What does "blown out" mean for springs?

[CurlyJ]

Forgive my ignorance, as I've mostly been diving in salt water.

I've seen a few references to the FL springs being already "blown out" or being so in the next couple weeks.

When I hear blown out, I think that a small craft advisory has been called and the boat isn't heading out.

What does blown out mean for the springs? It is tied to visibility or other conditions? Is it something seasonal? How long does it last?

My wife and I were planning a single shakedown dive, tentatively at Troy or Ginnie, on the 22nd to test some gear changes and didn't know if this being "blown out" would result in a less positive experience with the springs than should typically be expected.

Previously, my only experiences with springs was back in 2001 during training dives for AOW. We do not have any cave or cavern certifications and are open to alternate suggestions, especially something that might make someone want to "come back for more"

(A cheeky suggestion of "get cavern or cave certified" is already on the roadmap in some form; I mentioned in my intro thread that we're starting down the tech track this year)

I'm coming in from the east and afterward, I have an errand in High Springs before heading south via I-75, if that helps constrain suggestions from being a bit far west.

 

[Dsix36]

It means the river level has gone up enough to cause the tannic water to intrude into the cave, sometimes even a full on flow reversal, that makes the visibility zero. Imagine swimming in coffee.

 

[The Chairman]

I hear that Peacock is officially "blown out" or not diveable due to river water intrusion.

 

[Bowers]

It’s an intrusion of river water do to river rise. If you can picture diving in the river, thats the viz you’d expect..

For those who are more familiar with the area; I am planning a trip to high springs in a few days to do some diving. Already have off work and would hate to have to cancel. How long does it look like the popular places will be out? We were looking at mostly high springs area such as jug, p1, and some open water in troy and royal, but also planned to make a day for buford as well. Any chance they will be clearing up next week? Is buford at risk of loosing viz?

 

[Johnoly]

.., tentatively at Troy or Ginnie, on the 22nd....

Ginnie is usually one of the last to get blown or flooded out. But there have been times when the water level has even sunk the toilets.

 

[boulderjohn]

What it has traditionally meant is that I have come to the area hoping to dive. It's pretty much automatic.

 

[The Chairman]

I think Ginnie, Little River and Jug Hole are open. They're not suitable for me at the moment, so hopefully @Capt Jim Wyatt or @kensuf can chime in.

 

[Capt Jim Wyatt]

Little River is blown too...

 

[CurlyJ]

It means the river level has gone up enough to cause the tannic water to intrude into the cave, sometimes even a full on flow reversal, that makes the visibility zero. Imagine swimming in coffee.

Ah, where I live those kinds of conditions mean that I've intentionally decided to go hunting for fossils at the bottom of black water.

Does the river level typically go up at this time of year, or were the comments just reflecting that they have?
Is there a way to monitor/check from a distance?

 

[The Chairman]

Quite often, we have floods in January.