Trisha
Contributor
We're here! We're here! You'd be doing a Snoopy dance, too, after two day's driving from Oklahoma with two teenagers (one yours) in the back and lotsa scuba gear which hasn't seen salt since '05. Yahooeey!
Dive report: Morrison Springs, near Ponce de Leon, FL
March 17, 2007 -- Happy St. Patrick's Day!
We did our Friday night/ Saturday morning allnighter to the Florida Panhandle. Actually, we were in Alabama when the sun came up, but we got to Ponce de Leon around noon. We followed DeLoach's directions down the dirt road, and it was still there. And open! And free!
The bathrooms are closed now -- I guess that's what the plywood over the doorways means
Portapotties? Oookay. And the guy guarding the shed near the rinse station -- do we tip him as we go in to change? Nah, just another faithful SO.
Note: vans are better than pickups for changing stations.
Another note: beach towels are better than regular towels for privacy in van/changing station.
And another note: bring SO or good girlfriend to hold up towel... don't ask.
It was, how would you say, a bit nippy on the shore. Typical March weather. Last time the locals were out and about. This time several dive classes were on hand, as usual, but only one dive flag on the training platform.
A good crowd was using the pavillion and parked around the gear benches. Morrison Springs stays busy most of the year, but the emphasis now was on scuba, not swimming.
Clear spring water did not stop teens Liz and Fred (aka Kimberly -- our own Kim is in college and working back in OKC this trip) so the girls grabbed snorkel gear and headed in. Turns out Fred had never snorkelled, so Liz gave her the beginner's course. They enjoyed watching the fish and tracking the divers. I offered my diveskin and beanies, but they declined. We could hear yelps and squeals as they waded out, but teens are tough. Blue-lipped, but tough.
Meanwhile, Richard and I suited up. We thought one nice dive and a nap before heading on the way to LBTS.
The girls were headed out by the time we got in. Shore patrol!
Delays for a malfunctioning camera and a dive light, then below....
Silted up (several classes had been through) but the breem and trout were about. Divers were doing their thing at the platform, so we tied off our flag and headed for the cypress log over the sinkhole. From one end I couldn't see the other.
We entered the upper cavern as cave divers were exiting. We brought Richard's big light, so he went in and looked around the upper and lower cavern levels.
One thing I love about Morrison Springs is watching the air pockets on the cavern roof. It's like mercury on the ceiling, dancing in the current from the cave.
Richard came back and made motions like he had seen the freshwater eels that live in the caverns. He handed off the light and I went inside, starting low. I shown the light under the ledges, trying not to sink into the thick silt, but no eels.
I circled the big pale boulder in the back. Still no eels, no lurking bass, and I was ready to hand off to Richard again.
While he made a second route, a couple of divers came down and we watched his light from inside the cave. It was getting a bit chilly for me (my diveskin and 3-mil didn't match Richard's 7-mil j&j) so we did a stop at the cypress log, then headed in.
Another thing I love is the rainbow pattern on the sand while exiting. And the breem in the shade of the trees. Fascinating.
Once we were back in the shallows Richard said he'd seen three eels and noticed a forth peering out of a hole. Wow!
The temps were the typical ones inside the spring, but a brisk wind made it seem colder getting dressed. The shed was a welcome relief when taking off wet neoprene in privacy.
Morrison Springs definitely delivers as a pre-ocean dive site on the way to Lauderdale-by-the-Sea. We always recommend it.
Dive report: Morrison Springs, near Ponce de Leon, FL
March 17, 2007 -- Happy St. Patrick's Day!
We did our Friday night/ Saturday morning allnighter to the Florida Panhandle. Actually, we were in Alabama when the sun came up, but we got to Ponce de Leon around noon. We followed DeLoach's directions down the dirt road, and it was still there. And open! And free!
The bathrooms are closed now -- I guess that's what the plywood over the doorways means
Portapotties? Oookay. And the guy guarding the shed near the rinse station -- do we tip him as we go in to change? Nah, just another faithful SO.Note: vans are better than pickups for changing stations.
Another note: beach towels are better than regular towels for privacy in van/changing station.
And another note: bring SO or good girlfriend to hold up towel... don't ask.
It was, how would you say, a bit nippy on the shore. Typical March weather. Last time the locals were out and about. This time several dive classes were on hand, as usual, but only one dive flag on the training platform.
A good crowd was using the pavillion and parked around the gear benches. Morrison Springs stays busy most of the year, but the emphasis now was on scuba, not swimming.
Clear spring water did not stop teens Liz and Fred (aka Kimberly -- our own Kim is in college and working back in OKC this trip) so the girls grabbed snorkel gear and headed in. Turns out Fred had never snorkelled, so Liz gave her the beginner's course. They enjoyed watching the fish and tracking the divers. I offered my diveskin and beanies, but they declined. We could hear yelps and squeals as they waded out, but teens are tough. Blue-lipped, but tough.
Meanwhile, Richard and I suited up. We thought one nice dive and a nap before heading on the way to LBTS.
The girls were headed out by the time we got in. Shore patrol!
Delays for a malfunctioning camera and a dive light, then below....
Silted up (several classes had been through) but the breem and trout were about. Divers were doing their thing at the platform, so we tied off our flag and headed for the cypress log over the sinkhole. From one end I couldn't see the other.
We entered the upper cavern as cave divers were exiting. We brought Richard's big light, so he went in and looked around the upper and lower cavern levels.
One thing I love about Morrison Springs is watching the air pockets on the cavern roof. It's like mercury on the ceiling, dancing in the current from the cave.
Richard came back and made motions like he had seen the freshwater eels that live in the caverns. He handed off the light and I went inside, starting low. I shown the light under the ledges, trying not to sink into the thick silt, but no eels.
I circled the big pale boulder in the back. Still no eels, no lurking bass, and I was ready to hand off to Richard again.
While he made a second route, a couple of divers came down and we watched his light from inside the cave. It was getting a bit chilly for me (my diveskin and 3-mil didn't match Richard's 7-mil j&j) so we did a stop at the cypress log, then headed in.
Another thing I love is the rainbow pattern on the sand while exiting. And the breem in the shade of the trees. Fascinating.
Once we were back in the shallows Richard said he'd seen three eels and noticed a forth peering out of a hole. Wow!
The temps were the typical ones inside the spring, but a brisk wind made it seem colder getting dressed. The shed was a welcome relief when taking off wet neoprene in privacy.
Morrison Springs definitely delivers as a pre-ocean dive site on the way to Lauderdale-by-the-Sea. We always recommend it.
