Jackson Blue Vis Report?

[Hetland]

Hi guys (and gals),
anyone have a report on Morrisons? LAst tme I was viz was so bad as not to suit up. I was thinking of Vortex just to get wet but it seems that would be a waste of time.

Thanks

Two weeks ago there was maybe 3-4ft of viz. You can guess how bad things will be by looking here: Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service: Tallahassee: Choctawhatchee River at Caryville Anything over 5-6 feet is going to be crappy, with 5-6 feet usually being crappy too.

Vortex was so bad you couldn't see the second step of the entry platforms.

Your only hope is Cypress, which is somewhat protected from runoff, but even that's not a guarantee.

-h

 

[DiveLvr]

Hetland,
the link you listed of the Prediction Service, how accurate is that to determine if the river is over Morrisons and how do I use that web site?

Thanks,
Doug

 

[DiveLvr]

Okay, thanks to the photos Thrills N Giggles has of Morrisons from a week ago I see the answer to my question. Some ou my friends were planning a Rescue Class checkout there next weekend. Has anyone had any good gulf dives lately?

Doug

 

[Dive-aholic]

Stopped by Morrison today and visibility didn't look bad. I could see the bottom about 10' below the surface. There were several open water classes in the basin too. No telling what it will look like tomorrow, but my guess is it will still be okay, at least in the morning.

 

[scubamiller]

Swung by Morrison's today on the way back home from DeFuniak Springs, and the visibility was about 5'; The water level is REALLY up...it was 15' to the training platform which is usually around 10-12' max. The boardwalk steps are in water about a foot deep. Saw the guys from Chipola River divers there diving; I was skin diving only with the youngster, and could not even find the log following the rope from the platform down to 22'. I took a picture of my own fin which I will try to post to give you an idea of the current vis.

Mike

 

[Hetland]

According to reliable sources: Jackson Blue had less than ten feet at the cavern entrance yesterday, meaning a cavern dive becomes a cave dive by the time you get to the usual deco/safety stop area.

 

[Dive-aholic]

Swung by Morrison's today on the way back home from DeFuniak Springs, and the visibility was about 5'; The water level is REALLY up...it was 15' to the training platform which is usually around 10-12' max. The boardwalk steps are in water about a foot deep. Saw the guys from Chipola River divers there diving; I was skin diving only with the youngster, and could not even find the log following the rope from the platform down to 22'. I took a picture of my own fin which I will try to post to give you an idea of the current vis.

MikeView attachment 117640

Yes, we were crazy enough to be in there. I was teaching a sidemount class to an apprentice cave diver. We did a couple of dives on the platform where we started out with about 10' of visibility in the morning and ended up with less than 5' by 3pm. When we got there at 8:30 the water level was just at the 3rd step. By 3pm it was about an inch below the 4th step! Visibility in the cavern (cave actually since there was no daylight zone) was perfect as usual. We spent a couple of dives in there working on skills we had already done on the platform. Besides, it was a lot warmer in the overhead than in the basin!

 

[Dive-aholic]

Here's a video of the last time Jackson Blue was blown out, about 4 years ago. We headed back to the 1st T before deciding the visibility probably wasn't going to open up. This was after over 20 inches of rain in about as many hours.

 

[Hetland]

3/10/2012 Clear in the basin and clear in the cavern zone. There was a tiny bit of flow. Had the whole place to ourselves. Really nice way to spend a Saturday afternoon.