My First Visit to Florida Springs (Aka Need Advice and Help)

[Fedaykin]

Hello all,

I’m planning to dive at Florida Springs at 3rd and 4th of November. I made arrangements for accommodation but have no clue about where and how to dive there. As far as I understand I can dive at Blue Grotto, Devil’s Den and Silver Springs without Cave Certificate. I’m a CMAS 3 Star Diver (Divemaster at PADI). Normal procedure in diving at Turkey is you grab your gear and go to a diving location. You find a diving school-shop and dive with their groups or instructors. Is it working the same way there? Do I have to make arrangements before going there or is it ok to go and say “Hello, I want to dive today”? What will be my estimated budget

Thanks in advance,
Bulent Aytekin

 

[joe10540]

You have to have a buddy or they won't allow you access at blue grotto and devils den. Not sure if you can find one there or not. Best advice would be to call and talk to someone at each site and see what they can advise.

 

[sportxlh]

The prices to dive are on each of the springs websites. Last time I dove at Devils Den and Blue Grotto, they insisted that all divers have a buddy and they did not arrange for a buddy. I know you can probably hire a guide from either location or from a shop like American Pro or Bird's which are both in Chrystal River. You can dive with your open water certification at DD and BG.

There are some springs in the Panhandle of Florida where you can dive solo: I've done so at Vortex and Morrison Springs but I always carry a pony bottle too

 

[Caveeagle]

As far as I understand I can dive at Blue Grotto, Devil’s Den and Silver Springs without Cave Certificate.

I am not aware of any diving allowed at Silver Springs. You will be fine at Blue Grotto and Devil's Den as long as you have OW+ cert and a buddy.

You can also dive at Paradise Springs, or Ginnie Springs, as well as some others like Troy, or Manatee.

It would be best to try and line up a buddy or maybe even sign up for a cavern class if your going to be here for a few days and don't have a buddy lined up. There are cavern classes going on around here most weekends, so maybe you can tag onto a group that needs a 4th student.

*Getting your cavern cert really opens up your options. There are some pretty cool sites that you can dive with a cavern cert that you should be able to get in 3 days if you are already in decent trim and you won't really need much in the way of new equipment. ..This also will open up your chances of finding a buddy willing to meet up for a couple dives.

What will be my estimated budget

Just from memory...
Blue Grotto: $45 / day
Paradise: $35 / day
Ginnie: $35 / day
State Parks like Manatee, Troy, Fanning... Something like $4~$5 / car for entry

 

[Johnoly]

... in diving at Turkey is you grab your gear and go to a diving location.

Your reg is most likely DIN. When you call each dive site you should also ask if they have either DIN tanks or adapters available to use if they only have yoke (A-Clamp valve) fittings available. Also if you are looking for steel or aluminum tanks. The most popular in USA is A-clamp valve on an AL80 (12 litre) aluminum tanks

 

[Fedaykin]

Thanks all for the information. I'll be at Macon for training between Monday and Wednesday. I hope I could make arrangements when I am there for finding a buddy to dive at Florida Springs during Thursday and Friday. I have a flight returning back to Turkey on Saturday night that I assume I will not have enough time to get a cave certificate. Let’s see how this will end