Hopping my way to full cave...

[Manatee Diver]

@rddvet

Nope it was a **** show on Saturday. I checked in Friday afternoon for Saturday, and I showed up at 6:30 am for a 7am meet up. The parking lot for the check in place was full. By the afternoon there was chairs everyone, had to request a little room on the setup racks to tear down my tanks. I'm probably not going to hit Ginnie again until Labor day, at least not by choice.

Apparently a good portion of the folks are from South Florida, coming up because all the beaches are closed down there. Personally I think Ginnie is lucky they are in Gilcrest, I am sure that Alachua would've shut them down. But neither are cave divers distancing either. Other than not shaking hands everything seemed to be the normal chattiness that you see.

 

[rddvet]

I generally avoid talking to other divers, so luckily I can usually socially distance. My wife and I are heading back up Thursday to dive. It's much better during the week, though the idiots can start showing up on thursday for a long weekend. Over the years we have dove Ginnie on every major holiday weekend and gettiing there early and getting done early is always the key. When we expect a busy day at Ginnie we plan shorter dives like fun scooter dives so we're gone before the dummies wake up. This was the first time we've ever shown up, checked in, then drove right the hell back out. It was worse than any other weekend I've been. Maybe we've gotten lucky in the past, but we've been diving Ginnie for 6+ years. I really think it's the fact that people are tired of being bored due to Covid and the typical Ginnie goer is of the mentality that Covid is a conspiracy. They see the restrictions are lifting so it's time to go balls to the walls. We've even seen it at my work. We have particular rules to limit exposure. Since Florida started opening things up, it seems half of the people think it's back to life like normal and are starting to fight us and complain about our safety rules.
I do agree with you that I think being in Gilchrist allows Ginnie to get away with it. The amount of people there was just ridiculous and I can't imagine any health official would approve.

 

[Caveeagle]

I generally avoid talking to other divers, so luckily I can usually socially distance. My wife and I are heading back up Thursday to dive. It's much better during the week, though the idiots can start showing up on thursday for a long weekend. Over the years we have dove Ginnie on every major holiday weekend and gettiing there early and getting done early is always the key. When we expect a busy day at Ginnie we plan shorter dives like fun scooter dives so we're gone before the dummies wake up. This was the first time we've ever shown up, checked in, then drove right the hell back out. It was worse than any other weekend I've been. Maybe we've gotten lucky in the past, but we've been diving Ginnie for 6+ years. I really think it's the fact that people are tired of being bored due to Covid and the typical Ginnie goer is of the mentality that Covid is a conspiracy. They see the restrictions are lifting so it's time to go balls to the walls. We've even seen it at my work. We have particular rules to limit exposure. Since Florida started opening things up, it seems half of the people think it's back to life like normal and are starting to fight us and complain about our safety rules.
I do agree with you that I think being in Gilchrist allows Ginnie to get away with it. The amount of people there was just ridiculous and I can't imagine any health official would approve.

I guess I’m lucky to live nearby and can just dive Ginnie weekdays after work where and there. And like I said already, I can just dive from the river if I am really trying to avoid the parking lot.
Kind of funny a few weekends ago, I saw a buddy I know passing through the keyhole, and then again at deco in the eye. He called me later that night because he couldn’t find my truck in the parking lot, and didn’t realize I accessed from the river.. haha.

I do think Ginnie should really cap the entrance, but doubt they will unless forced to,

 

[Manatee Diver]

I do think Ginnie should really cap the entrance, but doubt they will unless forced to,

They did for the month of May, but I think that has stopped.

 

[grantctobin]

They did for the month of May, but I think that has stopped.

Yeah, unfortunately. There are also rumours floating about that management (or a manager, I gather) is considering eliminating diving on weekends.

 

[Manatee Diver]

Yeah, unfortunately. There are also rumours floating about that management (or a manager, I gather) is considering eliminating diving on weekends.

If true I would want a refund on my annual pass.

 

[Caveeagle]

Yeah, unfortunately. There are also rumours floating about that management (or a manager, I gather) is considering eliminating diving on weekends.

I’m gonna call “fake news” on that one. They really only put a cap on the Day pass entrance and non camping divers for just a few days. I think it was Memorial Day sat/sun and maybe the weekend prior to that. I talk to those folks all the time and havn’t heard squat about that,

In fact, they are getting closer by the day to completing a full service dive shop on site. Why on earth would they do that and then close to divers on weekends. ??

 

[Manatee Diver]

Well got my apprentice plus paperwork today. Full thirds, 1,200 feet maximum penetration, 10 minutes deco, and one jump. I was hoping for a little more maximum penetration so I could make it to Olsen, I guess that will be my first dive after full cave.

But the limit isn't a problem at Ginnie, currently I can only get about 700-800 feet with my LP85s there.

 

[dewdropsonrosa]

YAAAAAAAAAAAYY!!!

 

[Manatee Diver]

Chris took some photos the last weekend I was diving with him. I really like how closely the deco bottle hangs in sidemount. And this photo is before we tightened it up even more.

Also the light hanging down wrong has been fixed.