Ginnie Springs Solo Dive?

[g1138]

To put something in perspective. Top of your class means nothing if the other students weren't very good to begin with. You may be the very bottom when compared with another class or you might be in the middle. We don't know.
Keep in mind not all classes are equal, some have higher standards to pass than others.

Point is, I would advise you to not solo dive. You don't have training in managing a pony, you haven't made a solo dive, you haven't made a dive without instructor supervision. It's a lot of new things to undertake, especially on your first personal fun dive.
Judging from the your cave diver friends' suggestions, I feel they are on the training side of self-reliance, and might not be the most suitable buddy for you at this moment.
I'm not sure what the chances of finding a pickup buddy on site are, but if you do insta-buddy, be sure to cover a full buddy check and dive plan with each other.

Hand signals, turn around time & psi, max depth & dive time, air share technique, equipment configuration and use, the works.

 

[GillScales]

At ginnie, it shouldn't be hard to hire a DM for a few days, or take a course with an instructor: peak performance buoyancy, nitrox, or even GUE fundies,all great ways to spend some vacation time,and will help you on your way to being a more self sufficient diver.

 

[Phil_C]

I know the answer to this question, .

Michael - I think this says it all, you do know the answer to the question and you are just looking for someone else to either confirm it or convince you that it is safe after all. Unless you have the training and experience it really isn't safe, even with a pony. I have a regular buddy who is a cave diver, and is a very competent and capable diver, but his approach to diving and his self reliance doesn't always make him a good buddy. Because he is so self reliant and capable he sometimes forgets others don't have his skill level.

I suspect that if the the cave diver who suggested you dive solo sat down and really thought it through he would also realise he had not given you good advice given your level of experience and certification. It isn't just about how well did you learn or do at OW training, there are things that can happen which you have not trained or thought through how to deal with without a buddy and these are the things which will catch you out.

I'm not against solo diving per se, but if you do solo dive you must go in to it with your eyes open, having thought through and trained for the various scenarious that may occur, and having equipped yourself mentally, physically and equipment wise, in order to properly handle the situation.

To answer two of your specific questions -
C). No I think you are showing maturity by not just accepting it was OK to dive solo, so don't worry about that.
E). No so long as you discuss and agree the dive plan, properly brief and both follow your training it is much safer.

Have fun and stay safe - P

 

[PfcAJ]

I would begin to question the judgement of your friends if they're suggesting that you solo dive. It's even worse that you're new.

 

[DMDavid]

If you get the chance contact some of the dive shops around north Florida, many of them have planned trips to Ginnie and can set you up with a buddy.

I just got back from Ginnie this past weekend, otherwise I'd go with you.

Have you tired sites like www.divebuddy.com ?

 

[JamesK]

I do many solo dives at Ginnie Springs in the cave system and after play in the spring runs. I only say that to show that I am not against solo dives. With that said, no you should not solo dive there with your experience level. While staying in the 6 foot deep spring run sounds like something easy. You can still have problems. Get to close to the edge and you can get tangled in tree roots. People fish at the end of the run so their is monofilament at times to get entangled in. The tannic rice water can take the amazing visibility and turn it to zero. It can also pull you right in to the river where there are many hazards. If an OW group shows up the spring run can quickly go to zero vis. The caverns look harmless but all three if the Devil's caverns can get you very easily wedged in a spot or lost somewhere you do not want to be. The ballroom is said to be OW friendly, but is still an overhead environment that can have the same problems as any overhead environment.

So with all that, while I solo dive their a couple times a month, I so not recommend it for someone with your experience level, and even for many who have hundreds on dives.

 

[CamG]

Greetings Micheal Solo best left till you have had more experience and training.
However there are some tine open water areas that will introduce you to the springs.
Troy Spring is awesome but a long walk.
Orange Sink in Wes Skiles Peacock St, Pk is another OW area.
Several years ago I took my wife and kids with me to north FL all certified OW / AOW divers and we spring hopped.
For a week we traveled around the area diving in OW, swimming and visiting springs did a boat ride down the Rivers and had a blast!

What fun was that? A lot of fun it was meet so many people and had the opportunity to get a feel for what springs really are.
Did several restaurant tours of local eateries it was an adventure.
So take heart you are not just an OW diver and do not let that impede your trip but embrace where you are at and dive within your limits / follow the rules.
Seek out a few areas to dive OW then go around spring hopping you will find it to be a lot of fun.
We did!

CamG PM Me if you wish to get some contacts to help you navigate the area down there.

 

[Lorenzoid]

After reading all the talk about Ginnie Springs, I went down there to see what it was all about, and it seemed to me that there's very little to see and do if one isn't a cave diver. You can look around in the Ballroom for a few minutes. You can swim around in the springs. I guess some people find that interesting, but I won't be back unless it's to take GUE Fundies. My recommendation is drive down to the Keys for much more interesting OW diving. You should have no problem buddying up with someone on a dive boat.

 

[JamesK]

After reading all the talk about Ginnie Springs, I went down there to see what it was all about, and it seemed to me that there's very little to see and do if one isn't a cave diver. You can look around in the Ballroom for a few minutes. You can swim around in the springs. I guess some people find that interesting, but I won't be back unless it's to take GUE Fundies. My recommendation is drive down to the Keys for much more interesting OW diving. You should have no problem buddying up with someone on a dive boat.

This is where I have to disagree. To me the joy is being in the water, no matter the hole that it happens to be in. I regularly finish of the gas in my tanks after a cave dive with a half hour to one hour dive in the spring run. Sitting in one spot and not moving allowing the fish to swim up to you to get pictures, or scouring the bottom of the run to play with the flounder. Enjoying the view of the tannic water mixing above you with the spring water and watching the ways it plays with the sun light. Oh and how can we forget it is one of the only places you can scuba dive with manatees! Ok ok so they are not real manatees and are drunken rednecks spillin out of their bathing suits, but if you fill your mask with water and squint you can almost fool yourself in to thinking they are manatees.

 

[ucfdiver]

I find that everyone who recommends solo diving only recommends it if you have as much experience as they do. Funny how everyone thinks it's a bad idea until then, right?

Solo diving isn't smart, period. Looking both ways before running a red light and having years of driving experience makes it less dangerous, but it doesn't make it a smart decision.