Question from a not yet cave diver

[scubatoad]

Meng,

What changed at Blue Grotto besides the ownership?

 

[Meng_Tze]

Uhmm, last I looked it was $40 to get in......

Has that changed? I was not aware ownership changed...

 

[Dive-aholic]

I've never been to Blue Grotto, but the Ginnie Ballroom isn't really much of an overhead. Yeah, you are technically in an overhead but it's not really that bad. Trying to swim into that flow down by the grate is a pretty good approximation of good flow in some of the caves.

I've made some very interesting entrances/exits into and out of really high flow caves. One in Missouri you used every available appendage to cram yourself in between the ceiling and the floor of the mouth of the cave to creep in. Legs splayed out behind you on the roof, arms wrapped around a boulder, head wedged in a crack in the ceiling...you eventually learn how to work with the flow instead of brute forcing in. You "sneak" your way into the cave and learn to find the path of least resistance. My entrance into this one in Missouri got easier every time I did it.

On one exit we pretty much just tried to drag our hands against the rock wall as we got flung out of the cave... my friend came zipping out with a big rock in his hands he was holding onto, and I blew a fin off and had my mask sideways.

All caves aren't that bad, but sometimes you gotta improvise, and it ain't always graceful

Open water divers have died in the Ginnie Ballroom. Also, there is an area of the ballroom that is "technically" outside the cavern zone - you can't see the light from there. An overhead is still an overhead, even if the people that own access to it want to allow lights. It still has the potential to be dangerous.

As for Blue Grotto, max depth is just over 100' and out of the light zone at that point, even if only briefly. Should you do the circuit without proper training? Better yet, can you handle any kind of emergency in that environment. There isn't much flow in Blue Grotto and the place can easily get silted up and stay silted up. There are also areas you can get lost/trapped in there in no viz.

If you want to dive overheads, get the training!

 

[Cave Diver]

If you want to dive overheads, get the training!

Ditto what he said.

 

[Nic160]

If you want to dive overheads, get the training!

If you say what the heck and decide to just go for it, read some of the recent post on CDF about the old body recoveries. Hopefully thinking of someones head looking like hamburger will change your mind.

http://cavediver.net/phpbb2/viewtopic.php?t=4339

 

[simbrooks]

All kinds of good advice and of course hints about what you will learn on a course. I also agree that just because you are shown and can reciprocate some kind of ability in high flow, doesnt mean you have mastered those techniques and of course time and practice help with those techniques and reading the cave, both those you frequent and any new ones you go to.

Personally i didnt find the flow at Manatee that bad, i thought the flow at Blue Spring (Orange City) was worse. The flow coming out of Alexander is fair, but from what i have heard the only people who went in that boil went no-mount and might have hit somewhere like 120ft or so, although you can see something below the sand, i wouldnt want to attempt that! I am still not a fan of exiting the devils ear, the rest isnt so bad though.

 

[hudman10]

I tkink with any path you chose in diving, you need to be comfortable and certified with youre skills. I've met many divers that are certified that are not qualified. Practice, Practice, Practice!!!