tree-hugging types they probably go too far in their zealotry in some areas.

theskull

[theskull]

Just sent my inquiring e-mail to the SMO asking for an explanation. Will report back on their resonse. Sent the message to the membership department and copied it to the education department.

theskull

[crpntr133]

Should be interesting to see what they have to say.

I also posted on "that other board" and everybody agreed that it isn't actaully in black and white that you can't scuba with the manatee, just not recommended.