Morrison Springs 8-14-9 Dive Report

After our original plans to dive the Destin Jetties today were dashed by tides hitting WAY too damned early, we opted to shoot for Morrison. Water levels were showing higher than ideal, but it was on the upswing and we figured we could atleast dive below the flood waters into clearer water around the spring depression.

We made it to Underwater Works at 10AM to pick up one of the three AL80s that were back from getting a fresh hydro, vis, and fill, for Judd to use then headed off to Florida. We made it there around 1PM or so, there were some cars onsite, but we were still able to park up front. Some of the same foreign snorkel chicks from last time were there again, and still looking cute. I walked out to the water, expecting tannic water with a blue boil poking through, but was suprised to see a nice clear green basin. Visibility seemed quite nice, considering the water levels!

We geared up and hit the water. I was diving my LP95s with the remaining gas from the previous weekend's dives They'd be plenty enough for a single cavern dive and playing around in the basin. Judd used my AL80 and we found no less than 40' visibilty, but only around the outskirts of the basin and beach area. Towards the middle of the basin and around the depression and visibility was closer to 60-70' with the typical 100' visibility being expelled from the cavern area. We made a quick jaunt into the cavern and got to see the eels and poke our heads down the vents at the bottom as the water did its damnedest to force us away. Once turn pressure was reached, we headed back into OW and played around the tree for a bit, then explored around the outskirts of the basin for a little bit. We chased sunfish and sole around the spring and eventually decided to call it a day. I hit a max depth of 90' for a dive lasting 49 minutes.

It was a great way to waste the day away.

I haven't been to Morrisson's since I got certified, sounds like I gotta get back over there. I'm glad ya'll were able to salvage the day.

Sounds like a nice dive. I would be carefull diving around the outskirts when there are alot of people out. When Glen and I were there the other day there were kids climbing way, way up into the trees and jumping in. It appears that the floating dock has turned into more of a staging area for the locals to jump out into the basin then for anything else.

They stick near the boardwalk, we swam around the rest of the outskirts.



I heard Morrison was brown(from the surface) again today, seems like we caught a small window of clarity.

wjefferis:

Sounds like a nice dive. I would be carefull diving around the outskirts when there are alot of people out. When Glen and I were there the other day there were kids climbing way, way up into the trees and jumping in. It appears that the floating dock has turned into more of a staging area for the locals to jump out into the basin then for anything else.

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Yea I dove there there the other day, and a kid broke his hand jumping from the very top of the tree. I dont know how far the nearest hospital is but im sure its not close.

Panama City is pretty much just down the road, not even close to an hour away.



The locals are using the same trees to jump out of as they were before the park built the boardwalks. This has been going on since one of those rednecks invented "jumping out of a tree".

SuPrBuGmAn:

Panama City is pretty much just down the road, not even close to an hour away.

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There is a reginal medical center off exit 96 in defuniak. You can get there quickly from either Vortex or Morrison spring. Just go down 331 a couple of miles and you are there. Here is a link Healthmark Regional Medical Center - Defuniak Springs, FL, (Florida), free ratings & reports.

I was there this past Sat & Sun and the basin was completely tannic except over the cavern entrance. There it was a deep blue. Visibility between the platform and the beach was about 5'. Over the entrance it was closer to 40'. And in the cavern pristine. There weren't that many people there due to rain. But there were some divers, a class or 2, and about a dozen swimmers.