Help for Florida-Dummie (re: Springs)

Hi!
Looks like I might have a surprise chance to drop by St Augustine in January. I am already scheming how I could sneak in some dips, and was looking into some spring diving. (Who told me Florida is for snowbirds – waters in St Augustine didn’t look too tempting… and not much service going on around Jax either if I interpreted right.)

I am somewhat challenged for what it comes to driving in Florida, and I also received some contradicting info regarding driving distances. I looked into places like Ginnie Springs, Blue Grotto and maybe Manatee Springs and wondered if I could do couple of day trips from Augustine or would it be wiser to plan an overnighter to cover these. Between yahoo maps and people I am getting estimates between 1.5-3 hrs driving time to Ginnie… That’s quite a discrepancy. On a map/by miles it does not look quite like 3hrs but how are driving conditions there? What’s the truth in this? Separate day trips would be way easier to arrange with my other commitments but…

Anyhoo, any other points of interest I could add with St Augustine as a base? (Do not wish to spend too much time in a car). I have no cavern/cave training but I am not picky. Actually, I’d rather keep it rather easy, just wish to get a first look at the springs and get wet during winter break now that an opportunity presented itself. Any of these that would be a good starter when I will have some new gear too (are these places crowded in winter?) Any recommendations for overniting or routing if the worst estimates for driving times are closest to truth? And I know this is personal but what exposure protection do you guys usually wear in the springs? Is the water around 72 degrees throughout? Anything weird I should take into account??

Yeee…

:14: From Jacksonville the town of Lake City is about an hour drive. From Lake City it is 40 minutes(approx.) to most of the dive sites in the upper part of the state ie. Ginnney, Troy, Royal and Orange Grove. Ginney is privately owned with a park entrance fee of I think $30. Troy and Orange Grove are state parks and are $10 each or a season pass for Florida Parks for $42. Royal is a county park and is free. Ginney has air and snack bar and camp store. The other three have relatively nothing. There are a couple places to get air in the area like Cave Excursions and Dive Outpost both right around the corner from Orange Grove. Hope this helps.
Dive Safe, Dive Often
Butch

When you going too be in Florida, thinking of going to Jax at the end of the month and want too do some diving. Would love too meet up with some locals for the week.

Thanks for the input Butch. After slight confusion about where Lake City is (erhm), I am kind of leaning towards the less drastic estimations on the driving times. However, coming from St Aug I would think I don’t need to loop north to Jax. Hopefully those roads from St Aug aren’t so dinky, one has to avoid them.

I sure hope some scuba shops are open in St Aug too! Sounds a bit worrisome what you say about air fills and stuff. I sure won’t fly with tanks and weights – and would hate to drive back and forth returning things to Ginnie. Maybe wiser to rent from St Aug in the beginning. I only could find one shop there this far (Sea Hunt). I wonder if rentals are typically Al tanks in cave country – maybe chance for steels without huge $$$ add-ons? Thanks for giving couple of those shop names! One of them seemed to be a bit off the route - hate to go to Branford for fills if stopping in Alexander Springs and Blue Grotto, eh.

Redhawk – dates are still open a bit. Most likely last full week of Jan. I won’t be in Jax (except if there is any great scuba shop or dive spot). Plan to sniff out the springs.

Anynipbody else with local info out there? How do you do logistics if you don’t have all the stuff in this area?

piikki:

Thanks for the input Butch. After slight confusion about where Lake City is (erhm), I am kind of leaning towards the less drastic estimations on the driving times. However, coming from St Aug I would think I don’t need to loop north to Jax. Hopefully those roads from St Aug aren’t so dinky, one has to avoid them.

I sure hope some scuba shops are open in St Aug too! Sounds a bit worrisome what you say about air fills and stuff. I sure won’t fly with tanks and weights – and would hate to drive back and forth returning things to Ginnie. Maybe wiser to rent from St Aug in the beginning. I only could find one shop there this far (Sea Hunt). I wonder if rentals are typically Al tanks in cave country – maybe chance for steels without huge $$$ add-ons? Thanks for giving couple of those shop names! One of them seemed to be a bit off the route - hate to go to Branford for fills if stopping in Alexander Springs and Blue Grotto, eh.

Redhawk – dates are still open a bit. Most likely last full week of Jan. I won’t be in Jax (except if there is any great scuba shop or dive spot). Plan to sniff out the springs.

Anynipbody else with local info out there? How do you do logistics if you don’t have all the stuff in this area?

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Er , if you want , PM me .. !!!
I used to live in Jax and now I live in High Springs (right next to Ginnie)
I can give you GOOD DIRECTIONS etc and driving times.

And good places to dive too...

And if you need a buddy !!!!

Jean
Ft. White , Florida