Ginnie Springs

[DiveConcierge]

For my money and to get a good taste of the area and of Florida springs ( I am a local instructor in Gainesville) I would recommend Ginnie and then Devil's Den/ Blue Grotto. They are all private springs so they are the most expensive, but I think are worth it if you haven't been before. I would recommend doing Blue Grotto first thing when they open- it is a popular training site and gets silted out by the early afternoon, sometimes pretty bad. First dive is like diving in a bottle of water, it's gorgeous. Devil's Den is practically across the street and a nice dive all day. Gets a bit silty but it is coarser and less prevalent than at Blue Grotto. Troy Springs is a nice state park option but a bit farther away... PM me or email me if you have any other questions or need to know where to get your tanks filled!

 

[SandyRobinson]

Removed

Hey Steve, I guess that was directed at me My opinion is that the Ballroom at Ginnie is a safe dive for an OW diver provided he/she is comfortable in the cavern, gear is properly serviced and in working order, the dive is done in daylight, the Sante Fe has not crested over the spring and reduced natural light, and that the rules required by GSO are followed - buddy, two lights, octo, 1/3 air rule, etc. The diver is always within sight of light unless they go back into one of the corners at which point you can lose natural light. Also, even the worse diver can not silt up the ballroom.

I have read references of fatalities in the ballroom but have been unable to find any information on the IUCRR website, this website, my various cave books, or a web search. I know there have been deaths at the Devils system (a recent one unfortunately), Dogwood(?) Springs, and maybe a diver near the steps in the Ballroom basin but I have not been able to find any OW deaths concerning the Ballroom. I am sure there were some in the cave system prior to the grate being installed. While the lack of or a minimum of deaths is not in itself a reason to make a dive, I believe that combined with information above, the Ballroom is safe for an OW diver. If anyone knows of any specific fatalities, I would be interested in hearing about them.

For any other cavern in Florida, one should have proper cavern training and use proper cavern gear. This would include JB, PSSP, Blue Grotto, Paradise, LR, etc.

 

[DiveConcierge]

HAHAHAHAH mike!!

 

[RetMTFE]

carobinsoniv....I totally agree with you. I too was unable to find any info on accidents/deaths in the ballroom. The fact Ginnie teaches cavern and cave diving and allows non cavern/cave divers to go in the ballroom tells me they think it is a safe OW dive. IMO, the drunk campers/tubers and unsupervised kids in the springs are more dangerous than the ballroom.

 

[Steve SDI/TDI HQ]

Hey Steve, I guess that was directed at me My opinion is that the Ballroom at Ginnie is a safe dive for an OW diver provided he/she is comfortable in the cavern, gear is properly serviced and in working order, the dive is done in daylight...

Hi Sandy: Yep, as you read in the quote someone pulled from my post before I reread your original message and figured out my error.

 

[SandyRobinson]

Hi Sandy: Yep, as you read in the quote someone pulled from my post before I reread your original message and figured out my error.

NP - I should have been clearer in my original post although I know this topic has generated much discussion in the past.

Changing the subject, I appreciate the training courses TDI has to offer. I have taken AN, Deco, and Nor Tri and have put my daughter thru AN. We have received great info in the classes and lots of good skills. Trying to figure out how to get her in the deco course this summer without my better half saying no One long dive on the Bibb, Duane, or SG beats two short ones every day.

 

[LiteHedded]

Hey Steve, I guess that was directed at me My opinion is that the Ballroom at Ginnie is a safe dive for an OW diver provided he/she is comfortable in the cavern, gear is properly serviced and in working order, the dive is done in daylight, the Sante Fe has not crested over the spring and reduced natural light, and that the rules required by GSO are followed - buddy, two lights, octo, 1/3 air rule, etc. The diver is always within sight of light unless they go back into one of the corners at which point you can lose natural light. Also, even the worse diver can not silt up the ballroom.

I have read references of fatalities in the ballroom but have been unable to find any information on the IUCRR website, this website, my various cave books, or a web search. I know there have been deaths at the Devils system (a recent one unfortunately), Dogwood(?) Springs, and maybe a diver near the steps in the Ballroom basin but I have not been able to find any OW deaths concerning the Ballroom. I am sure there were some in the cave system prior to the grate being installed. While the lack of or a minimum of deaths is not in itself a reason to make a dive, I believe that combined with information above, the Ballroom is safe for an OW diver. If anyone knows of any specific fatalities, I would be interested in hearing about them.

For any other cavern in Florida, one should have proper cavern training and use proper cavern gear. This would include JB, PSSP, Blue Grotto, Paradise, LR, etc.

yes there have been plenty of deaths in the ballroom
one comes to mind where a lady lost her weight belt and was pinned to the ceiling and drowned.
I witnessed a near drowning in there once myself where a woman mugged her buddy for his regulator and dragged him to the surface

 

[JeffG]

yes there have been plenty of deaths in the ballroom

Cite please

one comes to mind where a lady lost her weight belt and was pinned to the ceiling and drowned.

??? Doesn't quite make sense. Its fresh water and the exposure protection wouldn't be that thick. So I could see someone floating to the roof, but pinned?? I kinda doubt it. If they don't panic, getting out shouldn't be that much of an issue.

I witnessed a near drowning in there once myself where a woman mugged her buddy for his regulator and dragged him to the surface

The only thing that is going to hurt you in Ginnie...is "yourself". If a diver loses their cool I could see an issue, but other than that...its a pretty easy peasy dive.

 

[Dive-aholic]

Hey Steve, I guess that was directed at me My opinion is that the Ballroom at Ginnie is a safe dive for an OW diver provided he/she is comfortable in the cavern, gear is properly serviced and in working order...

And new OW divers are going to know this how?!?

Keep promoting the practice of diving in the overhead without training.

 

[SandyRobinson]

And new OW divers are going to know this how?!?

Hey Ron, they will know when they shine their light into the cavern or right after they enter the cavern. If the diver does not have a good feeling at this time, the dive should not be made.

Again, I will only say this about the Ballroom. IMO, divers at Blue Grotto, Paradise, OG, MMP, LR should be cavern trained and using cavern gear. I have never dove Devils Den so I can not speak for it.

My guess is that we agree on 99%+ of cave training/issues and this would be the 1% where we have different opinions.

Another comment to the OP - If you have time while in Florida and you want to experience more caverns than the Ballroom, you may want to consider a cavern course. Even if you have no interest in caves, the cavern course is a great course and can improve your confidence in the water and make you better aware of the underwater environment. The NACD and the NSSCDS have good training programs and there are a lot of instructors in the Ginnie area. The courses are probably $250 to 400 and last two days(4 dives) assuming all skills/dives are properly performed. TDI and IANTD also have cavern courses but I am not familiar with them. Ron may be able to tell you about IANTD.