Northwest Florida Springs Recommendations

[WetRocks]

Ballroom is 55ish at grate. Devils eye is in the 70 range in cavern, ear is similar, catfish hotel gets you to 50? So there are plenty that will get you deeper than 45, not a ton to get you over 100 though.

Right, but she specifically asked for Northwest FL...none of the places you mention are in NW FL

 

[WetRocks]

Yes - cavern trained
So forgetting depth which sites in that area would you recommend? (Must allow sidemount)

Jackson Blue. Morrison. Church (no cavern to speak of, cave or open water only) Emerald (once it clears up.) I don't consider Orange Grove NWFL, but it's a nice deep basin and you can poke your head in the cavern (not sure how much is "cavern" and where the cave starts there.)

 

[tbone1004]

@WetRocks know of any that get there? I can't think of anything within cavern range up in that neck of the woods. OG can be added for the other side of Florida as that cavern gets to 100ish.

Also of note, for @Kate F remember that your cavern limitation is depth+penetration so there is not technically a 150ft cavern.

 

[WetRocks]

@WetRocks know of any that get there? I can't think of anything within cavern range up in that neck of the woods. OG can be added for the other side of Florida as that cavern gets to 100ish.

No, we all go east for AN/DP courses. There isn't the requisite depth in a training site in NWFL springs. Deepest in Jackson County is Baltzell but not until well into the cave (and it's not a training cave); Tallahassee has depth but they are also not entry or training level dives.

 

[Kate F]

Thanks to both of you! Looks like I'll have to tough it out in the cold water for my deco training or wait till summer. I'll keep diving in FL till then.At least I have some new places to check out now!

 

[tbone1004]

@Kate F what is the andp cert for and why the need for 150ft? You can get into all sorts of deco at 90-100ft....

 

[Kate F]

@Kate F what is the andp cert for and why the need for 150ft? You can get into all sorts of deco at 90-100ft....

TDI deco training std requires 2 of the 4 dives be deeper than 100'.

 

[Kate F]

TDI deco training std requires 2 of the 4 dives be deeper than 100'.

@Kate F what is the andp cert for and why the need for 150ft? You can get into all sorts of deco at 90-100ft....

Oops AN/DP = Adv Nitrox / Deco Procedures training

 

[The Chairman]

I've got the perfect place for you: Hudson Grotto. Woot! Down to 140' if you can find the rabbit hole. You'll get to encounter a halocline into a sulfer layer, another halocline with a reverse thermocline to boot as you enter salt water. First 80 ft of vis sucks, but below that is dark and clear. Follow all the lines and try not to silt the place out. What a blast.

 

[tbone1004]

TDI deco training std requires 2 of the 4 dives be deeper than 100'.

I'd just suck it up and get the training done at Mystery, it's not that cold.
There's nothing you can do to prep for it where you benefit from being deep IMO. All of the gas switches are done shallow anyway so the only benefit you get from depth is seeing how quickly your gas goes as compared to shallower depth.