Where to dive/ camp in Fla panhandle

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MNawman

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Messages
49
Reaction score
0
Location
Albuquerque NM
# of dives
500 - 999
Hey guys I'm planning a trip thru the Florida panhandle in Sept and would like to make a couple cave dives. I'm full cave certified and will have all of my cave gear minus tanks and weights. I'm looking for a good dive site with big rig camping available and a dive shop where I can rent tanks, ( like Ginnie). Can anyone recommend someplace in that area. Thanks for any input.
Mark
 
Cave Adventurers in Marianna, FL rents steels and alus and pretty much anything you could possibly want/need for cave diving. They're in the panhandle, and about an hour from Vortex. Best place around there to stay is Marianna Inn & Suites. Mention you're a CaveDiver and they give you a special rate AND guarantee a first-floor room.
 
There is camping just down the road from cave adventurers. There is a campground as well as Florida Caverns State Park. If you are looking for the Ginnie type party situation you can camp at Vortex. Call Edd at Cave Adventurers in Mariana, Fl. he can give you better details as I have never camped in the area. He also rents boats and guides if you are interested in that.
 
Most of the cave diving sites in the panhandle will require a boat to get to. Jackson Blue is really the only spring you can drive up to. You can get a semi in there but turning around might be an issue. There's a small parking lot at the bottom of a hill and the rest of the parking is typically done on the grass. If it's been raining you'll just get your semi stuck most likely. There are other caves to dive in the area, but like I said, you'll need a boat. There are a few on Merritt's Mill Pond and several on the Chipola River. However, if you are backmount the river caves aren't going to work for you.

Florida Caverns State Parks has camping and they have RV pull-ins so you shouldn't have an issue with a semi. Arrowhead is another option and is mainly for RVers so that should also work.

There are also some caves west of Marianna and south of Tallahassee, but most are river access only or require you go with someone who knows how to get to them.

If you have any more questions give me a call - 850-272-7484. I have a full selection of rental tanks and easy to get fills.
 
Rob, thanks for the info. I would be interested in a couple guided cave dives with you as I will not have a buddy on this trip. Please send me a little more info on a campground near your shop and your fees. As I said I will have all my own gear, (back mount) except for tanks. I plan to spend at leat two days in the area and wold like to get in four dives. Thanks
 
If you go to Marianna, be sure to include Hole-in-the-Wall. It's back mountable and really a pretty system, imo. You can get two dives in there, one upstream and one down.
Getting someone to dive BM with down there is a WHOLE (pardon the pun) 'nother story :)
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/teric/
http://cavediveflorida.com/Rum_House.htm

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